QUEEN’S TEA PARTIES.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 19483, 6 May 1933, Page 11

QUEEN’S TEA PARTIES.

Shortly after the Court returned to Buckingham Palace from Sandringham her Majesty resumed her series of informal afternoon tea parties for her personal friends. These parties are delightful entertainments, always greatly enjoyed by those privileged to be present. It is upon these occasions that one realises how wide-spread are the Queen’s interests and how versatile her powers as a conversationalist. She enters freely into the discussion of any subject that may arise, it being understood of course, that politics and tittle-tattle are taboo. WOMEN OF ITALY AND THEIR CLOTHES. Signor Mussolini has become greatly interested in women’s clothes. He has devoted a great deal of time to the subject, has discussed it with grave, bearded men of State, and finally ret aside £20,000 for scarves, gowns, hats, shoes, and the like for permanent exhibition. For women, he says, have in their hands an efficient means of helping to forge a powerful Fascist State of the future. The international political influence he desires could never be complete while Italian women order their clothes from Paris dressmakers, and so the State is spending money to win their supixjrt. Decorum, the blackshirt chieftain told his Government, demands a dominant Italian school of styles. To achieve this he has created an organisation in Turin which will encourage the art of designing dress? . miiiinery, and footwear, and which will present Italan models to Italian women for their approval. Mussolini maintains absolute power in the organisation by reserving the right to appoint its director. A permanent national exhibition will be maintained in Turin to display the new styles.