HERE AND THERE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5656, 29 August 1896, Page 3

HERE AND THERE.

[" Canterbury Times."]

The scheme for the better management of reformatories that was laid before the Canterbury Women's Institute recently is marked by thoixghtful common sense. No one can doubt that if it were carried out in its entirety children would be reformed indeed, instead of being gradually ripened into young criminals, as is too often the case under the system in vogue among us at present. For even when all allowance has been made for inherited tendencies towards crime, there is a large margin left for the influence of environment and training to neutralize such congenital taint. Constant occupation is rightly urged as necessary, and nothing could be more conducive to health than outdoor work in the vegetable or fruit garden, which should occupy a large proportion of the time spent in a reformatory of any kind. Proper training in domestic duties for the girls is attended to, as well as elementary education, and under a matron of the right kind — one who is firm, yet kind and gentle — such a training might be made an immense power for good. The dietary plan is most commendable also, as it is composed of the most nutritious foods only. Brown bread and butter, soups, vegetables, milk puddings, with fruit and nuts at every meal should assist very materially in building up healthy bodies and minds; as for meat, it is very rightly excluded from the scheme. Much, very much, depends upon the management of such a Home. As the writer of the article observes, the entire supervision should be in the hands of a woman who would be responsible to a Board of Management composed of men and women. And sho should, of course, be specially gifted for such work — one who can make the paths of right living attractive and beautiful, and not only be able to nourish, but actually to call out the smallest germ of self-respect yet lingering in the breasts of the poor little human mistakes committed into her keeping. Those who know and admire the books of Mrs Hodgson Burnett will not be surprised at her sensible ideas on the woman question. The world-known authoress was recently interviewed by Miss Belloc, herself a journalist and writer of some eminence, when Mrs Burnett said: "The man and woman question has no interest for me. We are not to be divided into mere men and women, we are human beings who are part of each other. Each part should ba as noble as the other, and the one who is the stronger should teach the other strength. To be a man's wife and the mother of human beings is a stately thing. Frequently it is not, but it should be ; and tp be a woman's husband and the father of auman beings should be. quite as-stately a

thing. When it is not it is rather disgraceful." The same idea has been expressed before, but rarely with so much simplicity and beauty. She does not say, in so many words, but she implies that if it is as many think, the woman who possesses the clearer vision, and the greater sensitiveness to what is right, then she mustnot be content with advancing unless sho can take man along witli her — else she is short-sighted indeed, in her aims. English legislators appear to bs very much troubled by the presence of the crowds of lady visitors to the Terrace of the House of Commons, who beguile the time with tea and talk, but prevent the hard-worked members from enjoying the fresh air in their moments of respite. The abuse has grown to such dimensions that complaints have been made about this incursion of ladies, and a request is to be made to the members to limit the number of their guests to two lady friends for one day and no more. Tho Yorkshire Post, in sympathising with the dissatisfied members, says that on one day no less than five hxmdred and thirty ladies took tea on the Terrace, while the daily average for one week was three hundred and fifty! This looks as if women are not so averse to entering Parliament as they would have us imagine, since they delight to linger within the sacred precincts, and gain, as it wero, an insight however small, of the manner in which business is conducted by their representatives. It is some little time since waitresses weve substituted for the male attendants to the tea-rooms of the House, so that the woman voter and representative may not b<» so far off in England as many people seem to think.

The new colours for tho coming season show that taste is again sotting towards soft hues instead of the hideous purples and crimsons that flamed forth from bonnet and hat with such vulgar profusion during last summer. First among the pretty shades comes apricot in a dainty pinkish yellow, which should suit dark women to perfection. For the blonde there is a. new green, said to be a perfectly beautiful colour with the soft bloom of spring foliage, for it is without a tinge of either yellow or blue. Mauve, that lovely cool-looking colour, is to bo in vogue again, and particularly in conjunction with violet. Ostrich feathers, for instance, as well as ribbons, are shaded from pale mauve to deep violet. Pearl grays, fawns, and pale blues will, however, have many votaries, but the apricot and new green are said to be extremely fascinating as well.

If it is as Mrs Hodgson Burnett says, " a stately thing to bo the mother of a human being, it is also a privilege that has a burden of responsibilities.''' A doctor points out a large number of physical deformities among adults that are impossible to be remedied, although if they had been attended to in infancy, they could have been cured with ease, and even without pain. Some children, for instance, have prominent ears. These can be made shapely with but little trouble, by confining them with a band or with a cap to be worn at night. The band is simple enough, and is made of a strip of muslin about three inches wide. This is passed over the ears and cut the right length to meet below the chin ; a band is fastened to it to cross the back of the head, another at the nape of the neck, and another across the forehead, so as to keep the whole arrangement in place.

A window seat for a girl's bedroom, that will answer at the same time for holding crushable dresses, can be manufactured at home out of a long box with a lid, such as the home carpenter can easily put together. A pretty one that I saw recently in a delightful room facing a splendid view of the Southern Alps, afforded such a cosy corner in the deep bay window just filled by it, that probably some reader may like to imitate it. The chest, a heavy one, was of course fitted with a lid on hinge 3, and the top and front had been padded with kapoe, which was piled rather thickly on the top to form a soft cushion ; the stufang being kept in place by stout unbleached calico. For the outside covering a strong white drill had been used. This was first cut to fit the top and sides of the chest, and then it was stamped with Delft figures, such as queer Dutch ships and windmills. These were outlined in cording stitch with blue rope linen thread, and then the cover was neatly tacked on the chest with brass-headed tacks. The whole was finished with thick blue and white cotton cord. The inside of the box was carefully papered, and a very convenient piece of furniture was the result. It took up no extra room, and filled the window corner admirably, while for holding starched dresses and blouses nothing could have answered better.