LADIES' COLUMN

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6286, 17 September 1898, Page 3

LADIES' COLUMN

MISS COLOMIA IN LONDON. CONFIDENCES TO HER COUSINS ACROSS THE SEA. LONDON, July 29. woman's work. Although we have not yet obtained the suffrage here there is plenty of useful work for us to do in agitating for the better protection of those workers, especially women and children, engaged in dangerous trades, whose health and lives are impaired by the conditions under which they labour. Women aro taking an active part in the energetic crusade that is now being carried on for the prevention of " phossy jaw " in the match factories, and of lead poisoning in the potteries, and wo are the prime movers in the institution of a fund for the protection of wemen and children in factories who are dismissed by their employers for telling the truth to factory and shophours inspectors. Since the sensational disclosure of Bryant and May's evasion of the law, and their concealment from the factory inspector of no less than seventeen cases of necrosis, we have all felt that some prompt steps should be taken to. protect the poor match girls, and that feeling crystallised into action in the meeting called by Mr Basil Wilberforce, in the Jerusalem Chamber, at Westminster Abbey. Mrs Humphry Ward could not come, but she wrote that " phessy jaw ought to be made impossible." Canon Wilberforce, who addressed the meeting, suggested three remedies, the purchase of matches made with non-poisonous phosphorine, such as the Salvation Army manufacture ; the prohibition of the use of poisonous phosphorine altogether, or the more stringent inspection of the factories. The venerable Baroness Burdetb-Coutts came from her luxurious home in Piccadilly to move a resolution that a committee be formed to watch over the interests of women engaged in dangerous trades. The young Duchess of Sutherland, a warm protector of the lead workers in the potteries, supported the resolution, and the Baroness was empowered to call the committee together. Lady Portsmouth supported by Lord Hugh Cecil andl Mr Birrell, moved a resolution to send a deputation to the Home Secretary praying for the total legislative prohibition of the use of poisonous phosphorous and of the importation of matches made with poisonous phosphorous. The deputation consisting of Baroness Burdett-Coutts, the Duchess of Westminster, the Countess of Portsmouth, Lady Bective and Mrs Wilberforce, had a sympathetic reception from Sir Matthew White Ridley. Although Mr W. Burdett-Coutts did most of the talking, the Baroness, who, in spite of her age, insisted on standing, pleaded strongly for the appointment of women inspectors, saj r ing, "We feel sure that no inspector can be as much protection to these poor women and girls as one of our own sex." The Home Secretary, although he could not promise prohibition, soon showed that he had caused vigorous inspection to bq made, and intended appointing some women inspectors. His view was that much might ba done by a rigid dental inspection. As the name implies " phossy jaw " chiefly arises from the j phosphorous attacking the teeth. Amongst th« match girls, who are not pale-faced -and down-trodden as they are generally pictured, but robust and rowdy, full of animal spirits and well cared for, the use of a. tooth brush is almost unknown, and, despite the care of their employers, they come to their work with decayed teeth, and in one case a worker came straight back to work after .having, a tooth extracted. You must not imagine that Bryan and Mays are fiends in human form, as some journals depict them. They have lied, it is true, but even the rector of Bow champions the care with which they treat their workpeople. If a thorough inspection of teeth is carried out every morning, phossy jaw will soon be a thing of the past ; but probably before long some harmless composition to strike anywhere} will be invented. I have ver- little faith myself in the existence of a sufficiently altruistic spirit* amongst smokers to lead to an effectual boycott of the " convenient lucifer." The whold question is one of a somewhat technical nature, and I hope that the Women Committee will investigate for themselves in a practical Avay, and not act in a mere dilettante and superficial S2>irit of sentimentalism. After all, while it is iiseful to have any movement supported by duchesses and countesses, the unpretentious women-workers, who make their investigations amongst the classes needing protection, are those whose opinions should carry weight in the consideration of practical reform. The Industrial Law Committee is another and more expert body designed for the enforcement of law, promotion of reform, especially where women are concerned. Its President is Mrs H. J. Tennant, formerly superintending inspector of factories, and it comjprises such women as Miss de Chaumont (a skilled sanitary inspector) and the Hon Mrs Alfred Lyttelton. They also held a meeting last week, and secured the moral support of such fashionable names as the Countess of Warwick and Lady Battersea, and the oratorical assistance of the Bishop of London and Mr Asquith. Miss Orme moved a resolution that the effectiveness of the committee would be much increased by the establishment of a fund for the protection of women and children who suffer dismissal in consequence of giving evidence which is required by law. And the meeting resolved to establish such an indemnity fund, and showed its practical sympathy by subscribing, substantial sums as a beginning of t;he capital fund of £10,000 required. The inspectors can only ascertain infringements of the law by questioning the employees, and a conviction of the employers for insanitary conditions and breaches of the Shop Hours Act is generally followed by the dismissal of the hands who have given evidence. 1 should have thought that the law would have been powerful enough to punish the [ employers for such a proceeding as contempt ' of court, but it appears not, and the workers are at present in the awkward predicament of having to go on working in defiance of law, and lie to the inspector who interrogates them, or tell the truttfx and see their situations and daily bread taken from them. Everyone must sympathise with the establishment of tihe fund, and. feel that, in the hands of the Industrial Law Committee, it will be properly administered. I should like to see some part of the fines inflicted on j employers for breaking the law paid to those of their work-people whom they dismiss for telling the truthTHE BRIDEGROOM'S TROUSSEAU. Bridegrooms' are not generally supposed to concern themselves much about their own trousseau, and indeed we find it hard to understand how they could manage to spend much money on garments that are not seen. " Man wants but little here below," said Tom, (striking himself on the chest, when I asked him if he intended to provide himself with an elaborate outfit on his marriage. X was naturally much surprised to hear of a young American who spent six weeks and £2000 over his trousseau, half of which sum was expended on) what we should perhaps call bis lingerie. The item will no doubt be as much ot a revelation to you of masculine vanity as they were to me. In pyjamas this young dandy must have been quite a dream. He had a dozen pairs (ab £15 each) of the finest Indian silk, hand-embroidered m delicate white pink, blue, heliotrope, and red, with turn-down collars, fastened by a ;sailors knob silk tie, and soft rolling cuffs, held together by pearl links. For each of the tour dozen handkerchiefs, with a border to match the colour scheme of his pyjamas, he paid £9 12s, and the pocket-flap was ornamented by an elaborate monogram. The dressing-gowns which enveloped his luxurious frame were also wonderful harmonies in colour, of the softest silk, lined with quilted satin. Three of .these cost £50. Shavinc ho evidently considered required a special toilette, for he indulged m sixshavine jackets, the two richest of which were of enmson silk lined with brown. For his delicate skin only the finest silk underwear would serve, in shades of cream, pale blue, nink and heliotrope, thin as gauze. His hose were silken, monogram hand-embroidered and open worked. His bath robes ran up to £50— for they must be all silk and satmlined and the more luxurious of delicate tan eiderdown, lined with pale pink satin. For cirding up his loins, if he ever indulged in fo violent aa exertion, he. invested in sixteen

pairs of silk suspenders and innumerable patent leather belts in white, tan and brown kids, .with silver or gold buckles. Don't you pity his bride? And to fancy such exquisites in .Roosevelt's Rough Rider reduced to nothing but a pair of trousers and a cartridge belt. LABORATORIES AND GOWNS. Women doctors are not here at all events the hard featured, bespectacled creatures that the prejudiced man would have us believe. Of those who have qualified at the University of London, a very large proportion have married, and married well, and that they have not lost their love for gay attire was evident by the gay score when the Prince andi Princess of Wales opened the new laboratories of the London School of Medicine a few days ago. Mrs Garrett Anderson, who opened the proceedings was attired in rich black and purple, another lady was gorgeous in scarlet and gold of the D.Sc, Miss Julia blazed in the Brussels sca<rlet and light blue, and Mrs Scharlieb was dazzling in the scarlet and purple of the London M.D. The new block of buildings has cost nearly £10,000, andl was built out of money left by the Pleiffer bequest, after which the wing has been named. Since the foundation of the school twentyfour years ago, it has sent women medicos all over the United Kingdom to hospitals, asylums and workhouse infirmaries, and to India, South Africa and China. In India, in the Zenanas, in which no men are allowed, there is a large field for the combined 'doctor cum-missionary woman to aid the secluded Hindoo women.. Opposition to women dostors still prevails, largely no doubt owing to the men's fear of increased competition, and most of the successful women find the sphere in the special treatment of the diseases of women and children.