HOME ECONOMICS ASSOCIATION.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16424, 12 May 1921, Page 9

HOME ECONOMICS ASSOCIATION.

(Contributed.) In spite of the very had weather some fifty ladies were present at Mrs Wliita- ' ker’s interesting talk on “ Home Nursing/’ The many useful, practical hints given wore much appreciated, and. at; the conclusion of the meeting, several | new members were enrolled. At a committee meeting hold in the Y.W.C.A. rooms last week, final arrangements were made for the publica-| tion of Urn syllabus of the Thrift Exlii- j bition to be bold in connection with our j association next August. A large num- : ber of valuable prizes are offered for ; proficiency in various domestic arts, and , "■0 hope that before the next publica- j tion of tins column, a copy of the s.tlla- i bus will be in the hands of every mem- j her of our association. A lady who has been teaching for j eight years in the tropical islands of i the South Pacific, is now spending a ; well-earned furlough in Now Zealand. I In response to our eager questions shehas been kind enough to supply us with j the following account of DOMESTIC I-IFF, TN THE SOUTH I SEA ISLANDS. (By 1.M.5.). | fn the native homes of the South Sea . Islands everyone rises nt daybreak, and j immediately the ovens are prepared., Ju a hole in the ground are placed pieces of white corai rock, on top of j which the fire is built, more pieces ol' ’ r ock being placed among and on top of fhe firewood. When the wood is burnt out and the stones almost red-hot, the cook, using a handy pair of tongs mado ' with a, few slashes of a knife lioin. the mid-rih of a: coeoanut leaf takes out the loose stones, and any unconsumed ends of wood.. The oven is now ready to .receive the food, which has been prepared while it waa heating. Taro, kuiuara. i and bananas in their skins are placed ! on the hot stories. Along with them go ! fish, fowl, or pork carefully wrapped i iu several layers of banana leaf. FudI dings made, from vegetables, fruits, ami eocoauut in thick wrappings of fern leaves are cooked in the same oven. Bread-fruit and yams, iu their season, , need no wrapping but their own rind, j If there is an nival id in the family green ; coconuts and short lengths of sugar ; cane are added, these delicacies being l considered specially nutritious when { cooked. j The remaining hot stones are packed around and over the food, and the ■whole covered with many pads of large green leaves sewn together with pieces of fibre All the food required for the day is cooked nt ilio some time and for the comfort of the cook, there is usually a roof of plaited coconut leaves over tho ovon and often a wall of the same material on the windy side. This primitive cooking stove requires no further attention until in about t.Avo and a half hours it is opened up and tho fond, beautifully cooked, but always Lasting slightly of the leaves which wrap it. is ready tor breakfast, the principal meal of the day. Everyone eats nil he can, and what remains is put away for later meals. An appetising sauce made lrom coconut cream, red chili peppers and sea water in a frequent accompaniment to tho meal. Coconut cream is made by grating the meat of the nut. then pressing it through a cloth. A rich bluishwhite fluid, much like milk in appearance* and consistency, is thus obtained. It is an indispensable ingredient in every native dish, and makes a very j good substitute for cream to use with fruit. i Banana leaves make very handy and hygienic plates and dishes, but if, as is often tho case, enamel plates arc used each person at the conclusion ot the meal washes his own in the sea or under the tap. In those islands in which there is a scarcity of fresh water, the sea is the universal bath, sink and j wash-tub. i Fish and fowl are cleaned in tho j smaller pools in the reef, tho larger ones being pressed into service twice daily as both tubs for everyone down j to quite small babies. These poor I mites, in. spite of their screams, are vigorously dipped and splashed, and consequently learn to swim almost as soon as they can -walk. Often, too, the cloches are washed at the edge of a pool of sea water, beaten clean on the stones, and spread to dry. on rocks near by But in those fortunate isles which . possess a hich pressure water supply tho island lady loves to put her clothes to soak on a block of wood beneath a running tap. Later on, at her leisure, she soaps them, and beats them clean with a heavy wooden heater. Tho ironing at which all native women ex-

cel, she does on the floor with a. chnicoal or, nowadays, very often a. benzine iron. When sweeping her bouse •'ho also likes to sit oil the. usiug j her favourite- broom, a thick bundle of the riba of the coconut- loaf. It certainly js a most useful, effective- and durable broom. Seized with a desire to spring clean,once ;i week or oftener she turns everything, furniture, mats and bedding, out into the sunshine, and then with nothing to hinder its progress, the. same coconut broom on tho end of a pole, does very effective work on tho ceilings and rough plaster walls, while buckets full of water flung into the rooms and swcpi out again, quickly clean any hoard floors On the whole the housewife of the Pacific Islands lends an easy life. Often all the. preparation and cooking of food is done by the men, and tho children, exceed- j mgly willing and capable between the ngos of.seven and twelve, do most of . I lie. other work, so that madam, the j lady, is at liberty to spend most of her time seated on the floor at her fee wing machine, ironing or weaving. (This paper suggests to us that we have something to learn frdm our sisters of the Sout horn Seas in tho matter of simplifying our domestic duties.) The following correspondents are thanked for their communications:—Alollie. - The following recipe mokes an excellent soap for muslins and lino woollens; JJ.'b fat, 0 pints of water, 3ok resin. 111* caustic soda. Jib borax (all lumps crushed smooth), 1 small cup of ammonia. £r>z of citronelhi (mere if !il.c<D Fid fat in boiler, then soda and resin, and. then water; simmer gently for nearly three hours. Add j borax and ammonia just before talcing ; off. leave just Ion;-; enough to dissolve i borax. Pour into enamel basin or j bath for preference, and cut up next morning This soap boils over easily. Use gas copper if possible as the flame can be regulated. Make soap before i the washing and fill copper wit h water j immediately soap is taken out and put clothes iu.. “ Irish Flora Cake,” “ Economical ; Trifle.” 4 ‘ For Every Day,” _ ‘‘.Just j Supposin’.” We hope to publish your j communications in the next publication j of this column.