THE LETTER OF ELIZABETH ANNE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18959, 3 January 1930, Page 12

THE LETTER OF ELIZABETH ANNE .

SOME PEOPLE are lucky! You'll have heard, probably, that Ruth Turner and Mary Hogg are leaving early next year for England. Ruth is going to wander about studying art as she goes, and may settle at the Edinburgh Art School. She has definitely decided against the Slade. Mary Hogg will not settle in any particular spot. Her only definite idea at present is to do some sketching in Holland. They should both have a most interesting time, and a trip like that would make such a difference to one’s art. Mrs Freeborn Johnston is in Christchurch at present. You’ll remember her as Kitty Reading. She hasn’t altered a scrap, although she has two charming youngsters to her credit. When I saw her yesterday she was taking then* for a ride on a doubledecker tram. She’d often told them, about the double-deckers—never seen in Canada, evidently—and they had been living to get to our city for a ride in one. We are famous, even if our fame rests on those bone-shaking tram appurtenances. I hear that Mr Thomas Webb Compton Tothill, commonly known of as Tommy, is getting married, or is already married to Mari Janet Vaughan. He’s been at Uppingham on a year’s exchange from Christ’s College. He will arrive in Christchurch with his wife early next month, in time for the first term at Christ’s College. I believe some backless bathing costumes have made their appearance at Sumner. I wonder how long it will be before one of our pure-minded societies gets something done about it. They’ve been banned in Sydney, and before we know where we are we’ll have some busybody down at Sumner with tape measures, working out in inches the decency or indecency of the bare backs. A London friend tells me that the girls there are going back to the shingle again. Evidently the growing stages were too much for them, and so off the hair came; and even lots of busters have been replaced by shingles. The Eton crop is the only style not seen.

The latest is that eyebrows have come into fashion again. They’ve come with the new hats which sweep up away from the forehead. The most fashionable eyebrows are the thick, dark, Duchess of York kind which give, so they say, a wise and intellectual look to the face. Veils, too, are creeping back into fashion. Some Of the latest hats have little veils which are thin round about the eyes and get get thicker and cover the face. The veils are stiff and usually bordered with a narrow black edge. They are put right over the hat and tucked in at the back of the neck. It reminds me of the old Scotch saying—- “ When down from the bonnet there hangs a bit lace, It’s to hide a* the wrinkles that’s ower the face.” Miss Alice Candy returns to Christchurch in a few weeks. It will be interesting to hear what she has to say on the fashions over the other side. I was talking to Mary Morten yesterday. Mr and Mrs Morten and Mary and her brother arrived home at Mount Pleasant on New Year’s Day from England. Needless to say they have had a marvellous time. After they left England they toured the Continent— Paris, Switzerland, and Italy. Mary was very enamoured of Switzerland, and the rugged mountain scenery. The Swiss people are most kindly and hospitable. On the way to England their boat called at Bombay, so they were fortunate enough to get a glimpse of India. It s rather like bathos to descend from Bombay to Brighton, but the following bits of news will interest you, I know. Mr and Mrs Eric Ellison have been spending a holiday at New Brighton. They took a house down there for a few weeks, and I think they • were very wise not to attempt to go I further afield with a small boy to look i after. Your friends, Mr and Mrs Har--1 ris, from Taumarunui, are in Christj church for the holidays. They motored } down, crossing from Wellington to PicJ ton, and are staying in Mrs Todd • Harris’s house at Mount Pleasant. • I must try to remember your request , for news of the shops and their goods, next time. Space gets filled up so | quickly. these days. Your friend, I ELIZABETH ANNE.