The Wanganui Chronicle "Nulla Dies Sine Linea." THURSDAY, MAY 1st 1913. HOME BUILDING.

Wanganui Chronicle, Issue 12881, 1 May 1913, Page 4

The Wanganui Chronicle "Nulla Dies Sine Linea." THURSDAY, MAY Ist 1913. HOME BUILDING.

" There-are hundreds of young poi>p!'i to-day who consider themselves definitely ill-used if they havo to spend an evening quietly in their own hpiric'? They have no resources in themseivc.T, •and arc- never happy unless they live in ;: whirl of excitement." It is a swei.-)--ing indictment, but according to tho " Sydney DVlorning Herald " it was niado by a woman vwho i>.'iwt givon to exaggeration, ;and who is sum-ciaji-tiy broad-minded to re.aliso that ia c-srtain amount of amusement is. both ;: raat-o a.nd desirable. If appearances prove anything, tho influence of hen.v life is steadily declining; li-ouse won: is • a burden rather than a pride. There i-" an old «a-w which -stetestli^t- '■■''. He who loves homo brings a stick cl\ a j itlonc-,'" and. jtniit isay-i:n-g contains' n j double trutlr which •is t'es-erving of attention. ■■'■ Almoet instinctively those to whom lt homo" mean? &rmething n:cre than four .walls, and a rocf ,aro contir,:ifilJy plannuig- to attain a greater degree o? comfort 'and beauty, and tho li-er^ fact that tho place in which they l.ye bears tho impress of their person::H;.y and Siio~.7s:,'.the result of their svuik: gives it ;an added hold over their aflection? and their rcGnonsibility. A gout: deal or- the lack of interest in homo affairs niay ha traced to faulty train in.g, and. ' ; to a mistaken kindlint=s, •-.T.hich decidos that Maljc! and Gladys "lire too-' busy with lessons, to bo "'botliei''cd v,-itli3 houso w-ork.-'- ■'" As ia; rliatter'^ol fact'"" thosb.;. ;two young women ■*' woirul pi;obably bo. highly delighted if they were entrusted' with %£crtain' ■•'-amquut ,a? idoijte-stic responsibiiity,' 1. provijtHl:: the-ir duties .w-e-re allott&d^-to'tlmm 1-iLt- ' fully ahd;ia^a privilege, rather thai fi tesk. V'Tho^'isamQ authority cites ilie case o£% mother -who has imbued her own children with a genuine love of ii-ome^^ntl/\vho is now t'lio'M'dlised centre of asr?eheerful a household as 'iiny be-found", iaLtributes her succefis to tho fact that from the beginning she appoaledirto- aach child's .sense of ...owner-. ship. Af^soon ;as they were old emugi '.to tod^lo <tho -children hid "their . siwii■-• fipesial coi-nor~it,.w<is only; one cn-,1 oi : the back verandah, but it was tho.rs. In it they kept their'-toj-s and .theircollections of .peach stones .and much boxes. Is 7o ono could enter it^.exo.ic at their invitation, and woo betide' tlio nnfortunato stranger whose foofc maovertently strayetl over a certain brick that marked the boiindar.y...■ IncjdorN s,l to,, this, the- :writor shys':—rlnsi'uctiively children aro domestic, as .thei.! games prove. They wiH play houso hn' hours,' with no -thn're irispiriug materials than a. cracked cup and a co^pio of bcxeo j their dolls are living be^ng^, they go to endless' pains in decora ing and shaping mud pies. The troubJojs that, as they grow out of chil-lfs'i things, there- is nothing to take the place of all this.. They make fresh interests and form outside ticß,,so that -a ftuddon reminder of domestic duties is regarded as a bore and almost as an intrusion.: - Usually- 'a girl's instinct can be relied upon to" respond, to any call that the homo comfort is to some oxtent dependent on her efforte, that iho* Ims so-mo voice in the nianagemcns of, the family kingdom, s]io makes hop home her chief interest, and finds" ir. it

infinite pleasure. For the ■wounn worker tho poaco.-of lier own fireside especLilly desirable. Sho is 'going at high pressure all day, and she .gams •immensely by having somo place in which she pan .genuinely, relax and " let go" in tho Lime which is her owii. Friendships which .are built solely on a 'foundation of casual social.-«"equainr-an-c-o hav-o less-stability and depth tlian those which .are the outcome- of su?h intimacy and comradeship as a hrri't* .can give, and ii man can know littlo of tho girl ho make^. his wifo if his main opportunities of seeing her have Jh/en affordcci by picnics and dances. ' .Al! social intercourse is of ncce'£«ity n-.orfc o!' les.s artificial, and pcoplo who havo not been admitted-on terms of friendship, .o on© another's homes oanno: tc?.lly claim to "know" each ot!.'«:\

Il>-r children the importance of t: v;:e 'ifc cannot be ovcr-estimafed. Jt sh'jiil''. givo them their happio-s'i memories and' their best traditions. It should be a iangiblo rQiting place and .refuge,.s^ur •ring them to work for a home of their '•wn in tho years'to1 come. It rc^ts .t-:i <-\ !argi> extent with women to pro-,-e that .a jiomo gives ple.'tsuro as we!! -is dutic.-s, and that ii: is a- resting pL-a-jo xis

well ;as a rcsy/onsibihtv