DOWN PETTICOAT LANK

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 72, Issue 199, 22 August 1929, Page 2

DOWN PETTICOAT LANK

Lime-Green and Lace Say what you will, lime green’s the prettiest new shade that has visited New Zealand for years. If it’s lime green of the proper variety, you’re not quite sure, at first glance, whether it’s green or gold; then you see that it’s a most alluring mixture of both colours. A little Wanganui hat-shop is combining lime green straw with ecru lace, and the result is rather charming. The same shop has gone in for straws so light that they look like lace and feel like feathers. All this is most refreshing for Milady, who, in the hot days, doesn’t want any substantial headgear to make wrinkles on her brow and take the curl out of her shingle. And another beauty of the hats in this shop is that they’re copies of Taris models—which means that they ha' e the charm of the originals for half the price. Miss Isobel Howlett An interesting delegate to the forth-, coming Y.W.C.A, conference (to be held in Wellington very shortly) will, be Miss Isobel Howlett, who has recenly been elected to the position of Christchurch General Secretary of the Y.W.C.A, Miss Howlett, in addition to her work with this body, has had training and experience in connection with defective and backward children which is almost unique, as far as this Dominion is concerned. She speaks in the highest terms of the Government School in the South Island w’here these little people are drawn solely but sure ly towards a clearer mental outlook and balance. Every lesson, from table manners upwards, is taught purely by means of imitation. Small boys who cannot put on their own shoes, when they arrive at the school, are soon taught to dress themselves. The backward child is capable of deep and lasting affections, and is extraordinarily sensitive to music and colour. The handiwork turned oat by many of these little folk —who often come from homes -where they are neglected and misunderstood—would astonish those unfamiliar -with them. A remarkable fact, in New Zealand, is the fact that the backward child is far more commonly a boy than a girl The Y.W.C.A. Meets Between August 2S and September 4, Wellington’s going to be an uncommonly Isusy old city, for the Y.W.C.A. will hold their biennial conference there between those dates, and delegates from all over New Zealand will assemble and meet together. Which brings home to us the rather unfortunate point that, though the local Y.M.C.A. does much to help and encourage the feminine half of our youthful population, we have no Y.W.C.A., and, at the present rate of things, don’t seem in the least likely to acquire one, Of course, one of the main purposes of the Y.W.C.A. is to provide cheap and comfortable accommodation for Dick Whittington’s young sisters, who have quite their fair share of the spirit of adventure. But in many other ways, the serves to draw young girls together and to ereate a community interest in their ; lives —and, this world being a loneseme sort of place, that is entirely to be lauded. The Incense Jar

The cosy little tea-table was spread, the logs in the grate crackled with enthusiasm, all was absolutely in readiness, and everybody felt ‘‘tuned in” for a blithesome evening. “Just a moment,’-’ said the Wan-, ganui hostess, making strange and mysterious passes over a small brass jar, which was quaintly decorated with dragons’ heads. And behold, a faint, soft fragrance, as of the musk in ancient Babylonian courtyards, stole into the air. There were blue curls of smoke, like the plumes in a genie turban “Never by any chance,” said the hostess, inhaling with a sigh of satisfaction. “do I take supper without burning incense as an accompaniment.” Sometimes the little cones smell of sandalwood, sometimes the ghost of a rose creeps forth when they are lighted. You can get them as long sticks, rather like the squibs we used to burn on Guy Fawkes’ Days of long ago. And, if all that is too much trouble, there’s a quaint shrub called the incense plant, whose tiny red leaves fill one’s house with the fragrance of the very finest incense.