VANITY FAIR

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 74, Issue 279, 25 November 1931, Page 2

VANITY FAIR

SOCIAL AND PERSONAL Miss H. Quin, of Palmerston North, is visiting Wanganui. Mrs. R. E. T. Hcwat, College Street, was hostess at an enjoyable children’s party recently. *#*««• Mrs. W. J. Polson, of Stratford, paid a brief visit to Wanganui early in the week. ***** Mrs. A. Brodie was hostess recently at a bridge party given at her home in St. Hill Street. Nurse C. S. Dingle, after being an inmate of the Public Hospital for three months, has returned to her home, 20 Somme Parade. * * * * * Miss Dampney, who has been visiting Wanganui as the guest of Mrs. C. W. Treadwell, St. John's Hill, has returned to Hawke’s Bay. Mrs. A. E. G. Rhodes, of Christchurch, who has been spending several months in England, is returning to New Zealand by the Rangirata, due at the end of this week. Mr. and Mrs. P. J. Borthwick, of Masterton, left Wellington by the Maunganui for Sydney en route for England. Mrs. Borthwick before her marriage was Miss Nancy Williams, of Masterton.

terest the central office in London had in the work of the branches all over the Empire. No work was lost sight of, and she thought that New Zealand received a very special appreciation. The kindness shown to people from the Dominion was wonderful. The people from hero were sent invitations to the most beautiful houses and the most interesting functions possible to imagine. She showed how much more enjoyment could be obtained by travellers if they joined up with some Empire league such as the Victoria League, and said that while she was in England there was a linking up with this with the League of Empire, and she thought it would be to the advantage of both.

Mr. and Mrs. C. A. Richardson, of Wellington, and Mis Valmai Richardson, arrived in Sydney last week by the Orford on their return to New Zealand from England. They will probably reach the Dominion early next month.

Lady Isaacs, wife of the GovernorGeneral of Australia, will be the guest of honour of the New Zealand Women’s Asociation at a Haeremai Christmas party, at the Pickwick Book Club, Sydney, on December 8, at 2.30 p.m. The final dance of the season will be held by this association on November 28 at the Pickwick Book Club.

Japanese women are not, after all, to have equal franchise rights with men, even in local administrations, for the bill granting them votes in elections to city, town and village autonomous assemblies, which was passed by the House of Representatives in February, has just been heavily defeated in the House of Peers. This is the second time the peers have blocked the way to woman’s franchise in that country.

Princess Elizabeth has joined the ranks of motorists and has’-becomo an owner-driver. ” A model motor-car arrived at Glamis Castle, the power being supplied by a battery operated by a. foot pedal. The Duke of York was intensely interested, and tried the new model before ho taught the Princess to drive. The child soon mastered the intricacies of steering, and spent hours proudly driving round the castle grounds.

, With the exception of the army and the police force, all posts are now open to the women of Finland, according to Muna Sillanpaa, Finland’s first woman Cabinet Minister. There is now being nassed through Parliament a law making it possible for women judges to act in every type of case in which women are concerned. Tn Finland men and women teachers of equal status receive equal pav for equal work. In the factories and various other classes of work, however, great, differences in pay exist between the sexes. Bazaar at Waverley A bazaar and sale of work will be held in the Waverley Town Hall on Friday next by the ladies of the Anglican Church. The residents of the district are invited and are assured of a very pleasant afternoon. There will bo the usual interesting display of goods on the various stalls and the tea rooms will be a special feature. Make a point of meeting your friends there. St. Barnabas’ Church Bazaar The annual bazaar to be held in the Drill Hall on Friday of this week by the ladies of Wanganui Parochial District should attract many patrons. The Mayoress, Mrs. N. G. Armstrong, will open the sale at 10.30 a.m. Afternoon tea, also a cold lunch (Is) will be provided. There will be two produce stalls, meat stall, and many other stalls including sewing, Christmas presents, second-hand clothing, sweets, flowers and plants. Patrons will have the double satisfaction or getting good value and helping a good cause. Victoria League At the annual meeting of the Wellington branch of the Victoria League held recently, Mrs. Corliss, who has just returned from overseas, spoke very interestingly of th<- work of the Victoria League in England, and mentioned the continual uno complete in-

MOUNTING ON WINGS OF TONE In a moment or two, Rubinstein, unannounced, came in, entering by a stage door at the left. He paused almost timidly. The men arose. Many shook hands with him, the conductor greeting him effusively. The reception lasted for several moments. I saw that Rubenstein was tall and of a gigantic frame. There was something in his manner midway between an ecclesiastic and a schoolmaster. He smiled much, fairly closing his eyes as he did so. His voice was singularly muffled, and his gait somewhat shambling. He sal down before the Bechstein grand which was ready for him near the footlights—but the lights were not in evidence. For a moment he rubbed his hands vigorously one over the other, partly to Umber them up, partly as unconscious form. I judged he always did so. He bent over the keyboard slightly, as though collecting all the traditions of Beethoven he knew. Then without any other than the tap of the baton, the orchestra plunged precipitously into the Fifth Concert (known as the Emperor”) in E flat. • The first thing to be done was to play the chord and then pause. After the pause, the pianist, unaccompanied, mounted on wings of tone toward the zenith. How he rose! 7he tones ascended like splintered sunbeams. The piano part of the concerto begins with a succession of daring and dazzling passages, all conceived with that austere grace which never flatters the senses, nor disturbs in the least Beethoven s architectural firmness and seriousness of purpose. ... Rubinstein still played with an intensity that swept all previous records of piano playing from ones memory. His fingers appeared to us considerably longer than he needed them, and his dark l° c k s fell over his massive brow, partly hiding his rugged features. His coat, a very long one, reached the floor at the sides of his chair. He did marvellous pedal work- His tone carried a pellucid quality undreamed of. We had heard no one produce that tone. Il haunted our ears ever after. He played the whole Concerto through io the end without interruption, there being no occasion for corrections. Modestly he arose. Then as if other engagements were pressing him, he went quietly out of the hall, shaking hands cordially with several as he passed along.—Milo E. Benedict, in “Musical People in Retrospect.