VANITY FAIR

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 30, 5 February 1935, Page 2

VANITY FAIR

SOCIAL AND PERSONAL | Mrs. H. M. Boyd is a Wanganui visiI to to Wellington. Dr. and Mrs. Ritchie, of Cambridge are the guests of Mr. J. Grant Ply mouth Street. Miss M. Richards has returned to Wanganui from a holiday in Auckland. Miss Jean Donaldson, Sergeant St., is visiting Christchurch. Mrs. A. Elliot and Mass Nora Elliot, of Castlecliff, who have been on a month’s holiday at Rotorua, have returned. Miss L. M. Harmer, of Southampton, England, is the guest of Dr. Helen Tophum, Wicksteed Street. Miss Hadfield, St. John’s Hill, who has been staying at Palmerston North, has returned to her home. Mrs. D. J. Malone, Miss Molly Malone, Mrs. K. Wood and Mrs. Marks were Stratford visitors to Wanganui at the week-end. Miss Ida Daxies, of the New Plymouth Hospital nursing staff, is spending a holiday with her mother, Mrs. R. A. Davies, in Wanganui. * * * • Mrs. Collier senr. has returned tG Wanganui after a holiday at Ngamotu Beach, New Plymouth. Mrs. r. Coxvic, of Maori Hill, Dunedin, is visiting her sister, Mrs. R. Hughes, Marybank. Miss Porteous, Wellington, who has been visiting Wanganui, has returned. Mr. Warwick Newton and Miss Elaine Newton, St. John's Hill, returned to Wanganui from a long motoring trip in the South Island. Miss Ruth Herrick, of Hawke’s Bay, Chief Commissioner of the Girl Guides Association of Nexv Zealand, is visiting Auckland for the welcome rally to the Chief Guide (Lady Badcn-Poxvcll), who arrived in New Zealand yesterday. Dr. Ray Bridge and Dr. Flora Bridge, of England, who arrived in New Zealand in December on a honeymoon trip and spent Christmas in Taranaki with Dr. Ray Bridge’s relatives. The visitors have been ou a motoring tour of the North Island and spent a fexv days in Wanganui as the guests of Mr. and Mrs. Garland Jones, Gonville, leaving .yesterday for Taranaki. Next week Dr. Ray Bridge and Dr. Flora Bridge will go to the South Island and spend some time motoring to places of interest and visiting the various towns and cities before sailing on their return to England at the end of March.

r Mr. and Mrs. A. E. Slone and Mis; lE. Stone have returned to Aramohi I alter a six weeks’ holiday in Auck - I land. | Mrs. A. Hillmer, of Elihain, is x isil ? ;jing her mother, Mrs. R. Hughes, Mary, j Lank. | Adeline Genee, world famous as t 0 dancer, is now president of the As.su ciation of Operatic Dancing of Great I Britain, which is sending examiners in ballet to Australia at pi esent Genet > is as sweet and dainty still as any ol her youngest pupils, and recently askec an interviewer to tell Australians that ’ she is planning to revisit Australia 1 xery soon herself, having longed U return ex er since her last visit. Miss Sarah Wambaugh, an American, ’ was one of three experts appointed to a'committee instructed by the League of Nations to prepare draft regulations on the method of voting and the steps ’ required to ensure the smooth conduct ’ of the fateful Barr plebiscite, xvhen the people of the Saar decided by plebiscite whether they would continue under the present League of Nations administration or unite with France or Germany. Miss Wambaugh has acted as expert adviser to the Peruvians on the Tacna-Arica plebiscite; she is the author of “Plebiscites Since the World War.” HITHER AND THITHER Keeping Cool A Hawke’s Bay resident has a novel idea of keeping cool during the hoi summer nigiits, for she takes her hotwater bottle and fills it with cold water for her feet, and so has a peace fill night xv hen others cannot si (’ep because of the heat. Exchange of Nurses At a meeting of the Blenheim Hospital Board, bister N. ±l. Eeteineyer, of the staff of Holmdale Maternity Hospital, was granted two years’leave of absence, from February 28, without pay, to enable her Lu take an appointmem under the Fijian Government al Suva, it is to be recalled that Hie advisability of the exchange, or loan, uf qualilicd nurses to the Fiji administration has had a good deal of consideration recently, tire Department of Health having drawn the attention of the Hospital Boards’ Association to the advisability of such exchanges, but in obtaining the nexv position Miss Rulenieyer has achieved the distinction ot being the first Nexv Zealand nurse to go overseas “on loan.” Miss Retemeyer received her general training at at the Wairau Hospital, ami her maternity training at Holmdale. 200-year-old. Veil There is in existence a wedding veil 2'JU years old, of Brussels applique. 1.1 is live foci square. The net was made by hand in narrow strips, and the veil xvas paid for according to the number of shillings which could be placed along the.-strip. This xvas all made by hand, appliqued with tiny Howers ami a strengthening border. It is only worth a fifth to-day of its actual value, because of the slump in the demand for old lace. Fifty years ago the great ladies of England and France would not be seen without lace, nor be satisfied with anything but tne real article. Times have changed since the days when a' veil xvas sent to Princess Mary, daughter of George 111., in an enormous wrapping, bearing the injunction: “By the coach, -May 23, 18.16. Not to be bent, and delivered immediately. Keep dry.” It is a thousand 1 pities that the many uses to which real lace can be put should be neglected, and one is looking forward to the return of so very becoming and elegant a fashion. If Queen Mary would express her own liking for real lace by xvearing it, the day of that return would be nearer.

The Heat Wave The hot summer sunshine has certainly had its effect upon our local beaches and picnic grounds ami parks. Castlecliff, Kai Iwi, along the banks of the liver, Virginia Lake and Aramoho Park holiday-makers and picnickers have disported themselves in the most summerlike of raiment, while a few of the business people have been preparing their windoxvs lor a, display uf ‘‘early autumn” fashions, have, during the last fexv days ol heat waves, replaced these goods with light raiment again. Even the railway employees for once in a xvay had a glorious day for their annual outing on Sunday. A perfectly good beach holiday xvas ruined for several children through severe sunburn. Eager to spend every available minute <#n the beach, the children never think of the effects of tco much sun, and very often their parents fail to realise what is happening to them until the return to the home and time comes for going to bed. Quite a number of little burning shoulders and legs refused to lit into pyjamas after the week-end outing at I he beach. Much pain and misery from sunburn is suffered by small folk through the want of a little thought on the part of the elder members of the household. Mothers sometimes forget that the sun is one of the good things that the, little ones, can got too much of with very painful results. Grown-up people, protect themselves xvith a. towel, wrap and hat as soon as they come, out, of the. water. Too often the care of the, small member of the family in this way is overlooked, though much more necessary. Toddlers should be, provided with adequate cov eiing and a. large hat, which conies well down over the, neck at the back. Manx- < hildren, particularly those with fair complexions, have very sensitive skins. Dolls 4000 Years Old Dolls were made by the ancient Egyptians 4<>oo years ago. The attraction of thvse dolls lies not only in the knowledge that they are, the handiwork ot 4000 years ago, or that they represent the life of those times as well as the probable superstition that the presence of such dolls in tombs ensured for the human body buried there the company, assistance and service of slaves, soldiers and equipment, in the

WEDDINGS PENNINGTON—VIVIAN. The marriage was celebrated tin Wesley Church. Island Buy, Wellington on Saturday, February 2, of Audrey Vivian, first, daughter of Mr.’and Mrs Harold N. Vivian, of Island Bay, Wei lington, to Desmond Ferguson Penning ton, of Wanganui, third son of Mr. an< Mrs. E. E. Pennington, of Brooklyn Wellington. The ceremony was per formed by the Revs. F. (). Prossar am 11. Eldridge. The bride, who was given away bj her father, wore a becoming frock ot ivory satin with close-fitting sleeve. l and bodice and skirt falling gracefully into waterfall flares and finishing in i train. The embroidered veil she wort was kindly lent by the bridegroom’? mother. She carried a sheaf of white gladioli. The bridesmaids were the Misses Norma, Dorothy and Kathleen Vivian, sisters of the bride, and Miss Gladys Vance. Their frocks were of white and green figured taffeta fashioned on close-liltim; lines and with three deep flares at loot, and they wore large white taffeta hats. Each maid carried a bouquet of white carnations and asparagus fern. The best man was Mr. S. R. Pen nington, of Wellington, and the grooms man was Mr. F. A. J. Pennington. A reception was held afterwards at the Elm Reception k’ooms, Wellington’. Mrs. \ ivian received her guests wearing a. model frock of broxvn morocain and beige lace, and a broxvn hat, to match. Her bouquet was in autumn tones. Mrs. Pennington, mother of the bridegroom, wore a frock of figured georgette in autumn tonings, hat and bouquet Io tone. When Mr. and Mrs. Pennington left, the latter wore a tailored green Harris tweed costume, hat to tone, and Russian fitch fur necklet.

Among the guests present were: Air. and Mrs. .1. C. Young, of Palmerston North. Mrs. Collins (Nelson), Mr. and Mrs. Donovan (Wellington), Rev. Rollings (Wellington), Air. and Airs. G. F. Vance. Mr. and Mrs. E. P. Lambert, Mr. and Airs. A. A. Kirk, Air. and Airs. E. B. Pennington; -Misses Macaulay, E. and M. O'Connor. M. Patrick, G. Gunn, E. Paul, B. and D. Dixon; Mr. jj,nd Mrs. Pargetter, Air. and Mrs. Niven, Mr. and Mrs. Gawdcn. W.C.T.U. MEETING AT ARAMOHO I here was a good attendance at, the Women’s Christian Temperance Union in St. David’s Church on Thursday last. The president was in the chair and devotions were led by Airs. ChessApologies xvere received from Ales dames Wheatley, Sanderson, Greig and H. Good. A letter was read re the Women’s Day of Prayer, and it was decided to unite xvith other organisations as previously. The matter of sending a delegate to Convention was discussed and this was left in the hands of the president. It was proposed and seconde that the annual picnic be held on Thursday, February 7, and arrangements made for same. A donation was duly passed to the cradle roll superintendent- The competition xvas xvon by Airs. Richards for plain scones and Airs. Gilmour for

Christmas cake. The meeting closed with Benediction, after xvhich afternoon tea xvas served by Alesdames Ansell and Bish. A VEXED QUESTION WOMEN'S NATIONALITY. The question of women’s rights, long before the League of Nations, seems likely to be placed on the agenda this year, at any rate (states The Queeu). Among the many grievances covered by this question is that, of women who, marrying a. foreigner, not only lose their own nationality, but are also refused the citizen rights of the husband. It may lie that an English woman, marrying an American, becomes entirely without nationality, and cannot secure a. passport, and this applies 1o marriages with foreigners of any conn t ry. At present, those women can only obtain xvhat is known as a Nansen, or “wanderers” passport, xvhich is the same document issued Io refugees and those who have no national status. Women’s organisations, for many years, have demanded that, on marriage, wives shall be allowed to retain their original nationality or to adopt" that of their husband’s, according to choice. For years past the League of Nations has put off the discussion of the matter, but now, as a result of representations made by twentx- delegations of the. Standing Orders Coni mittee, they have succeeded in having the question placed on the agenda of the League Assembly for this year.

paradise, xvhere the. soul had gone; but it is to Im found also in the extraordinary vividness of the dolls themM’lxes. They are sometimes rudely carved, but they are alxvays lifelike. There are dolls in granaries and dolls in x\ a r-gallvvs--wonderful dolls these, with a world of expression in their glaring eyes, though the eyes are only two dashes and a dot and a xvonder I'ul vigour in the xvay their wooden , aims si rain at the sweeps. You can almost hear the yell of the steersman and tin l crack of his whip. Then there are dolls baking, kneading, butchering; and a wooden bullock xvith meek legs bound together is ready decorated for Hie sacrifice; the wooden priests stand near xvith wooden gestures of uplifted piety. These dolls xvere dis covered in the tombs at Beni Hasan. The models are made of wood and string, and the paint xvas still fresh upon the wood when discovered after forty centuries of time,

BRITISH DRAMA LEAGUE CONFERENCE AT HALIFAX. ’‘RBG EN E RATION OF THEATRE.” “My definite opinion is that the real live theatre finds its own among the nonprofessional actors.’’’ This was a statement made by Mr. Ernest Toller, in the course of an address given at the distinguished European dramatist, in the course of an address given at the civic reception to the delegates to the British Drama League Conference at Halifax. Among those attending was Miss Elizabeth Blake, New Zealand. At one session there was a discussion on the complaints voiced by seveial delegates that the emphasis placed by th o league in its festival work of i ie “ progressive element in the art of the theatre” tended to rule out of the festival the classic masterpieces, and put a premium on original plays. On the suggestion of Mr. George*-L. Sharman, of Liverpool, chairman of the northern area, the conference finally agreed to a resolution saying that while the aims of the festival were to encourage the progressive element in the amateur theatre, this should not be understood to mean that there was any special merit in a nexv play merely as such.

A resolution submitted by the Liverpool Playgoers’ Club, suggesting that the rules of the festival should be altered so as to give competing societies absolute freedom of expression and not confine them to the use of curtains, was heavily defeated, as was the proposal of the Birmingham Ama teur Dramatic Federation that the Central Festival Committee should be instructed to consider a system of adjudication other than the present system of single adjudicators. The conference agreed to a resolution altering the definition of a. new’ author in the festival rules to “one xvhose work has not been performed on the professional stage or in this festival in a previous

Mr. Geoffrey Whitworth, founder and director of the, league, stated that during the last 13 years the league had consolidated its position, but its membership of 4000 was probably small compared with what they hoped was the potential interest in the kind of drama for which the league stood. The unhealthy state of the commercial theatre could not be blamed on the commercial managers. It was the fault of the educational system and of the general public. The ordinary man was content to enjoy the ideology of the American films. If a greater proportion of good plays were put on the theatre in the ordinary “man in-the-street” fashion, not in the small circumstances of the community theatre, which sometimes had an atmosphere which terrified the ordinary man and woman, there would be far better audiences. “In the meantime.” Mr. Whitworth added, “we must concentrate on the particular community drama- movement for which the league stands, because that is, or should bo, the starting point, of a regeneration of the threat re all round. ’ ’

A courageous policy of producing the plays they xvould like to produce and not thinking too much whether the public, will like them was urged upon amateur actors by Miss Edith Craig, /the daughter of Ellen Terry, speaking at the conference dinner. Commenting on her dislike of the term “amateur,” (o which she much preferred “ non professional, ” Miss Craig said the amateur actors of the old days were terrible. They wore always the richest people in -the village or the small town, and they did not act with anyone they did not have at their dinner parties. All the ruck came “in front.” They performed a play i® which their now drosses could bp worn, and they gave awful performances, rot so much, possibly, from the way they acted, as from Dw spirit of the thing, whereas the spirit of the non professional actors Io day was splendid.