WOMEN’S INSTITUTE

Waipukurau Press, Volume XXX, Issue 188, 17 August 1935, Page 2

WOMEN’S INSTITUTE

THE TAKAPAU BRANCH ♦

BRIDE-TO-BE AS GUEST

(From Our Own Correspondent.) The Takapau Women’s Institute

held a very pleasant afternoon in the Takapau Town Hall, the occasion

being a “kitchen tea” to one of its members, Miss Joan Purcell, whose marriage will take place at an early date.

Mrs. W. B. White presided, and extended greetings to tlie bride elect, her mother (Mrs. Masters, of Twyford), and her aunt (Mrs. Ellison, Takapau). Master John Harward presented the honoured guest with a pretty bouquet and hoped she would enjoy happiness for the future.

An interesting competition was enjoyed, being won by Mesdames White and Kilford. A game of musical stick caused much merriment, and a short community sing was indulged in, Miss Joyce Wilford acting as accompanist.

There was a great array of useful

kitchen articles. Miss Purcell opened the parcels, and in a neat speech expressed her thanks. “For She’s a Jolly Good Fellow,” was then sung with much enthusiasm. i A dainty afternoon tea was partak- ! en of. In closing members express- j ed good wishes to Miss Purcell. The ' “National Anthem” was sung at the conclusion of the proceedings. A GROWING MOVEMENT Considejred to bo the most largely attended yet to take place, the annual general conference of ‘the Dominion Federation of New Zealand Women’s Institutes, which was conducted in Auckland last month, was attended by 430 delegates, representing Institutes from all parts of the Dominion. This number was greatly augmented by individual members who attended at their own expense, and thus the gatherings each day numbered over 1000 ladies. The conference proved of very great interest to all women folk, and after hearing the various addresses presented and seeing various evidences of the work that is being done, those who wege privileged to be present were fully convinced of the greatness of the movement in the interests of which they had met.

Although not commenced until 1931. it was revealed, the number of financial members in the Dominion now totalled 31,852, and it was expected that by the time all financial returns were to hand this would have increased to fully 40,000. The financial position of the movement in New Zealand was revealed as being very satisfactory, a feature being that from the W.T. Cookery Book (which is printed in Levin), the returns had totalled £3OO. It was also reported that since the previous conference, owing to the steady growth of the movement, a full-time secretary had been appointed with a permanent office in Wellington. Among the more important remits passed by the conference was one embodying a request to the authorities in connection with railway travel: namely that the age limit for travel free of charge by young children be raised from three to five years, and that that of travel .at half fare he raised from 12 to 15 years. A further resolution passed was to the effect that each' Institute endeavour to plant at least one berry-bearing tree each year, in the interests of the protection of native birds.

Among the suggestions made for the benefit of Institutes during the coming year, 'advice was given that an endeavour be made to get as many young girls as possible interested in the movement, which, embodying home-making ideals, would not only help the Institutes by the increased membership, but would prove of benefit to the younger members themselves, as they would reap the advantages to he gained from the expert demonstrations made available in the handcrafts which would be of use in the home. It was reported to the conference that drama circles had made great strides during the year, and. a festival was staged for the occasion by five Institutes, one of the most outstanding of the plays presented having been

MODERN HOUSEWIVES LOST ART OF COOKING Economic stress and its reaction on the health of New Zealanders, was viewed from an alarming "angle by a medical man in a statement made at Dunedin. “The health of the people is being undermined through eating foods of little dietary value,” he said. “Especially is this noticeable in th< case of the poor, though even those whose circumstances have not been affected by the depression are eating the wrong foods.” A direct charge of incompetence in cooking was made against the modern housewife by the medical man. Bad cooking distinguished the “Modern Miss” from her more domesticated prototype of ten years ago, and here he blamed counter-at-tractions (if housework could occupy that category), for the woeful ignorance of how the best nutritive value could be obtained from a cooked meal. The elements of dietaries were learned by most housewives years ago when at primary and long since forgotten. He was of opinion that the Home Science School attached to the University of Otago was one of its most valuable scholastic offshoots, and in training many women in the culinary art. i though their .ranks were small comi pared with the thousands who could | not cook properly, it was performing i a signa] community service by attempting to raise a fallen standard. The radito talks on food preparation could not be too highly praised, and he commended them to every woman, whether married or single. LONDON FASHIONS • ~ — A rainy summer has had its effect on fashion, says the London Times. The big hat has appeared in several' forms. There .are hats with sweep-

ing brims of lace mounted on tulle and hats with wide brims of velvet and stitched felt. In between therf are wide brims of bangkoks, papei panama, paribuntal, baku, Leghorn and panama-lace. The lace hats arc fair-weather millinery, as indeed arc all hats with big brims, but the stitched felts and the big picture hats o velvet are good for dull days. Many small hats are meant to bal ance the more’ severe silk outfits. Nev kinds of halo hats mounted on fore head caps, vizor hats, twisted sill hats, velvet caps with puck’s ears

and petersham berets with mille feuilles peaks are among the small hats, which also include sailor hats with ostrich-feather trimming. The flower-

trimmed toque is a revival. Ostrich feathejr is used to edge a rolled-up brim on a black paribuntal hat trimmed with velvet, os a crown on big trimmed hats and as a flat trimming on the brim. The most becoming hats are those which alre least trimmed and where manipulation of the brim gives an air of novelty. Most ingenious is a satin-baku hat with the brim gathered as if it were material; the sole trimming is black velvet ribbon slotted through the brim and tied in a bow at one side.

Tjje appearance of so many small hats is also due to the number of fur capes. Sleeved fox capes can be slipped on over light frocks; longer capes are mounted on ninon or crepe and stranded diagonally; short three-tiered wraws of white Arctic fox are meant co protect wearers of flimsy » gowns; dyed black American broadtail makes hip-length capes that dip at the back and have tubular revers or butterfly bows in front. Other light capes wire of dyed Russian ermine, and tailored coats of summer weights in dyed American broadtail. Somali leopard and velvet coats have also estabsished themselves. Never before has there been so much summer fur. writfenliy members themselves. Towards the close of the conference perhaps 500 of the visitors called upon the Jubilee Institute for the Blind, where they were entertained. During the course of the visit the Director of the Institution, Mr Clutha Mackenzie, paFd tribute to the great amount of assistance which had been received from the Women’s Institutes, remarking that much of the brightness prevailing among the inmates was due to their encouragement and help. |