In the Mirror

Ladies' Mirror, Volume I, Issue 11, 1 May 1923, Page 5

In the Mirror

Dear Hincmoa, — course the marriage of Miss Isabel Massey, the second daughter of the Prime Minister, was the central interest towards the end of February, not only in Wellington, where her gentle kindliness has made her beloved; and in Auckland, where the wedding took place, but all over New Zealand. Among the many beautiful wedding presents were a silver hot-water revolving dish from the members of the Reform Party, and a grey and pink Parian marble clock from Her Excellency Viscountess Jellicoe. An amusing little incident occurred on the morning of the wedding. A carter with a crate of crockery drove up to the house in which the wedding reception was to be held, and, seeing an elderly and capable-looking man near the gate, asked his help in carrying the crate from the cart to the house, something like this, “Gr e us a hand, mate.” “Mate” readily replied, “Why, certainly,” ’and lent a willing hand. Imagine the carter’s feelings when later he discovered that he who had helped him carry his burden was none other than the Prime Minister! Some faithful Government supporters may murmur that such is the usual habit of our Premier; and I feel moved to suggest that the Premier be supplied with a coronet or some brilliant decoration of a similar nature, that may distinguish him in ordinary life from the rest of humanity. o o o o lATELY we have been supplied J with items of news of the different “Zoos” in New Zealand. A report from Auckland states that several of the animals have actually been wounded, and in some cases destroyed by heartless hooligans. I am sure that all New Zealanders hope that those cruel persons who tortured the caged animals will be caught and severely punished. In Wellington, several humane persons have written to the papers, to point out the cruelty of keeping dogs and dingoes in captivity at all. It does arouse one’s pity to see these creatures of the Wild confined for life in narrow cages. And yet this sentiment might be applied, not only to the dogs, but to all birds and animals that arc in confinement, either in our Zoos or in our homes as pets. Consider, my sisters, our own cruelty in keeping that wild Bird of Freedom, the Husband, in captivity in our homes, cither as a curiosity, or as j T 1 - o«iKtppf ic one that is not usually mentioned among us; in fact, the whole human race winks at this phase of womanly cruelty; but please permit me, now that I am on the subject of cruelty to animals, to put in one word of mercy for these, our helpless victims. We snare and trap him, carry him off. and imprison him in the narrow confines of our homes, and force him to work day after day, year after year, to supply us with frills and feathers, chocolates and coats of

coney, motor cars and money, when his natural habitat is the free and open country under the boundless blue, and Ins one harmless delight an occasional visit to Clubland. Is it anv wonder that some of these victims of ours 'nave occasionally been known to make a dash for freedom, only to be caught in the Divorce Courts, where some other heartless female baits her trap and snares him once more? I have actually seen some of these poor husbands, after a few years of confinement in a Home, unable to walk down the

street without feminine assistance, and others who once were full of freedom, vitality and verve reduced by our cruel system ol confinement to pitiable, doddering wrecks! This thine; should not he permitted to continue in our free and glorious countrv. O Q O O IyTAORILAND. more especially iTi Wellington and Ashhurton, has recently heen considerably thrilled, and later shaken hy :i "Bolt from the Blue" (Blood) in the person of the Grand Duchess Princess Ivan-

ovitch. This noble representative of “The Lord No Zoo” descended upon Wellington quite unexpectedly, and therefore was not accorded a civic reception. She might have been seen upon the streets of the capital, uniquely clad in an emerald velvet skirt, an ancient ermine cape, gold brocaded evening shoes, considerably down at heel, and stockings that only too evidently, were complete strangers to suspenders; the ensemble being crowned or “topped off” as it were, with a hat of magenta velvet trimmed with long, bright blue ostrich feathers. Her main anxiety appears to have been to find the residence of the Governor-General, and. with this end in view, she prosecuted inquiries from tram conductors, tobacconists and other unsuspecting persons. Upon being told of its location, she remarked that she “thought he had an office on the Quay!” Evidently feeling that her regal presence was not appreciated in the Empire City, she went South, and, during the journey from Christchurch to Ashburton, attempted and succeeded in drowing her sorrows in drink. Her fellow-travellers, being decent commoners, and utterly failing to appreciate the vagaries of “Royalty,” complained bitterly to Constable O’Grady of Ashburton. He invited the Princess to “come along quietly.” Luckily for him, the Princess, on seeing the motor, decided that her friends in Ashburton had arranged to drive her to Timaru. She thought this “quite nice,” and so “came along quietly.” When her short journey in the motor ended at the local gaol, she was highly indignant, and threatened darkly to tell Lord Jellicoe of this outrageous insult. Upon being assured by the sergeant that Lord Jellicoe had instructed him to put her in the cells, strange to say, she was soothed. She was convicted and fined three pounds for drunkenness in a railway carriage; and I am almost impelled to state that our New Zealand railway carriages are enough to drive anyone to drink, let alone a Princess, who, according to her own statement is accustomed to a yacht where her boudoir is fitted with gold and tortoise-shell, and upholstered in brocaded satin. It was later proved that her alleged titles were bona fide. O O O Q IT is rather disconcerting to notice that pretty little New Plymouth has suddenly been pitchforked into the limelight by social happenings that can scarcely be called seemly. It appears to be the old, old story of the eternal triangle, this having, quite unwittingly, attracted to itself several extremely acute angles, and lines that were certainly not the shortest distance between two fixed points. In fact these acute angles and doublecurved lines finally evolved into something of the nature of concentric circles (all revolving!) and wayward stars that would have puzzled Euclid himself to separate and to prove even to be absurd. Ahem!

A N “Argentine Ball” was recently given in Wellington in aid of the Community Club, and nearly a thousand dancers, costumed in every conceivable kind of fancy dress, assembled in the Town Hall. The ball had been designated a “Paper” Ball, and it was almost impossible to believe that the beautiful and picturesque dresses were fashioned of paper. In fact, some of the econo-mically-minded women present seriously considered the possibility of utilising this Dennison paper for ordinary wear. What about paper overalls for morning wear in the house? Paper frocks for semievening and summer wear ? Think of the saving in drapers’ bills, not to mention those of the laundry department. They are not suggested for street wear, at least, not when a Wellington wind is raging, but for some other occasions it seems that paper dresses might be given a trial. Miss May Carruthers, as an early Victorian lady, won the ladies’ prize, her dress being carried out very charmingly in deep orange paper. Mr. J. Connor, representing “State Publicity,” was awarded the gentlemen’s prize. Madame Fleck and Mr. Page were the judges, and among so many beautiful and original costumes, their task was a difficult one. The originator and organiser of the ball was Mrs. Robert Johnson, and the great success of the ball, which was in aid of the Community Club for Territorials and Senior Cadets, was largely due to her energy and organising abilitv. o o o o AUCKLAND’S Joy Week, after providing gaiety for thousands of folk, is now a thing of the past. The Venetian Water Carnival was one of the most popular of the many forms of enjoyment provided, and its unique beauty and spectacular charm will long remain in the memories of all who were fortunate enough to view it. The line of decorated boats, hung with gay balloons and lanterns, moving across the harbour and led by the marshal, in his beautifully decorated launch, to the dock was like a scene from Fairyland. The auxiliary yacht, the Lady Sterling, bedecked with coloured lights, lanterns, ribbons and ferns, seemed a veritable fairy ship as she passed up the quiet waterway, with a brilliant array of smaller craft following her. Gondolas, Chinese junks, and every description of picturesque vessel yet invented were in this procession represented. King Neptune held court, and the Mack Sennett bathing beauties caused strange flutterings in the cardiac area of the male onlookers; and with music, song and laughter the Venetian Water Carnival turned Auckland’s waterways into a magic scene of beauty and delight. o o o o rPHF Dunedin Women’s Club rccently held an exhibition of Flowers, Arts and Crafts, a delightful combination. Beautiful pewter and enamel work, basket work, _ fascinating lingerie, flowers of ninon and gold, water colour sketches and leather work were exhibited. A large number of members was present, and several tea parties were given. o o o o rPHF officers of H.M.S. “Labur- -*■ num and members of the Williamson Company, who were playing in Dunedin at the time, were present at the cabaret at the Savoy one Saturday evening lately. A very gay and enjoyable evening was spent. By outsiders. Dunedin has, until lately, been regarded as rather a “dour” city, but really she does seem to have her full share of gaieties. It is quite possible that the case with which the Scotch adjective combines with the name, making “Dour Dunedin,” _ is responsible for the base fabrication. In much the same manner. Wellington is referred to as “Windy Wellington.” Really, it is rather hard to bear, in spite of Shakespeare’s

comforting observation. Wellington residents candidly admit that sometimes it really is windy in Wellington ; but they do not like the capital city to be introduced to strangers and forever held up as the only windy place in Maoriland. They are prone to mention a certain town in Taranaki, where, when the “Mountain” wind is blowing, it is almost impossible to retain one’s footing upon Mother Earth; and where, not so many years ago, a large two-storied building was actually blown down, and later, during another blow, the top of a van was carried off by the wind and deposited in a wood and

coal yard several blocks away! Therefore to call Wellington the only windy place in Maoriland is surely an injustice, and to speak of “Dour Dunedin” is a similar one. 1 f we really are going to he unjust, what about “Amorous Auckland,” “Naughty New Plymouth, “Credulous Christchurch,” “Inky Invercargill,” Wicked Westport,” etc. etc.? o o o o TF the historic Annals of the Church arc to he believed, priests and hulls in the past were not only closely associated, hut were upon terms of friendly intimacy, as it were. But "the old order changeth and giveth place unto the new,” as a recent occurrence in Otago proves. It appears that three gentlemen of "the Cloth” arranged a picnic for their flock at a holiday resort in Otago. Complacently viewing the innocent gambols of the children, their attention was caught by the threatening attitude of a hull in a neighbouring paddock! With commendable discretion they kept their flock in ignorance of the proximity of the fearsome beast, and sought a near-by dairyman, told him of their fears, and obtained his permission to use his secluded orchard for the children’s picnic. Considerably relieved, the three pastors were about to set off to conduct the children to the new fold, when they saw another hull in the orchard i This hull did not even

trouble to protend to be friendly, but with hair-raising mutterings and bcllowings, pawed the turf with an impatient foot, paw, or hoof, whatever a bull calls his pedal extremities, and executed various other stunts that caused the reverend gentlemen to decide that discretion was much the better part of valour. Frenziedly they glanced about for a place of safety; a handy tree held out friendly arms, and two of the agitated parsons swarmed nimbly up its trunk. The third, being of generous proportions, alas, could not follow the example of his reverend brethren, and the bull, by this time being thorough-

ly roused, charged the unfortunate cleric, who dodged him with marvellous agility and savnir fairc. It was a game of hide-and-seek between the irate hull and the clergyman. His reverend brothers, between words of encouragement dropped from their place of safety above to their stricken comrade beneath, shouted lustily for help. Their cries brought the dairyman hurriedly hack. He chased Taurus away, and the two clergymen descended from the tree, • sympathised with their panting brother, and with as much dignity as they could summon at such short notice, went on their way to the children. I find myself wondering if the attacking hull, actuated by a spirit of mischief, was the same one that the clerics had seen earlier in the day. and I fear the three reverend gentlemen were much too flurried to compare the two, if two there were. O Q O O TT seems that the new telephone arrangements arc going to cause some trouble between the powers that he and the public. One cannot help noticing that wherever Mr. Markman went, by some means or other, he soothed the savage breasts of irate tclenhone subscribers. In the midst of wild and murderous threats he arrived, and we heard no more. But this peacemaker cannot be in all places at once: and in Hawke’s Bay, a country gentleman has been reduced to almost speechless wrath by the

receipt of the first monthly demand for payment for his ’phone. He used the only threat any of us have power to use, namely, to cut the telephone out 1 .but, in our saner moments, we all realise that to do this will be perilously like cutting off our noses to spite our faces, and it looks as if we shall have to submit with what grace we can to increased telephone charges, and monthly, instead of halfyearly payments. You see, halfyearly ones gave us time to save up. I doubt if the Department gave this fact the consideration it unquestionably deserves. However, we are assured by visitors from other countries that the charges for telephones in Maoriland are the cheapest in the world; whether they will continue to be under the new regulations, we cannot say, owing to the absence on holiday leave of our Head Clairvoyant. o o o o WFLLINGTONIANS are begin- ™ ning to question if “Quakes” are possessed of at least two senses, those of hearing and of mischief. It was certainly a coincidence that Mr. Field, an astronomer of note, who has recently given a series of lectures upon solar matters in Wellington, should announce that he considered Wellington would be fairly safe from earthquakes for some considerable time, and then for a ’quake to visit Wellington on the following night actually durum his lecture. Then quite a sharp one occurred on the follow’ing Sunday evening. I am reminded of the old Maori belief : That the God of earthquakes was a spirit imprisoned within the earth, and that ’quakes were the result of his turnings and twistings. Did that Maori god hear Air. Field’s assurances of safety and straightway proceed to show him, and incidentally us, either that he was mistaken or that he had been grossly misled? On the following day, Dr. Adams, the Government Seismologist, possibly with the laudable intention of cheering the nervous, stated that during the ’quake the earth was “Going West!’’ Perhaps the learned gentleman is resigned to it, but we cannot truthfully say that so sinister a pronouncement causes us anything higher than a feeling of acute dismay. for we cannot rise to those dizzy heights of philosophic calm. It will probably take another ’quake to shake us back to our usual attitude of indifference. o o o o nPHF unusual idea of the late Mr. Peter Mitchell, of New South Wales, to devote a large portion of his estate to the selection and maintenance of what may be called Perfect Women, lias caused much interest in Alaoriland. The selection is to be settled by competition. Surely this is the first time in the history of the world that anyone has troubled to make it worth while, in a material sense for healthy, moral and beautiful women to continue being healthy, moral and beautiful. Mr. Mitchell says in his will that “though gifts for the benefit of the weak, the failing and the sick arc highly praiseworthy, etc., yet more lasting good is to be effected by providing means to encourage and help the capable, healthy and strong to develop and bring to fruition their natural advantages, etc.” This wonderful bequest seems to mark a new era in the development of woman. A 7 on sec it is the lasting aond of the race that Mr. Mitchell has considered, and that is an attribute that few of us are capable of cither seeing or providing for. Unfortunately for Maoriland, entrants for this competition must be hona fide residents of Australia. However, perhaps some wealthy New Zealander will come to the rescue of this country by making a similar bequest to the women of New Zealand. Yours, Marama.