Visiting in Australia.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLI, Issue 18, 28 October 1908, Page 64

Visiting in Australia.

In Australia a month's visit to a country house would be nothing. Two months —three months—six months—as long as you like would not be considered too long. Nobody thinks of dates. You are asked to stay as long as you like. Or else you ask yourself to stay as long as you like. Or even—to face all the contingencies—you neither ask nor are ask<?d: you simply go. Apd, having arrived, you remain. Everything else may give out. If you stay long enough there is sure to be a time when there are no servants, no milk t no vegetables, no meat but mutton, or even no water, but the thoughts of the guests going away will never enter the minds of the host and hostess.

When people prove unaniiable in an Australian country house there is one explanation—dyspepsia, which is easily accounted for by the climate, the large amount of meat eaten, and the abnormal quantities of tea consumed. Breakfast, when a good many’ steaks and chops are eaten, is at half-past eight, but you luay be as late as you Hke. It is even possible that Von'will come down so late that the servants are busy with other things, and yoti will go out’ to the kitchen and cook yourself a chop, or bacon and eggs, and make fresh tea. No one will think anything of it. Nothing is locked up. and you may take what you like without asking. It may be that you will have to help to wash up afterwards. A’es I Even in the most luxurious country houses this may happen. Servants are always an uncertain quantity in Australia, and every Australian girl and woman knows that she may lie called upon to "do things” even when she goes to stay with friends.

But nobody minds. Nobody minds anything, in fact. The Premier’s wife is ironing her blouses in the wash-house. Lord AL, the young Englishman, is cleaning his boots in the scullery. Four ladies and six men ar.- washing up in the kitchen. The Premier is feeding the fowls. The daughter of the house is rolling out pastry. Half-a-dozen people are clearing away the breakfast table and making lieds. The three maids have all gone off without notice.! The hostess is driving round in a buggy trying to find others. She will have hard work to find them.