THE PRESS CONGRESS

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 562, 17 July 1909, Page 11

THE PRESS CONGRESS

ITS.WIVES AND DAUGHTERS v

London has lost' no time in taking the Australasian press delegates to its motherlj bosom (says tlio London correspondent of the "Australasian," who proceeds to givo tho impression ,that ladies attached to tho congiess are haviug an uncommonly good time). The party only arrived in England on Saturday, but there are aheadj indications that the reception given bj Canada is to be repeated If this ls'truo of tho delegates proper —tho men —it is equally true of their companions —tho womenfolk of tho party An influential ladies' comniitte'o has been formed' in London to arrange for the entertainment of tho thirty or forty wives and daughters of the Press Conference delegates It includes Lady Northcote, tho Countess of Crewe, Miss Balfour, Mrs. Herbert Gladstone, Lady St Heher, tho Marchioness of Lansdowno, tho "Marchioness of Salisbury, tho Hon Lady Talbot, and Viscountess Midloton The untitled members of tho committee aro, for the most part, wives of prominent London editors There is Mrs Robert Donald, of the "Chroniclo", Mrs Moborlv Bell, wife of the manager of "The Times", Mrs Gwynne, of tho "Standard" , tho Hon Mrs Harry Law son, Mrs C A Pearson, Mrs A F Robbius ,' Mrs J A Spender, of tho "Westminster Gazette", and Mrs St Loo Strachey; of tho "Spectator " All. tho principal ladies' clubs havo volunteered to vvclcomo the "better half" of the conference Thero is to be a lunoh A the Ladies' Imperial Club on Monday, and' s second luncheon, given by the Victoria Jleaguo, at the Hyde Park Hotel, on Wednesday The theatrical managers, led by Mr Beerbohm Trco, aro issuing invitations for tho cuircnt successes It will bo strange if tho ladies of tho Imperial Press Conference who do not return homo satisfied with their 'leception and their welcome in tho Old Country as tho delegates themselves In respect of interviews, tho ladies of tho Imperial Press Conference are'' only loss gencious to tho London newspapers than their husbands 'ihis morning thero was a ! full column of Australian chatter in tho "Daily Telegraph"—tho result of a talk with Mrs E S Cunningham and Mrs I Thomas An enterprising reporter had run them to earth m tho loungo of tho Waldorf Hotel , Tho hotel is in tho centre of tho block of land which tho London County Council has purchased between tbo Strand and Holborn It is, therefore, within hail of tho now Victorian agency offico Naturally tho architectural changes in London since Mrs Cunningham, and her companion woro last in tho motropohs called for notico Then tho • suffragette question and Australia s experience of "votc3 for women" furnished matter for comment Somo English customs, howover, wore beyond the comprehension of (lw oilers in the Antipodes—for instance, the present pneo of poaches "Seven poaches for los" As Mrs Thomas said ' Win not 14s ' That would bo 2°- pjrli " In Australia the same fruit would retail at 9d. a dozen