WOMAN'S WORLD.

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 100, 22 January 1919, Page 2

WOMAN'S WORLD.

MATTEKS OP INTEREST FROM FAR AND NEAB.

(Bt Imogbb.) : ' r ".".':" —■-..':

SOCIAL AND PERSONAL

The .youthful guests who aro spending their holidays at Bahiugtou House atSeatoun organised a'concert iu aid of the Crippled Soldiers' and Sailors' Hostel, and raised half a guinea for tJie funds. They were very business-like, arid charged sixpence' admission, plus a penny war tax. -They forwarded-the amount to Miss Phoebe'Myers, president ■of the Hostel Society.

A"t Adelaide recently the wedding took place of Mt. Brian Browning, of tho Eastern Extension Cable Company's staff, and Miss Helen Violet Glasgow, second daughter of Mr. Theodore .'Glasgow, late of Nelson. Mr. Browning ib ttie eldest son of Mr. W. W. Browning, who was for many yearn superintendent' of .the' Eastern Extension Company's office at Cable Bay OWakapnaka)', Nelson.

Mrs. Porter, Miss Porter, and 1 Miss Evelyn Porter, of Palmerston North, aro learing for' Sydney en route'to England in February.

Mrs. D. Mac Donald, of Wellington, who has been stayimr in Christchnrch, has gone on to Dunedin. .

Mr.: and Mrs."'A. W.-.Porter, of.California, are visiting New Zealand.

Mr. and Mrs. B. Kirk'er are visiting Auckland. : .."'''.

Miss Isabel Ramsay., late- of the "Sunday Times" (Sydney) staff has been apnointed literary secretory to Captain Bruce Bairnsfntbor. and will reside permanently in England.

After several years of very highheeled shoes and boots, it is interesting to learn that .a':recent visitor to New York sij'B that all the newest footwear is low-heeled, and ample of sole;; a f?ood business-looking article fcbat should give pleasure "to the family man. How lona it will stay in' favour remains'to be seen. It is to be hoped that tho'.'niodff. will stop.short of the ngly extremes to which the "pup-toed" shoo was pushed-'a few "years back.

Very'great interest is being taken in the forthcoming''conference of' tho Womenls National Reserve.. . Mrs. Perrin and -Miss'. Keith, will represent Hastings; Miss Statham. and Miss Black, Auckland: and Mrs. Fitchett and Mrs. Hansard tho Hon. Division of Auckland. ' v '

Mjss Rania MacPhillamy, whoso father Mr.' C.' S." MacPhillamy, is ■ tho owner of Warroo Station, about the largest property in Forbes district, New South Wales, left Australia for Egypt over three years ago, and has performed some notable war work. With Mrs. Chisholm she was instrumental in establishing tho canteen at El Kantara, where soldiers coining out of the desert were looked after. It was no uncommon thing to have 1000 eggs served at o breakfast at El Kantara, and all soldiers were supplied at a nominal price. The soldiors_ who have visited the canteen • speak in the highest terms of the ladies' in charge, During the present year Miss MacPhillamy opened a canteen and ref-esh-ment room for soldiers at Jaffa Gate, Jerusalem. ■ "If anyone deserves Distm'giiished Conduct badges," said arej turned trooper, "it is the ladies who worked'so unselfishly;.in the heat of Egypt and Mesopotamia."

Mts. Lovell is the superintendent of the Hawera Eed Cross Soeioty.

Knitting in the States nas taken a turn, says an exchangq. No one, of course, got tired of purling and plaining- for soldiers, but there's something in the: old advice that "change of wbrkis as good as a rest." So American girk have heen clicking the pins on their own belialf, and quite the smartest result to date is an emergency wrap of wool and coarse silk, knitted like a wide scarf, the ends shaped like a wristlet, in a contrast colour. When Completed it 'is a shoulder wrap, and the wrist bits jito sewn up for several inches, giving snug cuffs. Two fancy tassels arid crooheted cords fasten it. It is rather popular as a warm underwrap. beneath, evening coats.

. Mrs. Stuart Dallas, who oreated so favourable-an impression' in the recent performance of "The Gondoliers," left for-Dunedm..kst evening to fulfil concert engagements in the south.

Mrs. Bernard Wood is visiting Wellington..

: Mr. and Mrs, J.; P. Firth have returned to Wellington.

Mrs. W. H. Didsbury, who has been delayed in Sydney by the shipping deadlock, arrived by the Durham.

Nurse M. Shirley, who for over two months has been engaged in masseuse work at tho soldiers' ward of tho Napier Hospital, arrived in Wellington by yesterday's express.

The engagement is anounccd in an exchange of the Very Rev. Dean Harper,, of Christchurch, to Miss Ross, also of Christohurch..

The Queon has not been filling up appointments in her household during the war. The Duchess of Sutherland was appointed- Acting-Mistress of the Robes, because there are occasibns wben there must bo a Mistress of the Robes, such aa a State opening of Parliament.- The Duchess of Devonshire, however, still holds office, and will: doubtless resume the duties on her return from Canada. The Hon. Katherino Villiers is said to have been obliged to resign her position of maid of honour on account of her health. She is the'daughter of the late Colonel the Hon.' George Tilliers,'' and of the Hon.: Mrs. Gilbert Legh. She has also been acting lady-in-waiting to: Princess Patricia of Conuaught.. ~.-,, | Mrs. George Hume, of the// Wairarapa, is in Wellington for the races. Miss Dorothy Dalgety is up from Christclrurch for tho races. Tho series.of cooking lectures will bo continued by Miss Una Carter in' the Y.M.G.A., Willis Street, at 3 p.m.; not 8 p.m. as previously advertised.

CLOTHES IN AMERICA

Miss Vera Pearce. on he)-return-to Sydney- had .somothing-.to, say about clothes iu America, She say.s: -''Clothes sense is a gift with the women of New. York; and short, of ..the.-.end of;;'the, world -arriving- summarily. they cannot help being interested,, in their;,... wardr robes,-'' Miss Pearce; affirmed- smilingly. "You remark upon this .immediately, and also that American fashions.- are distinctly, and designedly individual.' A woman, dresses' to' siiit her face and figure, studying -her typo, aild colouring most carefully/;''- . ■'. ''■'. "There is no.such crude idea as a uniform frock or suit. You might'seo a thousand drosses in n day or- at a function, and.not find the remotest suggestion of a duplication. TJI6- dye pot is availed 'of very' much by- those who demand- exclusiveness, • 'and they will '.have their' -materials shaded' and tinted before making up, eo as to get a desired colour.'They don't know the word haphazard or the meaning-of the term 'anything will do.' These'facts express' the Americionne as she' really is—a law unto herself ..with her modiste' conniving.

"Such an independence as this, -of course, has the expected. .result'.' "> .'Tho general grooming . is irreproachable, and the'.fashions, as' original-as..they aro refreshing," and. as one .renowned, frock-biiilder! on, Jfrfth Avenue ', reuiarjjr ed tome, ,'Sp jike tho 'French ;women, niadame, that 'in'cy, inight, bo .taken for them—is it'not so.?'" . •":; '■■■

. Miss Pearce ..outlined ...,'dno ■ or, .two point's for ~those who to know "what really, : is the,, latest thing.:, in clothes.;.'. 'Well—skirts, are;, longer and riot, much' - wider,, and tho... necessary play for the foet is secured by the back panel covering a long ''dircctoire : ' slit at tho edge'of tho skirt. 'It is hardly noticeable-on good frocks well cut,'but is quite-smart.,.. ~. . . --:•':■;:' ""•'""

■•• '.'Fringe is:-on'everything,- -and of every- depth aDd.degi'oo 'of'ijhicluiesa'. : Quite the "newest'Ms 'a' frock '■!•' shall wear in a production 'here-—the sk'irt merely, a full-length fringe' /from waist to hem poised over satin/and probably bethought by .air-enterprising modiste who-had' been .taken- with'•>-the hulahula of Hawaii. Trains, .too;'are.,being seen on-tho-most'-correct evening and dinner .confections,', which.' are massed with out beads and,-jc.t:.' : ; ■ "Jet is in first favour, and car-rings and a ring/ and 'neck'.chain of' Whitby are the-clwico'of-women who'aim at always.wearing-wtiiit is oorrect as ing -distinct from smart. Hats' Jiave reverted; to cart-w]ieel»' : w : itli„ "'littltvor no- trimming,-and ;small shapes are "reserved for. the automobile. too, are in again, but not the ordinary etraight plume-or- old '-'I/aricer.;' "Ostrich is- 'drenched; 1 'stripped;' |sf.randed;'..- and otherwise" mutilated ■" and affronted to serve' the whim's of fashion."

FRUIT INDUSTRY FOR. WOMEN

.. That in many"' avenues'of labohr c6rtneoted- with the- fru'it-pjrowing ''industry women are. as'efficient a'B' meli'ifl the solid-conviction of; Miv R. Gi' Edge]], a ' well-known'. orehardi'sV' .St Es* rom,-near Bathurst,- says' the Sydney "Sun." And Mr. Edgell speaks from actual experience. From time ,-to time he has had a number of women in' his orchard. ~,.1J0 .eyen_ holds .that some of the operations "involved.in.the hahdlin'R essentially designed for women labour, and-,['.consistently with"this'j ■ -saye- -he will : .welcomo;. : at any-tihi'e.'girl'iippli-. cants, posgessihg the''' o'n'ei' qualificatibh —they mustbe''ttriers'." ■'•'•: '■ •;•'•"

,;"I do not care' whether the'girls have ever had previous'experience '<■ inthe line,! I .*he -.remarked." ■' ."The"only.! condition! stipulate is -that' they- -mus't.i bs •willing..,io,,.lcanu and to-do their;! best._ '.The--conditions'-are,-tnadei.-m'J pleasing, as possible, -and,, every reason-; 1 able facility for'tho acquisition "of-effi-ciency nltirantely. -required, i.i.provided.,' During the last pruning -and;, spraying seosonLhiid-working-for rac two.girls, who came from New Zealand. ■■ andtheir services ..\yere most..satisfactory.','.- ! suggestion was. made, to Mr. 1 lildgoll that if. the employment-of-girls ; in the .fruit ..industry wero. attempted on a general scale,, labour - - difficulties might, .arise.;' „He,admitted,,the probability, but--pointed to America.-- The A'ust'raliatf'groW.ers;.r..he.?,'f4rn'phßsised,: .'bad to compete, .with the- .Americans, and they would h'ave,to~ g'et'.thb. heces-. s'ary skilled labour somewhere. That was where the women were going to come in. . Even from, the point of view of' quantity, the' girls" had beon able to do 'as "-much ' as" the' inen ■ in the shed..>:.., '■'■ -:/.J .:•: .'..:■:>'"'• '■ ' " ;

Thus any. 1 energetic'girl wai-.'able"' : to" earn as much "as' the best worker-'"in the opposite>sex.. ; ' ■-:"", ■''.', ■:■•'-""

■ No disorimmatioM had beeri-"made''or was contemplated. in' the wages' "of' the womett -and-of -tho; men: '"'Each would be required to do the same'work in packing,-' except-'that"snch-'"operations' ; as moving full cases-would not be-ex-peoted .of .tho-women. ■ lit most pack-' -ing-sheds. the -rate of -pay ■ was -regulated .according to., the quantity'" of fruit -packed, ■ tue-figure being • equal in tho respective classes; -.but,, said.Mr. Edgell, in-his own case-he preferred'to ■pay a.-fised-wage-riho 'same for.'men and women—rather :■■. than :encourage undue speed, which was likely to .lead to damaged fruit- bping placed in some of the-cases,-this being.opposed.to theguarantee.of excellence,-labelled: qu the outside of tho-case-.;--- —. -'.-

,;Mr, Edgell further remarked-,-that'..if the girls preferred to work shortor hours than the, ; men they could do so, ,a corresponding-, reduction being v made ■in the pay. ■', '.'Vou .can toll .anyone who might in my experiment," he said, in conclusion, "that tho .girls ,a'nd - women soem. to have established .'an- indisptttablo foothold in the frtiit-nandling industry oh their own capability."

WOMEN AND WORK

EMPLOYMENT PROBLEMS,

, Tho real problem of tho peace-future mil be twofold, writes Mrs.. Margaret Weitland in the "Queen." It will bo the problem of tho retention of trades: in tho Empire, and the adjustment of l workers to employment. There is one form of loss and waste which wo can never afford to risk again after our four years' lesson, and that is tho loss of our industries. It is useless for us all to clamour for high wages if the number of employments is constantly j diminishing. This is the biggest of ! all tasks • which wo have to face—the creation, multiplication, and retention of skilled industries in which the workers can' find well-paid employment for all. ' We have to guard against the plethora of workers which inevitably leads either to the lowering of wages for all or to tho employment of a few plan of giving part-time employment of the remainder. If a slump in tho skilled labour market is inevitable, the plan' of giving part-etime employment to a large number of. workers is a good l one ;■ but this can only serve as a temporary scheme. Then there comes the question of io-ndjustnient-and distribution of labour; and a most difficult question it is. What (to put the question in a concrete form) is to become of nil the women clerks whose work will stop some day? The work will probably not stop instantly on the cessation of hostilities. ' There will'be much clearingup work still to do; and such warcreated Departments as those for Reconstruction and Pensions must continue their .work for many, years after the coming of peace. ■■ We hay hope, therefore, that the depleting of clerical staffs in public offices will bo a gradual.process. We have also to take account of the large arrears or "private commercial work which must be made'up, and! of the zeal with whicli business firms will rush forward to seize neglected opportunities. Many ■women clerks will hold.their i- : wn in : their employment by >. virtue of iheer efficiency. They have become accustomed .to positions .. :'nf. responsibility, : and during .the war. years they have gained experience arid., power.... But .there : are others in-large number whs are no more specially suited for cleiicai work than for any other. iheir duties have* only had a slippery hold unoh their thoughts at any time; and when the: question of. cutting down staff, arises,-.they ..themselves, will .be let go. Even assuming, hpwover_ ' that there is no great shrinkage of clerical employment for'some t;me,--there is certainly no reason to look for any expansion of it;'and it seems to me that girls would do, .wisely -to bfiir ' this in mind when they "are reflecting upo;i the various occupations for winch Shey might prepare. I have tpoiifln of 'readjustment.' It is not, a pleasant, process for the readjusted, and for ••Jerks of middling talent it often works uncomfortably. A very clever clerk may become a newspaper' re- . porter, or the,; organiser of some sort of'business, but the indifferent clerk has really no "second string.'.' The women who will be most capable of varying their work will be those who have a mastery" of some of the scientific subjects, such as chemistry, physios, and mechanics; those who are trained nurses (who will find work under some of the future .schorries for the preservation of national health), 'and those who have developed manual skill in any of the higher industries. I see that Mr. Kellaway, Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Munitions (whose speeches on women's employment arealways interesting) is convinced that" women will riot return to tho.old 10s.. to 15s. a-week rate of paynienb:for,factory work, with which m former days they were supposed to be content; and' Sir William Seager, who has been writing some articles .on the subject, takes the Bame .view. - During the war years thelwomen'si suffrage and labour organisations have. done some' screwing-ui) work which.can never be undone. The passing of the Representation of. the' People Act on the memorable February 6 has enabled women to' make a stand against injurious conditions, and in favour of any legislative proposals which may improve their, ieducation and lessen those hardships'of their lives that often react upon their waffe-carning capacity.. - Almost all-the current schemes for tho better nursing of mothers (and infants, for'the establishment of public kitchens, and of nursery schools, and for the lessening of domestic labour. by improved methods' of house-planning are projects which must when carried out tend to make wqmon stronger and more competent workers, and therefore to lessen their economic disadvantages compared with men. ■ As voters, too, they can contend 'that such measures should bo takefi. as would prevent the nation from losing its most remunerative industries. The. assertion frequently heard in the past that "the vote .cannot-raise wages".was only made by people who were what'l may term "one-stage thinkers," and riot, by those who were capable of thinking, from point to point. This cry, however, baß ceased to be heard. But the voto is not the only factor. As the soldiers become producers, and as the destruction of goods diminishes, wages will tend to fall. Women as 'i well as men will now have the power of checking that, fall, and by using it they may prevent, a period.of underpayment from setting in—a per-iod-which, with all its attendant miser-, ies, would in the end he far more costly to the country than the maintenance of general employment at' good wages. In, considering how the_ improvement, in the position of women is to be maintained we cannot separate women s public work from their paid employment. Women with some ability and time can serve the interests of ..other women, and through the.-n of tho nation, by their own labours as members of public committees, town and county councils, etc. What is done in tho council chamber bears fruit in many homes. That is why it is immensely necessary for women to be put forward as candidates for election to the municipal councils, and for the Government to be reminded that suitable women should be appointed to serve upon all special committees, Royal Commissions, and the like, which are constituted for the consideration of human problems as they arise.