HAPPENINGS IN THE CAPITAL.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2018, 1 March 1907, Page 4

HAPPENINGS IN THE CAPITAL.

' TllJi FEMININE TOPIC. By "Fouolopo.” There is only one mutter discussed u itli any voliomeneo at present wlirre "'onion aro congregated together, and that is tho union of our domestic workers. “Our” is simply a jotirnalistio license, for as yet I have only hoard of one girl who is in favor of it, and that damsel returned from a mooting and informed her mistress that now they were going to make employers “sit up,” a cryptic utterance that caused hor services to be the light of someone olso’s home. The matter has advanced a stage since last week, for a fresh batch of “summonses” have been issued, and I have had tho honor of receiving one. It must bo noted that tho paper urges you to sign and agree to the proposals to avoid the unploasantri .is of having to appear before the Arbitration Court. But the threat— ■•o----threat it is—has failed to move lhe stone-hearted mistresses, for I have not yet discovered one who has signed and the time limit expired lest Friday. There is much indignation about tho matter, and one do: ) 1 , who realises how impossible it worn I be to comply with half the doom i 1 when sickness stops in to disorganise a household, took the matter into his own hands, turned down the corner of the paper with a caustic comment as “to colossal impudence,” and sent it back. There is a certainty now that the mistresses in their turn will form a union, but as yet the idea has not taken concrete shape. In the meantime, servants are still scarce, and it is pathetically amusing to read tho baits offered by desperate housewives. “‘No children” and “no washing” aro quite Usual, and every night wages are an essential, and one woman driven to indiscreet extremes required no references. It seems passing strange that, while such laps of luxury are being offered to girls, that domestics require to band together to defend themselves against inconsiderate and heartless employers 1

A GARDEN PARTY.

On Wednesday aitornoou tlic Hon. Dr. Collins, who is one of our now Legislative Councillors, and Mrs. Collins, gave a garden party, issuing four hundred invitations. Fortunately the gqod weather continued, and the lawn and shrubberies at tho back of tho large house in Hobson street proved charming settings for the many pretty frocks. A band played gay music and most delectable refreshments were served in the house and from a large marquee. The hostess is an extremely distinguished looking woman, grey-haired, darkeved, and most gracefully tall and slender, and she looked beautiful in a p»lc violet croim and a picturesque black planed "at. A number of men —including all the doctors in town —- put in an appearance, and their dark coats leavened tho delicate mass of soft colors and textures. A lovely fur, with roses, was worn by Mrs. John Abbott, a remarkably handsome woman, and Airs. Hogg, wife of Dr. Hogg, a comparatively recent arrival here, looked charming in a pale blue cloth gown, with touches of black velvet, and a large black hat. Two of the prettiest among the many pretty girls present, were visitors to AVellington. .Miss Tole, from Auckland. in black and white voile, and a hat crowned with clover-blooms; and Miss AValdegrave, from Palmerston North, in dainty English embroidery and a becoming pink hat. Delicate scarves of laco or chiffon wore worn by ever so many of tlic guests. Their graceful flutter was certainly charming. In a little less than three weeks Airs. Collins takes her boy, Baird —who has proved himself so good a cricketer—and her daughter to England for their education.

SATIN, CHIFFON AND SILVER. Miss Lily Edwin—now Airs. Leslie Gorton —had the most elaborate wed-ding-gown sent to her from London, made by the Alisses Douglas, daughters of Sir Arthur Douglas, once Under-Secretary for Defence in New Zealand. They have a large clientelle in London, and several returning colonists ’ ’ with them frocks from their establishment. The gown is empire—everything is empire just now at Home —and of pearlwhite satin, the foot of the skirt embroidered in chenille, silver, and chiffon in a pattern of upright trails of roses reaching to the knee. Tho yoke and sleeves arc mysterious combinations of lace and the same embroidery, tho spaces between the roses and leaves being filled up with a network of silver. The Court train, also of satin, is very wide and about three yards long, bordered on one side with tinted Limerick lace, and lined with silk, covered with folded chiffon. It is tho most elaborate of wedding gowns, and its great length and weight required the aid of two little pages is sailor suits —as befitted the wedding of a daughter of a naval commander —to carry tho train up the aisle.

Airs. Martin, from Fremantle, who was Aliss Holmes, has returned for a visit to New Zealand,and is a guest of Lady Stout, who gave a very pleasant tea for hor last week. Aliss Coates has Airs. Ruck, of Auckland, visiting her, and expects Airs. Frank Perry, of Napier, shortly. By tho AVarrimoo left Mr. and Airs’. Atartin Kennedy and their daughters, Airs. Arndt and hor three girls—two intend to go on with singing and elocution at Home, and Lady Campbell, and tho two Aliss Campbells, of Napier, who may possibly settle in England . A groat crowd of'friends were on the wharf to see them off, and a little excitement was caused by the entire luggage of an England-born party not turning up till within a few minutes of the steamer’s casting off. Air. Payne, our hard-worked matron of the hospital, intends to take a trip to England.

SLAUGHTERMEN ON STRIKE. The slaughtermen’s strike is one of tho principal topics of conversation this week, most people contending that the Arbitration Act has hopelessly broken down. It is very doubtful. whether the men can bo punished, especially after Air. Skerret’s able defence. There can be no doubt that ho has found a serious flaw in tho agreement. AA’hether or not the Judgo or the Court as a whole can seo “a way out” remains to be seen; and, as the matter, in a measure, is still sub judicc, it will not do to comment upon the cases that are actually before the Court. These strikes in connection with our most important industry of slteep-raising will, however, tend to bring tho matter of our labor laws more closely under the notice of people in the country, and this of itself may do some good. Hitherto the farming community has been taking all too little interest in much of our socialistic legislation; but they will soon find themselves involved in it. The present impasse is, of course, only what has been predicted over and over again; hut it was scarcely thought that we should be face to face with it so soon. It was expected that bad times and a general lowering of wages would bring us face to face with a somewhat serious condition of affairs, but wo did not antiepate such serious trouble at the height of the colony’s prosperity and iu times of high wages. AA’hether or. not the men can be punished is, as I have stated, extremely doubtful; but it is quite clear that no punishment that can be inflicted would ever make up in tho case of a general strike of slaughtermen for the great loss that would •be entailed upon the freezing com-' panics and upon the producers of the colony. The men could not pay heavy fines, and if they refused to pay they could only be sent to gaol. That would be small consolation to tho employer. It would not benefit him

to have all bis men sent to gaol at the busiest time of tho year. There is, however, one solution of tho difficulty: Parliament might declare that a. factory is a gaol, so that in that case the imprisoned men could do their “fortnight’s bard” in their own factory 1 , A NOTABLE VISITOR.

Amongst tho many distinguished visitors to New Zealand this summer is' Colonel Quinsden, the famous leader of Quinsdon’s Horse in the Boor AA’ar. Tho Colonel, who, by tho way, is a batcholor, is young for bis years, and enjoys liimsolf in his spare time by shooting big game and fishing in various parts of the world, lie lias shot elephants and tigers and fished for mashoor in India. In one place bo fished for those big fish from tho backs of elephants. AA’bon a fish was booked the “mahout” would move back to the shore, the lucky angler would slip off the elephant—which was made to kneel down—and then play and land bis fish. ’Pile elephants like standing in the water, and so it may bo surmised that they also enjoyed tho sport. Here is a hint for Air. Donne. AA’liy not import a few elephants for tho rainbow trout fishing on tile shores of Lake Rotorua? Casting your fly and booking your fish from the back of an elephent would bo most exhilarating—much more so than murderous trolling from the prosaic and smelly motor launches that have so changed the face of the Lake-since Hincinoa was wont to listen to tile sti ains of Tutanokai’s flute floating across tho waters at tho eventide. Colonel Quinsden lias also done a great deal of shooting in Africa, but lie is not a man who shoots for slaughter. He shoots only a few animals for sport and specimens. AA r e think there is a wonderful future before New Zealand when its waste mountain lands become well stocked with big game.