Week-end Chat

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 61, 4 December 1937, Page 13

Week-end Chat

"HOSPITAL VISITOR."

"TREES."

COUSIN

ROSE.

COUNTRY ANE TOWN.

Dear Everyone, — ) One of the most cheering metaphors given to women was that which Mrs. Kenneth Gordon put beford a meeting on Wednesday jvhen on a, flying visit to Hastings. Mrs. Gordon is one of the most fiuent and inspiring women speakers that Hastings has heard, and her talks are most cheering. She compared the work of men — humanitarian work— with the slow building up of a coral island which takes thousands of tiny coral insects to build, cell by cell, , till at last the island is perceptible to the person who passes by. Women work and Work for some great objective without realising that, little by little, their striving is actually taking shape afld altering world thought and custom. Mrs. Gordon shows women what a power they have if they will reaiise it. « » * It would be interesting if some of those men and women who read this column would hand along to others knowledge they have acquired about the medicinal qualities of the ordinary vegetables and herbs, the flowers, and the fruits, that are regarded so carelessly. A clever woman who understands much about plants, and their curative powers, said this week t "If people had to pay heavily for these ieaves and plants they would appreciate them, but because God has given them free they are not used." To begin the idea : Do you know that parsley with hot water poured over and tlle liquid allowed to cool, is a wonderful eye-wash? Do you know that onion juice is full of sulphur and a great tonic? Do you know that dandelion petals are often used on palads by Americans, and also tlie petals of niarigolds, for tonic properties? And that the juice of silver beet is an iron tonic an aperient? That celery is a vegetable free from uric acid, or rather that it is an antidote for those who do' not want any uric acid-forming food (such as cane sugar). So one might continue. Will readers tell of any unusual knowledge they have so that those who want to keep -healthy and to cook healthful foods, may learn about the good plants that grow so freely here, wasting their valuable juices for want of understanding as to their uses ? ; * # * A very faithful contributor sends this appeal to readers-— Dear Cousin Rose, — As our thoughts turn to Christmas and presents, let us think of inmates of the mental hospitals. So many seem to have no friends able or willing to do things for them, and a "little gift does so -please them. A little box of boiled sweets is very inexpensive and so many of the patients like some sweets. There is the direct Biblical injunction to "Comfort tha feeble-, . miflded." We could follow it. — Yours,

• • • Dear Cousin Ross,— I was interested to read about the person who enjoyed a special drive, for variety adds so much to- the pleasure of a drive. I think one of the prettiest roads at this time of year when everything is so green is along the Taradale road, by the river, where oaks branch overhead and the countryside is very English iri. its aspect. I .would take my visitors there to give them insight into the real charm of the Napier-Hastings district. — Yours, etc..

• • • At the Hastings Women' s Commnnity Club, last Wednesday, Mrs. T. H. Lowry, Doininion president of the Red Cr.oss, speaking of the sufferings of the Chinese people and reading a letter of appeal from a Chinese woman who writes in good faith that we wish to help, spoke with pleasure of a recent concert given by school children under bhirteen years of age, for the Far East Fund. "They are the only ones here who have given a concert for this appeal fund," said Mrs. Lowry. It was explained hy her that the appeal came from Geneva, and so everyone may rest assured that it is right to give as much as possible. Investigation there is done by international experts. * * * In reply to '''Sarah's" timely letter of last week, the information about Soya beans wiH be forwarded to her shortly. Her suggestion that recipes be given for the Christmas season iu 'this column is anticipated by "Penelope," who is printing in the ordinary Women' s Page all kinds of Christmas recipes. As this is really a discussion column with limited space for letter s, no recipes are given, unless for some special subject under discussion, such as health foods, or driftk. The "Men of the Trees" Society has its lieadquarters in England, and when informatiou arrives it will at once be put before readers who are interested. Many thanks to "Sarah" for her continued mter^st. c « A subject which may interest both men and women readers is the sharp rise in the cost of living. "We have liad our fees for our boy at boarding school raised £5 a term," said some Hawke's Bay people tliis week who are having their son trained for a scientific career, and who .have had to study ecouomy carefuily to finance him. University students have had to pay much higker board for over a year as wages for domestics and food prices have soared. 0range3, meat, milk,' bananas all are very expensive. We have fruit and other foods at so higli a price that they are to dear to buy for growing children, and then, because children are undernourislied, we have great colleetions of money for health camps to try to mako up to these children for the lack of ordinary good food that they should always have. Sunlight is free for all, and with such abundance of farm lands, food should he very cheap indeed. Where is the fault? Will someone write, not too long a letter, and explain the situation? Thankina you all