WOMAN'S PAGE

Hokitika Guardian, 5 March 1932, Page 3

WOMAN'S PAGE

NEW MARRIAGE LAW. DECREASE IN RUMANIA. Rumania supreme in romance amongst the piquant Balkan States, r» turning its back' on trivolty. King Carol’s old tutor, Professor Jorga, who recently became Prime Minister, lost no time in beginning a campaign to sober down Bucharest, the “Little Paris” oi the Balkans. Three days after the; new Government entered office, Premier Jorga issued a decree forbidding “painted female employees ” to elite; States offices while on dtu.v.

Following a similar order from the headmaster of a. Rumanian school to his pupils forbidding the use of lipsticks, powders, etc., they replied in the press: “We decline to be brought up by antediluvian methods. Rouged lips, polished fingernails and waved hair are more important to us than the knowledge of Latin, Greek or other insignificant matters.

We do not wish to be as ugly as our grandmothers, and think marriages artmore valuable than school certificates. Another blow at the romance we have been taught to expect from these colourful countries was the law passed a few months ago, bv which Rumanian officers must marry girls with a sufficiently large dowry to render them capable of contributing to the household expenses. The officers receive such small pay that unless the wife ha*an income of her own. family obliga tions force the couple to live on a low economic level, beneath the dignity ol the Rumanian Army. No officer under the rank of captain may marry a woman who has not an income of at least £4B a year. Tim dowry-capital to provide the stipulated minimum income is" a large sum oj money in Rumania. Very few of the professional classes, civil servants, and least of all, fellow-officers could afford the required dowry for each of his daughters. Thus an unrestricted fie'9 of courtship is the privilege of the rich officer only, and the poor girl’s chanoof marrying one of the dashing, hand-some-as-nn-operette-herces depends yupon whether she herself earns the required income.

EAT AND BE SLIM

• Be as merciless as you like in reducing you intake of starch and sugar, but don’t, if you wish to be healthily slim, cut out you ration of fat! This revolutionary idea is put forward by Mr Charles Hec-lit, the . food expert who contends that fat makes for fitness, not for fatness. Fat, lie says, acts upon the body in precisely the same way that it acts upon the mechanism of one’s car. No woman would entrust her life to a car for any length of time without making sure that the bearings have been well oiled.

Yet many women, while indulging in a comparatively reckless consumption of starch in some hidden form or another. will fight shy of fat, which is essential to fitness and will not make you fat so long as you cut down the carbo-hydrates.

A delightful way of introducing just the right amount of fat into a slimming diet is furnished by salads, ns'np- thContinential or American method of making them with a good proportion of fat, either in the form of dressing or of plain oil. Butter, and even suet puddings, should also he included in your slimming diet! According to this food expert a well-cooked sn e t pudding insinuated into the otherwise fatless diet will prove an effective way of introducing the necessary fat. But the pudding must be thoroughly masticated.

Smprisinglv many women omit fat quite unhappily from their slimming regime just because they have disliked 't from the days when they carefully hid bits of fat under their knife and fork. “Trimming the chop of all fat.” as directed in most slimming diets, i« a labour of love in 99 cases out of 100. A subtle method of overcoming this U suggested by appealing to another weakness of childhood and taking lots of toasted bread liberally spread with dripping from freshly-roasted beef.

(The daily ration of fat may, if you find it easier that way. he taken in the form of oil The host kind, apparently, is olive oil; nut oil from peanuts is more economical, hut is slightly less palatable and more difficult to procure These oils may he taken poured ovo potatoes that have been cooked in their jackets, or added to any vegetable eaten cold as a salad, or grated, such as carrots, French beans, and bpetroots.

Most brides regard their wetdding morning as one for late rising and leisurely preparations for but not so Lady Veronica Blackwood who was married to Mr Anthony Hornby at fst. Paul’s, Kiiightsbrid'/e, London. on December 17tli. She began her wedding day in an unusual way beholding an early morning party. Pho invited a party of friends to ride with her in Rotten Row. Hyde Park, and then join her later at a wedding breaklast at lew mother’s bouse before the marriage eereniony. Lady Veronien arranged for the party |o meet at < -JR a. m.. and after I lie ranter they attended breakfast at 9 a.tri. The bride’s [fi •iiiflmnlher [lie Dowager MarrhioeI iws of Dufi'erin and Ava. was unabh 1 l-i I lie nresent at (lie wedding festivities, so the bride ami bi iileoreum visile,! her in their wedding attire after the ceremony.

LEROY I 'Mitii

DANCE PARTNERS. Miss Barbara Miles lias twice won the world’s dancing championship. During the course of a year it is her job to dance with many thousands of men. Here she tells some of the points that make a man an ideal partner :-

I suppose when one’s job is to dance with dozens of different partners ever.) night one is apt to become critical. 1 know that it has enabled men to form very definite ideas of what makes «- good partner and what makes a bad one. After the first few steps I know whether or not I am going to enjoy the dance. I should first like to tell you £hat it is ideal to select a partner several inches taller than yourself. In this way better balance is assured, apart from the fact that a couple look better matched than when the girl is the taller. Try to get a- man who bolds you naturally and firmly. Some men adopt all sorts of queer holds, such as placing both arms round their partner’s waist and clasping her loosely at the side, causing a large space between them. Such positions not only look ugly, but are a handicap to good dancing. The ideal position is obtained if a man places the palm of his right hand flatly on your back just below your right shoulder blade and clasps the fingers oi you right hand with those of his left at •v point on a level with your shoulder. Arms should not be extended too far ’way from the body; the crook of each arm should form a V. A man’s hold should be firm and masterful, for this makes it easier for you to follow his steps than . when held slackly. T like to feel all the time that n man is the leader. • A man who drifts aimlessly round the floor, never making it 'dear what he is next about to do, and yet expects you to follow perfectly, takes all the pleasure out of a dance. But you should avoid the other extreme—the partner who thinks that the only way to indicate what he intends doing is by dragging and pushing von all round the floor. You should choose the type that dances quietly and with dignity; and always avoid the specially objectionable type that; “stunts,” performing all kinds of fancy steps. He will not only bring you into the limelight in a most embarrassing way, ljut you will find that neither of von is popular with other dancers, for you’re bound to get in their way. And as this type usually also has that terrible habit of swinging your arm up and down in time to the music as though it were a pump-handle, it will make him even a greater nuisance to the other couples.

Tf f were asked to name the men whose dancing points make them eligible as partners for the girl out for a good time T would set them down as follows: (1) The man who takes the trouble to find out the extent of your dancing ability and doesn’t try to ex c-eed your limitations by dancing all sorts of tricky steps. (2) The ihan who spends his energy dancing rather than talking. Conversation while dancing is all very well, but some men talk and talk without concentrating on the dance, which, in consequence, becomes nothing hut a- series of buffets and collisions and topologies. (3) The man who appears to be enjoying himself and says he is. The man who dances with never a smile and no expression on bis face, and who grumbles at the floor, finds faults with the refreshments, and blames the band every time he gets out of step is most trying. (4) The man who dances when von want him to. and sits out when you are tired. (5) The man who refers kindly to his fellow dancers. The man who criticises his friends, thejir dancing, their clothes and talks scandal generally, you should avoid.—(A.A'.N.S.).

Prizes are given in France for women who distinguish themselves outside their own homes. These consist of 12 annual awards of about £3O. The is given for' acts of devotion, and six annual prizes of £4O are given for instances of filial devotion, and six more ,->f the same value for acts of devotion to old people and orphans. These prizes are: the gift of the Academic Franraise. , The sum of £525 a year is reserved for academicians’ widows’ pensions, or , in the absence of enough claims on this fund, to help needy writers’ widows or their children There is a fund of £125 a year to help sick French families who are in fina ■ rial difficulties as' well, and some conscientious French girl who is trying to earn her own living after falling upon hard times will receive £62 every year.

THIS WEEK’S RECIPES. Melva Cake. 2 cups flour, 1 cup sugar (small), l cup cocoa nut, 2 tablespoons bll tter, _ eggs, 1 cup milk and 1 teaspoonfuj baking powder. Boat sugar and butter together,. add eggs, milk, co'conhut, then lloii'r and baking powder. Bake in qtiick oVen. Ice when cold.

Khaki Sponge. Jib blitter, lib sugar. 'Jb flour, I tablespoon cocoa, 2 tablespoons cocoanut, 1 tablespoon milk, 2 eggs, I teaspoon baking powder. Sprinkle chopped almonds and eocoanui- on top. Bake for In minutes.