MODERN SWEDEN.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVIII, Issue 49, 26 January 1938, Page 12

MODERN SWEDEN.

SPECIAL HOUSING FACILITIES. Of all the cities she had visited in thirteen countries, Stockholm was the most interesting, in the opinion of Miss A. V. M. Scott, of Wellington, who arrived at Auckland after a ten months’ tour abroad. Just outside Stockholm, said bliss Scott, a number of week-end allotments or plots of ground were provided for city dwellers who had no garden and who wished to grow flowers. Each section had a small building for tools and other equipment, but people were not allowed to live there. This was only one instance of flip manner in which Sweden catered for its people in makirig life for them healthy and interesting.

Stockholm was well supplied with flats of various descriptions, said bliss Scott. Contrary to the common attitude toward children in most countries where flat life was popular, their presence was definitely encouraged in these Stockholm flats, and a special reduction in rent was allowed parents with large families. Children in Sweden did not go to school until they were seven years of age on account of the very cold winters and the fact that they often had to travel long distances. To meet the demand, however, there were most efficient apartment kindergartens, many of which Miss Scott visited in Stockholm.

The apartment kindergartens were attached to largo blocks of flats built by the Swedisli Housing Co-operation, a movement established to interest the authorities in the construction of suitable types of residences and to raise the standard of housing. The kindergartens were staffed with teachers from an excellent training school, the mothers paying sixpence a half-day for each child attending, extra sums being contributed for meals if they were required. Another interesting feature of Swedish life was to he found in the children’s hostels, said Miss Scott. Here, mothers could leave their children overnight if they wished to go to a theatre or some other function.

“Every profession in Sweden is open to women. In fact, it is regarded as most unusual if a woman is pot trained for a career,” said Miss Scott. “Women doctors are very popular and it is seldom that a woman is not attended by a woman doctor.”

If meat has to be pickled, and you are in doubt as to the quantity of salt to use, place a medium-sized peeled potato in the water and add salt till the potato floats on the brine.

If knitting a bed wrap for an invalid with throat or chest trouble, do not use swansdown for edging. It is so fluffy that pieces may be swallowed by the patient.