NOTES FOR WOMEN

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIV, Issue 10284, 20 May 1919, Page 8

NOTES FOR WOMEN

A VALEDICTORY PRKSEXTATIOX

A very pleasant little ceremony took place in the tearooms of the Returned Soldiers' Club yesterday afternoon, the occasion being a presentation to Miss M. Aleen Stevens, who for over two years has been honorary typist to the Clubhouse Society, and has recently resigned. The presentation (which consisted of a gold brooch, two fern leaves surrounding an oval shield, inscribed on the front "Returned Soldiers' Club, Wellington, Souvenir,'' and on the reverse side "M. Aleen Stevens. 1916-1919") was presented by ' the chairman, Mr J. P. Maxwell, M. Inst., C.E., who referred to- the valuable and continuous work Miss Stevens had done. The recipient feelingly responded, stating that the little she had done had been a labour of love, and what she had done for the returned soldiers was infuiitisimal compared to what they had done for them at home. General Richardson, who was present, pinned the brooch on amid applause. TOWN-PLANXING. The Wellington Town Hall is quite transformed at present. The. Townplanning Conference is showing exhibits therein, so screens have been erected, whioh, running across the hall in V-shape, get a maximum of light and space. Yesterday they were rapidly being hung with photographs, prints, and plans to illustrate tha worth of town-planninj* and the bad results of leaving things to grow. A whole side has been devoted to scones in Adelaide, for instance, which contains some beautiful public parks, and also (according to these pictures), some very- badly-congested building areas. Then there are contrasting scenes of pretty cottages and gardens, quite ideal living places. The thing that strikes a woman onlooker is that the pictures of ugly backyards always have washing hanging out (never a pretty sight), while the pictures of the ideal cottage have no washing in view. It looks nice, of course, but washing has to be done, and There is it to be dried in the ideal garden city? A visitor suggested yesterday that washing in cities should be "put out." In some parts of London one cannot hang clothes on a lm», while in others it can only be done at certain hours. This is all very well, but those who live in so-called slum areas cannot afford to pay for washing, and if slums are turned into garden suburbs, provision must be made for the washing. So why not show it in the fancy pictures as well as in the real ones? The exhibition, however, has other things of interest. Paris, the. city of town planning, is well represented in pictures, and there are various German cities, notably Munich, labelled "a spectacular city with many slums." The trouble is that the finest cities show these contrasts, and some of thu worst slums can be found in Paris. A striking contrast allows the narrowest of Naples' alleyways next to the vastnees of St. Peter's piazza at Rome. It is interesting to note that examples are given of cities town-planned hundreds of years ago. There are, too, many examples of monuments. One wonders it the conference will include teaching the amateur how to choose the best. Some of the monuments enow an over-ornamentation worthy of the degenerate days of the later Renaissance.

Christchurch is seen in many photographs, its buildings looking very beautiful, but it is known to have slums as bad as any in the Dominion. Wellington can only provide very few pictures of good buildings or areas, so it is hoped the capital will be able to profit by the conference. THE HOMELAND SOCIAL EDUCATION. . A pamphlet on the above subject and its relation to child welfare, which was recently written by Miss Phoebe Myers, has been used in its propaganda work by the Babies of the Empire Society. It was for the purpose of this society that Mr Truby Jimg wns lent ti» the British Government. The pamphlet went on its mission, accompanied by short addresses by Lord Plunket, the president of the society, and the late Lord Rhondda. This, of course, was some months ago. The Town-Planning Conference, which opens to-doy, is emphasising the importance of the suggestions contained in itThese speak of the home in its retation to the child, and the necessity for get- ! ting the'best conditions for the children, both in and outside the home. The writer says: "If women arc determined to reform the home, so that it will be able to perform its work in influencing national lifo as it should, then they must, be prepared to adapt it' to modern conditions by enlarging its scope until it embraces every subject that concerns the home—that is every subject under the sun; that is to say, deal with >t as man does with his work. It must cease to be purely individual, and must bo all-embracing. Thus only can the problems relating to home life be solved. At Ihe present time there are very many homes that embody all that home stands for; hut because they arc individualistic they fail to effect reforms in the community.'

I "An improvement in homo conditions would necessaxily react on those who are brought under their influence, and therefore it is worth while to consider the fundamentals of home life. First of nil in importance are tile aomemakers, for in their fitness for their work depends thtir success. Since tho child of one generation is the parent of the next, in dealing with this Biibiect from tho point of view of education it is necessary to' consider the conditions from infancy upwards, for the host results can he attained only in this way. The most important qualification for this purpose is health in its threefold aspect—physical, mental, and moral.

"In order to ' attain this threefold health, hygienic suroundings must he obtained, and therefore it will he wressary to studv much more thoroughly th* laws of hyr.ione.. The rhi • must he taught nractically the fundamentals of hvgienic living. "Under this feeding, clothing, training in regular habits, housing, snnitnt : on. etc. Thus feeding, housing, sanitation, etc. Thus the home is connected with the outside world, and this opens up, naturalIv, fresh avenues of emplovment for women. Th : s training is partly mental, and also moral, since everv phvsical'.act involves mental, co-ordination: "id the training in re<rular habits is th« heginnin" of splMisc : nline, and onnsoquent.lv has a. moral aspect. .* this training must be done In th? home in tlv fi'-st fe-v years of life, and therefore, if the■ rhiM i" to have .Us onn'ortnu : tv for full develonment in it' home, it must be looked afW bv s«me one who knows its needs.' Hence the

necessity for a • .knowledge of at lea* the first principles of the laws « hygiene. importance of the home is how recognised in the industrial world by th 6 introduction of welfare work. Homo conditions and the home atmosphere must be taken from the home into all institutions, and so humanise the institutions. This will be the work ot the women. The present _ condition has arisen because man carried on the work of woman without understanding its underlying principles. Recognising his mistake, he is invoking the aid ot woman, and together they will be able to reconstruct society on a firmer foundation. To do this w* musx ge« back the human interest and Home spirit by cultivating a home atmosphere in' every department of life. The training for this purpose, as indicated, must be bogun in infancy and carried on throughout life. A sense of social responsibility will result, and there will be developed in every citizen the desire to seek the welfare of the community, and not of the individual only." PALMERSTON NORTH NOTES. At the marriage on Wednesday of Bliss Stanley Bett, eldest daughter of Mr John Bett, to Mr Bertram Joseph Jacobs, of the legal firm of Loughnan and Jacobs, the bridal toilet wi» unique and had quite a charming Parisian touch. . Silver tissue was the basic foundation with an overdress of shell pink "Pussy Williow" silk veiled in hand-beaded pale blue silk net. The lower portion of the skirt was composed of brocaded silver tissue in delicate 'shades of pink and blue, and heavily-beaded and jewelled trimming adorned the bodice. A deep belt-like swathing of pink silk formed the cor- e sage, and was bordered with the sil-* ver brocade. A voluminous bridal veil of palest pink tulle was caught capwlse with a band of brilliants, finished with posies of pink heather, blue forget-me-nots and orange blossom, similar posies weighting the > ends of the veil which formed the train. A beautiful bouquet of white chrysanthemums and pink roses completed this charming bridal toilet. The attendant bridesmaid. Miss' Hazel Bett, wore a dainty frock of pale pink silk and georgette trimmed with blue forget-me-nots and a black panne hat, lined with pale pink. Her bonqnefc was composed of white flowers and pink African daisies. Mr and Mrs Jacobs left by motor for Wellington, en route to Uhristchurch, the bride's _ travelling costume being a smartly tailored navy blue, slightly braided, a small chio hat, and beautiful sable furs.

Driver W. Crump, a popular Postal official and hockey and bowling enthusiast, is due home on the Pakeha.

Mrs and Misi Blaine West have returned to Wellington. The senior pupils of the convent gave their annual concert on Wednesday night." There was a large attendance, and the stage was beautifully decorated with palms, ferns and autumn leaves. The concert was excellent and the many items were . recalls being frequent. Mrs C. Louisson is staving at Paekakariki. Mr and_ Mrs H. E. Gnnter are also seasiding it there. Mrs Louder and her children have returned from Plimmerton.

Mrs' Braik, Wanganui, is staying with Miss Randolph.

i The Hunt Club held their last run at Kairanga,' and were entertained by Mr and Mrs J. Balsillie at afternoon tea.

MISS ELIZABETH ASQUTTH

In connection with the' recent marriage of Miss . Elizabeth Asquith to Prince Antoine Bibeseo, a London paper remarks:— More than usual interest attaches to the linking together of one of the most prominent of political families in Britain and one of the old nobility of Roumania, The brvle is the younger 'T'nrhtoir of Mr H. H'. Aaqtthli, formerly Prime .Minister. Though only 22 years old—sSho had her 22nd birthday in February—she gives the impression of * much more mature age. She wm presented at Court when she was 17, and during the war,her talents as an organiser, speaker, actress, end playwright have brought her prominently before tihe eye of the public. One of her most notable successes in patriotic directions was in.arranging for a dozen or more of England 1 s best-known, poets to read selections from their own cbmDositions to an important West End "-thoring, for the pleasure of hearing which the '•'appreciative audience" paid two cuineas a head.

One paper describes her as having no pretensions to good looks, -while Fiosrlish society journals credit h.er.with a "dark-eyed, ivory-skinned, petite sort of prettincss, with a graceful figure, a knowledge of how to dress, and an inherited wit"—a comprehensive equipment for one girl. She has been extremely popular in social circles since her debut, and is one of the few girls who have been invited to join week-end parties with the Kinp and Queen and the Royal Family at Windsor Oastle.

„The bridegroom has reached his 41st birthday. He is a clean-shaven, goodlooking man, who, it is said, might easily be taken for an Englishman. He comes of old Roumanian stock (of Royal blood, in fact), of landed proprietors, whose wealth was made by tho development of the oil industry on their property, and who, despite the tragic events in his own country in the -"■iftt few years, are left immensely rich. Prince . Ajatoine Bibesco was born in Paris, and is the grandson of tfhe late reigning Prince Alexander of Roumn-->ia, who died in 1873. He has long been a familiar figure in London, where lie is First Secretary of the Roumanian Legation.