"ALIEN'S" LETTER FROM ENGLAND.

Otago Witness, Issue 2894, 25 August 1909, Page 75

"ALIEN'S" LETTER FROM ENGLAND.

(Specially Written for the Witness Ladies' Page.)

LONDON TO DATE

July 9. The splendid Fair of Fashions, inaugurated by, the Daily Mirror, was opened last week at the Horticultural Hall, Vincent square, Westminster, by tlie Lady Mayoress, who was accompanied by the Lord Mayor. Thirty-six masterpieces of costumes by the chief ootlumiers of tbs word were displayed on a stage on living models, beautiful women especialiy chesen to set off the gowns they wore, and upon the walls hung scores of beautiful portraits oi living women dressed to resemble heroines of art and history and fiction, for which the Daily Mirror gave prizes amounting •to £150. Tbe first prize of £50 was won by Mr Cavendish Morton, the photographic artist, with two very beautiful photographs — Isabella, the nun, and Eo&aliod. All\ fashionable London visited' the Fair of Fashions during the week, for- chief among its attractions was the Theatre ol Dress. .' Upon' the' brilliantly -lighted stage the models went through a series of silent "pea-foi'iniances,"' which showed off the exqukite toilettes to perfection. Among the famous houses contributing were Worth, foinoub in f&ot and notion • Martial et Armand, Redfern, Boue Solars, G. Beer, Gr.een, Sbne. Arqua, amd Harrod's. The toilettes one and all were masterpieces, s whether for morni-ttg or eveaung, for the puree of~the millionaires and the rich. One erf the models wore £300 C worth of furs, and in the real la<» department a panmean, or coverlet, r&preeenting the Imperial Arms of Austria, represented two years' work of 70 people, and is valued af £2000. Queen Alexandra's Sandringham School of Needlework, which, by her Majesty's sanction', exhibited a beautiful display of iace work, bad on view articles the* would be more easily within "the range of tbs public purse — underlinen, blouses, tea-tiays andi tray clcths, embroidered tparasols, and an unlimited display of beautiful work. Not faiihion only, but art, is combined, in the drees of the" present, and at the Horticultural Hall were same exquisite ereatier.is, both in texture and design. Some of the most beautiful of them were made in Lond-on, others from Paris and Vienna and New York. From 10 o'clock in the morning till 10 at night crowds witnessed- tbe display of elegance and. beauty, for tihe very perfection of grace ankl fine art in woman's apparel was reached in these, models. From lingerie to tihe chapeailx'-t&e minutest details were perfectly •frnasihed, and a most ' interesting portion: of the' exhibit was a loan collection, containing priceless antique garments,, the like of which are rarely seen, except in old pictures— a shoe from- the thirteenth century, muslin made in. Canterbury in . Queen Elizabeth's day, lace worn by Marie Antoinette, ruffles worn by Shakespeare, antique Spanish fans, a petticoat that belonged to Queen Aarae, Austrian garments, and a long list of treasures which have never been exhibited before, and over which people from all parts of "the world lingered. The Iris& lace made by cottage and convent workers -was very" lovely, and in lingerie the work was matchless. -The weather, like the poor, is still with vs — the special brand of weather we are having this summer : tflrpee or four, and somotdmea five, days of pouring rain a week, and the beauty of the roses and" flowers of delicate kinds is utterly spoilt. When the sun doe© shine the days are glorious, for the' air is free of dust, and "leafy June" has run inito with the spring greens. .But the poor farmers are in despair over their hay, and marketgardeners, because of stra-n berries and sodden fields of green peas. Ine strawberries all ripen together on the sunny days, amd yesterday they were selling for 2d per lb, which, of course, brings them within reach of almost all. The King has been "a hard-worked man during tie week, and with the Queen and Princess Victoria has visited both Manchester and BirmingJiam to open at each piaae inaportant -oublic institutions — at Mancibe&tev the new Royal Infirmary, and in Birmingham the new: University. It is the, first State- visit bis Majesty has madeto these important towns since he came to the throne, but be visited the Midland metroipolifi when he was Prince of Wales in 1885 and in 1891. The half-million inhabitants of Birmingham were in a great state of excitement for days preceding the royal visit, end the town was very beautifully decorated, and presented a magnificent appearance. The loyal subjects of King Edward roared themselves hoarse in the enthusiasm of tiheir greeting to him amd his beautiful consort. By a special train their Majesties, with Priness. Victoria and suite and the Minister of War, arrived ait 1 o'clock from London, andi were met by the Lord Mayor, the Recorder, and town clerk of Birmingham, and proceeded under triumphal arches and along street* festooned with flowers. In Corporation street — the beautiful street that owes itself to Mr Joseph Chamberlain's energy— the carriage passed beneatlh a bower of artificial flowers stretching in garlands from ome side of the street to the othar, consisting of purple wisteria and j-ellow and cream roses. But, beneah the magnificence of the ccene amd the loyal enthusiasm of tih< day lies, it is said, a deeper meaning to the visit — which is not only local, but to am intense degree national. The new University of Birmingham, whose formal opening was the purpose of their Majesties' visit, is an institution unique of its kind: in this country. Apart from the magnificence of its construction it will be the first university on this side of the Atlantic wJiich can claim to satisfy the needs of the industrial classes. In it there will be nc teaching o|f bare theories, no dry bookwork that relies upon

the memory and the memory alone. At Bonrnbrook, an the new University will doubtless be called, from- the suburb in which it b situated, the practical will everywhere predominate. If a young man is destined lor the profession of a mining engineer he will be* trained in anactual coal mine ; if his amlbi'tion is ultimately to manage a large gas - department he will be taught the production of gas in works which aie not only a model, but a practical -institution, serving a definite commiEircial purpose; if he is intended -to succeed his father in the control of a large factory he will be started from the very lowest rung of the ladder, like the humblest of his father's employees. That is the purpose cf this great new Midland university, whose slow but steady progress' has only now become realised by the general pjublic, and tbe result, of whose labours :ean "only be , j'udgecT by 'the success or failure of the commercial race of a -future generation. After, the address from the. Corporation and the King's reply a pleasing little ceremony was performed, *Jiat of presenting the "Queer with Birmingham's gift, a charming chain and pemida-nt worked in gold and precious • stones, and made in Birmingham by Mr aod Mrs Arthur GiasV.TO, who are famous for their exquisite workmanship. It can, it is affirmed, chaili&nge compariron with anything made a.bi'oad. The Lord Mayor was knighted by the Kirur. and luncheon followed, Mts Joseph Ohaniberlain making a tsmpora^p- Lady Mayoress in the absence of an official "mayoress. The absence of Mr Joseph Ghamberlaini, whose health would not allow him to be present, was a cause of general regret, as he is inseparable irojm the public life of Birmingham, and it was a graceful act of affection that prompted the Corporation to a.«k Mrs Obtsimfc^rlaiii 'to, do the honours with the Lord Mayor. Mr and Mrs Au-sten Cbaar-iwrlain were ainiong the lunch ecn guerts. cad a.fterwa,rds at the University -Mr Neville Chamberlain and Misses Hilda and Ida Chamibfirlain. The first day of that great river pageant, the Henley regatta, was wet. Rain set in in the morning, and, in spite of the weather prophets, who promised a fini afternoon a.nd evening, it steadily poured ail day. On succeeding days there was sunshine, and the river girl, who this season looks, if 'possible, more charming than evei in her flowered hat, was as happy "as were* the boatmen", whose great harvest of tlie year the. regatta, week is. Th>3 scene w«s charming beyond description : the house-boats, with wdnddws and decks gay with flowers and palms, and -everybody as' gay as colours couH make "fh-am, "four the men, with thsir cool white ducks, indulge in' the brilliant hues of *tthe season in cocks and ties and hat-bands. Among the house-boats, that of Mr Vanderbilt -'s palatial. The saloon diack is exquisite, and a very gay and delighted crowd of visitors have enjoyed Mr Vanderbilt's hospitality during the week. During the fine days not only were the hcuse-boate crowded, but the lawns of the river, and the river lined with specta-tors. botl in rkiffs and punts,- and also on the banks of the shore. All the university racing men, past and present, congregate at Henley for the week, amd these were amens; thcee who "were most d/isappointed at England's beating by the Belgians in the big race between Magdala College, Oxford, for the semi-final heat of the Grand Challenge Cup. The cheers of tlie c v owd as crews drew n,eai % the winning post could bs heard miles away. It was a magnificent race, and the Englishmen only just^irst it, owing, 't is said, to being on *c windy side of tho liver. After dusk has fallen, and the fairy lights shine out on phore and water, the heart-burnings of rport are forgotten by the numerous entsTtainers and entertained, and the sounds of music carry a lon<r way down the river. Sporting England is a good deal depressed by its defeat at cricket and polo : the Australian triumph at cricket and tlie American at polo preceding the Belgian victory at Henley 'kis given rise to a good deal of public discussion. Lord Lonsdale, one of the best-known snort sTnpiT :n: n th a world, iliinks the spirit of English sport as good as ever it was, only the education of sport is on the wrong lines; there is "a want of energy about tbe young men of to-day. They lead too soft lives." But tliey have great hopes of winning the next two test cricket matches, and wresting the victory from Australia. "With regurd to polo." said Lord Lonsdale, "I Lave always maintained that there should oe some limit to the value of the ponies employed. Take the recent match which the Americans won 'lhey came over here Knowing where the best ' ponies wer to be bought, and they bought them. I t-houM nDt be surprised if some of thosa pon : es cost something up to £1000 a-piece. Certainly the American team wnf very fins. In the two Waterburys they had twe remarkably fine hitters. And given the finest players and the finest ponies, the result is inevitable. I have always said that polo would kill itself by the sheer milling up of the , prices of the pomes. I certainly do not ! think that anything like a general 'rot ' has set in in English export. History" shows tliat nearly all the great records are held by Englishmen ; and I am sure therJ is the grit left to hold them, if it is only properly cultivated. Everything is ru&ii and hurry, arid people . want their sport, like other things', ready made." It was a glorious day, fortunately, on the daj of tho polo match under question between England and America, and Hurlingham. with its beautiful lawns an-a trees, rarely looked better All smart

London tvas there, including the Prince and Princess of Wales, and the Americans in London were present in force, as coula be told by the roar that went up when the cup was won and presented by tht Prince. It was a huge^cup, and almost full of champagne, and when tbe Princt of Wales presented it to the perspiring ' and happy victorious Americans he - dia so with the smiling remark, "I'm sure you must 'be very thirsty." After ea.cn had drunk he said, "You wiere." The dresses were almost as beautiful as at Aioot, and bands were playing frequently. At night, there was a grand • display of "t" t fireworks, which the residents in the • neighbourhood sa\> almost as effectively as in Hurlingham itself.