WAYBACK ON TOUR.

Shannon News, 2 March 1923, Page 2

WAYBACK ON TOUR.

SEES EVERYONE IN THEIR BEST “TOGS.” - / SIGHS 'FOR THE GOOD OLD DAYS. A Manaia Rip Van Winkle recently emerged from Iris seclusion and went on tour. Evidently it was- his first break i'rom the backblocks lor many moons, for, according to the inevitable interview with the local paper, he found things had changed from •the good old days of our mothers and grandmothers; he did not find the girls and young' women knitting stockings in;the train as he expected. Moreover, everyone travelled in their “best togs.” ' His “impressions” are rough, homely and to the point, and though his remarks will not be relished by the young ladies, they ring with true back-block conservatism and mock modestry. For that reason the “Interview” is worth reproducing:—- . In the matter of the weather, the 'Manaia man found little difference anywhere. Passing through the graingrowing districts .lie saw that' wheat, oats and hay were having a rough time. ’ The outlook, however, did not seem to have a restraining effect on the tendency to travel luxuriously, for he says:— “All the passengers travelled their best togs, with jewellery, both t the wrists and on the body. I am sorry to say that the present female sex are far away from the style of the good old mothers and daughters ot the early days. I, have not seen one

Colonial girl able to knit her own stockings,' as our- good old, beautiful mothers .used to do while on their journeys. Their display of stockings and shoes is enough even to degrade their sex. Taking my bearings from Hawera, out of all the females I saw, l could only see ten good, upstanding, healthy-looking young women, who I thought had the makings of real” good wives. There is great danger that, when, once the other puny Colonial | girls are married the majority or j them will be only hospital subjects, especially if they have any children, j The very appearance of • these puny 1 girls is suggestive of diseases brought j on by improper dressing, their necks , being too much exposed. Even now j the hospitals are crowded with such • subjects, with, limbs as frail as vio* ! lins.” ?■■■■'; . •. i