IN TOWN AND OUT

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 15, 8 April 1927, Page 4

IN TOWN AND OUT

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NOTES Mr. and Mrs. H. C. Ernest, of Papatoetoe, leave to-day lor a visit to Rotorua. Mrs. Chewings, of Invercargill, left for the South by the Limited last night. Mrs. Chewings was a delegate to the recent conference of New Zealand club women. * * * Miss Janet Murray leaves tomorrow for a holiday visit to Rotorua. Mrs. R. T. Tosswill, of Christchurch, who has been staying in Auckland after attending the women’s club conference, leaves for the South this evening. Mrs. Howard Hammond, of Hamilton, is at present spending a holiday in Auckland. Miss Luker has returned to Auckland after a visit to Cambridge, where she was staying with her sister, Mrs. S. Lewis. Miss L. "Walsh is an Auckland visitor to Christchurch. Miss Norah Livesay, who has been for several months in Auckland, is at present staying with her mother in Christchurch. Mrs. E. Collins, of Christchurch, who was visiting friends in Auckland, has returned home. The Misses Wearne and Miss M. Caisley are Auckland visitors to the Franz Josef Glacier, Waiho Gorge. Mrs. Gillman, the secretary of the Wellington Pioneer Club, who has been visiting Auckland in connection with the conference of federated women’s clubs, returned to Wellington last evening. Miss Irene Hansen. B.Sc., of Akron, Ohio, has arrived in New Zealand and will proceed to New Plymouth to take charge of the special arts and crafts class arranged by the Taranaki Education Board. * * * Miss Ruth Spencer, of Auckland, is a visitor to Cambridge, where she is the guest of Mrs. D. R. Caldwell. Mr., Mrs. and Miss Cadness are Auckland visitors to Christchurch. Mrs. de Salis, wife of the Commodore of H.M.s. Veronica, is at present visiting', Christchurch. Mrs. It. W. McVilly is a Wellington visitor to Auckland. Mi - s. F l . A. Jones, of Wellington, is at present paying a visit to Auckland. * * Sic Dr. and Mrs. Scholefield, of Wellington, are visiting Auckland. Mr. and Mrs. J. K. Burnham, of San Francisco, are among the guests at the Grand Hotel.^ Mr. and Mrs. H. W. Clarke, of Wellington, .are staying at the Hotel Cargen. Ml*, and Mrs. C. Duncan, of Sydney, are .visiting Auckland and are at the Grand Hotel. Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Grant, of Wellington, are staying at the Hotel Cargen. Mr. and Mrs. E. A. Mitchell, of Sydney, are guests at the Grand Hotel. Mr. and Mrs. V. G. Queenin, of Rotorua, are staying at the Central Hotel. Mrs. and Miss H. Presscott, of London, are visiting New Zealand, and while in Auckland are staying at Cargen. Mrs. R. C. Glendinning, Miss Glendinning and Mr. Glendinning, jun., of Dunedin, are among the guests at the Royal Hotel. Mrs. A. Chapman, of Wellington, is staying at Cargen. Mr. and Mrs. J. Harris, of Palmerston North, are visiting Auckland and are staying at the Star Hotel. Mr. and Mrs. Beaumont Smith left for the south last evening and will leave Wellington on Tuesday for a visit to Sydney. Mr. and Mrs. Harris, of Lincoln, England, are at present staying at the Star Hotel.

ROTORUA NOTES

A PRESENTATION (From Our Own Correspondent.) On Wednesday evening at the Government Sanatorium at Rotorua a pleasing little social evening was held for the purpose of making a presentation to Sister Cussen, who is resigning her position, so that she may take a further course of training. On behalf of the staff and the patients, Dr. Duncan presented Sister Cussen with a handsome gold-mounted luminous bedroom clock and a dainty little gold wrist watch. In a happy little speech Sister Cussen expressed her appreciation of the gifts and her regret at leaving the sanatorium. A number of musical and elocutionary items were .then ’ given by the patients and visitors from Brent’s and Belle Vue, interspersed with wireless items, and a very pleasant evening concluded with dancing. PANTRY PARTY A most enjoyable "pantry party" was given last evening by Mrs. Griffiths, of Araiva House, in honour of Miss D. Halkett, whose wedding will take place at the end of this month. The rooms were charmingly decorated with zinnias, pale pink dahlias and delphiniums. Mrs. Griffiths wore a handsome gown of green and gold brocaded tissue when receiving her guests. She was assisted by her two daughters, the Misses D. and V. Griffiths, the former wearing palest blue lace over mauve, and the latter floral sea green taffetas. Miss 1). Halkett, who was the recipient of many decidedly useful gifts, wore a pretty gown of embossed apricot taffetas. The guests included: —Dr. and Mrs. Campbell Duncan, Dr. and Mrs. Stanley Wallis, Mr. and Mrs. Halkett, Mr. and Mrs. Moorhouse, Mr. and Mrs. Douglas Davys, Mr. and Mrs. Hall, Mr. and Mrs. Bunyard. Mr. and Mrs. Hyde, Mrs. and Miss Groves, Mrs. Laurenson. Mrs. Sledge, the Misses St. Clair (2), Giesen (2), McHardie, Allan, McKenzie, Cooney, Evans, Coleman, Corlett, Hall, Herne, Dr. Lewis, Messrs. Shuttle worth (fiance of Miss Halkett), Buckley, Rees-George, Carr (2). Basham. C. Giesen, A. Ford, Urquhart, Gari'ard, Faulkner, C. Hawkins, S. Sims, O’Connel, F. Henry, H. Bell, F. Groves and B. Duncan. Dancing was enjoyed in the main hail and bridge tables were arranged. A delightful supper was served in the lounge, when speeches were made wishing Miss Halkett and her bride-groom-elect all success in the future.

A PRETTY WEDDING

WILSON—ROSTANCE Two attractive bridesmaids attended Doreen, the only daughter of Mr. and Mrs. F. Rostance, when she was married yesterday afternoon at St. Mary’s Church, Parnell, to Carl Vivian, second son of Mr. and Mrs. T. H. Wilson, of Portland, Whangarei. The Rev. Canon James officiated. The bride, who was given away by her father, wore an exquisite gown of cream satin beaute and georgette, fashioned with a picturesque little tight-fitting bodice, from which fell in graceful folds a flared skirt, terminating in a deeply-scalloped hem; adorning each scallop was the prettiest little wreath of hand-made pale pink and cream roses. Another dainty conceit was a little horseshoe of white satin, worn for luck, on the bride’s arm. Over all cascaded her beautiful veil, heavily embroidered, and caught with a circlet of orange blossoms. The bridal bouquet was a delightful shower of palest pink and white blossoms. The chief bridesmaid was Miss Kiina Rostance, a cousin of the bride, who wore a dainty frock of lemon tinted crepe de chine, with an overdress of filmy georgette, trimmed with a deep fringe, her hat and bouquet were in prettily harmonising tones. Miss Florence Enid Wilson, sister of the bridegroom, also attended, wearing a pretty gown of pale blue crCpe de chine, trimmed with beige lace. With it was worn a becoming hat of blue, and a bouquet of pale pink flowers was carried. The bridegroom was attended by Mr. Ronald Rostance, his cousin, as best man. A reception was held after the ceremony at the Domain tea kiosk, when the guests were received by the mothers of the bride and bridegroom. Mrs. Ronstance wore a very attractive gown of lavender georgette over satin, with a hat in a deeper tone of lavender. Mrs. Wilson’s smart gown was of fawn, worn with a hat and coat of black. Among the guests were:—Mesdames Fred Wilson, wearing a blue costume, furs and hat to match; H. G. Lovell, black satin frock, fur coat, black and lavender hat; Rutledge, smart ensemble of wine shade, hat to tone; W. Long, pretty black coat and fawn hat; G. C. Smith, Wellington, mulberry coat frock, hat to match; Beavis, bois de rose gown and black hat; Willis, blue satin, lace overdress, and apricot hat; Weaver, lavender coat over beige lace frock, black hat; Long, black toilette, fawn hat>; A. Rostance, mary-blue georgette over pale rose, black hat; Watson, smart grey coat, black hat; Weaver, royal blue, grey furs, hat to tone; T. Harrison, black costume, black and white hat; Brown, grey costume, black and white hat; Misses Watson, pink crepe de chine frock, black coat and pink hat; Joan Weaver, very dainty frock of white relieved with pale blue; A. Beavis, black lace over black satin, bois de rose hat; D. Watson, pretty blue frock and cream hat; Betty and Dorothy Wilson, each wearing a pretty frock of cream and navy; and Messrs. T. IT. Wilson, Fred Wilson, IT. G. Lovell, Rutledge, W. Long, Beavis, Willis, Weaver, A. Rostance, Watson and T. Harrison. When the bride and bridegroom left later ih their car for a wedding tour, the bride wore a very smart ensemble suit of bois de rose, with a charming hat to tone and a dainty set of furs. Their future home will be in Whangarei.

LYCEUM CLUB

A LUNCHEON Three" of the delegates to the recent conference of Federated Women’s Clubs were entertained at lunch in the club rooms yesterday by ‘Mrs. W. H. Farkes, the president of the club, Mrs. B. Buttle, Mrs. J. C. Dickinson, Miss. E. Melville and Miss J. Murray, the vice-presidents. The guests were Mesdames Tosswill of Christchurch, Gillman of Wellington, and Chewings of Invercargill. Mesdames Chewings and Gillman reurned to the South last evening, and Mrs. Tosswill leaves tonight by the Limited for Christchurch. AN AFTERNOON TEA Mrs. Arthur Roberton, of Remuera, gave a charming little party yesterday afternoon in honour of Miss Beryl Houghton, who is leaving shortly for a visit to England with her mother. A number of Girl Guide friends of Miss Houghton’s were present, as also were Mrs. Leslie Averill, of Christchurch, Mrs. Whitlock and Miss Spurgeon.

PAMELA PASSES. [Written for The Sun.] | WENT this morning to see the King and bow to him as he went to open Parliament. I had a position of vantage just near the steps of the House of Lords, where a grave attendant. looking more like a duke than any duke could possibly look, gave me sundry information. He told me that a few minutes before my arrival the assembled Beefeaters had drawn their swords and gone to search the vaults for another Guy Fawkes. “Did they find one?” I asked; but he favoured me with a contemptuous glance and silence. Then he went on rather superciliously: “The vaults are flooded with electric light—and yet each Beefeater carries a lantern!” I could see he thought the whole idea rather silly and childish. But I loved the Beefeaters for carrying the unnecessary lanterns.

The peeresses began to arrive, very gaudy, much befurred, coronets perched perilously on heads that had obviously been newly corrugated this morning. Then came the Cinderella coach with its prancing white ponies, its heralds, its Gentlemen at Horse, and its nodding George and Mary. All sorts of sumptuous things were going on; but like the beggar-cliild in the song, I was outside the gates. I could only wait for the return journey, and be thankful I was allowed to see that. Still, I could imagine to myself the goin’s-on in there. Hundreds of peers in scarlet cloaks trimmed with ermine were probably sitting on the Woolsack eating buns filled with real cream and almond icing on the top. The bishops in red velvet would have a more episcopal food, whitebait sandwiches, say. The peeresses would be nodding together over coloured sticks of marzipan. The Heralds would be blowing their trumpets happily and waving their flags; the Gentlemen-at-arms would be poking their toy bayonets into one another, but bringing forth no blood. The 'Black Rod would be dancing by himjself, a little dark goblin-dance at the |very feet of the Throne. Then preisently there would be a little stir [among the jewels and the crimson [tides and the foaming ermine. . . . iThe peers, swallowing the last of |their buns and scrambling off the Woolsack. The Heralds blowing .harder upon their trumpets as first the Prince of Wales and then the King and Queen enter. A band striking up “The Campbells Are ComingHurrah, Hurrah!” and everybody bowing profoundly. . . . The Commons are sent for. They 'look very mean and insignificant among such a brilliant throng. They sit down and make as little noise as possible, knowing how infinitesimal they are.

the King reads his speech: “My Darling Subjects ” And then a lot about the Army and the Navy and new Bills and foreign relations. Everybody claps at the end. The band plays Mendelssohn’s Wedding March; and here they come—out of the Parliament of my imagination into this space before my eyes. The little coach rumbles, the white horses prance conceitedly, their Majesties bow brightly. And then the procession passes away from the orderly howls of the populace. They have gone home, and Parliament is open. Community singing has taken us by the throat. A few days ago I went to a Westminster hall to the first community concert given by children. Not since a certain performance by the Allan Wilkie company of “Midsummer Night’s Dream,” when the air was alive with the turning of pages tof text-books and with the sibilant soft shouts of hundreds of whispers chanting the words in company with rthe players, have I seen so many children all at once. At the first note the yellow heads and the dark heads and the in-between brown heads grew quiet and still. Presently “All Through [the Night” was streaming out of a [thousand treble mouths, a sweet, most •winsome volume of song. After that, [every small heart testified through a silver mouth that Charlie was its Darjling, and then came the wonderful ■roaring news of London’s burning. At the end of the song the conductor ceased to wave his baton, but London went on burning. It burnt three times altogether, and the cry for engines was prodigious. And then came a little cry in a haunting minor key, “Ah, Poor Bird!” A plaintive little song full of stilled wings. I noticed that a mite had fallen asleep upon a mite’s knee, sent into dream by this sad sweet lullaby. As 1 came away they were singing “Land of Hope and Glory,” with a vengeance and fullthroated delight. Mrs Pankhurst, my little Feminists, is returning to the stage of her old activities. I hope that is the way to describe it. After her old stormings at the- rock of government she is now trying to build herself a little house upon it. She has been adopted as a Conservative Parliamentary candidate and will probably go on a hunger strike if she is not elected. I was in the City yesterday, a strange and lovely part of London. I never know how the clerks and accountants who throng its streets can look so calm and casual; for I go through it with large astonished and admiring eyes and holding my heart tightly. The Royal Exchange and the Old Lady of Threadneedle Street were chatting together placidly as I went down to where a famous steamship company has its offices. On entering the courtyard I saw a horse-drawn van into which brawny men were piling something that looked like nuggets. They were nuggets —of silver. Beautiful, bold, shining bullion. There was a heap of it close by, and as each nugget was lifted from the pile a strange-looking person in a top-hat and a pair of gloves marked its destination upon it in black paint. I watched the procedure, dazzled. I forgot that I had come to find out the exact date of the Cathay’s arrival at Tilbury in May; I forgot that it was very' rude to stare, and just dreamed over that glimmering pile in the corner of the courtyard and their far romantic destination. . . . The black-hat began eyeing me suspiciously. Perhaps he thought me a thief in disguise. But since it took two brawnies to lift, one nugget, I don’t see how he could have feared that I, in my frailty, could seize upon one and bear it forth forever from the haunts of bullion. But his suspicion grew, so I had to take my eyes from ihe silver and smile at him. Evidently my smile is assuring, as he allowed one grim corner of his mouth to twitch a little and returned to the work of painting their names on the nuggets. After a little dreaming while I said: “Where are they going?” Dreams toppled. “To Birmingham!” said the Black* h*t. And sniffed. P.T. J^ondon. Windows and mirrors smeared with thin, cold starch and allowed to dry thoroughly will polish splendidly with a soft cloth.

ORDER LADIES, PLEASE!

A LIVELY MEETING Time and again yesterday afternoon was it necessary for the president, Mrs. W. H. Parkes, to call strictly for silence, or for one speaker at a time to take the floor, when the quarterly meeting of the Lyceum Club took place. A contentious subject that occupied practically the whole of the meeting’s attention was the question of the removal of the club to larger and more up-to-date premises than those it now occupies in Short's Buildings. Some time ago Mrs. Parkes s°nt out to every one of the 659 members of the Lyceum Club a letter pointing out the urgent necessity for a new and improved club, with more modern conveniences and a greater amount of space available, so that when members are entertaining their friends in the club, other members will not necessarily be almost shut out as they are at present through lack of space. In these letters Mrs. Parkes suggested that new and eminently suitable premises might be obtained, but that such a move would necessarily involve heavy expenditure and bigger running expenses than the club is saddled with at the moment; she also embodied in the letters three tentative suggestions as to the ways in which the needed money might be raised, and asked members to vote as to which of the suggestions they favoured, and whether or not they thought it desirable to move the club at all. With each of these 689 letters Mrs. Parkes enclosed a stamped addressed envelope to facilitate replies, and naturally expected that on a question of such vital interest to every member a big majority would vote at once. The total number of people who bothered to record a vote at all came to 274, and Mrs. Parkes was emphatic in expressing her disappointment at such a discouraging result. In her own words:

4 ‘ln my letter to members regarding a new club house, I strongly emphasised the vital importance of an individual expression of opinion so that the committee and management generally might know whether they were justified in proceeding with the scheme. “In order that there should be no possible excuse for not replying, a stamped addressed envelope was forwarded. The result is somewhat interesting. Far more than half the members have completely ignored my letter, which may be regarded as a fair expression of their interest in the club. When one can find time in a busy life to write to every member and to do everything possible for the advancement of the club, ’one has surely the right to at least expect the courtesy of a reply. To those members who are loyal and anxious to promote in every possible way the success of the club, such apathy is most discouraging, and one might well ask if it is worth while devoting so much time to help those who will, not help themselves. Fortunately there are some members who have faith in their club, and who are keen, devoted to its welfare, and even prepared to make sacrifices for it, and the influence of such as these is refreshing and an inspiration to greater effort.” The people who had voted had made it clear that they welcomed the idea of a new club, for 255 out of the 274 had voted for it. Mrs. Parkes expressed the opinion that the members who had not voted would not hesitate to make use of the new club, once it was established, and that her sentiment was one shared by the entire meeting was made obvious by the chorus of assents that greeted the remark. After a good deal of discussion of various ways and means of raising the money needed to undertake the new venture, it was moved by Mrs. Maguire and carried with but one dissentient, “That a levy of £5 should be imposed on every member to cover the expenses incurred by the move.” It was agreed that such a levy should not carry interest, but would be returnable eventually to members. After several schemes had been discussed as to the advisability of securing a freehold property and building a club on it, or again taking a lease of suitable premises, it was decided that a lease was the better idea, as at the present time the club does not feel justified in accepting the enormous responsibility that the purchase of a freehold property would entail. Members present at the meeting were requested to sign their names as having agreed to the proposed levy of £ 5 per member, and the following signed: Mrs. W. H. Parkes, Miss Janet Murray, Mrs. F. PI. Seccombe, Mrs. A. H. Cranwell, Mrs. W. Lewis, Mrs. B. J. Marquet, Mrs. V. Barfoot, Mrs. Fred Howan, Mrs. B. Kent, Mrs. W. S. Furby, Mrs. W. F. Marsh, Misses Eleanor Brown, Anita Webster, Vera Ziman, Joy Bartley, Mrs. A. Kidd, Mrs. H. R. Bloomfield, M. M. de Camp, Mrs. W. A. Cooke, Mrs. C. E. Maguire, Mrs. R. Tracy Inglis, Mrs. H. Tiarks, Mrs. E. F. Palmer, Mrs. PI. F. Edger, Mesdames J. Webster, J. Harrison, M. St. Clair Brown, J. Hodgson, E. Whitley, H. J. Bray, P. Webster, A. Owen Jones, J. Hodgson, A. E. Gifford, E. A. Hodgson, V. E. Goldie, F. M. Garlick, M. Salek, C. A. Holgate, B. King, E. A. R.eilly, H. F. Mase, A. E. D’Arcy, Nelson B. Levien, Fellows Thompson, C. BPlummer, Basten, S. G. Chambers, J. Dawson jnr., A. E. Abbott, Margaret L. Bush, C. D. Warren, Percy Winstone, W. J. Brooks, McKay Grant, R. M. Beattie, G. E. Anderson, B. Buttle, C. W. Heather, Duncan Guy, G. J. Richardson, L. S. Rapson. S. T. Wicksteed, J. Cook, W. J. Bridson, Misses Basten, M. E. Lavqrs, F. I. Garland, Mrs. G. H. Palmer, Mrs. M. L. Warbrick, Mesdames M. E. E. Hain, Eisdel Moore, Hammond Hyde, E. G. Oxley, G. L. Gummer, C. Gray, N. Gray, M. A. Kinnear, S. McGlaslian, R. Holmes, M. A. Zahara, Evelyn Tattersfield, T. W. Irwin, E. M. Walker, E. Palethorpe, L. F. Allison, W. Acheson, Helen Garlick, W. R. Coleman, S. B. Axford, Culpan, E. N. Ormiston, PI. Brassey, Miss E. M. Robertson, Mesdames L. J. Armitage, W. J. Hunter, H. E. Michaels, S. H. Brown, A. B. Cowie. H. Hamilton, H. Wylie, A. E. Duncan, H. D. Kerr, R. F. Ward, M. M. Brown, S. E. Brown, J. A. Warnock, M. P. Nixon, C. J. Griffin. J. F. Montague, G. H. Wilson, Miss M. E. Buttle, Mesdames W. Lewins, O. V. Angwin, Miss M. Gaudin, Mrs. E. C. Cutten, and Mrs. Dickenson. In both England and Australia the average life of a woman is longer than that of a man, and this, according to no less an authority than Sir William Arbuthnot Lane, is due to woman’s vanity, or, as he tactfully prefers to call it, her self-respect, which causes her to pay greater attention than man does to the care of her teeth, bathing, exercise, diet and similar details that contribute to her appearance. As regards the scantier clothing of the modern girl, Sir William claims that it is offset by a sensible advance in cleanliness.

Mundane Musings

INFLUENZA—DE LUXE AND OTHERWISE “I believe I’ve got a sore throat,” John suddenly announced. (Have you ever noticed how annoyingly vague men always are about their ailments, real or imaginary? I always know definitely that I’ve got neuralgia, or indigestion, or toothache, but not so John! He goes in for “queer feelings” and “an odd sort of pain,” with a result that I never quite know if he’s really ill or only a bit out of sorts.) "You must know if it’s sore or not,” I returned. “Swallow once or twice and you’ll soon know for certain.” John gulped so violently that even if his throat hadn’t been sore beforehand, it must have been made so. "It feels very queer,” he said lugubriously. "And so does my head, and my back. Not forgetting my legs.” My heart sank. "Do you feel shivery?” I inquired. “It’s a wonder you don’t tell me to shudder once or twice to find out,” John remarked. “No, I don’t feel shivery. I feel very hot.” I felt his hand, which was burning. "Idiot!” I exclaimed. "You’ve obviously got a temperature. Why on earth couldn’t you say so before? It's ’flu, of course. For Heaven’s sake, go to bed at once and i’ll come up with the thermometer.” He went quite willingly, so 1 guessed he must be feeling pretty ill. In half an hour’s time he had so many “peculiar feelings” and “queer pains” that I began to think my diagnosis of ’flu underestimated his complaint, and I telephoned for the doctor. But it turned out to be common or garden ’flu. “He’s feeling pretty dicky to-day, of course,” said the doctor, cheerfully. “One always does. Keep him warm and quiet and don’t worry. Send someone down to my place for his medicine and I’ll look in again to-morrow.” After that I spent three days running up and down stairs! It sounds a monotonous performance and it was. Sometimes for a change I tossed lip invalid delicacies which were usually refused on sight. The rest of the time I fetched things and took things away, and ran up in answer to a peremptory shout to say who it was on the telephone, and poured out and administered medicine, and altogether had a high old time, says an English writer. On the fourth day John came downstairs and I suddenly knew that I had a sort throat. Also that I ached all over. Also that I was tired of being a ministering angel and that I was going upstairs to have ’flu, and incidentally a little rest. It would be fun, I thought, optimistically, to have people running up and downstairs for me. But I found that the running which sets in when the mistress of the house is ill is of quite a different brand from that meted out to the master. “Sorry to worry you, ma’am, but it’s the butcher. I thought that as master’s had so much fish he might like a nice chop to-day for a change.” A nice chop! Did such a thing exist? I visualised one; on a plate, raw and horrible, and at most hated John for being capable eating anything so loathsome.

“Mrs. Smithson has just rung up to ask how master is and to say couldn’t you leave him for a bit this afternoon and go to tea with her. I didn’t know whether to tell her you was ill or not, so thought I’d better just ask you.” Now why on earth should I have wanted to keep it a secret that I had ’flu? . ~ “Sorry to keep on bursting m, old dear, but have you moved my camera? I can’t see it anywhere, and as I’m feeling so much fitter I thought I’d take a few photographs.” “Excuse me, ma’am, but you told me never to use the telephone without asking you, and the potatoes haven’t come and they won’t be done in time for lunch unless I ring up about them.” As if what I say when I’m well applies when I’ve got influenza! "I say, that chop went down very well. I think, you know, that I made a mistake in knocking off food so completely for the first two or three days. Couldn’t you eat an egg or something?” An egg! Was I once fool enough to imagine I loved the man who made this barbarous suggestion? I got up on the third day, mostly for the sake of the stair carpet. And now John tells everybody: “Yes, we both had nasty attacks of ’flu. I couldn’t manage to totter down for nearly a week, but my wife only stayed upstairs two days. Silly of her not to get a good rest while she could, I say!”

VICTORIA LEAGUE

The annual meeting of the Victoria League Ever Ready Committee was held in the league rooms on April 6. Mrs. J. B. Macfarlane was in the chair, and presided over a large attendance of members. The report and balance sheet for the year was adopted, and the chairwoman spoke of the splendid work done by the committee. The members have assisted, either by street collections or stalls, at bazaars, the following organisations: —Returned Soldiers’ Association, Poppy Day; St. John’s Ambulance Brigade, Society for the Protection of Women and Children, anl. Dr. Barnardo’s Homes. The secretary reported that 7,000 copies of the fourth edition of “ Tried Recipes ” cookery book had been sold, and that many organisations had benefited thereby. Parties had also been given at the Knox Home, Young Citizens’ League and the Auckland Infirmary. Arrapgements were made for helping on Poppy Day, also for taking a stall at the Rev. Jasper Calder’s forthcoming winter fair. Arrangements are also in hand for a jumble sale to be held early in May. The following officers were elected for the ensuing year:—Mrs. J. B. Macfarlane, chairwoman: Mrs. L. S. Rickerby, honorary secretary and treasurer. A DANCE A dance was held last evening at Dixieland by the committee of the Rotorua Lawn Tennis Club, to mark the closing of the tennis season. About 50 couples were present, and the little function was a very successful one. Pour a cup of kerosene down the sink at night, and next morning flush with half a kerosene tin of boiling water. This will prevent clogging of the pipe. A little paraffin In the water will help to get the grime out of. linoleum.

THE HAT OF THE MOMENT It is certain that the similarity in the last three or four seasons’ millinery is to undergo a change this autumn. There are any number of shapes and sizes among the new models. If anything, the designs are rather sensational, and cause us to wonder IZ women seriously contemplate appearing in the exaggeratedly high crowned affairs that modistes assure their clients are the latest thing. Parisiennes are delighted with the novelties. The very smartest adaptation of the new mode is a chimnev-pot crown much dented and definitely higher at the back than the fiont, and finished with a small brim cunningly rippled like the famous “gigolo” and turned up at the back. The small brim is not so universally popular as it was last season, however, and there are many models that follow the mushroom persuasion in that they droop over the ears, shadowing the eyes. Really large brimmed hats are also shown, and they differ little from the conventional sailor shape, well stiffened. ROOM FOR FANCY WORK The materials chosen to fashion these eccentricities are as varied and alarming as the shapes themselves. It seems that felt has been finally accepted as the smartest hat fabric, and in most cases it is the foundation on which novelty patterns are worked. Velour is found in many more becoming shapes than was shown last winter, and it seems likely that it will enjoy the vogue predicted for it. The very newest models are made in the softest panne velvet and employ felt and velours for decorative purposes only. There is nothing that velvet cannot accomplish. Crowns well over a foot high are seen in velvet, and they are formed with subtle pouches and deep folds which defy an exact description. Exaggerated beret effects are most in favour, but there are mushroom affairs which also combine the latest indented crowns and others which are severely plain on one side, rolling smoothly over the top of the head into an intricate adornment something like a snail’s shell. Machine stitchery in a matching shade is a much used ornamentation, so also is Hussar plumage in any number of small bunches. Bosses of feathers, always shortly clipped, curl into a fold in the crown, and stand above the top of the head, as if the hat were not high enough in its extreme depth! BANDS OF THREE COLOURS Hats for afternoon wear present an extraordinary combination. Small felts in a neutral colour are given individuality with a large patch superimposed on the crown. These patches are invariably pouched in effect ana made in striped velvet in an entirely different colour to the model itself. A self-coloured band is no longer to be admired. Three shades together are correct, and, as an example, a lettuce green shape was adorned with a band of black, bois de rose and a yellow green grosgrain. As a change from felt applications, grosgrain ribbon is very popular, an certainly is not only used for simpi adornments. Triangles of many tinte ribbons are strewn haphazard ove punched crowns, and sometimes enthusiastic designers add an inch o two with a soft, highly-coloured ribbon crown t< the top of a severe model. There re really no limits a the moment t which a determine modiste will not subject novelty hunters, in the craving for a top-hea'J crown. . » Personally, I think that exaggeratea smartness is the only thing to be saia for this new millinery mode, ana can’t help but .feel that, soon as most of us have 1 dulged and worn our noV A! ties once or twice, we shall bless tn elasticity of the crowns an< * them into a more moderate and, ibc dentally, more becoming line. . —.