IN TOWN AND OUT

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 58, 31 May 1927, Page 4

IN TOWN AND OUT

SOCIAL NEWS

NOTES

Mrs. Anderson, of Auckland, who has been the truest of Mrs. R. B. Anderson, of Stratford, is at present visiting Tahora before returning to town. * * * Mrs. George Stephenson, of New Plymouth, who has been paying a visit to Auckland, has returned home. * * * Mrs. E. 33. Davies has returned to Ne<vv Plymouth after a visit to Auckland. * ■* * Mrs. J. M. Muir h&s arrived from Wellington and is the guest of her sister, Mrs. Marston Heywood, Hemuera. * * * Miss Pat Kelly, of Christchurch, is at present in Auckland and is the guest of Miss West, Herne Bay. * * * Miss Jean Fergusson, niece of the Governor-General, who has been the guest .of Mrs. A. M. Ferguson, Victoria Avenue, left last evening for the South. ** * - Mrs. A. Nathan and Mrs. D. Tole have returned to town after a visit to Helens ville. Mrs. E. H. Reid, who has been living in Grafton Road, has now taken up her residence in Remuera^Road. Miss F. Hall-Jones is visiting Auckland as the guest of Mrs. St. John Clark, Domett Avenue, Epsom. * * * Miss Gwen Didsbury has arrived in Auckland from Dunedin and will spend a short holiday with her mother, Mrs. H. M. Didsbury, Mac Murray Road, Remuera. * * * Dr. and Mrs. J. H. Wills, of Te Kuiti, are spending a few days in town and are staying at the Central Hotel. Mrs. F. Willis is an Auckland visitor to New Plymouth. * * * Mrs. D. Cameron has returned to New Plymouth after spending a holiday in Auckland. * * * Mrs. E. Pollard is a Wellington visitor to Auckland at present. * * * Mr. E. W. Ivane, clerk of the House of Representatives, and Mrs. Kane, of Wellington, are at present visiting Rotorua. LIGHTLY—WITH A BRUSH LABOUR SAVING IN THE HOUSE Too' many women are inclined to think that labour saving depends almost entirely on the installation of equipment and gadgets. But there is another side to the question, and with a little forethought and the aid of some of the many excellent lacquers and paint and polishes, much may be done to minimise labour and recondition the home. The floor covering that comes out of a bottle is as labour-saving as it it attractive. What about that shabby linoleum in the spare bedroom? Waste of time, isn’t it, to put elbow grease and polish on its almost patternles surface? But give it a coat of liquid floor paint in Delft blue, dye the casement curtains to match—dyeing is always successful nowadays with the excellent tints on the market—and invest in a new set of blue linen mats for the dressing table, and that dull room takes on a touch of the spring. Many Possibilities That same unchippable floor paint may be applied equally well to shabby painted furniture, wooden bath tops, dresser shelves, boxes and trays. It opens up such a wealth of possibilities. Then there is the floor polish that is painted on instead of being rubbed in. One application with a brush and a bright non-slipping surface is produced. This will be found particularly useful for carpet surrounds, the sides of the stairs, spare rooms and other floor surfaces that are much in evidence, even though they may not be walked upon. Enamel .and Lacquer Liquid porcelain has found its way on to many taps, and so saved much brass cleaning, but its usefulness does not end there. The window catches that often are dull and rusted, and so spoil the appearance of the white enamel window frames, look infinitely improved with a coating of porcelain, and there are many other similar small fittings about the house which may be treated likewise. Some of us cling to our brass and our copper for the sake of the brightness it gives and the reflections it casts. It must, of course, be cleaned with a good metal polish from time to time, but in between times it needs very little attention if it is brushed over with cold lacquer. In fact, it will last bright and untarnished for weeks at a stretch. It must be remembered that in every case where paint or lacquer is applied, the article must be perfectly clean and free from dust and grease. TO-DAY’S RECIPE An Unusual Vegetable Dish A delicious dish, not well known in New Zealand, for the vegetable course is made by cooking chestnuts and Brussels sprouts together. Allow an equal quantity of each, and shell the chestnuts by making an incision in each, placing them in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes, and peeling them. Throw them and the sprouts into boiling salted water and cook till tender. Drain well and stir in some butter or a little cream, and more seasonings if required, and serve at once.

AN ORIGINAL DECORATION

The craft of raffia weaving has of late years been brought to a very high level indeed, and most suitable articles of daily use and decoration may be obtained in this artistic medium. The newst use to which it has been put is in the making of delightful sprays of flowers. Flowers of the “spiky” type are very happily reproduced, and provide an opportunity for original table decoration. A tall jar. with raffia hollyhocks, attracted attention in particular, and would be charming for a room furnished in "cottage” style.

MUNDANE MUSINGS

SENSE ABOUT SCENTS Among the recent utterances of a well-known American actress concerning beauty and the toilet, there was one to the effect that: “Perfume was meant to be heard: it’s not meant to be so insidious that it can’t be de l tected.” This may be a word to the wise, but it is a counsel of extreme danger to the foolish, and fraught, with the most horrible possibilities for the general public, says an English writer. Who hasn’t suffered from the woman whose perfume is not only heard, but raises its voice in a deafening shriek? Who hasn’t been forced to change their seats in bus or tram to escape the allpervading scent of carnations, or the heady and headachy fumes of some strange Oriental perfumes? Who hasn’t suffered tortures at the theatre from the rank smell of chypre emanating from the lady sitting in front of one, or sat through dinner with the sensation of gnawing rose-leaves, or chewing the decayed blossoms of gardenia, according to one’s neighbour’s taste in scent? There is sufficient discomfort in an excess of good scent, but it is nothing to the pain of breathing those strange mixtures whose basis is patchouli, with a top dressing of something which is a combination of pink tooth paste, musk rats, and boot polish, price two and eleven the large bottle. Scent is a thing about which, alas, ope must be snobbish, and I am all in favour of reviving some kind of sumptuary law forbidding the use of scent to anyone whose income is under three hundred a year. It is a complete fallacy to think that you can buy a bottle of ‘‘quite good stuff” for three or four shillings. You can’t. Good scent is hideously dear, cheap scent is inexpressibly frightful. But though one may not offend by either cheapness or excess, there are many women who seem to have no idea of appropriateness. They will come down to breakfast in the country smelling like the sultan’s favourite, and you won’t be able to smell the daffodils and the newly-opening buds for the fumes of En fermant les yeux or some other exotic perfume. The ideal would be to be able to afford different scents for different moods: “Heart of a Rose” for a langurous summer evening, “Blue Lagoon when you were feeling adventurous and South Sea Islandy, Apres la Pluie when vou were very tired; but as well as being expensive there is a certain ganger in using imagination unbridled by common sense in one’s choice of perThere is the tyranny of the title, which catches the impulsive and romantic who think it would be “such fun” to announce that they were scented with “Carnival,” “The Seventh Heaven,” or “The Emerald Road quite regardless pf whether they really like these perfumes. 1 Another school advocates only eau de Cologne or lavender water, but, personally, I think these are a little medicinal; lavender water suggests headaches, and eau de Cologne toothache and rough sea crossings! The best thing is to decide on something good, fresh smelling, and not too overlowering; in fact, to have sense about scents! A BRIDGE PARTY at glenalvon A charming bridge party was given last evening at Glenalvon by Miss Darling, who received her guests m the drawing room. Great bowls of golden browr* chrysanthemums had been used in the decoration of the room, and made an effective background of colour for the attractive gowns worn by Miss Darling’s feminine guests. STRONG BUTTONHOLES The buttonholes on children’s garments, particularly rompers and crawlers, are subjected to great strain, and so frequently .tear before the garment Itself is worn out. The- buttonholes may be strengthened considerably by making two rows of machine stitching the length of the buttonhole, and so close that there is just room to cut between them. The ordinary buttonhole stitching is then worked over the machine stitching. This provides a very strong edge.