FRILLS FADS & FOIBLES

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 173, 12 October 1927, Page 5

FRILLS FADS & FOIBLES

NEW ZEALAND NEWS Miss A. S. Locke, of New Plymouth, Is visiting England. Mr. and Mrs. Hastings Bridge, of Christchurch, are touring on the Contine a C. Miss Mary E. Herbert, of Auckland, left London in the middle of August for the Continent. The Misses London have just left by the Orsova for Australia, en route for New Zealand. Mr. Robert Bell, of Christchurch 1 ; is spending a holiday at Grantown-on-Spey. Ho returned recently from .Norway. Mr. J. E. Henrys, handicapper of the majority of the New Zealand racing clubs, is at present in London on holiday. Mr. and Mrs. Richard Allen are staying with relatives in the Channel Islands. Mr. Allen has greatly improved in health. Miss Ethel F. Fleming, of Auckland, who arirved in England at the end of April, hopes to remain for about eighteen months. She is at present in Scotland and will spend the winter on the Continent. Mr. and Mrs. Walter Blundell, of Wellington, are motoring through England and Scotland. Wi :h them are Mr. Barry Blundell, their son, and Miss Barraud. Mr. J. H. Jerram, the general manager of the State Fire, and Accident Insurance Office, Wellington, is at present in London investigating compensation in accident insurance matters. Miss D. Tendall, of Wellington,' is travelling with her sister, Miss A. C. Tendall, of New South Wales. They will be in London for seme time before motoring to various places of interest m England. Later they are going to the Continent. . Mr. Jack I. King, N.Z.1.A., oe Wellington, who intends studying architecture in this country for a year, has received news of his success in the final examination for Associateship of the Royal Institute of British Architects. Mr. Andrew Thomson, director of the Apia Observatory, Samoa, leav€;s London this week to attend the third assembly of the International Union of geodesy and Geophysics held at Prague in September. Mr. L. T. Watkins, of Wellington, who has represented the Dominion at me Master Printers’ Federation Conference recently held in London, left tni3 week for home. He is first tourpg Mediterj* anean and the Near! fcast and will join his ship at Port bald. New Zealand Office callers this week: ?J r - Charles H. T. Palmer (Auckland), JrV s * Wallingford (Auckland), Miss father Rankin (Auckland), Miss porothy Smith (Auckland), Mr. and *i rs \,C. E. Ross (Auckland), Mr. Desmond Lewis (Auckland), Dr. and Mrs. Thompson (Auckland), and k an d Mrs. Frank Wilding (Christ-

WOMEN IN CHINA PART IN NATIONAL LIFE LECTURE BY MISS DINEEN The emancipation of women in China, the part they play in the national life of their country, and the spread of education among the masses, were discussed by Miss Dineen at the monthly meeting of the Women’s Political Association last evening. Miss Dineen, who has served for more than 20 years as a missionary, said that until recent years Chinese women lived most secluded lives and although in the home she was venerated she had no influence outside of it. With the onrush of emancipation and education which had awakened China within the last decade women had been deeply affected. The sudden release from customs which had prevailed for century upon century had found the women unprepared. This was in a large measure the cause of the recent, revolution.

Possessing little learning young Chinese of both sexes grasped wildly at freedom they could not understand. The inevitable result was that they overstepped all ’bounds and became unmanageable. Miss Dineen went on to speak of the educational forces, missionary and Government, at work moulding the outlook of the younger generation. The Chinese were, as a race, intelligent and eager to learn. Church schools had been unable to cope with the large number of wouldbe pupils. Similarly the Government schools were overcrowded and there was a dearth of teachers. It was remarkable that all students wished to learn English.

Women were already taking an active part in politics and attended universities. Many Chinese women were working for the moral uplift of their country. Not by any means were all these Christian, but many were. Speaking generally, women were far more honest and dependable than men. It was a misconception that Chinese as a nation were more honest than other peoples. There were proportionately just as many rogues as there were among other nations. The Chinese, however, took care to maintain a strict code of commercial integrity with the white traders in China, for their own ends, but among themselves were not honest. VALEDICTORY A farewell party was given to Mrs. A. J. Jackson by tlie Morrinsville Croquet Club on Saturday afternoon, when the president, Mrs. D. McLeod, and the vice-president, Mrs. Butler, expressed deep regret at the departure of Mrs. Jackson, who ha.d always been a willing helper. Mrs. Jackson was the recipient of a handsome bouquet.

“So you are Mrs. B.?” gushed the modernist woman on being introduced to Mrs. B. by Mr. B. “How nice for you to be out with your husband.” That is, perhaps, a little difficult to swallow, but it is a genuine and spontaneous remark. After all, some modernist women will say anything. “Well, my wife says they’re the best firm,” said Mr. A. “And if she says so, you can take it from me they are. Because she knows.” “How nice to hear a loyal husband,” said one of the party. “And so fare, isn’t it?” * * * Is it only a pose of the post-war period that loyalty is as dead as the Dodo? I believe there is a great deal more loyalty about than anyone will admit. Really, it is nothing to be ashamed of. The pose of disloyalty is as false as the comic idea that all baronets were bad. It is as far from the truth as th€s current belief that all swindlers and rogues are clever men. Most swindlers are stupid fools who suffer gross inconvenience from lack of proper training and concentration. If a real rogue gave to mastering the details of crime, half the time a successful pianist gives to perfecting his rLibato, no honest man could sleep soundly in his bed. The One Solid Basis It is the same with marriage. Anti-r.-formers, who preface all their remarks by the statement that the institution of marriage is sacred, always go on to say that if the slightest loosening of the bonds is permitted, anarchy and immorality will prevail, and thousands of marriages will fly asunder. Rubbish! If divorce were to be made optional to-morrow 999,000 people out of a million would take absolutely no notice. Men are not naturally rakes. Women do not welcome either anarchy or immorality. Men and women alike cling to the one solid basis of existence, which is loyalty. Loyalty between man and man, man and woman, between members of the same family, tribe or nation, made the first communities possible, brought the first hamlets into being, made our civilisation and all our institutions. Marriage as an institution is changing its form. It becomes more and more of a civil contract as the position of woman within marriage is clarified and strengthened. But essentially it does not matter whether the bond is entered into before a priest with a barrage of Mendelssohn, before a registrar over a table with a red serge cloth, or before an astute Scottish blacksmith over the Border; it may be marriage by habit and repute, marriage by capture, or marriage by consent; it makes no difference. The one and only solid basis of any marriage is loyalty. Loyalty in Marriage When this generation has finally decided what form marriage is to take, it will still be found that it depends on loyalty. Marriage begins with love, of course, Without love there might be many fewer marriages. But without loyalty, loyje would have a distinctly thin time once the marriage was fairly under way* Loyalty is defined as truth or faithfulness to love, duty or obligation. Loyalty in marriage means respecting the other partner's opinions, tastes and habits; it means guarding the other parner’s interests and protecting their weaknesses; it involves sharing the rough and the smooth, the work and the play; it covers the big questions such as the proper division of the housekeeping money as well as the smaller problems of sock darning and mowing the lawn. It is the last word to be said upon all questions of sex. Sexual relationships cannot go wrong if they are founded upon loyalty. Sexual misadventures have no chance in a marriage based on loyalty. And whatever the dismal Jimmies, the Jonahs and pessimists may sa,y, the vast majority of marriages are founded upon loyalty. The Wild Men Here and there, of course, will be found the wild men, the rovers, the adventurers and adventuresses; the Bohemians who give no thought for the other man’s to-morrows; the romantics who carry destruction in their hands; the sex worshippers; the unsound and the unbalanced. It is impossible to legislate for these people. They are interesting only as anomalies. Whatever the constitution of the world, they would shapes a freak pattern of their own to live by. They merelj’ fill the divorce courts, the sanatoria, the asylums, and the pleasure resorts. They have far too much attention paid to them merely because they are different. Every beginner tries his hand at tragedy. A preoccupation with the abnormal Is the mark of the amateur. It needs a genius to tackle the normal. For every marriage destroyed by unhappiness there remain a million marriages that are happy. They have no Press. Thej r are not described. They claim no attention. Happy is the marriage that has no history. 1 No experience is worth having if it can only be made possible by disloyalty. Memories of disloyalty merely leave a nasty taste. The only advice worth having for those about to marry is “Look after the loyalties, and love •will look after itself.” PROTECTION OF WOMEN SOCIETY’S MONTHLY MEETING The monthly meeting of the Society for the Protection of Women and Children was held on Monday afternoon. Present: The Rev. P. S. Smallfietd, chairman, Mr. A. J. Stratford, president, Mesdames Coats, Devore, Simpson, Turner, Sister Hannah and Miss Jackson, Dr. Beattie, Rev. G. Bond, Messrs. Brook, Dawson, Donaldson and O’Brien. The secretary reported that 44 new cases had been dealt with. Of the number 16 were sent to the solicitors, 24 dealt with husbands and wives, 12 concerned children, and 6 various matters. There were 129 office interviews. The inspector attended to 48 cases, involving 111 visits and interviews, and tour mornings in court. Matron Coppell, who has been attached to the Auckland Central Police Station for some met by the officers and men of the force on Monday and presented with a travelling rug on the eve of her departure for the South. The presentation was made by Sergeant E. Turner, who wished Matron Coppell all success. Chief-Detective. J. Cummings also spoke.

BATHROOM HOSPITALITY “Here’s the bathroom. I hope you find everything you want,” we say hospitably to the guest who has come to stay; and as much thought and trouble should have been taken in arranging the appointments of this room for our friend’s reception as in regard to the spare bedroom. In the house where there are no suites composed of bedroom and bathroom to be placed at the exclusive disposal of guests, the general bathroom, or bathrooms, should always be kept in perfect order. Hot water ought to be available for baths before breakfast and before dinner; clean bath towels, some small hand towels for the washhand basin, a fresh cake of good bath soap, as well as one of toilet soafc, must be ready*, with nail and back brushes, and a dry bath mat. However small the compartment, squeeze in a chair or

a bathroom stool where clothing may be placed. After the Cold Shower

Provide a realy capacious bath towel. The small squares of turkey towelling which are too often kept specially for guests seem hardly adequate when one looks forward to a cold shower and a good rub down. In a lavishly-run household fresh bath and hand towels would be placed each day, but every three days is often enough to change these in the ordinarily appointed, establishment.-

AU litter of bottles, jars, sponges and damp towels belonging to members of the family are neatly cleared away before the guest appears, splashes are wiped up, and the bath rubbed clean. It is not very pleasant to the fastidious-minded to find obvi-

ous evidences of the occupation of the previous bather. In the mornings give your guest the advantage of *the hottest water, and the first turn for the bathroom, :if possible, when there is only the one. The maid should be sent to inform the guest when the room is available, and offer to prepare the bath. The woman guest of dainty tastes will be pleased if she finds a ..jar of fragrant bath salts and a big. open bowl of toilet powder placed for her use. The Guest’s Part When your friend arrives after a long railway journey or dusty motor run suggest that a bath might be welcome; and, again, after some strenuous sets on the tennis court have made the thought of a cool dip before dinner very refreshing. On the other hand, the guests themselves. when not enjoy’ing the luxury of bathrooms en suite with their bedrooms, should take thought for their fellow-bathers and not selfishly take all the hot water, or leave personal property, heaps of damp towels, and general untidiness behind, besides making their ablutions as expeditiously as possible, so that others may use the room, too*

White and scarlet is an ensemble very much in vogue at the moment. In its most fascinating guise it takes the form o£ a smart two-piece. A characteristic model I saw at a recent dress show comprised a dress with a straight top of white ottoman, beautifully fine in texture, and of a very delicately ribbed quality, allied to a skirt of red pleated crepe. The pleating was minutely small. Bell-shaped sleeves were finished with bands of embroidery and deep frills of pleated red chufon. A straight band of embroidery achieved a waistbelt effect, and further bands of it were placed upright above the belt. This; embroidery merits a word to itself. It was composed of tiny coral beads, and very narrow gold braid. The coat of the ensemble was straight, with a scarf collar. Here again bell-shaped sleeves were used. The coat was undecorated save for some subtle little touches of the matching embroidery near the hem. 1 noticed, too, a charming cape coat in fine navy cloth.. The quintessence of smart simplicity, its only trimming motif was a narrow binding of black silk braid and a line of white soutache round the cape part. These are very modish garments.

Large Cromwellian collars trim some of the most attractive daytime dresses of the moment, with cuffs en suite. Cambric with a lace edge is extremely effective.

Much newer than a monogram, by the way, as a blouse-trimming motif, is a small flower done in openwork and enclosed in a circle, which is placed on the tie, pocket, or lapel.

Mundane Musings

The Happy Marriage