The Committee Woman.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 134, 9 June 1904, Page 4

The Committee Woman.

(By "One of Them," in Melbourne Argus.) I am new at it, and a silent member, hut I find them all intensely interesting. These are mv expciVn.-ej lor just one day. The lirst me-ling was held in one of the inner sanctuaries of the Town Hall, where we ■sat in beautiful padded ieutlier pew An air of solemnity an 1 dignity was cast upon us by ~:,:■ surroundings, the solid table, the throne at the end, the roomy press boxes, occupied by one lonely repjrU-r, who looked bored, and seemed lo take but a laint interest in our doings. »Vo met to sonsider the best means of raisin" money for a hospital, and we were £ representative gathering. A reporter I know tells me that "representative is one of the most useful words in his vocabulary, ihat it gives pleasure, and does no one uny harm. On this occasion we had the hot-houso blooms, us it were, of society and the ornaments of the medical and clerical world. I'ut up to auction, with our jewels, clothes ;lI!li carriage waiting for us at the door we would have realised a v,-rv handsome sum. After some deliberation we arranged to have a '.a/.aur ; cur chairwoman was an adept in the'business pertaining to meetings, and in the space of a few minutes we w.-re a fully fledged committee. Ulan we drifted down the steps lo Swan ston-street we had pledged ourselves to meet again in a fortnight to arrange details.

My next meeting was convene! byMrs Pemiyflower to "consider il !e best means of meeting the present trouble in connection with tho lack of domestic servants." Our com-mittee-room was reached by a jerky, shaky lift. I rushed to open a window, for tho room was rtulTy, tut Mrs Penny flower stopped inc.'saying that so many music lessons wore given all around us that we touid not hear ourselves speak unless the windows were shut. Two of our members were deep in the mysteries of a crochet pattern which one had produced from her pocket. Two others were talking about infants ; they were called to order by Mrs Pemiyfiower, who was in the chair, and Mrs PolkinirtonSmith road a paper mi "Service ; Its Innate Beauties." It was very pretty, but not practical. "We want," said Mrs l'o!kiii:<t.ni-Sniith, "ito make the lot of those who serve us brighter, happier, light"!'. We want to enter into nil their little joys and troubles ; lo have spiiilual relations with our maids " "My cook drank a whole bottle of brandy last week." miirmui'iil one of the committee. "And," concluded Mis PolkingtonSmith, "to this end the mistresses should form a guild to lighten, brighten and enhance the lot of those who spend their lives " "Making ours miserable," murmured a flippant member. "Well, what ought wo to arrango? ' inquired the chairwoman, us no one mada any suggestions. "A piano in tho kitchen, perhaps," began Mrs PolkiiigtonSmith.

"A piano-!" Mrs Merely-.!ancs, who had until now been grimly silent, was roused at last. "A piano ! Oh, yes, by all means, and a motor car, and a Turkey rug on the floor, and their ten brought to them in the morning. I thought the idea of this meeting was to suggest some practical means of getting servants ; if it is only to talk nonsense—piano, indeed !"

Mrs Pennyflower feebly murmured "Order," and Mrs Polkington-Smith was asked to submit her motion. " That's it," she exclaimed, a little flurried, "That we form a guild to lighten, brighten and en " " I'm afraid I must go," said Mrs Merely-Jones, who banged the door as she. departed.

"I think," said a member, "that we ought to consider the matter before we do anything in a hurry." "Yes, yes," came a chorus.

Mrs Polkington-Smith looked offended. "Of course, I want the subject considered in all its aspects." "Would it help us to get maids instead of going to registry-olliccs ?" inquired-a lady who hud not spoken before.

" N—no, scarcely." "Then I don't see quite what good it will do." '■' Wo wish-,to ameliorate their condition," began Mrs I'olkingtoi.Smith. "Tho motion before the meeting," said tho chairwoman, "is 'shall we form ourselves into a guild, with the object of brightening and lightening the lot of domestic servants,' All in favour !" Four hands went up. "Against ?" Three hands went up, including a lady who had voted with the pros. This was pointed out to her. She explained that she didn't mind which way sho voted, and in the end gave her vote with the pros. Mrs Polkington-Smith at once began to talk of literature, art china, and music, us aids in the lightening and brightening. "But," put in one lady, "do you think there is any need to bother ? They go to the theatre and dancing classes, and my servant goes out with tho butcher twice a week and every public holiday. I'm sure I wish my daughter had as much amusement."

The chairwoman murmured that the motion had been carried, and the lady said, "Yes, yes, of course ; hut it is just as well to see a thing from every point of view, isn't it ?" Then someone looked ;it her watch, discovered it was lunch time, and there was an immediate scurry, as all had appointments. We h«'t the chairwoman and Airs Polkingt.mSmilh writing minutes, and they cried after us that they would send post-cards to inform us of the date of the next meeting. After lunch I hurried up to an "extraordinary" of the "Women's First Fiscal Discussion League." I was a little late, the minutes were being read, and the lady in the chair in a hurry. Business was got over in the most capable and expeditious manner. Then we were informed that funds were needed to assist the league, and the suggestion before the chair was that a concert should be held. In ten minutes that concert was arranged, a sub-committee was formed, and everyone was free to depart to' other affairs. No one lingered, everyone was a business woman to her linger tips, and one little innocent whisper during committee was instantly and promptly su]>prussed by the chairwoman.

The last meeting for that day was in connection with art—a convenient word, which may stand for anything from painting pictures and writing books to trimming hats and making dresses. Anyhow, the ladies of the profession felt they required a club, and as I had once painted a Christmus card and sold it to a friend for half a crown, I was welcomed as a professional, amateurs being sternly excluded. We met with some trepidation. We did not know each other ; many of us were vory shy, and very uncertain what we wanted.

"I'd liko.to suggest," said someone, "that we have gilt-edged notepaper with the name of the club in English letters." " Yes," returned the chairwoman ;

"but the business before the meeting at present is the question whether it is desirable to have a club at all or not."

"I'd like to know what rule there is to be about admitting men?" This question aroused the keenest feeling, and it was with difficulty that the chairwoman made everyone understand that the business in hand must lie settled first. " If," murmured one lady, "if Mrs Jonquil joins, I shall not." "Uut, she is one of the leading lights." " I can't help it. I've never liked her. I heard something about her ten years ago, and I've never forgotten it." "Will we be able to make tea thero ?" queried another. "Order, please, ladies." The voices dropped to a whisper. "The way .she dresses is enough for anyone ; and yet she calls herself an artist."—"J'ut five legs on a donkey, and the foreground simply—you should have seen it !" "What I want to know is what benefits we'll derive from it?" "And, as 1 said at the time, it wasn't my fault she wasn't asked to Government House." " Order, ladies." Another motion was put, and carried unanimously. On finding, however, it dealt with the terms of suib'scription, several ladies attempted to re-open the discussion. An anxious and inquisitive person formed herself, without authority, into an investigation committee, and wandered about the room asking'everyone for her credentials. She received some startling answers, and discovered that Lucy Kemp .Welch. Marie Corelli and Sarah Jlernhardl were present. "I dashed off a little thing called 'Horses Swimming.' You'll seo it up nt the National Gallery." "I ? Oh, I wrote a lot of pejiny novelettes, 'Sorrows of Satan,' ' Wormwood,' and trifles of that kind." "What do Ido ? Oh, nothing worth making a fuss about, really : just play little simple parts like Cleopatra and Hamlet." Again a cry for order made everyone realise that tho meeting was concluded, that the committee was to assemble on tho following week, and that all were free to Seek the much-needed afternoon tea.