WOMAN'S WORLD.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 74, 6 July 1910, Page 6

WOMAN'S WORLD.

QUEEN MARY,

Queen Mary will, it seems to be generally anticipated, isoon exert a marked personal influence on English society—or, at any rate, on that section of it which consists of women of wealth and leisure (writes a London correspondent). Her character, preferences, and inclinations are well known. A Londoner by birth and trained in London, she has ibeen under constant observation from childhood. She is a woman of strong' natural ability, practical in every detail of her own domestic life, a shrewd judge of others, patriotically ambitious, arid ■possessed of a large share of what Mr. Asquith (naming it as one of the attributes of the late King) calls "the genius of common sense." To what account will she turn the great opportunity which has come to her in the prime of life, and with the prospect of many years'-service 'before her? Society women expect to hear bad news at any moment. Probably their fears are justified. It is belie.ved, for one thing, that her Majesty intends to "encourage" them a greater amount of useful social sc.. To be encouraged from such a quarter is virtually to be commanded. A Royal fashion is scarcely imposed; it is usually accepted without question. In this case any inconvenience—any •urtailment of wasteful frivol itiesi or oilier denial of the flesh—can be made incidentally to heal the appearance of being a natural growth of personal virtue. Unquestionably there is room for an exercise of Royal influencein this direction. Thousands of Englishwomen who have means and leisure are nominally occupied with some form of social work, .but investigation has proved again and again that the greater part of it is too lacking in continuity and sound purpose to be of much real value. There is need of greater intelligence, energy, co-operation and self-sacrifice. Here is the new Queen's opportunity. She has the shrewdness and experience that comes of wide travel. She has seen something of the life of several other countries, and is fully acquainted with the social conditions—in miany resipects inferior—of her own. For extravagance and waste in every form she isi known to have a pronounced dislike. The life of the Court cannot be revolutionised; that would b« opposed to tradition, and perhaps unwite from the point of view of Royal policy. But there can he innovations in the direction of increased simplicity, frugality, a,nd a better sense of the power of example in social matters. Queen Mary Ims long been a good patriot in respect of one not unimportant matter which she. will now be able to bring under more general notice. Almost everything that she wears or buys for her children is British made. The protectionist system was Adopted at Marlborough House as soon as she went into residence there. If only half of the upper and middle class of 'England were to follow her Majesty's lead, millions of pounds would annually be put into the pockets of British manufacturers and their employees.

QUAINT COURTING CUSTOMS. The marriage market which is held at Ecussines, in Belgiujn, has many counterparts elsewhere, states a writer in the Argonaut . In several of the more remote Swiss cantons,, for example, there is held what is called the Feast of the Garlands. The marriageable maidens assemble at sunset, sing, dance and make merry. Each wears a chaplet of flowers on her forehead and carries a nosegay, tied with a bright colored ribbon. If a lad is attracted by a maid he plucks a flower from her bunch. She pretends not to notice, but when the -merry-making breaks Ujp at dawn she will, if she reciprocates his feelings, tie the entire 'bouquet by a ribbon to the handle of the cabin wherein he resides. The famous Tunis marriage mart, of which so much has been written, is held twice a year, in the spring and in the autumn. The Tunisian girls attend by the hundred, each with her dowry in coin and jewellery disposed about her person. The '"golden girdle of maidenhood" encircles her waist, and in it is an unsheathed dagger. When the dagger is gently removed by a passing gallant and presently returned, it means that a proposal has been made. A prettier custom prevails among the Ooran maids, who, at stated intervals, assemble in the market-place. In front of each is a lighted :lam;p, an emblem of conjugal fidelity. A young man feels attracted and gently iblows upon the flame, exti»guishing it. When the girl re-lights it, it i is a rejection; if she allows the lamp to i go unlighted, however, the suitor is aci ceptaible.

MADAME MELBA. "But—London is London, and I'm glad to be here, and resume my work, I've never felt more eager, indeed, to be at work than now," said Madame Melba, the great singer, to the Evening News. "Yes! I still learn. I study my parts with Mme. Marchesi, just as thoroughly and earnestly as I did when I was an unknown student. I feel that my duty. One must work hard to win success; on* should work harder sitill to desejve 1 should feel very guilty if I dropped beneath my own standard. If anyone tells you that any worthy achievement at all can be made without work, disbelieve, him."

J FIRST WOMAN SURGEON. Miss Dossibai Hustomji Cowasji Patell, a Parsee lady, having passed the required examinations, has been admitted the first ■ woman Licentiate of the tßoyal College of Surgeons, London. There are women medical practitioners in London who are licentiates of the Royal College of Phy- ! sicians iu Ireland and Scotland, but only | since January last have women been ad- ! minted to the examinations set by the | Joint Board of the Royal College of i Physicians and Surgeons of England. ! Miss Patell ia now entitled to the follow- ' in« professional letters after her name, M.B. (Lond.), M.R.C.S., L.R.C.P., I.M.S. (Bomjbay). She intends to specialise in tropica! medicine, and to take her London M.D. on that subject.