WOMAN'S WORLD.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 146, 29 September 1910, Page 6

WOMAN'S WORLD.

AN INGLEWOOD LETTER. j The little township of Tariki has been very busy lately saying good-bye to Miss Stratford, who is .to be married next week and is going to live in the Palmerston district. Teas and socials have been the order of the day. Indeed, Tariki cannot do enough in. return for what IKi'ss Stratford has done for them in the past. —always bright and cheerful and ever ready to give a band, and nearly always the leading band., to anything that is going on; she has been a most energetic Church-worker, being organist and superintendent of the Sunday (School, and it will (be hard indeed to fill her place there. In the Horticultural Society she .lias been a most- willing and able helper. Also in the Tennis Club she has been an active member, anil will be very much missed. We wish iher every success and happiness in .her new home. Jvext week I hope to tell you about her wedding. The last quarter of Miss Bedford's dancing class finished on Saturday. It was Miss Bedford's intention to have a "break up/' but a.sthe number of pupils has considerably lessened during the last week or two owing to whooping, cough that she gave up the idea. We are so glad to hear such, good news of Mr. Henry Brown's splendid recovery. He and Mrs. and Miss Brown are all very well and are. having a most enjoyable tour. Before leaving for New Zealand next month they intend visiting Lincoln, Devonshire, Oxford, Yorkshire and Windermere. Mrs. W. -Matthews and her two little girls have gone on a*visit to Manaia.

Mrs. Arthur Thomas ,lias returned from iher trip to Auckland. Miss Evans "(Stratford) is spending a few days with Mrs. J. Drake. Mr. and Mrs. Meyenberg are spending the holidays with Mr. T. E. Hamerton. ■Miss Papps has gone on a visit to Marton. «

THE HOUSEHOLD GIRL. In its own quiet way Switzerland remains among the most progressive countries of the world. Writing in the DubI lin Review, Mrs. Crawford has an inter- ' esting article on some methods of educa- | ition in the little republic. Particular j attention is paid to the training of girls !by means of continuation schools. This i development is duo to the Women's ; Union, which has established schools of j housekeeping in the various cantons. In ■the rural districts a]l ©iris, whether they become apprentices or household helps, must attend a domestic economy school one whole day in the week, from October i until May, for a period of two years. , Every district lias its special household ! school, and many of them are managed | or supervised iby religious communities t or by disbanded French nuns. In the j town of -Fribourg there is a typical | school. The attendance is compulsory for , all girls up to the age of fifteen, and 011 j leaving the elementary iscihool every ; pupil must proceed to a secondary insti--1 tution. .To facilitate this the canton lias J built a girls' public school in a healthy suburb. The younger girls devote th,e j whole of itheir time to sle wing and elementary hygiene, and in the upper classes ! the time is divided between dressmaking , and cooking. Thus no girl can leave school at the age of eighteen ignorant of the domestic arts. The "professional" section of the colleges is not free, hut ' the charges are extremely moderate. I There the girls are taught expert dress- . making!, millinery and white sewing, and I they are encouraged to apprentice themj selves to a definite trade. There is a cul-. I inary department also in the college, ; which not merely teaches the pupils but j also provides a three years' course for j professional cook's, who. are mostly daughters "of hotel proprietors. A domes- | tic equipment of this 'sort naturally i makes the Swiss girl a most popular | partner in the profession of matrimony.

J NON-COMBUSTIBLE FLANNELETTE. ;' When in England the Commonwealth • Statistician ('Mr. G. H. Knibbs) had an I opportunity of witnessing Are tests conj ducted: with textiles. He has received a ' report containing reproductions of photographs of the results of experiments showing flannelette treated and not treated, proving that it is possible to manufacture it practically not combustible. The British Fire Prevention Committee, from which foody the report comes, are directing attention to the urgent need for increased protection of life and property, and carrying out experiments of various kinds in the direction of obtaining further safety. The chairman, in writing to Mr. Knibbs, said: "My executive think that the report may 'lie of interest to you, as also to such public authorities as corporations with which you may be associated, and they suggest that any effort on your part to point out the dangers of ordinary flannelette might assist in reducing .the sad number of fatalities from fire among children."

BREACH OF PROMISE.

j In the Supreme Court at Sydney on the 14th inst., before Mr. Justice Sly and a jury, Charlotte MoGeech sued Alfred i Albert Miller for £SOO damages for breach of promise of marriage. The parties belonged to Wvaiong, and when they met the plaintiff was twenty-one years, and title defendant a widower with "three children. The plaintiff said under crossexamination that defendant stated he would marry her because he was obliged to, and that he would make her sit up afterwards, anid then divorce lm\ The defendant said he was a wood carter, and employed three carts. He admitted ■intimacy with the plaintiff, and friendly relations between himself and tin? plaintiff for about three years. He could not afford to marry the plaintiff whence wanted, and when- he was willin« to marry her she raised various difficulties. She wanted a watch and chain and a piano, a trip, and other things he could not afford, also not to live 011 the hind, but in town. The jury found a verdict for the plaintiff for £SOO, with costs.

SOLVING PROBLEMS. Among the many domes lie problems that Germany has solved to its own satisfaction is that of the giving or refusing of a "character"' to a servant. The following statement of the system in vo:i>ue in Germany shows how completely it answers its purpose. Every man or woman .seeking to enter the service of another, whether as laborer, clerk or domestic servant, is un.ler obligation to procure a service book, which, after purchase, must be officially stamped by the police authorities 1 . Tile authorities enter in the book a description of- the holder, 'having reference to age, personal appearance and religion. When a situation is applied for, the prospective employer can see at a glance whether the applicant has been in service before, and, if so, what kind of work has been done. If the applicant secures the situation the employer writes in the book, "Entered the serv-ice of .so-and-so, of such a street and town," adding the date, a description of the work required and the wages given. The employer retains the. book as long as tli3 engagement lasts, and, on foamling it back, makes another entry, "L eft my service on such a date," with a few lines as to character and the servant's reasons for leaving. Thus the character book goes round, and the servant has never the uncomfortable necessity of asking iher mistress for a recommendation. Forged characters are pract Tally impossible, since tl,ie whole system •is under police supervision. Destitution in old age among i! :nestie servants and the lower dass of ; Ptisans 'has become an impossibility in Germany, for within the last fifteen years or ,so it has .been made compulsory for all who earn less than £itOO a year to insure themselves against want after their working lives are over.