WOMAN'S WORLD

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 81, 26 September 1911, Page 6

WOMAN'S WORLD

(Conducted by "Eileen"). SOCIETY NEWS. NEW PLYMOUTH. An At Home.—The associates of tly Oirls' Friendly Society gave an "At Home" in St. Mary's Hall last Saturday afternoon in honor of Mrs. Crossley. The hall, which was charmingly decorated with ferns and yellow flowers', was prettily arranged as a drawingroom. During the afternoon musical items were rendered by Misses Wareu, Taylor, and O'Callaghan. and Rev. .Kemptbome. Amongst those present were:—Mrs. Crossley, navy blue costume, faced with black astrakan, navy blue and black toque; Mrs. Home, black coat and skirt, pretty black and white toque with mauve flowers; Mrs. Pa ton, dark green costume, pink floral toque; Miss Wade, given flowered muslin, cream lace yoke, dainty pink flowered hat; Mrs. Addenbrooke looked well in saxe blue silk, lace vest, black feathered hat; Mrs. Jones, navy coat and skirt, hat finished with brown quills; Miss O'Callaghan. cream coat and skirt, large : black liat; Mrs. Kyngdon, dark green I castume, faced with black velvet, white toque; Miss Kyngdon, moss green costume, brown hat with roses; Miss Stanford, navy costume, black feathered hat; Mrs. Collins, black coat and skirt, large black hat with feathers: Mrs. S. Griffiths, navy costume, black hat: Mrs. 11. Russell, navy costume, black hat with pink yellow roses; Mrs. R. George, saxe blue costume, blue hat with black roses; Miss Warren, cream costume, cream canvas "hat trimmed with periwinkle blue 'ospreys and velvet; Mrs. Haire (Wellington), black and white cheek costume, putty colored hat, swathed with saxe blue' ribbon; Mrs. Rollo. brown tweed costume, hat en suite; Mrs. Mills, grey striped costume, black toque; Miss Mills, cream costume, brown hat with pink roses; Miss Taylor, coronation blue costume, charming putty colored hat with large emerald green bows; Mrs. IT. Lepper, mole colored costume, pink chip hat with wings; Miss Ahier, grey «»»• tume. black and grey hat; Miss Glasgow, navy costume, brown hat with quills; Mrs. H. Stocker, grey costume, cream hat, wreathed with black cherries; Mrs. Kebbell, grey tweed costume, pretty saxe blue hat with wings: Miss Kirkby, cream, reseda green hat; Miss Bedford, amethyst colored cloth, hat en suite'; Mies D. Bedford, navy coat and skirt, brown velvet hat: Miss Brewster, reseda green coat and skirt, navy and mauve' hat; Miss Mace, grey costume, black' hat; Mrs. Pope, pale grey costume,i feather boa, black toque; Mrs. Nixon, (Auckland), green coat and skirl. Mack; and green hat; Mrs. Bewley. black silk, 1 black hat with pink roses; Mrs. Harvey, l pretty golden brown charmeuse, inset, with cream lace, hat to correspond; Miss Devenish. saxe blue costume, braided with black, black hat; Miss Wood, national blue costume, cream silk vest, deep purple toque; Mrs. Newton King, navy coat and skirt? black hat; Miss Percy-Smith, pretty cream costume, cream hat edged with black; Miss Hempton, navy blue costume, grey and blue] hat; Mrs. W. Newtna-n, grey costu*«, ' Dutty colored hat, relieved with saxe muc ;< Mrs. Bradbury, black costume and furs: Miss McKellar. grey coat and skirt, black 'hat; Mrs. F. Webster, grey costume, black toque; Miss Wilson looked well in cream, pretty black feathered hat; Miss Godfrey, saxe blue costume, cream lace yoke, finished with black but-, | tons, black hat with pink roses; Miss Doris, chocolate brown costume piped with cream, hat to correspond; Mrs. Renaud, navy coat and skirt, blue and emerald green hat; Mrs. Kempthornc, navy costume, brown hat swathed with tulle; Mrs. Dabb. rose pink costume, black hat; Mis 9 .1. Hempton, dove grey costume, dark grey hat; Miss Kidd. navy costume, hat with roses; Miss Dowling, cream costume, black velvet toque; Miss Curtis, dove grey costume, black hat; Miss Smith, vieux rose costume, hat to correspond; Min.y F. Smith, cream silk blouse, dark skirt; black and white hat; Mrs. Martin was much admired in a dainty silver grey charmeuse, prefety black feathered hat; Mr.-. Fox. grey costume, black and white hat, white feather boa; Miss Hamorton. navy costume, black hat: Mrs. Standish. grey coat and skirt faced with black silk, black toque; Mrs. Hirst, brown costume, black hat with feathers: Mrs. Roy, navy coat and skirt.'green toque with crimson roses; Miss 1). Roy. moss green costume, black tagel straw hat wreathed with pink roses; Miss 0. Roy. crmun costume, violet hat; Mrs. Frceth. dark green costume, violet toque; Mrs. Heard, electric blue costume, blue hat with black wings: Miss Munro, grey coat and skirt, black feathered toque: Miss Mathews, navy| costume, mole colored hat wreathed] with cerise roses: Miss Nicholson, grey coat and skict, black hat; Mrs. Dempsey, navy costume, black feathered toque; Mrs. Courtenay, navy blue coat and skirt, grey and black toque; Mrs. Walter Bayly, brown tweed costume, saxe blue hat; Miss Banna, navy costume, petunia colored ihat with roses; Mrs. Penn, brown tweed costume, black and vieux rose hat; Miss 0. Shaw, brown flecked tweed coat and skirt, hat en suite; Miss Grant, black costume; Miss Bradbury, brown costume, black toque trimmed with loops of black and white ribbon; Mrs. Broughton, grey costume, pretty toque trimmed with grey and scarlet edged ribbon; Mrs. F. Wilson, cream costume, moss green velvet hat; Miss.M. Thomson, navy costume, putty colored hat draped with coronation blue ribbon; Mrs. R. Smith; Mrs. Kyngdon, grey faced with black, black toque: Miss Humphries, cream costume, faced with black silk, black toque.

PERSONAL. Mrs. Haire, who is the guest of her sister. Mrs. Rollo, leaves on Wednesday morning for her home in Wellington. Bishop airtl Mrs. Crossley left for Auckland this morning (Tuesday), and during their visit hero were the guests of Dr. and Mrs. Home. Mr. •'). Laing, of the Union Company's office. Dnnedin, is on a visit to his parents in New Plymouth, his holiday extending a month. ' Misses Standish and Brewster leave on Thursday morning to attend the Tientliam '(Wellington) golf tournament. After the tournament Miss Standish leaves for Blenheim, where she will! be the guest of Mrs. George Waddy. Mrs. Falkner, who is visiting her daughter. Mrs. Munro, leaves on Thursday by the s.s. Rarawa for Auckland. Mrs. and Miss Baker, who have been on a visit lo Auckland 1 and Napier, returned home last Saturdav. Mr. M. Filler, who, with Mr. W. Kerr (S.M., Wanganui), is visiting the To Aroha district and Auckland, is expected to return at the end of the week. BURIED WITH PEARLS. NECKLACE WORTH ;CIO.OOO PLACED l\ T A COFFIN. A pearl necklace worth, it is said, t: 10,000, some valuable rings and other jewellery have been buried in Paris in the coffin of Mile. LanHmo. the famous act rcss. who was the wife of M. Edwards, the founder of Le Matin. ■Mile. Lantelnie. it will be remembered, was drowned in the Rhine near Emmerich. Her body was brough to Paris o*

July :i() and the funeral took place the following day. At the graveside M. Edwards was taken seriously ill, and a doctor was sent for. A well-known actor named Ardot fainted, and Mile. Lantelme's sister was carried awav in hysterics.

WHITE WOMAN VISITS ASHANTI VILLAGES AX UNUSUAL JOURNEY. The first white woman to reach the far hinterland of West Africa, alone and unaided by any member of her own race, is the English novelist, Mary Gaunt. Word of her adventurops journey through tropical wilderness and jungle recently reached London in the form of a long personal letter from Miss Gaunt to her solicitor, Mr. Laurie. The letter was dated at a point five days' journey from Kumassi, the last outpost of civilisation, where no white woman had ever before ventured. The, excitement along the route proved a source, of great amusement to Miss Gaunt, as well as of some uneasiness. At every village vast crowds, of natives were assembled to see the strange woman with the white face and wonderful dress. As she neared the entrance to a. village the chiefs and their bodyguard would come out to receive her in state, with umbrellas twirling, tom-toms beating, and long guns, popping a royal salute. A bevy of women then rushed forward bearing gifts of fowls, bananas, yams, eggs, and huge long-horned sheep. These were presented with a weird ceremonial, while the chiefs smiled and the populace yelled and shouted a vociferous welcome. Then came a moment of embarrassing hesitation, while the chiefs consulted in lively fashion together. At last the head chief marched solmenly up to his fair-skinned visitor and salaamed three times beneath the royal umbrella always held over him by two stalwart bearers, after which was delivered a sonorous speech, which was quickly interpreted into a humble request from the lord of the jungle that his people "might look." Of course they might. Such a courteous way of presenting the request could not be denied. Arrangements were quickly made for a formal reception, at which all the men and women of the village filed past arid stared wonderingly as they salaamed low to the strange woman with the white face and hands who swathed her graceful form in so much unnecessary clothing. "My carriers," writes Miss flaunt, in conclusion, "are awfully pleased that I am a person of such importance, though I am not quite so pleased myself in one way. You see. if the chief happens to be particularly hospitable it sometimes costs mo at least £1 for biscuits, which the women and children consume ravenously. Still, as lam the first white woman here I am prepared to pay for my importance." Miss Gaunt was in splendid health at the time of writing, and so interested in her surroundings that the date of her return to civilisation was indefinite.

THE FLANNELETTE EVIL. A NEW DANGKITro THE PUBLIC. The Lancet publishes the results of a series of lalwratory and fire-testing experiences made upon samples of flannel•tte, most of which ar*. advertised a» "safe,"' or "noD-inflammable"." In some sases, it is stated, this description is accurate, always remembering the fact that flannelette is a material consisting entirely of cotton, and therefore that it cannot be made uninflammable; in other cases it was found that, although new material did not "flare up" immediately a light was applied to it, but burned unwillingly, so to speak; samples of the samo material "flamed" after a first washing, and became positively dangerous after repeated washings. In such cases (says the Lancet) "the claim 'will not flare' is not sustained by these experiments." Of twelve specimens of fabrics tested seven are classed as "undoubtedly safe," four as "unsafe," and one as "doubtful." On the 'whole this is .satisfactory, as proving that the terrible dangers that are associated with the use of flannelette may be diminished by care'in the manufacture; but, on the other hand, the discovery in one sense increases the danger by tending to create confidence in the advertised word "non-inflammable." As the Lancet states, this trade description is in some cases misleading: "It is clear from our investigation that not only is flannelette still sold at large with no pretentions to being non-iullammable. but flannelette is sold also to the public which wrongly claims to be non-inflammable."

Most of the samples tested had evidently been treated by the manufacturers with "lire-proofing" materials, and it appears that from some, more than from others, these materials are removed by washing. Experiments were therefore made to ascertain the character of these "fire-proofing" materials. The Lancet remarks: : "There can be little doubt that '.safety' can be obtained by impregnating the fabric with certain" mineral salts, but when their amount reaches one-fifth part of the fabric it may well be asked whether this does not interfere with what may be called the 'clothlike' character of the garment. At any rate, it adds to the cost of the fabric,"while it is conceivable that the insulating power of the cotton fabric, is-reduced. The mineral salts used'*appear to be present in real combination with the cellulose of the fabric, so that it would affect the wearer injuriously, and a long practical trial by wear of such treated material would appear to support this view, no irritating effects or harm to the health having been experienced over the experimental period. An alternative method of fireproofing lias been tried by reducing the looseness of ithc fabric and the nap, or pile, which is the dangerous starting point of fire—a. surface of loose cotton fierceness of spirits of wine.' This method has been practically successful. A close nap and a. olosely-woven foundation seem to us to be a very desirable aim, and we have evidence in front of us that very valuable advances have been made in this direction. We have examined fabrics, at all events, which, according to some of the experiments above recorded, showed a very considerable improvement upon ordinary flannelette in regard to a reduced tendency to ignite, and yet which were not lire-proofed by minerals. It is not possible to say, however, lhaf these materials are at present as 'trustworthy in regard to safety from lire as the fabrics which are fireproofed by well-known fire-proofing agents, for even the nap or ■fluff' of the lire-proofed material fails to catch fire on contact with a flame."

In once more urging the need for Immediate legislation, the Lancet suggests that a small amendment of the Merchandise Marks Act, making it penal to describe as uninflammable material which will not sland certain prescribed tests, is all that is required. In the meantime, (he number of victims to the inflammability of flannelette does not diminish. Thorn is practically no danger in what is known us a "plain weave" or a twill—it is ihe "nap" that does all the mischief.