WOMEN'S WORLD

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 282, 21 April 1913, Page 6

WOMEN'S WORLD

PERMISSION TO MAliliY

Sydney, April 5.

Drastic action in relation to marriage as a. .social institution is advised by tlio Board ol" Public Health of Victoria". Tins body lias not hitherto been credited with a Undent)' to do more than give thorough effect to generally recognised methods in connection with the preservation of public health by preventing the spread of disease and insistence upon purity in food supplies. This week, however, the ISoard has come to a decision which is new, so far as a deliberate expression by ail authoritative public body is concerned. It Ims unanimously agreed to a motion to the effect'that a new clause should bo inserted in the Public Health Act making it compulsory for persons desirous of entering into matrimony to produce a certificate of good health. The announcement of this resolution is bound to receive mtieh attention, much more than if made on behalf of some body outside of Australia. Politics are for the immediate present crowding this highly important matter into the background, and until discussion has been given more of the room for which there is an all-round desire, one cannot say what aspects are considered by Australian writers and thinkers to have predominant weight in relation to one of the biggest of social problems.

A STARTLING' SUGGESTION.

A rather startling suggestion is made in the '"Australasian Medical Gazette" on the important subject of the employment of women. No sadder sight can meet the eye of him who "loves his fel-low-men," the "Gazette' points out, 'than that observable at the metropolitan railway stations each morning between 8 and !) o'clock, witli the large proportion of girls in their teens going to work in factories, shops, and offices." After a reference to the effect of this employment on the future generation, the "Gazette" goes on: "The only solution to the problem seems to lie in the passing of legislation which will prohibit the employment of girls and women in any walk of life which is not unquestionably v omen's wprk, until they shall have passed through an apprenticeship in household work. Such apprenticeship should be for six months, preferably longer, the housewife being responsible for the conduct of the girl and for giving her opportunities of obtaining knowledge. At the end of her time a certificate would be granted, and thereafter, if she still so desired, she might seek other avenues of employ- , ment. The apprenticeship need not be confined to the homes of the well-to-do; in the humblest cottage, provided the mother was accepted as capable enough to teach, a thorough grounding could be

nrquivnd. Whore tliern are daughters in the family, these in turn could be articled to their mother, who must lie made responsible for their doings. In some such way as this, the dearth of assistance in the home would be overcome, moth?rs would have breathing space, families would increase, the future child-bearers would learn somewhat of their duties and responsibilities, and the ills of infancy would be diminished."

SOCIETY'S LATEST FREAK.

The Chows, Pekingese, Pomeranians, and other freak dogs so dear to the hearts of society's pampered few, are in serious danger of finding their wet little , noses seriously out of joint. The "smart woman" of to-day has discovered that the possession of a liundred- ' guinea Pekingese is insufficient if she is to be considered as quite "the thing," and that it is essential that she should own at least half-a-dozen pet lizards. An application was made at Lambeth Police Court the other day bv Insnector Knight, of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, against a resident of Brixton for wearing a live lizard as an ornament. The summons was granted. "During the last two years there has been a steadily increasing demand for lizards as pets," said Mr. J. W. Seal, : of Kensington, to a representative of the "Daily Citizen." "Last summer I sold many hundreds to ail classes of women, though most of the best Spanish-eyed ;flnd Dalmatians were snapped up bv jmy wealthier customers as fast as I ; could import them. In winter I keep no stock of lizards, but already I have bad 'many inquiries f«r them By the end of next.month I will be selling as mar v as a dozen p. day. As thev come to m \ lizards are bnd tempered little beasts as a rule, but they can soon be coaxed into j docilitv. So tame, indeed, do thev be; come that manv women wenr them about their necks. In order that their pets cannot eseaoe when they take them out for their daily airing in oirriice or e:irs, •as the case may be, they frequently M-hiin them round their necks, Some- , ''mes the little lizard collars are gold ;'<>)d. sometimes silver. "One well-known ! Kensington artist," he concluded, "indulges in a curious colour scheme with lmr ;pets. 1 Playing about her studio you will always find several green lizards and a couple of flne Persian kittens.' The price of a lizard, it was learnt, ranges from eighteenpenco to half a .guinea, the most expensive beimr the lari <ier Dalmatians, and the class known as j Spanish-eyed. Th?se latter are of a j beautiful .yreen hue spotted with blue, their diet consists mainly of mcnl- . worms, which are sold n't sixpence a i hundred. Eight worms a day satisfy the mn=t voracious lizard.

The life of a pet lizard is f»on orally ' n uoh shorter than those who are kept ilncler proper conditions at the Zoo. ''The ehief cause of the high mortality vote," said one dealer, "is that women will take them out in the winter air when. as a matter of fact, warmth is the first essential to their health."