FOR WOMEN FOLK.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 270, 24 April 1915, Page 6

FOR WOMEN FOLK.

" BY EILEEN."

" Eileen " will be glad to receive items of interest and j value to women for publication or reference in this column. I

NEW PLYMOUTH SOCIAL NEWS. Theatre—The Plinvmcr-liaV. Company gave an excellent performance of "The .Mummy and the Humming Bird" in the Theatre Royal last Thursday evening, ami as it was patriotic (in aid of the ] Belgian Fund) they were received by a well-filled and very enthusiastic house. The piece itself is "a play strong with human passion, and to the audience it was doubly interesting, as the principal actors, Messrs Plimmer and Winter Hall and Miss Beatrice Day, are well-known favorites t'i> the theatre-going 'public. Charming frocks were worn in "The Mummy'and the Humming Bird.'' Miss Day, in the lirst act, was robed in a .'Town of while satin, embroidered with tones of blue and rose, centred with opale.-cent heading, and tile second gown iu which she appeared was of white

PERSONAL. Mrs. Quilliam, who has been the guest of Mrs. Brownlow-Horroeks at Mercer (Auckland), has returned. Miss Devenish has returned from her visit to Wellington. Mi,ss d-ldna Clreatbatch, who has been the guest of Mrs. Miller (Christclmrch) has returned to New Plymouth. Mrs. A. 11. C'olvile, wlio has been visiting Feildiug on l account of her brother's (Mr. Peat's) wedding, has returned. Miss M. Humphries, who has been visiting her sister, Mrs. CI. St&kes (Drury) has returned. 'Miss E. Monteath has returned from her pleasant trip in the Auckland district.

satin, with an over-dress of silver-spang-led ninon, while her evening coat was | of white satin, lined with pink and embroidered with golden butterflies. The j walking gown in the last act was of j dull wedgwood blue silk, with corsage .and sleeves of blue and white striped silk, and a pretty toque to correspond. Miss Xellie Calvin wore a very dainty emerald green ninon over ' white satin, embroidered with braids of dull gold embroidery. Her next frock wasof champagne-colored ninon, with turquoise embroideries on train and corsage. Amongst the audience I noticed: Mesdnmes D. Robertson, E, A. Walker, W. 0. Weston, H. Weston, Te'nn, L. Nolan, W. Hunter, J. Glenn, Brookman, Birch■Tolmston, McClcland, McHardy, F. G. "Evans, Courtney, Paul, Ryder, Dempsey, E Griffiths, D." Cornwall, R. Cock and Baker; Misses Fookes (2), Roy, Matthews (-2), Dempsey, Mackay (2), Bedford Capel (2), Leatham (2), M. Hopkins (l.liristchurch), Penn, Wade, W. Webster, E. Bayley. Bridge.—A very delightful bridge party was given by Mrs. Grant last

Mrs. 'Denny-Brown, who has been on a visit to Duncdin and Wellington, has returned.

Miss Alyce Holroyd, of the TlimmerHi.ll Company, during her short visit to .New Plymouth was "the guest of Mrs. Birch-Johnston, Vogcltown.

Miss Morrison (Auckland) is the guest of .Mrs. Henry Weston. ' Mr. and Mrs. Rainc (Foxton) who have been staying at the House, are at present in New Plymouth.

Mr. and Mrs. Whitehorn and Mr. and Mrs. Clifford St. Paul (Hawera) paid a Hying,visit to New Plymouth, having journeyed through by motor. 'Mr. and Mrs. 'Mcßeth, who have »ee» visiting New Plymouth, have returned to Kimbolton.

Misses MeGregn ('2) have returned to Eltham, after a pleasant trip to New Plymouth. Mr. and Mrs. Knight, who have 'been staying in New Plymouth, have returned to Auckland. Misses R. and M. Buckland (lA'uckJand), who liave been staying at the 'Mountain House, are at present in New 'Plymouth. Mrs. Harris, Miss Harris and Mrs.

Thursday afternoon, and the prize-win-ners were Mrs. C. T. Mills (auctionbridge) and Mrs. F. S. Johns, and Mrs. Ryder. The hostess received her guests in a black satin robe, with a lace tunic; Miss Grant, pale blue and white striped silk, triminsd with cream lace; Mrs. Alexander, blue and black check costume, black feathered hat; Mrs. Hirst, black coat and skirt, toque 'en suite; Mrs. C. T. Mills, dark brown costume, brown hat trimmed with shaded roses; Mrs, Simpson, black costume, hat to correspond; Miss Rennell, navy blue costume, hat trimmed with feathers; Mrs. Kcbbell. mole-colored coat and skirt, trimmed with large buttons, and a tartan silk collar, black crinoline straw hr.t trimmed with black velvet; Mrs. Quiliiam, dove-grey check costume, black feathered hat; Mrs. Dowling, saxc-bluc costume, lightly trimmed with cream lace, black hat with lancer, plumes; Mrs. F. S. Johns, dark brown costume, hat en suite; Mrs. T. Anderson, French-grey coat and skirt, black velvet bat; Mrs. Chancy, saxe-blue costume, cream hat \yith pink roses and black velvet ribbon; Mrs Denny-Brown, mole-colored costume,

Trall'ord have returned to Marton. The engagement is announced of Miss May Fowlds, second daughter of the Hon. Geo. Fowlds, of Greystono Knowe, Mount Albert, Auckland, to Mr. Arthur Ba ; ley, son of Mr. W. Bailey, 'Dominion road, and grandson of the late Mr. John Bollard, M.P., of Avondale.

THE DANISH GIRL AT WORK. The typical Danish girl has the domestic virtues strongly developed. It ; is said that no men are better nourish- j ed than the Danes, from the fact that | their womenfolk take care that -when ' they are engaged in the outdoor labors I they shall be abundantly supplied with I substantial sandwiches. These assume j various tasty forms, and the male appetite calls for them at frequent intervals. I And the Danish housewife is thrifty. ; Just now the country is a large con-! sumer of margarine. That is because butter' is generally fetching such a high i price that the careful people prefer to | sell all they possibly can and to make : the substitute serve for their every-day j wants. Such girls, make capital servants, but in this capacity they are as- 1 serting a marked degree of independence. ! They have a union of their own, and ; lately repudiated the use of the term j "servant." They are now "assistants" j in the nursery, the kitchen or the house, I as the case may be, and their hours of , work are more strictly defined than has hitherto been attempted in regard to this vocation. WAF: NOTES FOR WOMEN. (Auckland Star's Correspondent). A medal for bravery has been presented in Paris to a British nurse, Miss Alice Stephens, who, after nursing with ' great devotion a number of patients suffering from typhoid fever, has contracted the illness herself. In view of the fact that some 1400 men have gone from the. Edinburgh Tramways Company to the war, a suggestion is to be considered by the Board of employing women, as tram conductors. The Queen of the' Belgians is personally supervising, in France, a hospital staffed by English nurses. According to a Reuter telegram from Paris, M. Briand, the French Minister of Justice, has prepared a Bill with the object of enabling soldiers at the front to contract marriage by proxy. Such marriages will be celebrated •with the usual formalities, except that a legal representative will take the place of the soldier. Miss Christabcl Pankhurst has for some months'been lecturing in the large towns of America, devoting her energies to placing before the people there the case for the Allied nations.

■white felt toque with a cerise-colored band; Mrs. Mqycs, Wack and white costume, hat to correspond; Mrs. Colson,

dark navy costume, with black velvet toque; Mrs. Roekel, navy coat and skirt,

black feathered hat; Mrs. Winfleld (Inglewood), navy and white spotted frock, with hat to correspond; Mrs. Bradbury, black costume, toque en suite; Miss ,G. Avery, grey costume, hat trimmed with shaded roses; Miss Shaw, black; Miss H'. ■Rswson, champagne-colored muslin, inset with lace, black hat with pink roses; Mrs. Ryder, navy costume with kilted tunic, black velvet hat: Mrs. Whetter, saxc blue costume, tr "d with Oriental embroideries, Mt t" 1 correspond.

Mrs. Addenbrooke entertained a number of friends at bridge last Thursday, | when Mrs. James Wilson won first prize and Miss Brown second. Amongst those present were: Mesdamcs J. E. 'Wilson, H. Russell, Matthews, Paul, Newton King, H. Baily, James Wilson, and Misses Marshall, K. Hamerton, Brown and Bayly. Mrs. Jas. Grant entertained the ladies of the New Plmouth Croquet Club at a bridge- afternoon on Thursday last. Bridge and auction bridge were indulged in. The prize winners were: Bridge, Mrs. Johns 1, Mrs. Ryder 2; auction bridge: Mrs. C. T. Mills 1. Among those present were: —Mesdames Alexander, Anderson, Bradbury, Chaney, Colson, Dowling. Denny-Brown, Fookes, Hirst, Johns, Kebell, C. T. Mills, Moyes, Quilliam, Ryder, Roekel, Simpson, Sturtevant, J., Winfleld. Whetter. Misses Avery, I. Dempsey, H. Rawson, Rennell, and Shaw. .

Chicory, or witloof, which those who have stayed in Belgium will know, is by far the most universally consumed vegetable in that country, lias recently been brought into London in much larger quantities than ever before, probably for the temptation of refugees. So widespread is its popularity abroad that about twenty villages situate between Brussels and Malines practically exist on the sale of chicory. A very

extensive trade in the vegetable is done with France, and, at normal times, Germany and America. English cooks scarcely know it; but Belgian grower.*, in the hope of stimulating the sale of it in future hero, are now issuing special books of recipes for English buyers. l.fct'.iviug at the Institute of Hygio"' [\\'.-i week a London physician dwelt u tiie caibe of the frequency with which pneumonia is contracted by those attend- 1 ; ' , ing funerals, pointing out that chills, -. cold winds and dampness work disaster | 0:1 nervous systems depressed by mental ' i-.liock or grief. He roundly condemned chest protectors as undesirable and a frequent cause (.': chills. The organisms or pneumonia, it was pointed out, lodge | in the teeth, and it is of great importance, therefore, to give careful attention to dental hygiene. At 11 paper read by the president be- | fore tie Manchester Statistical Society this we: k under the dry-sounding title of ''The ranpations of the people of England and Wales in 1011, from the point of. view of industrial developments," some interesting facts concerning the extent to which women are engaged "in English primary industries were given, these being, shown to vary considerably. In two categories of large and small towns there, were 339 places which showed less than 10 per cent, of female primary workers. Tlicre wore 14 cases of industrial towns, large aul small, where the preponderating employment was not, amongst males, the manufacture of textile goods, but where, nevertheless; at least 30 per cent, of the women were employed in primary industries. In nine of these towns the women were principally) engaged in textile nianufacturies. The remaining five were Stoke-upon-Tront (earthenware), Luton and Dunstable (straw hat manufacture), Kedditeh (needle, pin, nsiiingtackle, cycle makers), and Xantwica (tailoresses). 'Mr., Lloyd George announced in the House of Commons this week that the new scale of separate allowances and widows' pensions recommended by the Select Committee on Naval and Military Services would be put into force as from Marcli 1. Widows' pensions will range . from His per Week for the childless woman to 22s Cd for the widow with four children, with au increase for widows over 35.- Motherless children whose father is killed will get 5s each. Men totally disabled wiil get 25s per week, with an additional allowance of 2s u'd ) for each child. Separation allowances are also advanced. Among the packages sent to soldiers at the front at Christmas time containing Princess Mary's gift-boxes, was one which was specially packed by tne Queen in person, and which contained a i card indicating the fact. A letter received in thanks, by the Queen, said that the recipient had received it in the trenches. Food prices in London are still high, llourmillers, for instance, h'olding tightly to wuea* and refusing to take less than ' 52s per sack, delivered. Milk is up a '. halfpenny a. quart, and now stands at . 4VL>d. Supplies of bacon are likely to ! ! seriously decrease, as foodstuff is so exi pensive that farmers in England and I Ireland are preferring to kill their pigs 1 young and sell as fresh meat. Coal is still very high in price, the 'poor who buy by the hundredweight having to ' pay 45s a ton in the East End, and in ' ; some cases more. [ The preliminary report of the New " 1 York State Factory Investigating ComJ J mission is available, and gives horrify--3 ing information regarding the wages of 1 I working women in various sweated in--5 i dustries in America, one .especially no* " 1 torious one being the canning industry, ' ;\\vhere the report shows that the hours ' ] iii the rush season are from 12 to 19, and sometimes more, hours a day, and where " 1 the. weekly average wage of a woman is I shown to bo 4.53d01. In capping the - cans the women have to cap 40 to 100 ; a minute. The cans are carried V>n con- _ j voyors to the capping : machine. The I capping girl sits close to the red-hot , I sealing iron, usually holding a number j : of caps in her hand, and dropping them a 'monotonously one at a time upon the » ! cans as they pass swiftly before her. , I The label inspector must pass upon 20 I ' to 100 cans a minute, taking out any 3 ' unlabelled cans or one with a flaw.

SPARTAN SPIRIT OF BELGIUM Mdme. Antoine Depage, the royal emissary from Belgium who is now in Chicago, clearly indicated that the Belgians, in spite of their misfortunes, are not ready to sue for peace. The goal of the loyal subjects of King Albert is a re-established nation. < "What are the prospects for peace?" •Mdme. Depage was asked. "Who knows?" she replied with a shrug of her shoulders. "We will have practically a new army in the field in the spring."

"What indemnity would repay Belgium for her losses?"

"They couldn't be paid with gold," she responded. "Think of the lives that have been snuffed ouc, the suffering of women and children, the destruction of priceless buildings ai.,l art treasures.

"The Germans bombarded a hospital in Ypres, and the patients, including women and children, were hurried to our held hospital at La Panne. One woman—the doorkeeper, do you call it? —lost her husband and seven children almost before her eyes in live minutes. Another woman, who had just become a mother, had her jaw shot away, and she died two days later.

"But I would rather not speak of such tilings. Probably the Germans didn't know it was a hospital. I have nursed many wounded Germans in our hospital, and you can't think of them in a vengeful spirit when they are ill and suffering. When they would leave I said:

"'I will shake hands witli you now, because I don't think I could again if 1. raw you in one of those gay uniforms.' "

Mdme Depage told of the festivities in the hospital at Christmas when presents from America were received, il'rince Leopold, the eldest son of King Albert and Queen Elizabeth, was the r;uest of honor. Mdme. Depage smiled as she related how the prince, who is fourteen years old, reproved one of his compatriots only a few years younger than himself for being interested in so unmartial a toy as a teddy bear. '1 hope it is not true that the prince has gone to the front," she said. "I wrote to ask my husband about it." Mdme. Depage.is the wife of Dr. Depage, president of the International Congress of Surgery and surgeon to King Albert. Mdme. Depage is seeking financial aid for the Belgian Red Cross field hospitals, which are under the direction of Sur-goon-fieneral Melis and Dr. Depage. From Queen Elizabeth she received this cablegram: "I have great hope in 'he result of your mission. I send be:-'/ wishes for prompt success."