WAR TIME IN PARIS.

Taranaki Daily News, 25 September 1915, Page 12

WAR TIME IN PARIS.

RICH (PBACTICE ECONOMY. "No fashionable costumes are worn in France, and all new creations are sent to England, where women dress just the same as they did prior to the declaration of war,'' said Miss Adela Compton-Legge, of North Sydney, who returned by the Maloja. Miss Compton-Legge arrived in Paris when the Germans were at the end of their southern offensive. After passing through many exciting experiences, she went to England, where she spent the winter, visiting Prance again before she embarked at Marseilles.

"France," she said, "is brave and selfsacrificing, and the gay Parisian type has entirely disappeared. Nearly everybody is in mourning, the wpmen wearing deep crepe veils, hanging right down to the hem of their skirts. Thost who aie not actually in mourning are clad in dark blue, as a rule. No bright costumes are worn. Though there are still some people who have lost neither relatives nor money directly through the war, they refuse to indulge in useless amusements, out of respect to their friends who have been affected. Paris is very gad and depressing, but Paris is also very brave and patriotic. The wealthy practice every economy, but they freelj give their money to the different funds. Hoarding up money for themselves is regarded as a sin.

"The poor people are suffering greatly. When a soldier is fighting, his wife only receives lOd per day, with an additional 5d for each of the children. There are' no old-age pensions or wormsouses or any institution to assist those in financial distress. Only those who are unfitted for a harder life are In shops. "At Marseilles t saw German prisoners busy on the wharves. French soldiers with loaded rifles saw that they were busy. All labor is being availed of. When refugees from Belgium and northern France came pouring into Paris they were sent to the fields to gather fruit or help the agriculturalist. Now many are employed making munitions. "France will be very short of coal this coming winter, as It obtained most of its fuel formerly from Belgium and its j northern districts, which have been inI vaded. The strikes in England will make their position worse, but fortunately all hardships are being borne with great fortitude. The French spend their time in work, and not in arguments. Since the war strikes have been unknown. "I will never forget my first few months in France. We were only allowed to buy half a pound of groceries at a time, and we went from shop to shop getting supplies in case Paris was besieged. "I stayed with Monsieur and Mme. Howard Tripp, who are relations of mine, and live near the city. We went inside the fort when the Germans were at the height of their advance. Taube aeroplanes droped bombs on the buildings, but the people were too excited to be afraid. We all crowded on roofs to get a tetter view of them, and some enthusiastic men even climbed on 'the steeples. It wag a very pretty sight, and everybody was too absorbed to have nerves.

'The voyage home was without excitement, and we were rather surprised on arrival at Colombo to find that the Maloja had been reported to have been tor-