WOMAN’S WORLD.

Taranaki Daily News, 26 November 1921, Page 6

WOMAN’S WORLD.

PERSONALS. Mrs. D. M. Wilson left on Wednesday for a trip to Australia. «•• ' • Miss Angela Wright has returned to Stratford. • • • • Mies D. Simpson has returned from Taihape. Mrs. (Dr.) Harding, of Picton, is at present visiting New Plymouth. ♦ * * * Mrs. C. and Miss I. Bartley have returned to Auckland. Mrs. C. Higginson (Waikanae), who hae been staying at the Terminus for a few days, is now visiting Mrs. Wheatley at Lepperton. Miss L. R. Baker has returned from a visit to the South. Island. * • * ♦ Mrs. Nancarrow motored from Havvera on Tuesday to see ‘‘Billeted,” returning on Wednesday. • ♦ t • Mrs. Dodgshun. who has been staying in New Plymouth for the last week or two, leaves on Monday for Wanganui and Dunedin. Mrs. Con (Hawera) is the guest of Mrs. Milroy. Miss York leaves on Tuesday for Auckland en ronte to America. Mrs. Giblin (Wanganui) has been spending a few days here this week. Miss Laura Thomson left to-day for Dr. Gunn’s camp at Turakina. « * » • Miss Meyers (Australia) has returned from Eketahuna and is staying here. Mrs. Con Hamerton returns to-night from Auckland and Hamilton. » • • • Mrs. H. Fookes (Stratford) arrived this week to take up her residence in New Plymouth. Miss Eileen Davies arrives next week to be the guest of Mrs. Sladden. Mrs. Rex. Brewster leaves next week for a short visit to Wellington. Miss M. Campbell has returned from Wellington. Miss K. Hamerton spent last week-end in Inglewood. Miss D. Harrison left yesterday on a visit to Eltham.

MOTHERS’ MART. The committee responsible for the mothers’ mart is confident that with the generous help of all interested from town and country, their venture will be a great success and realise a substantial sum towards the fund for building the very necessary addition to the present Girls’ High School. All tastes will be catered for. The busy housewife can buy household supplies from the meat and produce stalls, also clothes from the sewing stall and Christmas presents from the island stall. The kiddies will have a glorious time with the ice creams, Christmas tree and punch and judy show. All profits carry a Government subsidy of £ for £. BRITAIN’S NEW LADY MJ». An interesting little pen-portrait of Mrs. Wintringham, the second woman M.P. in England, is given In an English journal. “Mrs. Wintringham had always taken the keenest interest in the woman’s movement, having been a protagonist in the old suffrage days, and of recent years a leader of the Women’s Institute movement in her country. She is an excellent speaker, with all the charm of a really ‘womanly’ woman, and is much beloved by her country and all who have worked with her. Owing to her bereavement, Mrs. Wintringham did not take an active part in her own election campaign. The National Union of Societies for Equal Citizenship—the purely feminist women’s organisation in the country—electioneered valiantly on her behalf. This body, though a strictly non-party organisation, felt itself free to work for Mrs. Wintringham, in I view of the urgent need for sound and keen women in Parliament.” The writer then touches upon the foolish talk about “surplus” “new” women, and remarks upon the absurdity of speaking of any useful citizen as “surplus,” and emphasises the fact that every century brings new people, thoughts, words, and works. There “is always room at the top,” she remarks, and adds that there is not only room, but crying need —for women in politics and in Parliament — but they must be the right women, who will not be content to follow in old mistakes, while being careful to test new paths before adventuring along DROPPING THE FRIPPERIES. Following on an advertisement of a northern business firm for a girl employee, which concluded snappily “no fashion-plates need apply,” is a comment by a woman resident in the city in question, which is as follows:—“The business woman will have to show a great deal more sense if she is going to make a success of this branch of woman’s activities! Crepe de chine blouses, silk stockings, velvet and suede evening shoes are no longer attributes of success in the business world.” This is not the opinion of the Star’s unknown advertiser, but is the considered statement of a lady who has a wide experience and knows what is what. She is a pronounced feminist,., but she thoroughly realises that if women are to

“make a do” of what was for years the exclusive domain of the mere man —the counting house —they must drop some of the ’fripperies that they now insist in dragging" into the office, and that the coy little vanity bag must not be flaunted so daringly in the face of the world. “Nowadays you can see girls flocking to work dressed as though they were going to a garden party, with their transparent blouses and their short sleeves, and the other fineries which a few years ago would never be worn in the street by any well-bred woman. The business woman has got lo look like business, and that means that she must be practical and efficient. Girls do not realise that efficiency and business ability can be shown in one’s dress. It is a wonder that more business heads do not take the stand of the unknown advertiser in the Star. 0-f course they could express it differently, but the meaning would be the same. As a matter of fact there is a tendency in the better class offices to discourage thv eccentricities which the ‘crepe de chine and silk stocking miss’ has introduced into business life/’