WHAT WE WOMEN THINKS

Radio Record, Volume IV, Issue 5, 15 August 1930, Page 32

WHAT WE WOMEN THINKS

He community singing in the Wel-’ lington Town Hall during Musical Week has awakened a lively desire on the part of a large number of people to continue community singing, as it is a great up-lift in these rather depressing times. Numbers of my friends consider, however, that the leader should infuse a little more: humour into the proceedings. The community singing conductor we hear ‘broadcast from 2a Sydney ‘suburb is exceedingly popular with the- lady members of his audience, and his jokes always evoke screams of laughter. The other evening he told of a eountry farmer who left his farm in charge of a friend from the city, who knew nothing of farm life. When the farmer returned he asked his friend ° whether his favourite setting hen had hatched out the clutch of 13 eggs. "Oh, yes," said- the friend, "she hatched them all out.’ "Well," said the farmer, "I ean see only one chicken." "Yes," replied the other, "I drowned the other twelve. One is enough for

any mother to bring up."

Lucille

* * * HH abolition of the harem in Turkey and other modern innovations has not been taken kindly by a number of prominent Turks. About nineteen of these gentlemen with their numerous wives and families have packed up their trunks and gone to the island of Ada-Kaleh, a veritable paradise which stands in the Danube near the famous

Iron Gate-

Jealous

© * 2 ‘THE single working woman who is now here to stay brings her own problems, which are somewhat shattering to some conventions. One of these problems is accommodation. To be free many spinsters desire their own flats or homes. In a conference at Home recently I noticed that Miss Aline Mackinnon, hon. Parliamentary secretary of the Women’s National Liberal Federation, aroused warm enthusiasm by championing the claims of the spinster for housing accommodation. "I am an incorrigible spinster,"

she said, "and I think it would bring an enormous amount of happiness to a great many spinsters if they could have their own little homes. I know of dressmakers, cooks, elementary school teachers, and all kind of people who live in lodgings, and who, if they had a little house of their own, and a little bit of garden where they could get dirty in the evenings, would have an.entirely different outlook." Even in Wellington the housing of single

girls presents its problem, and I agree with Miss Mackinnon as to the need

of homes.-

Tartan

Kate

x x * As sensible views on marriage prob- " lems as I have encountered for some time were expressed .by the Rey. J. F. Worsley-Boden, M.A., chairman of the Modern Churechman’s Union, in an address recently. "The original object.of marriage," he said, "was the begetting and bearing of children. But in the process of civilisation other fac tors have entered, spiritual and intellectual; and the secondary or psychic purpose of marriage was more exalted than the primary, physical and productive. The question at issue was not whether some marriages will be dissolved and the parties reassorted or not, for that has always happened in history, and presumably would always happen on this planet until society reached the ideal state. But the question was by what method, and to what extent the law should be made to provide for such dissolution .and reassortment." Divorce to-day, he asserted, was at once too easy for some and too difficult for others. The secret of sound reforms of the Marriage and Divorce Laws would lie in the restitution of this balance by the recognition of larger causes than physical acts. ‘To this end birth control was valuable, for it facilitated the psychic purposes of marriage, without the physical consequences. That seems to me sensible. Without harmony and companionship marriage must be @

hopeless mess.-‘

Double Cross

* * * STOOD on the doorstep of my friend Margaret’s house. "Well," I said, pointing dramatically to the crossroads, "which is it to be?" We looked down the two roads branching off from the corner-one clear and white in the moonlight, the other shadowy and mysterious, holding out the alluring possibility of romance. "Doesn’t matter much, Jim," said Margaret calmly, as she pushed me out. "Things that are fated will happen anyhow and anywhere."

Pondering her words, I reached the commer, and found I was unconsciously turning down the moonlit way. "Ah, well, give Fate a chance," I muttered grimly, as I eyed a street bereft of any object more romantic than the distant tail-light of a stationary motor-car. In due course I reached that car, and found a punctured tire, and a girl at grips with it. Of course I offered to change the wheel, and in doing so I changed my whole life. At the dinner-party which Margaret gave for us after the honeymoon, I caught her eye, and we drank a silent toast to Fate. ‘I badly wanted to ask her what would have happened had 1 taken the other road-but I didn’t dare.

L.

S.

AM inclined to think Professor Fitt is right when he says New Zealand is producing a monotonous and stereotyped citizen. I happen to be an Australian, but have spent @ quarter of a

century in the Dominion, so am not rabid for or against, but flatter myself I can take a broad view. I am in the way of meeting a number of Australian and other visitors from time to time and am impressed by the superior vitality and verve of the visitors tothe corresponding rank of local talent. In all kindness I agree with the professor-the local product is definitely monotonous and _ stereotyped! This is perhaps an inevitable outcome of insularity, but effort should be made to correct it by an openminded preparedness to accept new ideas and extend hospitality for the sake of new contact. But in that field I find the New Zealander far from active: indeed ultra-conservative. -and

even stodgy.-

Aussie Girl

PEDSSURD of the times is forcing Wellington drapery tea-rooms to special: efforts in the entertainment of; patrons. A period fashion throughout last week crowded out one leading establishment, tables being booked days beforehand, and the display was a highly creditable and interesting outline of fashion from Blizabeth’s time downward, and served to show the modern lady of fashion what she has escaped by choosing these days for her activities on this earth. Not to be outdone, a neighbouring store by means of a special stage provided dance and song items for guests. Truly as times become harder must grea’ er effort be made. But one effect, I notice, of this has been to drive the mere man from the. tea-room. Time

was when the business magnate spared half-an-hour for a cup of tea. Not now. Few men, indeed, will brave a room completely full of the fair sex intent on nought but fashion. I saw a few stray gallants turn and flee at sight of

the packed tables.-

Selina

I WAS much interested in the article. on "Pleasures of the Dictionary ? in a recent issue. I see nothing comic in the title at all. I have spent man a pleasant hour with a good dictionary, especially during the vogue of the crossword puzzle. A reliable dictionary affords one many surprises. I knew 4 high school boy who frequently used the word "bunkum," to which his mother objected, saying it was slang. He made a bet, just for fun, that it was in the dictionary. He was more surprised than his mother when they found it and its rather amusing origin. Once I looked up the word "humble" to see if it was correct for the "h" to be pronounced or not, and was very interested to read on to the origin of the expression "eating humble pie," which originally meant eating pie made from the "umbles" or entrails of animals. One can see the connection between the old and the modern meaning. Speaking of "jawbreakers," the word "telegraphentechniches" in yours of June 27, ip ot bad. I will certainly secure a cogs of your booklet on the "Growth of Words"

and the spelling bee list.-

Becky

A flower cannot blossom without cunshine. and a man cannot live

without love-

George P.

Upton

‘res’ | 11 11 1 10 RRR BS RR Shut Out ‘T wo poplars, tall and trim © and straight Like soldiers stand beside the gate; With rustling armour, grim ‘and cold, They face the stranger overbold, And bid him stay outside the fold And pass along! Twp poplars, menacing as fate, Stand sentinel beside the gate. I pause awhile and wonder why That gate is closed to such as I; Then take my burden, with a sigh, And pass along! q S| BE) RE |) SR

A

TRAMP

The happiness of love is in action; ifs test is what one is willing to do

for others:

L

Wallace