WHAT WE WOMEN THINK

Radio Record, Volume IV, Issue 27, 16 January 1931, Page 30

WHAT WE WOMEN THINK

Nor long ago a woman bought haif-a-dozen oysters from a stall on the Blackpool beach. While eating the first one she felt what seemed like a number of small stones in her mouth. Hastily withdrawing them she found to her surprise that she had nearly swallowed nine pearls! One pearl was a. quarter of aninch in diameter, and the value of the whole. nine proved to be in the vicinity of £30. * * *®

TAN unusual wedding took place some months ago in a forest near the Avon Valley in Bngland. The bride was a Torquay school teacher and the bridegroom a doctor, both belonging to the Order of Woodcraft Chivalry, and were named "White Lion" and "Brave Desmos" respectively. They were the first couple to be married according to the;rites of the order, and the ceremony -was extremely picturesque. The members were grouped round a camp fire in a sylvan ampitheatre and the bride dressed in Lincoln green, with a garland on her brow and sandals on her feet. The couple advanced to the fire, stood silent for a moment, then "Desmos" taking the hand of "White Lion" said, "In the sight of God and in the presence ofthis assembly I take you to be my wife." "White Lion" made a similar vow, and her husband placed a ring on her finger. For musical accompaniment there were the songs of the birds and the tinkling of water on the stones of a near-by brook. + * s TA MOST effective treatment for floors in a country cottage is to paint them, and then, if desired, stencil a pattern on to them. There are two different effects to be obtained with paint -an all-over dappled pattern or the more conventional stencilled border design. For the former it is necessary to paint the floor all over first in one colour, and then before quite dry spray with the second. Two shades of the same colour are most attractive, but if a contrast is wanted the second colour might repeat the predominant tone of curtains and cushions. For stencilled designs it is generally better to choose a bold pattern, such as the Greek key pattern. Use ordinary stencils, but be sure to wipe the backs clean of paint before using again to continue the design, Apply the paint with short stab-. bing strokes to avoid getting a blurred outline for the motifs. Before beginning be sure that the ground colour of the floor is absolutely dry. = = * PTtHE powers of electricity as a means of saving ‘ unnecessary labour, and of raising the standard of comfort and hygiene in the home, can hardly be exaggerated (says an "Hconomist" correspondent). Everything in England is to be done to help the householders to install electricity in their homes. There are to be attractive facilities for extended payment, either through the chief wiring contractors or concerns selling electrical appliances and apparatus, or through a finance company, for it is now realised that electricity isa great vehicle of civilisation. * * » OW that pineapples are fairly cheap, it is a good opportunity to glace some for storing. To do this, peel a small pineapple and after removing the "eyes" cut it into cubes. Make a syrup by boiling together for 20 minutes 60z. lump Sugar and a breakfast cupful of water. Then stir in the pineapple and boil for another ten minutes. Remove from the fire and let stand till cold, strain off the juice, spread the fruit on a large dish. and place in a very cool oven till dried. Dip each piece of pineapple into a second and thicker syrup, made by boiling together very quickly 1lb. sugar and one pint of water. See that every side is well coated with hot syrup. Leave on a sieve in a warm room to dry before packing in boxes lined with waxed paper. me * * 7 . GIR CHARLES HOWDHLL THOMAS, Permanen * Secrerary te the Ministry of Agrieuiture and Fisheries, stated in che House of Lords, at the Royal Commission on the Civil Service, that the

v environment of some of the.works excluded women for posts as inspectors (writes a correspondent to the London "Times"). Sir Charles Howell Thomas continued that it was unwise for women to go to sea as inspectors in trawlers, and that the position of agricultural inspectors was also unsuitable. He further stated that the time had not yet arrived for them, for the farmers would not feel they could talk so freely to women as to men inspectors; he said that if there were more women farmers, and work which up till now had been done by men, was undertaken by women, the opening would be made, and the time then ripe for women inspectors, . ° 3 EVIDENCE was also given during this same Commission on Civil Service upon "marriage bar," and it was decided that married women should not be debarred from candidature for, or ENIATOAEDEDASLUOCLATUADAV TUDEDEUSNUTOSULAATESAADESECSUOUUNOAANORSUGOOEENOTUOOEESUOQIONNUCOILECHEELUUITICULLESTES

Beata. employment in, those professional, scientific and technical classes in which single women may be employed. A woman doctor--Dr. Overton--re-presenting the medical institution, said that the marriage bar should be abolished, because the professional classes took upon themselves a career as men do, and put themselves to considerable expense in qualifying. * = B T is interesting to read the views of a German Fascist doctor 6n modern man’s dress. The doctor, who is a leader in the Hitler movement in Berlin, has gone so far as to publish a book on male attire. He considers that the time has come when all good Fascists should cease to adopt the clothing of the bourgeoisie. Certainly, his views on the collar. will be heartily endorsed by thousands of suffering males all over the world. "The man of to-morrow," he says, "will have no place for the collar, because it is unnecessary, ugly and unhygienic. It is the symbol of the yoke borne in a decadent era." After that slashing indictment surely even the starchiest of collars will be unable to stand upright. * + EH are now having on the market smallersized vacuum cleaners at half the price of the full-sized ones, and diminutive electric washing machines which are selling in London at the moderate price of twelve guineas. | They will do all that a larger one will do. Ten minutes of circular movement in the washer will cleanse the dirtiest of clothes. Its great advantage is thxt the movement is gentle, and ne can satisfactoviky wash woollens, silks and all delicate fabrics.

To the American in London it comes as something of a surprise to discover that, so far as money’ is concerned, each of Hngland’s colonies is treated as a foreign country. Even coins from the Irish Free State are not legal tender in Britain, In the American colonies, on the contrary, even a dime can buy something for its owner, while in Europe French shopkeepers will generally accept Hnglish money. In Holland, both Belgian and English coins are accepted. * x *

F,LNOR GLYN, the well-known novelist, has just moved into a new flat, accompanied by her two Persian cats. Miss Glyn has had a "park" specially built for them outside a window, , and there they lie basking in what sun there is, reclining in a quilted and silk-lined basket, with cushions to match and a coverlet to tuck round them. They are evidently being brought up out a modified Plunket system. a * * A NEW schedule of standard sizes for women’s dresses and other garments, evolved after 18 months’ work by the London Employers’ Association, has been adopted by 40 manufacturing firms (writes the "Daily Sketch"). Women will in future be assured that if a size 38 or 42 dress of one maker is a perfect fit, so also will be a dress of the same size made by any of the 39 other makers, The new schedule is based on hip measurement, which has been found the most reliable basis, and the standard sizes range from 836 to 50. Dresses will vary in length according to fashion. More and more manufacturers are adopting the standard size schedule, and it is hoped that it will soon be universally adopted throughout: the trade. . he 2 2 \ DURING the recent Christmas shopping week , one could not fail to be struck with the’! altered methods adopted by women who were obviously buying presents. No longer did they send the shop assistants scurrying after first one and then another pretty, but quite useless article. This year they seemed to realise that in these "so-called" hard times nobody would thank them for objects of art. Bvery offering would be better appreciated if it could be used, and if it could also be admired, so much the better. Such an attitude of mind is interesting as pointing the way for new methods of house-furnishing. The house of to-morrow will be furnished on a more utilitarian basis, and the glass-fro.ted cabinets, stuffed with treasures, so dear to our grandparents, will not be granted a place any more than will the bed valances, and heavy-tasselled velvet curtains of ‘he Victorian era. Moreover, lest we should lose our artistic appreciation of the beautiful, even the simplest implements of household use will have to be made pleasing to the eye. In this way it will come about that th economic depression through which we are pas: will be rendering a very real service to ‘the’ * future. Py * 2 ‘HD clever modern girl is always thinking out something to employ her time; if she is in the happy position of not having to earn her own living there is no reason why she should not take up a "professional" hobby. Dressmaking, for those who have the gift is a very fascinating occupation and always a girl can be certain that there will be ample scope to make a livelihood from this wrk. There are not nearly enough good dressmakers at the present time, and we all know how grateful we feel to a fricead who recommends us to a c ver d-essmaker. Therefore, any girl who has the gift of designing, drawing, doing fine needlework and a love of the beautiful could not do better than taking up as a profession dressdesigning. In large houses designers are ¢enployed at salaries varying from £5 to £15 a week, ut the qualifications have to reach a very high standard of art,

Thought for the Week A sense of humour is the most hard-worked and most frequently misapplied phrase in our language. I prefer to regard it as the philosophy of the unbeaten.

N.K.

STRANGE

in "Kenya Dawn."

_ rare H® news’ of Rebecca West's mar- ’ yiage will surprise those who remember how that distinguished novelist and feminist used to refer pungently. to average English husbands. as "nerfect nuisances." We can only infer from this that the fortunate man is well above the average-at least, in Migs West's estimation. Which, after all; is quite as it should be. Moreover, it must not be forgotten that on another: occasion Miss West said: "Surely, to ask the intellectual women to stand aside and leave marriage to their dependent and sweet sisters who ‘need: protection’ is eugenically unsound?.. Why should the nation be denied enrichment from these chosen stocks?’.. So at the age of thirtyseven this brilliant writer is entering on a love romance of her own, and we ake sure-that the best wishes of all he readers will accompany her. ® * * 'THERD is always a fascination in putting a penny in a slot machine, whether it is for your weight, chocolate, matches, or,a threepenny orange drink. In..Berlin you can buy your morning and evening paper this way, but perhaps this would only lead to further unemployment if we had it in New Zealand. . e = . pucatisn tic are down, there's no reason for trade to be down, Messrs. Crosse..and Blackwell, the well-known .firm of manufacturers, have reduced*many of their standard lines. Since ‘this has been done their business has increased so greatly that they have been compelled to add a night shift to their factory staff. This increased business not only means more people employed in the factories, but it means.increased employment among the Welsh tin-plate workers, printers, glass" workers and boxmakers. This is surely a bright sign though it is in England, but New Zealand considers ‘it -follows suit, 80 here’s to our good: times, which our factories and manufacturing firms will help to bring about.- In business it is policy to lookup and not down. > a) s OW the winds are not quite so ferocious, and the sin is not quite, a stranger, the garden Sliows signs of. brightness and cololr; .and one does not feel quite so ‘disheartened at the thought of all the money spent on plants with very little result. There is really no cheaper way of beautify: ing one’s garden than by raising plants from seeds. ‘It is a method that should be more often adopted by those ose purse feels the. pinch when. it cémeés to buying large quantities of plants. Be sure never to transplate the seedlings in clumps, but separate them by about a foot. If the seeds have been planted in a box, it is an excellent plan to place a sheet of perforated paper or coarse muslin over the top before watering; this preyents washing small seeds out of the soil or them to one corner. x % x Jj UST a word to those who are not very experienced in the use of an electric stove. Bverything:is very simple. An electric stove needs very little cleaning-that is one of its great charms. A cloth should be kept handy for wiping off anything that may be spilt. In an electric oven.the back part cooks more quickly than’ the front. If you want to ‘cook -your eake quickly, put it well back, and if

you want it to cook.’slower, draw it forward. If you haye a custard to cook, put it in the oyen when you have turned off the power,:as an electric oven holds the heat for quite half an hour afterward. If a.joint is to be roasted, the best formula for time to use is 20 minutes per. pound weight of joint and 20 minutes over; and the oven should be switched on for about twenty minutes before the joint is put in.. As with the gas stove, there is ‘no teacher like experience, but it is surprising how easily and ‘rapidly one learns to judge the time- required to obtain the necessary heats for. the different food being cooked. * * *- WITH the advent of the: "talkies" the atmosphere of Hollywood is said to have changed conipletely. To begin with, a different. type of actor or actress is required-one with something more than a mere ."face -value." The day of the "beautiful byt’ dumb". artist has: gone, and in their places has arisen a cleverer and more -.seriouscrowd, for the success of the. talking picture ‘depends largely on the. brains. of the- actors, Curiously enough, . salaries are smaller; and whether it is due to this fact or not, there are certainly fewer parties, while the "orgies" of former days are not in evidence. Perhaps this will dissipate the Hollywood mirage which has lured so many English lads and _ lasses across the Atlantic to try thelr fortunes at Los Angeles, : bd * Me. ROBERT GRAVHS has just' had published a sequel to his highly controversial book "Good-bye ‘to -All That." In this new book, whieh is called "But It Still Goes On," the. author sets out his ideas of a war from which all mechanicalised fighting is absent: "A duel of hand-to-hand fighting between picked national forces that would be formal, chivalrous and primitive. Weapons should be the simplest possible, standardised after the fashion of bats, golf balls and the like. The weapon could probably be: the quarterstaff, The battlefield should. be an area of 1000 square miles in a. sparsely-inhabited region in a neutral country, With neutral umpires playing the part of mediaeval heralds. ‘Time. of action, two or three weeks."

ALISON