THE LADIES’ WORLD.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2552, 13 July 1909, Page 3

THE LADIES’ WORLD.

A dignified old lady with long Avliitc curls hanging down from her head, ■was.one or. tl&e speakers at the weekly “At Home” of the woman’s Social and Political Union at the Queen’s Hall, Glasgow, recently. Tins was Mrs. Wolstonholmc Elmy, who is now seventysix years of age. She is the oldest member of the Union. She informed the audience that she spoke in favor of woman’s suffrage as far back as October, 1865. Queen Alexandra is the. first Queen Consort wiio has accompanied the sovereign in state to open a British Parliament, and when the King, shortly after his v accession, declared his intention to 4iis ministers of taking the Queen .with him in the famous gilded coach to the Palace of Westminister there Avas some demur, as no precedent ©ould be found for the act. His Majesty stood firm, however, and carried his point further by declaring that the Queen should sit by Us sido in a chair of state.

Last- February there died at Ports- ' rhoutli a' philanthropic Jewish Aiderman, Avho left £IOOO to provide silver watches ,as prizes in tho city schools on such terms as the governing bodies concerned should direct. He also left £ISOO to form an “Alderman and Mrs. Leon Emmanuel Wedding Gift Fund.” The income is to be applied to purchase each year wadding gifts of furniture 1W three young Women who have resided ill Portsmouth for five years and are about to bo married. Preference is to be given to orphans, without religious distinction. Sir John Cockburn, in speaking recently on behalf of woman’s suffrage at AValton-on-Tharnes, declared that women were strongly patriotic, and their instincts for national defence was shown by the fact that only the colonies Avhicli had made the offer of Dreadnoughts were those in Avhicli Avomen had a vote. Sir Victor Horsley is evidently another doughty champion* for the cause for women’s enfranchisement, for lie declared recently that had Avomen been given the vote forty years ago there would have been no need for tiie Band of Hope Union. Efforts are being made in various parts of China to influence public opinion against the barbarous practice of foot-binding. The Natural Foot Society is reported to be making fair headAvay, but almost exclusively among the Aipper classes. It is said of the latter that at least 80 per cent are adopting tho large shoe. Among the poorer people. Avith the exceptions of tho Christians, there is, hoAveA-cr, scarcely any sign of change. In a large profectual city in the Western district a public assembly is held tAvice a month for the purpose of exhorting tho women to unbind their OAvn feet, and to give up the practice of binding those of little girls. Mrs. Cobden Sanderson, avlio has made such a spirited protest on behalf of the “Avorkhouse mother,” is one of a remarkable sisterhood. The daughter of Richard Cobden, she and her sisters, one of whom is Mrs. Fisher Umvin, have taken an active part of late years in all Avomen questions, and all have that keen sense of sympathy Avith suffering and impatience of oppression which have made them thorough-going philanthropists. Like Mrs. Unwin, Mrs. Sanderson is a warm friend of reform and .a strong Liberal. She has, in fact, all that pertinacity of purpose and concentrated energy which are necessary to those avlio have a passion for setting the Avorld to rights. Yet another league for .women, the Aerial has just been inaugurated under the auspices of a large number of Avell-knoAvn ladies. Among them and on the council are Lady Montagu of Beaulieu, who founded the Ladies’ Automobile Club; the Lady Mayoress; Mrs. George Alexander; Mrs. Capper, whose husband occupies a orom nent position in the aeronautical avuM; and Mrs. H. G. Wells, wife if the nevUist who bias shown such a practical !• miledge as avoll as interest in the builc/ng of aeroplanes. A public meeting is to be held shortly at which'a poAverlm appeal Avill be made to ti.e women of Britain and the colonies to secure their patriotic interest as regards the. supremacy of the air. In Trance a similar league lias already met with some success, though the sad death rf cue of the (members when making a balloon ascent has somoAvhat retarded its progress. SeA r en ladies have been elected to the Copenhagen Municipal Council, the present election being the first at ■>. J-.<ch Avomen possessed the right to vote ;*j d were eligible candidates. Mrs. Hoff, a successful Radical candidate, avlio is a surgeon by profession, said in an i itmvieAv that she had learned in her professional career how the health oi children Ava.s undermined for life by poA r erty. She has a plan for the improvement of the upbringing of poor children. Mrs. Salicath, an anti-Social-istj and the matron of a home for women and babies, believes in practical philanthropy as a remedy for social ills. Miss Crone, Avho is a Socialist politically and a typist by calling, said she lias been elected because she avas in the closest agreement Avith the programme of her party. She hopes the other Avomen councillors will support the benevolent projects of the Socialists.

The German CroAvn Princess is a noted leader of fashion, and has started many uoav customs, one, of the most novel being her habit of carrying a long, dainty walking-stick Avhcnever she aoes m;t. It usually has a gold top and is ornamented Avitli a colored silken bow, and the fashion has taken greatly among the Avomen of fashionable Berlin. The Princess has a large collection of such, sticks, each ornamented in a different Avay, and she is able te select one to suit any costume she may be Avearing. One very handsome stick, given by a relative, bears her initials in rubies. Her Royal Highness’s jeAvels are some of the finest in the Avorld, and she possesses one particularly interesting necklace Avhich is more valued for its associations than for its own- intrinsic value. I’t is a necklace composed of all the little Easter egg trinkets that she has received since her birth. The Princess, who is of Russian origin, has received many of these little trinkets all shaped as eggs, as it is the custom in Russia to gh*e such gifts among one’s friends every Eastertide.