Palmerston Doings.

Free Lance, Volume XVIII, Issue 984, 14 May 1919, Page 10

Palmerston Doings.

Dhak i Christ abel,— '■- THE big event of the.week has been the Awapuni.races. Fine weather and ; good sport gave-zest to. the outing. - That- equine .heroine, Desert. Gold, added mtich to her popularity by her -plucky performance. After four weeks in the stable,, she kept faith "with her engagement, and was just on the point of beating Sasahof for the Gold Cup when the winning post was reached. On the second day she was an easy winner.. On. both occasions there were tremendous demonstrations as the placid favourite stood for her toilet. * * * * The flowers were not so good this year, but the lawns and grounds were in excellent order and the whole environment was charming. There was nothing very outstanding in tlie frocking, but one pays alarmingly for simplicity: these days. There were the usual "number of navy blue costumes and it had to be a very well cut suit to appear singular. The soft, fawns in cloth were among the most striking, several being fur-trimmed. Mrs Highden ... Johnston was a . s.tately figure in superbly tailored black. .Mrs Goring Johnston, tlie- president's wife, wore . a . smart mole' cloth costume,., trimmed with!, moleskin.. .. . , /.Mrs H: N. Watson wore a smart light; fawn costume,, and. her daughter. Sophie was in navy blue. Miss Cecil Baldwin's costume \ was a- neatly- tailored brown, with v large golden brownpanne hat. Mrs Crawford (nee Miss Turnbull, of Wellington)'; wore v ~a quaint' tarn o''• shanter • hat in r -biscuit • shade', with a- costume the same shade. A rather darina; outfit was worn by a visitor —a tight skirt in draught-board check, close-fitting"• black swal-low-tailed, coat and bold brocade waist-- : coat and. hat of grey niched velvet, with an ostrich plume curling over the brim. It might have walked out,, of comic opera, but is probably quite' Parisian. ...... * * * * 'Amongst the visitors '"at the races Were* Mrs Louis Griffiths 1! (of Blenhjeim')-, who is staying -with her sister/ Mrs : G. Sim; - Miss Blaine West, whq is the-guest of sister;. Mrs ijowry (of Hawke's Bay)y in'a fur. ,coat of. seal -and-mole .was. there,.to see her bioVse win;. Miss June Clifford accompanied, her., father,.; Sir George Clifford. * * * * On Saturday night the old girls of the High School, held a dance -in the Anzae Club', to augment the funds for providing a new and separate schools for the- girls. The new' school is to b& down Fitzherbert street, and the Government has donated £10,000 towards its erection. i * • * : --: * * Mr J. Henrys, the pdular• Kandicapper, had his two soldier sons with him at the races. Lieut. Stuart Henrys was with the first batch of New Zealanders to enter Cologne. : * * ;;■- * * Trooper Harry. Jewell, son of Mr "Tim'' Jewell, one time journalist and now prosperous \ cow cocky, has returned home. ■; * :■.,-' : * ;•:-.- * -.;?'• ' -,*- -;•'• " - Mr .George . Belfit, a.., returned Main Body :man. the courteous eustb-

dian of tlie Opera House, died last week. .He was-. accorded a .military funeral;!;"'" "-- """' • :' A special troop train with 500 men ex-Northumberland arrived in Palmerston on' Saturday, where they were entertained at lunch on the showground, proceeding on their journey an hour later. . "Unfortunately, some had' smuggled liquor into the train, and, although''hundreds of men were sober and decent, a couple of dozen were in a very objectionable condition and made themselves conspicuous by their behaviour. It ended- in a fracas, and a John Hop and two military" policemen were roughly handled. Mr . :'and Mrs Hodgson were entertained bv the hockey enthusiasts at the . bowling ; pavilion, and presented with farewell: gifts, -prior to their departure for Whangarei. ■* ; - •* • '■*'- ■'* - The Palmerston Operatic Society has decided to stage "The Country Girl," this season.. .They already have a .full muster ~of girls, . but men , are still wanted.' " ' .::' ~,..' ■•-•■■'•■ AwAptnsri.