AUCKLAND WOMEN'S CLUB.

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 187, 8 August 1919, Page 3

AUCKLAND WOMEN'S CLUB.

The opening ceremony of the new club for women in the Empire Chambers, Swanson Street, on Wednesday afternoon, when the president and committee held their first "At Home," was an amazing success. From half-past two till five a constant stream of members and friends poured elowly upstairs—for the lift was totally , unable to deal with the crush. The 6uite of seven rooms had been specially decorated for the occasion by members of the house committee, Mesdames W. R. Wilson. Lucas Bloomfield, Dickenson, Bayley, and Miss Janet Murray. Great credit was deserved for the lovely flower combinations about the rooms. The lounge, the prettiest of the rooms, is in huff and brown, with amethyst hangings, and the scheme was carried out by large purple bowls of violets and deep yellow daffodils maesed about the corners and on tables in the room. A large palm in a very quaint old red terra cotta pot, added a touch or originality to the room. The lounge was rapidly packed to the doors with I visitors, listening to the speech of wel'ccme. Mrs. W. R. Wilson, the president, I received her guests, wearing a very handsome frock of eilver grey charmeuse with the bodice banded with navy blue, the \ skirt made with pointed overdre33 of .grey over blue charmeuse and each point I tasselled. With this was worn a severely i plain black hat with blue osprey, and sealskin cape. In opening the club, Mrs. Wilson congratulated the women of Auckland on the new departure. The rooms might be considered email, but they were the best to be procured at the time, and the committee was already scheming to enlarge their borders. Furiniture at the present time was very dear. J and they had used the money of the : members in the best way possible, and as i soon as all the accounts were through, ] a written etatement would be put up in I the club, showing the expenditure. There had already been £715 received for debentures and subscriptions from 500 j members. It was hoped that members would make gifts to the reading room of good magazines and papers. The tearoom Would not be open for members till the middle of the month,' when the manageress, who was coming from a very well-known and artistically-conducted tearoom in Chrietehurch, would take up her duties. Afternoon tea was served in the dining room, which is in stone grey land vieux rose, with checked hangings in the same scheme of colouring. The flowers upon the tables were particularly j beautiful, especially the large pal* pink carnations, which were much admired. The work of the servery was patriotically ; taken in hand by Mrs. Lucas Bloomfield, iMre. Roy Wilson and Mrs. Bayley, with i the- assistance of a quartet of little girls in grey frocks and white mob caps. This department entailed some very heavy work, no less than nine gallons of water being made into tea. All the cakes, which were delicious, were the work of ' the ladies of the committee, who had ! contributed this offering for the opening , of the club. The reading room is decorated in blue and stone grey, with oaken furniture in brown and blue, -while the liowers were purple and red anemones. The committee room, where Mrs. Maguire, Mrs. Buttle and Mrs. Irwin received new members all the afternoon, is a pretty study in buff and nattier blue, with checked drapery of the same tints, and an oriental carpet. One of the prettiest rooms is the card-room, done in pale green and oatmeal-coloured drapery. Each green-topped table had a white cloth, and acted as afternoon tables to meet the great demand, with

vases of very fine yellow gaillardias for centre-piece. The furniture is stained , brown oak with green leather seats too match the walls. All during the afternoon a constant stream of visitors kept flowing into the rooms and out again to make room for more, and not till nearly five did the preesUTe slacken, when the very tired committee had time to conigratulate themselves upon 'wihat was a I most auspicious opening of the new club :for Auckland women.