AT HOME.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 46, 24 February 1927, Page 6

AT HOME.

THE DUKE AND DUCHESS. GREAT CIVIC RECEPTION. AX INSPIRING SPECTACLE. The Town Hall presented a remarkable and inspiring sight last evening when the citizens of Auckland welcomed the son of the King and the Duchess of York. Great trouble had been taken with the decorations to make them worthy of the occasion and they were unique in beauty. The stage was delightful. being arranged as a glade in the New Zealand bush with a stream of water tickling down from the heights

through mossy grown banks, between stones and native plants, into a miniature lake surrounded by boulders covered with mosses and small beautiful plants. All the stage was carpeted with mosses, and ferns grew in every crevice, while a native hut stood in the background covered with ferns and with ii camp-fire burning before it, where a Maori girl plied her native crafts. The background, made >of flax and other native plants, was lit with moonlight fairy lamps and gave the final fairy touch to a very beautiful and unusual form of decoration. From the centre of the hall hung long streamers of lycopodium caught to the sides of the gallery and arranged gracefully to each pillar, beneath the gallery hung filmy baskets of ferns and around the gallery nikati palms were placed in rows and linked with fairy lights. Against each wall stood mirrors surrounded with lattice work filmed with lyeopodium and at the foot massed coloured plants were reflected in its depths. Over the door was erected an arch of lattice work also covered with filmy fern. At the head of the stairs, where the Royal guests arrived, were nikau palms and masses of delicate foliage and at the l>ottom an archway of ferns lit with fairy lights, as was all the hall. The whole lighting gave a very charming effect. The Concert Chamber was arranged as a drawing room with the stage massed with pot plants and variegated hanging plants draping the edge. Baskets of ferns lined each wall and hung from the gallery. while large vases of deep blue delphiniums stood on pedestals about the room. The guests were welcomed by the Mayor, Mr. (J. Baildon, assisted by his daughter, Mr-. A. Campbell, who was handsomely gowned in emliossed georgette shaded in gold purple and flame colours. The Royal Party. The Royal party arrived about, nine o'clock and entered to the strains of the National Anthem. The Duchess was lovely in palest pink ninon encrusted with diamente and with a draping of tulle from the shoulder caught with a diamond and emerald clasp. She wore a high tiara of diamonds, and a diamond and emerald pendant with ropes of pearls, and carried a long feather fan shaded in pink and a bouquet of pale [link roses. Lady Cavan was in black chiffon velvet caught at the shoulder with a large diamond clasp. The Hon. Mrs. Little Gilmour was in silver sequins over an ivory ninon; Lady Lockhart wore black satin and gold decoration; Lady Rhodes, black with heavy diamond tiara; Lady Hunter, gold tissue (Hawke's Bay); Sirs. Coates, flesh pink sequined frock; Mrs. Boyle, black lace over royal blue; Mrs. Cecil Leys, silver, embossed in pink and blue roses; Mrs. Peters, pervenche blue brocade; Sirs, de Sal is, green taffeta; Mrs. Dav, oriental brocade, Mrs. Colbeck, black jetted net; Mrs. Lindsay, farlane, petunia satin beaute; Mrs. Kinder, black and gold tissue; Mrs. K. Anderson, black beaded georgette; Mrs. I racy Inglis, black sequined georgette; .Mis. Mair, black beaded georgette; Mrs. George Fowlds, black%ilk lace; Mrs. Dargaville, shaded mauve and red diamante; Mrs. T. Mackav, black crepe do chine. Mrs. Colemaii, black jetted lace; Mrs. Ernest Davis, mauve and silver; Mrs. Avcrill, pale lavender embossed georgette: Mrs. Keeble. black; Mrs. Potter, shrimp pink georgette: Mrs. Cottar, black; Mrs. Shayle George, black taffeta; Mrs. Stride, silver and cornflower blue with \el\et bands; Airs. »T. .T. Craig, pale blue satin and georgette; Mrs. Bullock, rose georgette beaded in pearls; Mrs. J. B. Paterson, black crepe de chine; Mrs. Adams, pale blue and silver; Mrs. C". V. Houghton, petunia crepe de chine; Mrs. Gnnson, senr., black satin and gold lace; Mrs. A. M. ilson, black crepe de chine; Airs. Lamb, floral georgette; Mrs. P. Ford, gold tissue; Mrs. ,J. War nock! amethyst embossed georgette; Mrs. Eady. silver tissue and lace; Mrs. Blindsden, blue; Mrs. Thompson, blue and silver; Mrs. J. W. Hardley. black lace; Mrs. J. W. Court, apricot; Mrs. J. Allum, peacock blue and black; Mrs. J. Roberts, black and jet; Mrs. Brownlec, brown and gold; Mrs. M. J. Bennett, black sequined frock; Mrs. Coyle. brown: Mrs. Donald, jade green; Mrs. E. R. Yickernian, black beaded georgette with cream embroidered shawl; Mrs. H. Mac Donald. black satin and royal blue embroidery: Mrs. D. Bruce, black georgette covered iu jet: Mrs. H. A. Bowden, black satin beaded in silver; Mrs. Bartrum, black frock, beaded in crystal; Mrs. Partridge, hernia ninon over golden brocade; Airs. E. W. Alison, hyacinth pink and gold; Dr. Wilkie, oriental wrap; Airs. deep apricot taffeta; Airs. Edger, black crepe de chine; Airs. Oliphant. grey with crystals; Airs. Stafford, peacock blue and silver; Airs. J. Barr, floral georgette: Airs. .T. B. Alacfarlanc, deep petunia and red crepe de chine; Mrs. T., Brett, petunia and sequins; Airs. Duncan Clerk, blue and silver; Airs. Devore, black satin and lace; Airs. Napier, black with heavy silver decoration; Airs. Hatfield, black jetted georgette: Airs. H. Goldie, gold lace over rose; Airs. W. R. Wilson, black crepe de chine and heavy silver brocaded wrap; Airs. H. Williams, black lace over satin: Airs. Gillies, gold brocade: Airs. C. Towsey, black crepe de chine: Airs. Fotheringham, black crepe de chine: Airs. Plummer, black georgette, embroidered; Airs. Coldicutt. maize and silver; Airs. Wright, black and steel beading: Airs, von Stunner, blue georgette: Airs. J. Cook, black: Airs. Herdman, black and silver with cerise shawl; Airs. Pilling, petunia and crystal; Airs. W. Brown, flame brocade: Airs. J. Calder. blue patterned georgette; Aliss Alowbray, black and silver brocade; Airs. Basten. black; Airs. Leech Jones, black georgette and Naples blue; Airs. Poynton, black georgette and ivory lace: Airs. H. K. Close, black and goid: Mrs. Ashley Hunter, black georgette and oriental trimmings; Airs. Lamont. black and silver: Airs. Tewsley, black georgette and crystal; Mrs. Kenneth Gordon, black and silver: Airs. Colbeck, delphinium blue and silver; Airs. Grimwade, black crepe de chine; Airs. Cowan, blue georgette and silver; Airs. Fullerton, tangerine cm-

bossed georgette; Mi*. H. Pearce. lavpn-

der georgette; Mrs. Morrah, rote taffeta;

Mre. McMurray. black and gold lace; Mrs. Milsom. gold lace: Mrs. Quartler, apricot, chenille; Mrs. Boyle, black sequins over almond green; Mrs. Spedding, blue taffeta: Mrs. Holgate, gold and sequins; Mrs. \Y. R. Howitt. grey

panne velvet; Mrs. Low, old rose satin

Mrs. Ansell, gold and silver tissue: Miss Mowbray, black and silver brocade; Alias Janet Murray, black and gold lace; Dr. Hilda Northcroft. black lace and deep blue; Miss Alice Law, embossed georgette and crystal; Miss Mary Law. petunia and crystal: Miss Caldicot. floral georgette, blue shawl; Miss R. Dawson, black and iridescent sequins; Miss Macfarlane. primrose taffeta; Miss Frnest, embossed georgette: Miss J. Miller, georgette cyclamen: Miss K. Holland, blue georgette; Miss Oliphant, black and wine red wrap: Miss Sweet, apricot georgette:

Miss Ann Marnier, ivory lirocaiie: Miss J .1. Law ford, mauve georgette; Miss Una; Foley, white frock with rose pink and ! silver; Miss C. Foley, white edged with' silver embroideries; Aliss Marion Mao-1 Donalu, pervenche blue taffeta: Miss' Olive Yickerman, coral pink georgette! and georgette roses: Miss K. Thomson. I primrose georgette headed in crystal:! Miss R. Thomson, cyclamen marocain:' Miss Hadlield. green hrocade: Miss .I.' Stevenson. petunia georgette: Miss Cole- j grove; petunia and silver: Miss C. Cole-, grove, ldack georgette: Miss J. Tapper.! burgundy satin: Miss I). Tapper, lilack ■ taffeta: Aliss C. Russell, gold brocade:! Miss 1?. Knight. Iloral georgette; Miss J

V. Monckton. primrose georgette: Alisti Russell, llesh georgette: Miss Law. rcso ' georgette and sequins: Miss 15. IVarce. j lloral georgette: Miss Morrison, black i and ivory lace; Miss A. Wynyard. per- I venche blue georgette: Miss N. Brett. | leaf green georgette; Miss A. Law. royal I blue cre[>e de chine; Miss Palmer, ruse' and gold; Miss M. Hardie Neil, blue j crepe de chine and cream lace: Alir*> Moore, gold brocade; Miss H. Sea brook, i blue georgette and gold lace. j