A MAID IN MAYFAIR.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 255, 27 October 1928, Page 4 (Supplement)

A MAID IN MAYFAIR.

GO3SIP FROM LONDON TOWN. BABY WELFARE. PLUNKET WORK IN INDIA. (From Our London Lady Correspondent.) Princess Elizabeth has given her first tea party. It vas a delightful little affair, very simple, perhaps, compared with the ridiculously lavish entertainments which are so often arranged for the children of this generation, but ail the more charming on that account. It took place in the nursery at 145, Piccadilly, with the Queen looking on, and nobody perhaps enjoyed watching the score or so of babies tumbling about and playing together more than did Her Majesty. Like her mother, the Duchess of York, Princess Elizabeth is a delightfully friendly little person, and she was flushed with excitement and thoroughly happy all the afternoon. She loves romping, and joined in simple round <rames with the utmost enthusiasm. But she was probably the most absorbed of all the children while the Punch and Judy show was going on. That seemed to fascinate her. Princess as Chauffeuse. Princess Ingrid of Sweden has attained one of her heart's desires. While *he was in England on holiday a few weeks ago she confided to Prince George, the motoring enthusiast of the Royal Family, her longing to be able to drive and manage a car. Prince George was able to give her a great many hints and they took trips together in his highpowered car, which was the King's gift to him when he came home from China. Now she has qualified, in the properly accredited way, as a motor driver, and lias been granted a driving license by the authorities who tested her abilities in that direction in Stockholm. Thanks to Prince George's tuition, added to the experience she had already acquired, the Princess gave a very good account of herself at the wheel. She is a charming gii"l> with modern ideas, and, fortunately, both her father and her stepmother—who was Lady Louis Mountbatten— encourage. her to take up all kinds of pursuits. Bal Masque. Guests at the Duchess of Sutherland's fancy dress ball set a new fashion in masks. A great many .of them had discarded the old-fashioned black ones with slits for the eyes-and wore a heart-shaped silver one with a "curtain" of filter lace falling from it over the mouth.* There were lots of bird costumes, and these were really the most attractive. Lady Louis Mountbatten's was one of the best, perhaps, being made of soft, white feathers so far as the •kirt Was concerned, each frond tipped with biack. It opened in front over a crystal-embroidered foundation of the very palest pink, and there were great mounts of white feathers at the back of the neck towering up to form a head- ' dress. People changed two or three times, during the evening, discarding one costume for another as soon as they were recognised. Like all" the Duchess' parties this one was voted a brilliant suer jss and a fitting wind-up to a tlioKjHjp! ly enjoyable dance season, A Duke's Granddaughter. Lady tiHi-hamin-Jardine, whose husband is a uc.'i known sportsman'in many 1 other circles besides the one which is said to be addicted to. cock-fighting, is i one of our prettiest racing women. °She < is so dainty that she is easily recog- i Disable at a race meeting, and she Is : ahvaVs exquisitely dressed. A daughter of Lord Ernest Hamilton, she is tall and 1 slim, and has very fair, hair. She has ' the kind of beautiful colouring which goes with hair the colour of ripe corn, and she always look's the picture of health. Fond of an out-of-door life, Lady Buchanan Jardiue is interested most in racing and riding. In any paddock she is always the centre of a group of vivacious young people. She dances well, too, and. as a granddaughter of the first Duke of Abercorn, she goes about a' good deal in society. Gardens and Dances. London hostesses who had their little backyards made into gardens in the last summer or two are reaping the benefit now. At every dance in the last ten ! (lays illuminated trees - and 1 lawns have been; a feature which dancers have delighted in, and an electrician told me to-day that he has hardly been Able to keep pace with the garden work in May fair., '.Chaperons love the garden. • At tjje week-end dances little groups of ! tliem sat out under the trees, talking over.,; old times, at every party where there was any out-of-door space available. ! Supper was served out, too, in a great' many instances, and,:altogether, the - debutante of 1928 is- enjoying experiences denied to the debutantes of the last few years.' ' 1 f ' V; : -- ,

.A Name .Fashion.. .v. . Grania is the latest fiwhion in babies' names—girl babies, that is. It is not altogether, new, for Lady Evelyn Guinness' little daughter has borne It for quite ten years; but there is a decided fashion for it at the moment, and it was given to Lord and Lady'Chelmsford's small granddaughter when she was christened by Lord Normanby., Lord Normanby, who is also .a "reverend," is a friend of the baby's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Donough O'Brien. For some time now Jane and Anne and have been dropped in favour of old-world names, but it is very interesting that Peter still remains very popular for small boys. Irish and Russian books are ' looked through when the baby girl's name is in question, I am told, and there ~. a J a . ncy * or the picturesque titles like Valencia, Lavender and goty. ° B«at Meets West. Lady Irwin, the charming wife of the popular Viceroy of India, is as enthusiastic about the much-needed' inf&nt welfare work In India as was her predecessor, Lady Reading, who, so to speak, blazed the trail while Lord Reading was Viceroy. Lady Irwin is home on holiday, but she is keeping very closely in touch with Indian affairs. I saw her recently, a vivacious, eager figure, the centre of a group of educated Indian princesses whom she had persuaded to inspect one of the model infant welfare clinics in a, poor part of London. Before she went to India Lady Irwin had had much practical experience of social and educational work. ' She spent a great deal of time in Yorkshire, to which she w*. d I^rin belon 8> » n d there was *?y aociai organisation there; whjeheould not eount upon her support to 2ft' Irwin Cftme home Mis, Anne atTriSt — n c^reroDi ng her • *"* d,n ™ •" ".roue* toe V.M a