WELLINGTON.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 9941, 21 January 1898, Page 7

WELLINGTON.

January 15. Influenza still retains its hold upon a large number of citizens, and some of the doctors are said to be as busy as ever tliey have been during the last few months. Dr. Francis, an old citizen, has been, and in fact still is, very ill from an attack of this abominable epidemic, which has proved most trying in its effects upon many elderly people. Sir Robert Stout has been away for a short change, hoping to shake off the effects of an attack of influenza from which he has been suffering, but he has returned still far from well.

Miss Mabel Hill, the well-known artist, who has been for some years connected with the School of Design, was married on Wednesday last to Mr Mclndoe, of Dunedin. Mr Chas. Hill gave away the bride, who was prettily dressed in white satin and chiffon. Miss May Blundell, her chief bridesmaid, was dressed in white silk, with a large Leghorn hat, and four little Misses Hill were itt long white silk frocks, with pretty Dutch bonnets edged with pearls. Mr Milne, M.A., of Dunedin, acted as best man, and the Rev. Mr Paterson performed the ceremony. Mrs Hill and Mrs Mclndoe were both becomingly dressed in blaok satin trimmed with jet. ~ A reception was held in the afternoon at the residence of the bride's brother, after which Mr and Mrs Mclndoe left for Wanganui, whence they journey to Dunedin. The bride is the sister of Mr Alf. Hill, the composer of " Hinemoa" and a brilliant violini»t, who is now residing in Sydney, Mr E. J. Hill, the well-known tenor singer, is another brother.

On. the same day Mr G. F. Brown and Miss J. Dumbler were married, the staff of the D.1.G.; Presenting the bridegroom with a handsome dinner service.

By degrees holiday makers are returning to town, and buckling on their harness again. They mostly look considerably browned and J consequently wear the appearance* of bettor health. After toasting on the sea shores for several weeks one certuinly deserves i some reward. At this season of the year a I mother's lot is not a happy one. She usually gives one or more of her servants a holiday, and then cuts herself adrift from her comfortable roomy home, cramps herself into a four-roomed cottage, where bunks masquerade as beds, eats badly cooked food, becomes housemaid and nurse in one, sits in the blazing sun half the day, whilst her children disport themselves in tho water, smiles cheerfully when her husband 00/nes to visit them on Sunday and declares she is having a delightful time and, when they return home and she views the comfortable rooms from which she has been absent so long—years ; she thinks it must be —she thankfully remembers that Christmas comes but once a year. However, she is generally more than repaid by the improved health of her children, for many people have proved that a few weeks at the seaside each year, prevent many of the attacks of illness to which children s flesh is heir. BuahvcflMia . ha»ar- baa— FSttderinf, both nigh*- arid, day hideous -in aonaa of the subarbs. Khandallah residents' specially were much alarmed, as the fires swept all around, coming moat unpleasantly near to some of their dwellings. A detachment of the Permanent Artillery went out- from town and did much useful work in keeping the fire back. At Petone the fires came so far down the Koro Koro Valley that work had. to be stopped at the Woollen Mills, the smoke being so dense. All the hands turned out and endeavoured to beat back the flames. Many dead trout are found in the rivers over which the fires have swept. The Hutt river is teeming with trout, but the water is too clear for anglers to have a chanoa of landing any of them. It looJm as if the valuable books in the Parliamentary library are at last to be safely stored. The plans of a brick building constructed on the American fire-proof principles, is being prepared by Messrs Turnbull and Sons. Tho building will have a frontage of 116 ft to Hill street with a depth of 48ft. Mrs T. Mackenzie, a vety old resident, has passed away, aged sixty-one. Mrs Mackenzie came out by the ship Burnham in 1842 with her parents, Mr and Mrs Buck, and she afterwards married Mr Tom Mackenzie, for many years proprietor of the Wellington Independent. Mr C. Capper, another well-known resident, for many years manager of the firm of Messrs W. and G. Turnbull, died suddenly at Ashurst where he had gone on business. IOLANTHI.