HAPPENINGS IN THE CAPITAL.

Clutha Leader, Volume XXXIII, Issue 2040, 21 August 1906, Page 6

HAPPENINGS IN THE CAPITAL.

(By Penelope.) WELLINGTON, Aug 18. TWO INTERESTING PEOPLE. Since their return Lady and Miss Ward have been as busy in their own way as the new Premier, and lie scarcely gets time to eat and sleep. They have had hundreds of callers at thenluxurious house in Tinakori road that, but for one thing, is quite an ideal residence. That one drawback is its locality. It is under the higlv range of hills, and gets little sun, and is grbouiy in the extreme, although a visitor, entering the beautiful hall ablaze with lights, would never realize the fact. On Tuesday afternoon a large number of callers were received by Lady Ward and Miss Ward. Then' can be few more charming hostesses than the wife of our new Premier. She is as delightful to look at as to speak to, and is the favourite of everyone who knows her. Miss Ward had her beautiful dark hair dressed in a very quaint and becoming mode. Without wave or ripple, it was brushed back from her face in a puff that was lower at the top than at the sides, but not at all exaggerated, such as some Wellington women are wearing. The back hair was brushed to the crown of the head, and made a soft horizontal coil on the top of the other pull", rolled with such graceful art that it merely seemed a large curl set across the top of the head. One of the new gold combs —a plain band of metal mounted on tortoiseshell—was set at the back. Her blouse, too, struck a new nVotc. It was of Irish crotchet, with no trimming, and the elbow sleeves sat as close to the arm as a glove, and with the same small wrinkles that a glove is apt to fall into. At the elbow there was no runic or frill, and the belt was of draped pale blue silk, with a handsome oval gold buckle at the back. A string of bine Venetian beads supplied the touch of colour. These same beads are being worn by all our girls who have returned from Home trips, and are a charming addition to a lace or silk blouse. Lady Ward is wearing black, but her hats are very small, very tilted, and with feathers at the back. One with graceful Bird of Paradise plumes is particularly becoming. Her two sisters—Mrs Boyes of Napier, and Mrs Henderson of Invereargill, have been staying with her this week. She was at both the teas of this last week lunched at Bellevue Gardens, and dined with Sir Joseph and his new Cabinet at Government House on Friday evening. Little Pat looks much stronger for his stay in the South. While there he was immensely interested in a traction engine, and his first words, when the tender came alongside the 'Frisco boat were " Have you brought me a traction engine ?" However, a motor tricycle quite contented him. THE FEEDING OF INFANTS. This is a question that is being much discussed here just now, ])r Truby King, who is an expert and an enthusiast, having lectured and demonstrated on the subject to large audiences. Mrs King, who is a very little sweetfaced woman, and us interesting as her husband, has also been in. Wellington, a guest of .Mrs Young, wife of Dr. loung. Given the impossibility of natural feeding, l)r Truby King advocates a particular method of preparing milk that makes it as like mother's milk as possible, and that produces wonderful results. Some time ago Dr and Mrs King, who have no children of their own, took a very delicate baby and nurtured it on this food. The child was almost a skeleton, now it is the most beautiful baby, fat, rosy, anti strong. Mrs Kins, the day after her husband's lecture showed how to prepare the milk. l)r King has promised that if enough money is collected to keep a nurse tor a month in Wellington, he will send an experienced woman from Dunedin. .Mrs Hislop the Mayoress, feels sure this will be done. CREMATION. Cremation is another topic of conversation at present, and it seems probable the scheme will shortly be put into operation. .Mrs Rhor.es and Mr H. D. Bell have given large subscriptions under certain conditions. The moving spirit in the matter is Miss Studholme, who, during a recent visjt Home, made many inquiries into the reform. In an over-crowded place like Wellington, the system has manifest advantages. No one can pass through the Sydney St. Cemetery, be: ween the thickly fJusered craves, without feeling assured () f the evil of such a place in the heart of a city. On the crest of the hill is .Mr Seddon's grave, covered with a large tent. Inside, the wreaths still cover the mound, only the everlasting ilowers having survived. SOCIAL DOINGS. Mrs Cecil Jones' tea was a very pleasant affair and excellently arrang- •| ed, the new'notion of a tea room and 1 a coffee room preventing any undue crowding. The Ilowers 'were 'exquisitely arranged by a florist, and tie'cakes a , were most beautiful and elaborately decorated, even hedgehogs, most realistically carried out in sugar and al- .. niond bristles, figuring in tin; scheme of ornament. A siring band played on the closed-in verandah, U nd a for-tune-teller--we are great on tea-cup [ ladies just now, and, after twiddling [ our cups, listen with faith to what the " black specks signify- -predicted various ■ fates for guests who desired to peep ' into the future. Lady Ward, Miss • W'arrf, and her two aunts, Mrs Boyes- i and Mrs Henderson, wen- present at ' the tea. '

The second At Home was at Mrx Nelson's /iwfty house in Portland Crescent. A large number came, hut So mattv and spacious are the rooms that there was room for all. The. tea iabhi was particularly prettv, with branches of .Japanese flowering plum in silver vases, and. on the white doth, trails of autumn leaves, handpainted on chifi'on. There was delightful music also at this tea. Th- hosiers' lovelv frock of primp t->fi'ei (l s, with tiny kilting and band-; of the same coloured velvet, was much admired. A very interesting function takes place next Saturday— a kil poiidrc aru'l children's cotillon in the Tov n Hall, given by Mrs David Nathan. Th-re is great excitement over fancy dresses for the juveniles.

T Mrs Matson, of Christ hureh, left for Nelson, where she is staying .some weeks; Mrs Montfomerie, of Wanganui, is a guest of Mrs Harding, and

Mrs Wilford is staying with her parents —the Hon. Geo. and Mrs McLean, in Dunedin ; Mrs Findluy returned with the doctor from the south last week.