SOCIAL AND PERSONAL

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 467, 27 March 1909, Page 11

SOCIAL AND PERSONAL

/"Notices of Engagements and Weddingi.— When reports of weddings and announcements _ of engagements are sent to "Dominica" for publication, the name and address of the sender Bhould be enclosed, not for publication, but as an evidence of good faith. Otherwise the announcements cannot bo published.]

A Political Woman. Mrs. Molyneux Parkes, of Sydney, whose death is announced by Press Association message to-day, was one of the most vigorous political women who has ever entered the arena of colonial politics. She was president of the Women's Liberal League of New South Wales, and it might almost be said that she was the league, so heartily did she throw herself into the work of organising its various branches that were established all over tho State. We have in New Zealand no woman, we have never had a woman, who took here exactly the place filled by Mrs.. Molyneux Parkes in Now South Wales, And, with our scattered towns'of equal sizo, it would not be easy for any woman to wield tho power that Mrs. Parkes was able to exert from tho centre of a more compact State. A Scandinavian by birth, Mrs. Parkes, after many years' residence in Australia, never quite lost her accent, and strangers meeting her were inclined to wonder how a foreigner could socompletely identify herself with the political life of her adopted country. She was a tall, largelymade woman of boundless vitality and energy, and the political influence oxercised by her was unmistakable. She not only organised branches of the league, she addressed large public meetings, she kept her eyes open for any opportunity to advance the interests of the league, and wherever a by-election was taking place Mis. Parkes would be found urging the claims of the candidate that the league intended to support, and then vigorously canvassing the women voters. Some years ago a Women's Liberal Club was formed in Sydney largely through Mrs. Parkes's energy. It has its fine large rooms right in the heart of tho city, opening out of a chemist's shop in King Street, and this provided a meeting-place for ladies of the Liberal faith, a rallying-ground in campaign seasons, and it was there that the office of the league was situated. It is a very live, club, with a large membership, and one part of its programme is to have addresses delivered from time to time by prominent citizens, while at other times it entertained visitors of note.

Palmerston Notes. The finish of the polo tournament yesterday did not attract a great number of ladies from Palmerston itself, though there was a good attendance of visitors who had accompanied the polo players from other parts of the Dominion. The ball given in the evening at the Opera House for the visitors was a very brilliant affair. There were elaborate decorations of red and yellow cactus dahlias, bamboo, flax,. and raupfl, and the ball-room, which was decorated with festoons of soft white muslin against a green frieze, displayed the shields of all the different visiting teams, draped with their colours. Tho stage was a perfect forest of palms, raupo, and ferns, and it was there that supper was served; while in the front of the stage the band was stationed. Various rooms were comfortably furnished for those who wanted to sit out, and in short every possible arrangement was made for the pleasure of the guests.- -It-was a disappointment that her Excellency. Lady_Plunket was not present. Captain Gathorhe-H'ardy" was "the only visitor from Government House. Many very beautiful frocks were worn. Mrs. L. A. Abraham, who acted as hostess, wore a smart frock of white Venetian lace, ' witrj directoire sash of messaline silk, and she carried a lovely shower bouquet of pink roses.' Mrs. A. Russell, gown of heliotrope and white brocade, with clusters of violets, the skirt finished with a very deep hem of violet velvet; Mrs. A. Strang wore a blue directoire gown with beautiful embroidery of gold and/copper; Mrs. Walter.Strang, white chiffon with painted floral design; Mrs. J. F. D. Hewitt, black -chiffon frock embroidered with pansies in natural tints; Mrs. Pascal, black chantilly lace frock; Mrs. F. Cooke, pale heliotrope silk; Miss E. Warburton, black net; Miss C. Warburton, cream satin; Mrs. Putnam, white chine silk, with honiton lace; Mrs. P. Sim, cream embroidered silk; Mrs. Nelson, frock of sequined net, over cream glace silk; Mrs. A. Cameron (Marton), pale blue chino; Mrs. H. Cameron, reseda green, chiffon taffetas; Mrs Reynolds (Gisborne), frock of pearl grey satin; Miss Bennets (Gisborne), cream silk; Mrs. M'Kenzie, pale green silk; Miss Simpson, blue silk; Miss Bell (Wellington), pink satin; Miss Sherrett, gold-spangled net over old rose satin.

Plumbers' Pleasures. People, at Kelburne are very proud at present. Their roads and gardens are torn up in all directions, pipes are being put down right and ■ left, and the plumber is the man of the hour, for Kelburne is beingconnected, tied up v ith the great water services of Wellington. What Kelburne ifoes not know about plumbers, it thinks is not worth knowing, but one need only wait a little while and know that Kelburne will sink to the level of common humanity, and share the fate of all whom a high state of civilisation has delivered over bound to the mercies of the high-pressure boiler, and the tangle of • pipes. The dwellers on the flat could teach the heights one or two things about hot water services that do not heat, pipes that sing loudly every time even the most. diminutive tag is turned, of taps that drip incessantly, and worst of all, of taps that turn off with a thud that threatens to wrench out the whole of the lead-pipe labyrinth. Happiness does not always como into a house with the plumber, unless indeed it be the plumber's happiness.

Miss N. Turner, of Kelburne, returned last night from a visit to friends in TaTanaki. Miss Partridge has returned from a trip to Christchurch. . Announcement is made of the engagement of Miss Henderson, of Karofi, to Mr. Gilmore, of Auckland. Mr. and Mrs. William Gill are going to live at the Upper Hutt for six months. Mr. and Mrs. Gordon Reid have taken Mr. M'Ardle's house, "Sunnybank," on the Terrace, and move into it this week., Mrs. J. Cotter, of Greytown, and her daughter, Mrs. White, of Hawke's Bay, aro visiting Wellington. Miss E. M'Master, of Lower Valley, is spending-a few days in town. Mrs. M. Meredith, of Masterton, has been paying a short visit to Wellington. Mrs. Willis (wife of Bishop Willis, of Tonga) is paying a holiday visit to Auckland.