MEMBERS' BALL.

Evening Post, Volume VII, Issue 221, 24 October 1871, Page 2

MEMBERS' BALL.

Decidedly the most brilliant affair this season was the ball given last evening by the members of the Legislature to Lady Bowen and about five httndred of the residents of Wellington.. The whole of fciie' inside of the Buildings was metamorphosed for the occasion. The Premier's room and his Secretary's office were turned for the nonce into ladies' dressing-rooms. The Committee Clerk's room was itserl ft?r refreshments all the evening ; Treasury room.? were turned into, gentlemen's cloak rooms, and a host of smaller apartments on the ground floor were set aside, as the ladies had learnt generally before the time, for the " eighteen quiet little flirtation nooks." Bellamy's was for the occasion used for supper, find the smoking-room was changed into a tea and coffee-room, hall of the House of Representatives and the Legislative Council Chamber were the ball-rooms. The former .was decorated at the end where the Speaker's chair usually stands with an illuminated star on. each i.t.le, and below which were hung banners and flags. The balustrades of the galleries all round were - decorated with sundry heraldic devices. From the centre of the ceiling were festooned evergreens, reaching the four corners, and flags of various nations completed the "dressing" of this august hall. At the end below the gallery, usually occupied by reporters, wore two chairs on a raised "dais, for Sir George and Lady Bowen, while along the sides under the windows and the Legislative Council Gallery, were ranged cushioned benches. The Legislative Council Gallery in this hall was occupied by a band, under the leadership of Mr. Flood, the other galleries being filled witli children, who evidently enjoyed the sight they looked down upon. The lobbies of the buildings were tastefully decorated at intervals with arches of ferns, nikau palm leaves, and flags. The Legislative Council Chamber was hung with large flags. In the Strangers' Gallery was a band under the leadership of Mr. Parker, the remaining available space and the Reporters' Gallery being filled with people who came to see the ball. Under the Strangers' Gallery were placed cushioned couches for those few who wished occasionally to rest themselves. Outside the building flags had been festooned on each side of the principal entrance, and a remarkably pretty effect was caused by colored oil lamps, which were arranged in a tasteful device cm the green sward in front of the main entrance. A guard of honor composed of No. 1 Company, the. veterans, and cadets, under their ollicers, was drawn up in front of'the building to receive his Excellency; Indeed, in every detail, care, taste, and great trouble was evident in the arrangements, both inside and outside the buildings. Shortly before nine o'clock, the guests commenced to arrive, and by half-past nine, when the band, by.striking up "God Save the Queen," announced the arrival of his Excellency and Lady Boweh, both halls were rilled so well as to make the first quadrille a. matter of some difficulty. However, under the circumstances, ladies seemed quite disposed to put up with a little crushiug, and the gentlemen squeezed, themselves into an astonishingly small space. The dancing was kept up without flagging till past midnight, when a considerable number of the, guests, and Sir George and Lady Bowen j sat down to one of the best, if not the best, and most recherche suppers ever prepared in Wellington; peacocks apparently in full plumage, boar's head as a centre dish, after the olden fashion, and every delicacy possible were put on the table, and the whole reflected the utmost credit on Mr. Peter Laing, who was caterer on the occasion. At the head of the tables, sat Lady Bowen, and on whose right was the Hou. Major Richardson, beside whom also was placed his Excellency. We need not enumerate all those who sat down with the principal guests to the supper. They included the elite of the Colony, and were, at least the ladies, a very fair sight indeed. After supper,' the Hon. Major Richardson, in a most humorous speech, which kept the audience in constant laughter, proposed the health of Lady Bowen and his Excellency, which was responded to by Sir George, who concluded one of his admirably happy speeches by proposing the health of the members of Parliament, which was responded to by the Hon. Dillon Bell, each toast being received with cheers, those which followed, ihe \iealth of Lady Bowen being given 30 heartily as to make the very roof ring again. Sir George and Lad}' Bowen having returned to the ballroom, others filled the seats at the supper tables, but still the dancing in the halls had not flagged, and though a few retired, they only left greater scope for the energies of those who remained, and who kept up the dance and revelry till nearly 5 o'clock. A pleasanter ball, better managed, and a more complete success in every particular, we have seldom seen,-and we think the young people of Wellington will long remember it as one of the best of the " mem-, bers' balls" ever given in this city. All the arrangements did justice to the energy and taste of the following gentlemen who formed the Managing Committee:—The Hons. Colonel-Brett and Captain Baillie, M.L. C. 's;, .Messrs. ; G. . Parker, Bunny, Haughtonj^earce, -O'Eorke, and O'JSTeill, M.H.R.'s. f^:\-'/ - Some of "our readers, particularly our lady subscribers, would perhaps desire us to follow the London fashions, and give some account of the dresses worn by the principal ladies. We confess at once our inability to do this. Taste, elegance, and richness was displayed in abundance ; refinement and beauty were everywhere to be seen ; and though unable to describe with the minuteness of a draper's assistant, or a milliner's forewoman the fabrics and fashions displayed, we can say that no London or Paris ballroom could have outshene the beauty or the elegance to be seen last night at the " members' ball." The following is a list of the names of the guests present : —

Sir George and Lady Bowen, Dr, Mrs, and Miss Knight, Major and Mrs Heaphy, Major Green, Captain and Mrs Edwin, Captain and Mrs Stack, Captain Pitt, Col St. John, Judge Fenton, Dr and Mrs Norris, Dr, Mrs, and Miss France, Captain Holt, Capt Ferris, Capt Handley, Captain Corbett, Capt Hutton, Mr Braithwaite aiicl two ladies, Capt M'Kellar, CaptM'Barnet, Mr W. Johnston and lady, Miss FitzGerald, Mr Mills and lady, Mr Gravens and two ladies, Mr J. H. Wallace and two ladies. Mr Gavin and two ladies,Mr Bradshaw and lad}', Mr Sewell and lady, Mr Campbell and two ladies, Mr Cooper*and three ladies, Mr Young and two ladies, Mr Prendergast

and two ladies, Mr Brogden and sthi, Cnlp't Humphries, Mr Locke and lady, Captain Sellars, Mr Justice Johnsbori and one lady, Mr and Mrs Snow, Col and Mrs. Header, Mr Bsatham and lady, Captaiu Sm:fcli, Mr Biddiford and two ladies and three gentlemen, Captain Bishop, Mr. Ludlam and lady, Mr Garreu and t\7o ladies, Mrs llichards, Mr Marehaut and lady, Mr J. M. Taylor aiid tliree'lfidie§, Mr Elliott a'nrl two ladies, Mr and Mrs If. Merchant; Mr arid Mrs Marchant, Mr Williamson, lady, and son, Col Moule, Ml- Pharazyii and three ladies, Mr, Mrs, and Miss Ihaia Whakamairu, Mr and Mrs Ropata Ngaroiuomate, Mr,, Mrs, and Miss Barraud, Mr and Mrs Ihaia Peruin, Mr and Mrs Wi Tako, Mr and Mrs Manihera, Mr, Mr*, lirid the Misses Seed, Mr, Mrs, and Miss B. Smith, Mr, Mrs, and Miss Knraifciani, Mrs and the Miss Vi aterhouse, Mr and Mrs O'Shea, Mr and Mrs Pagan, Mr and Mrs. Huntley, Mr and Mrs T R. Smith, Mrs Chamberlain, Mr and Mrs &tof#Jj MiS9 Tanner. Mrs Webster, Mr, Mrs, and Miss" Bticfoatfan, Miss Wright, Mr M. Kebbell, Mr, Mrs, and Miss Sheath, Mrs E. Richardson, Mr and Mrs G. Crawford, Mr and Mrs G. Moore, Mr and Mrs Plimpton, Mr and Mrs Fell, Mr and Mrs Powles, Mifls Adams, Mr and Mrs Barron,, Mr and Mrs Mosley, Mr, Mrs, and Miss Nicolls, Mr and Mrs Henry Jackson, Mr and Mrs Forster, Mr, Mrs, and the Misses Best, Mrs Nicholson and the Misseia Miles, Mr and Mrs ;J. JVloore, Mr and Mrs tstieftfoad, Mr and Mr 3 Baird, Mr and Mrs D. T. Stttort, Mr and Mrs P. A.'Buckley, Mr and Mrs Ri>«ghtuii, Miss Boughton, Mr and Mra T. E. "V oUflg, j Miss O'Wcill, Mrs W. H. Harrison, Mr and Mrs Hey wood, Mr and Mrs Church, Mr and tile Misses Whittem, Mr and Mrs Blackett, Mr aiid Mrs Vennell. Mr and Mrs Crawford, Mr and Mrs JCrull, Mr and Mrs Dransfield, Mr and Mrs W. H. Quick, Mr and Mrs Allan, Mr and Mrs Stevenson, the Misses Home, Miss Spratt, Mr, Mrs, and the Misses Batkin, Mrs Humphreys, Mr and Mrs Borlnse, Mr and Mrs Bawaon, Mr, Mrs, and Miss Halso, Mr Buchanan, Mr and Mrs Raniera, Mr and Mrs Henare Kowia, Mr H. D. and Miss M'Loan, Mr, Mrs, and Mis? Clayton, Mr, Mrs, and the Misses Bishopj Mr and Mra Whitaker, Mr, Mrs, and Miss Dorset, Mr and Mrs Edwards, Mr and Mrs J. G. Fox, Mr, Mrs, and Miss J. Martin, Mr and Mrs T.-.0. Hood, Mr and Mrs Watts' Russell, Mr and MrsTuckey, Mr and Mrs J. G. Anderson, Miss Haggitt, Mr and Mrs J. S. William 3, Mr and Mrs HdapSj Mr and Mrs C. G. Knight, Mr and Mrs Hackvvoi-th, Miss Kelly, Mr and Mrs T. and Miss Mills, Mr aud Mrs Marchant, the Misses Durie3, Mr, Mrs, and Misses Hickson, Mr aud Mrs Bethune, Mr and Mrs Moorhouse, Mr and Mrs Gillon, Mr and Mrs Hay, Mis 3 Boughton, Miss A. Kingden, Miss Bureton, Mr and Mrs Didsbury, Mr and Mrs Tareba, Mr and Mrs Moffitt, Miss Kelly, Messrs C. Blackett, jun., Fitzherbert, G. Whitaker, A. T. Hood, A. H. M'Lcan, P. Johnston, M'Tavisb, Blundell, Maskell, C. E. Quick, Hamlyn, llaiha and Sohepa, 0. Wakefield, Whifcaker, F. J. Kenny, Nicholson, B. Suisted, Metapere, Beard, H. Otterson, A. M. iCebbell, Paora Thhare^H. Magniac, Morgan, Oenare Tom oana, Miller, A. P. Stuart, Martin, James, C. R-. Buckland, Carlyle, 0. Gibb3, Barton, Barraud, jun., Bradford, Bruntou, Fox, Wilson, Kopata, Hum Mutu, M* Donald, Mackenzie, .Tlam.ira Erihana, Andrews, Leadham, P. Russell, H. C. Young, H. H. Lahman, Lucena, Mohi Napouga, Keogh, Browne, Monteith, Maiwhata, Hapuku, L. H. Wilson, Dalglish, E%'ans, Henderson, Bothamley, W. X Dunsford.'Ford, W. Knowles, Luteinat, James, J. RusselJ, Leathara, 0. Johnston, Werry, Duncan, Dransfield, Buchanan, Harrington, Ollivier, E. Brandon, Reeves, FitzGerald, Cargill, Gorton, Maguiac, Gillies, Levin, Taylor, Wilmer, White, Holmes, Palmer, Katene, Kilgour, and Jones.