Women In Print.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVII, Issue 137, 11 June 1909, Page 9

Women In Print.

Miss Payne, the matron of the Wellington Hospital, who lias been visiting Mrs. Vallanre, of the Wairarapa, has returned to Wellington. Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Cruickshank, of Masterton, are visiting Wellington. Miss Gretel Krull, of Wanganui, is a guest of Mrs. Walter Mantell. Miss Mills, of Melbourne, is staying with Mrs. A. H. Miles. Miss Cardno, of Auckland, is visiting her sister, Mrs. Harry Buddie. After all, though there were few women to admire, the opening of Parliament was by no means the dreary, colourless affair that was predicted. None of the pomp, and ceremony of former years was wanting, although, perhaps, it was somewhat in miniature. The setting of the function, too, was strange. The new Legislative Chamber is quite a gay room, decorated in pale tones of blue," green, and mauve. One critic pronoimcpd it all 100 feminine in character for weighty masculine debates, and indeed the general effect, with many windows, red carpet, curtains, and cushions, and blazing fires, is quite frivolously brilliant, an impression somewhat modified when the throng of legislators covered the crimson velvet cushions and the greater part of the carpet. The little group of notable women on the Speaker's left was regarded with much interest. Last year Lady Plunket did not attend, and Lady Ward and Ministers' wives were drafted into the gallery — in what is now the tea-room and was then the Council Chamber This year her Excellency came, looking very "distinguished in a lovely pale blue Directoiie frock, the short-waisted bodice opening over a deep yoke of tucked chiffon, much-braided in soutache braid and gold. With this she wore beautiful dark furs and a black round toque, with a wonderful plume of pure vermilion sweeping to her shoulder. The bouquet presented to her, though beautiful in itself with its yellow blossoms and chocolate and yellow ribbons,-* was out of key with her costume. Lady Ward's charming posy of violets harmonised admirably with her exquisite frock satin charmeuse of dead amethyst tint, simply made with a deep square yoke of tucked chiffon and trimmed with soutache braid and braided buttons. Her hat was large, black, with long black foathers, and a white satin lining, and her furs were white fox. Miss Hill, who accompanied her Excellency, wore a pretty frock of green, made with a double skirt. Her furs were sable, and her hat was a green silk with brown and green silk swathing and wings. Miss Ward was in a navy coat and skirt, white furs, and a charmjfag black hat wreathed with large white roses, Mrs. Findlay's handsome black ninou gown, with lines of delicate embroideries in chenille, was made over white silk, and she wore ermine stole and muff, and a black picture hat. Mrs. Fowlds was in blue, with white furs and a picturesque mole-coloured hat with gold and blue galon and shaded mole and blue plumes. Miss Miller wore a white cloth coat and skirt, pretty white furs, and a wide hat swathed with violet silk. Mrs. Hogg was in black, with handsome white iurs, and a black picture hat. Mrs. Roderick M'Kenzie wore, with her black taffetas frock, a most becoming small hat with green and brown quills clasped by a jewelled caboehon, and handsome furs of brown bear. Afterwards the ladies listened for a little while, in the Lower House, to members presenting petitions and asking questions. By the way, nearly all the petitions were from desperate housewives longing for domestic help, and, judging from the pathetically anxious way they were presented, and the eagerness displayed to catch th'e Speaker's eye — all ideal .Speaker should have eyes like a spider — the poor men must have been suffering 'sadly from experimental cooking on the part of their wives ! A little after four, an adjournment was made to what used to be the pressroom last year. Now it is to be "Monto Carlo," but yesterday it was gay with flower-decked tables set with dainty refreshments. Lady Ward was hostess, the guests being the members' wives and some of her personal friends. Lady Ward and some of her guests went on later to a tea at Mrs. Quick's, given as a farewell to Mrs. Mason and Mrs. Webb, both of whom Wellington is to lobe ' shortly. The tea-table was charmingly arranged. A great loose shcdJ" of fragrant narcissi formed the centre, and was surrounded by dainty pots of maidenhair fern and fine violets. Flowers, too, decorated the draw-ing-room. Mrs. Qu^ck wore a black taffetas skirt and a charming blouse of black chiffon and beautiful lace over white silk. Miss Quick's effective frock was of French grey cloth, made Directoire, with the wide rovers sash, and large buttons of black satin. Mis Mason looked well in a beautifully-fitting gown of blue, with blue and gold embroideries and a tiny white net vest and collar. Her hat was blue, with plumes. Mrs. Webb wore a dark blue frock, the bodice opening over a vest of lace, embroidered in delicate tones. Miss Jenkyns was in a pretty pale mauve silk gown, with embroidories, and Miss Muriel Webb wore a floral hat of green silk, the bodice showing a lace underblouse. A very enjoyable tea was given by the Misses Kennedy, of Salamanca-road, as a farewell to Miss Dolly Webb, who shortly leaves for Nelson. A picture competition, keenly contested, resulted in Miss Webb and Miss Aileen Ward coming first. The prize — a pretty auto-graph-book — was drawn for, and fell to Miss Webb. The tea-table in the din-ing-room was beautiful with double violets, set on lengths of violet ribbon, and both hall and drawing-room were gay with flowers. A fortune-teller also added to the attractions. Mrs Martin Kennedy wore black silk and a lace fichu. Miss Statia Kennedy was in blue muslin and lace, and Miss Agnes Kennedy's frock of floral silk had trimmings of insertion, with touches of pink ribbon. Miss Webb was in a dark blue coat and skirt, and a cornflower wreathed hat. Mr. and Mrs: W. H. Bennett, of Woo!-combe-street, announce the engagement of Hilda, their eldest daughter, to Mr. R. T. M'Lean, youngest son of Mr. \V. M'Lean,. of Wellington. During Mrs. Rolleston's absence, i •Hair Specialist from a leading Sydney Salon may be consulted on all Hair Treatments, Hair Dressing, Shampooing, Clipping, and Singeing. 4, Willis-street (over C<uroll'.s) ; tel. 1599.— Advt.

Yesterday a golf match was played by he junior members of the Miramar Lades' Golf Club, the prize, presented by Mrs. Fulton, and consisting of a set of .liberty button*, being won by Miss E. iulkley. The second place, for which ;wo members tied will be played off ater. Mrs. Barthorp, of the Hutt, was hosess at a very pleasant tea yesterday. Che flower' decorations were lovely, auiumn foliage, and red blossoms and vioets decorating the tea-table and massing he mantleshelf in the diningroom, while he hall and the drawingroom were iragrant with flowers. A string band ilayed charming music. The hostess ,yore a graceful frock of green silk with :ream lace. Mrs. W. H. Price, of Iselson, is on i visit to Mrs. J. Blundell. A number of Wellington people are joing to seek sum uu. . in the South Seas. Among them are MJrs. Kendall, Mr. and Mrs. John Duncan, Mrs. Hector Beth--me, Mrs. Herdman, and Mrs. Ponsonby. Miss Ledger and Miss Marsden, from Nelson, are also passengers. The steam3i- starts from Auckland on the 22nd. The first of a series of the "Midwinter Assemblies," was held last Tuesday at Lhe "Kiosk," Worser Bay, when a pleasant and successful evening resulted, rhe ladies on the committee were : — Mrs. Wright, in black, Miss Kircher in a. dainty pink silk frock with silver spangle trimming, and Mliss Slater, in pale blue with white insertions. Amongst others present, were : Miss Vance, in pale blue and black Empire gown ; Miss O'Brien in white ; Mrs. Cramond in black ; Miss Wright in pale green trimmed with pearls ; Miss Wright ill a pretty blue frock ; the two Misses Paul in white muslin ; Mrs. Glasgow in black silk ; Miss Burns in a cream embroidered gown ; Mlrs. Henderson, striped pink silk taffeta ; Mrs. Mickle black velvet ; Miss Williams, cream silk Empire gown; Mrs. Brewer in black and Miss Allen, who wore a cream lace frock. The gentlemen on the committee were : — Messrs. Stanton, De Rose, and Forne. On Wednesday afternoon, at St. Matthew's Church, Hastings, Mr.. Adam Gordon Beattie, third spn of Mr. James Beattie, oi" Petone, was married to Miss Margaret Hay, youngest daughter of MYst Hay, of Hastings, and of the late Mi-. James Hay, of the Eoyal Artillery. The bride wore a blue tailormade with a white Merry Widow hat. Miss Margaret Beattie, sister of the bridegroom, was the only bridesmaid. The recital by the Wellington Leidertafel, given last night in the concert chamber, under the able leadership of Mr". Robert Parker, was much enjoyed by the large audience. Mrs. Leo Buckeridge, who wore an exquisite gown of white satin, with a tunic of goldembroidered net, sang charmingly. In order to train the taste in dress of Italian women, who are proverbial for iheir lack of it, the Queen of Italy has undertaken an Herculean task, observes a European , writer. She is particularly desirous'' that Italian women shall create their own modes. As matters stand at present, civilised women — women in what is called society — throughout the world, follow more or less blindly the lead of Paris and Vienna. England has hardly attempted to do anything else, though certain forms of dress, fcuch as the tailor-made, is more or less distinctive. Oddly enough, it is only the dress we copy, and not the time and place for wearing it. For instance, Frenchwomen are very chary of being seen in public, except at operas, in full evening dress. London meanwhile has restaurants full of smart women wearing Parisian ball gowns. A Frenchwoman never goes shopping in a long-trained skirl, while, except in the country, the Anglo-Saxon woman hardly ever wears the highly rational "trottoir." Much valuable tlms and money would be saved if fashions were less slavishly followed, aVd Queen Elena"!* attempt to deal with 1 this momentous subject is well worthy of atteutiou. A London correspondent to an exchange states that ionr of the presents received by Miss Dorothy Grosvenor on her marriage to Lord Dalmeny were cigarette cat.es. Such leminders of the growth of the unoking habit among young society women in Jjondon are now frequently seen in lists o£ wedding gifts. Less than a, decade ago they would have been regarded as a rather scandalous— certainly indiscreet—revelation, which- ib ought to have been somebody's duty to withhold from public knowledge. Since the death of Queen Victoria there has been little reticence about the Englishwoman's fancy for tobacco. How it began — whether the society women acquired it from the professional women, or vice- versa— is a subject of dispute ■which is likely to remain unsettled. Probably both classes have been simultaneously encouraged in the habit by the rapid, multiplication of petticoat club,s which has taken place within the last five years. The only difference noticeable now is that that professional women, including doctors, nurses (many of these have become insatiable smokers), 'journalists, artists, actresses are freor than the society women in their recourse to the soothing weed in public places. The society woman indulges in tobacco chiefly when she is at home or visiting people of her own class. To revert to the Dalmeny wedding, one remarkable feature of it was the extraordinary number of the presents received by the popular bridegroom. They were much more numerous than those to the bride, al- , though Miss Grosvenor's were collectively the most valuable, as they included many diamond and pearly ornaments. Lord Roßeber^y showered diamonds _on his daughter-in-law. Some of the gifts were beautiful family jewels.