VALEDICTORY PARTY

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 51, 28 August 1925, Page 11

VALEDICTORY PARTY

EMPIRE PEESS DELEGATES ENTERTAINED. A large and representative gathering of Wellington citizens assembled 1 at the invitation of the New Zealand branch of the Press Union last evening at the New Ambassador to bid. farewell to the members of the Empire Press L delegation and ladies accompanying the [party. That their visit has been, deeply appreciated, and nil too brief, was the general opinion of all present to meet them. The reception hall was artistically decorated with beautiful punga fronds, the lights being softened by the coloured lantern shades, while round the sides of the room were set many small tables ready for supper, each with a vase of spring flowers and birch foliage. The entrance was carpeted with baize and adorned with flags and ferns, and the stairs was a bower of bush greenery. The orchestra was specially good, aiid later, when dancing took place, hearty applause was given by the guests to each number. Mr. Charles Earle (chairman of the Newspaper Proprietors' Association) and Mrs Earle received the guests, the latter handsomely gowned in black satin with an overdress of georgette patterned in ivory silk, embroidery. Later in the -e.ve'nirig Their Excellencies the GovernorGeneral and Lady Alice Fergußson arrived with several members of their staff arid house party. Lady Alice Fergusson was in black satin marocain with diamond ornaments. Lady Burnham wore gold lace over rose satin'with diamante trimming, and a head-dress of pink and gold leaves; Lady Violet Astor was in cyclamen georgette embroidered in gold, and with a swathed head-band to match; Lady Newnes wore heliotrope embroidered georgette over the same colour with a. gold Russian head-dress ; Mrs. Moore was in Nile green with a beautiful Persian burnous wrap; Lady Carr was in black and white; Mrs. Honson-Infield, black chiffon over satin; Mr. and "Mrs. O'Leary, Mr.: Moore, Sir Harry Brittain, Mr. Davies, Captain and Mrs. Eden, Sir Edward Iliffe, Miss Iliffe, Mr. and Mrs. Dafoe, Mr. and Mrs. Bassett, Mr. A. P. Herbert, Sir Percival Phillips, and Captain Shaw, were other members of the delegation party present. Among the many representative citizens present were Sir Heaton and Lady Rhodes, Sir Francis Bell, Mrs. H. D. Crawford, Mrs. Lan Duncan, the Mayoress (Mrs. 0. J. Norwood), Mrs. Sprott, Mr. and Mrs. Coleridge, Mrs. C. W. Day, Mr. and Mrs. Louis Blundell, Mr. and Mrs. J. M. Geddes, Mr.- and Mrs. M'Kay, Mr. and Mrs. Walter Blundell, Sir W. and Lady Carncross, Lady Pomare, Mr. and Mrs. Trmgham, Mr. and Mrs. Len Blundell, Mrs. Coates, Mr. and Mrs. J# Parker, Sirs, and Miss Statham, Mr. and Mrs. H. Baillie, Mr. and Mrs. T. R. Lawson, Mrs. Fenton,. Mr. and Mrs). E. F. Hadfield, Mr. and Mrs. E. Mirams, Mr. and Mrg.:. A. Geddis, Mr. C. P. Skerrett, K.C., and Miss Skerrett, Mr. Justice Alpers and Mrs. Alpers, Sir, George and Lady Fenwick, the Hon. Mark Cohen. Mr. and Mrs. Digges Smith, Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Blundell, Mr. and • Mrs. Lowrie, Mr. and Mrs. H. Plimmer, Mr. and Mrs. P. Blundell, Miss Mollie Plimmer, Mr. B. Blumlel], Mr. and Mrs. H. Hardcastle, Mr. E. E. Muir, Miss Geddes, Miss M'Kay 4 Mrs. J. Hislop, Mr. and Mrs. M. Luckie, Mr. and Mrs. Dixon, Mr. G. Osborne, and Mrs. Osborne jun., , Mr. and Mrs. J. Tripe, Mr. and Mrs. C. Turrell, Mr. and Mrg. M'Nair, Mr. and Mrs. Weston, Mr. and Mrs W. G. Wright, Miss M. Plimmer, Miss B. Kelsey, Mr. Berry, and many others. The function was a highly successful one, and memorable on account of the unique occasion. Mr. C. Earle, in welcoming- the guests, said the occasion was rather a sad one because it was farewell; their guests were leaving f or the Empire Press Conference on the morrow. He referred to the presence' of Their Excellencies the <joveruor-General and Lady Alice Fergusson, who had immediately identified themselves with the joys, sorrows prosperity, or depression of Now Zealand. Mr. Earle eulogised Mr. Woods who, that afternoon, in a magnificent speech, had voiced a policy o f tolerance for and sympathy with tho Motherland in her many difficult problems