All Up-country Ball.

Evening Star, Issue 7827, 7 February 1889, Page 4

All Up-country Ball.

In a book entitled 'Kaipara,' giving the experience of a settler in North New Zealand, the following account appears of an up-country ball: — As the afternoon advanced guests began to arrive—some on horseback and some by boat. They all brought their evening clothes with them, not in portmanteaux, but in Hour bags. It is most surprising 'to a new chum to see the manifold uses to which flour bags are put to here. Besides usually taking the place of portmanteaux, they are made into aprons, kitchen cloths, dusters, and sometimes even into trousers for boys. Not long ago I met a lad with a pair on. On one leg, printed in large red letters, was "Wood's silk dressed " ; and on the other "Lamb's Superfine." Almost everyone bakes at home in the country, so Hour bags are very plentiful. , . . When the time arrived for donning our dress clothes I was ushered into a huge barn standing close to the house, where soveral washing basins, brushes and combs, looking-glasses, and other toilet necessaries had been placed in position on the tables and boxes. Between thirty and forty gentlcmon, in various stages of dressing, were there, and jokes and repartee were being bandied about freely. . . . The settlers up here, and in the province of Auckland generally, arc most enthusiastic about dancing. Young aud old, married and single, all delight in it, and no opportunity of indulging in a dance is ever neglected. Flirtation I have never seen attempted, and conversation, indeed, is only sparsely carried on. It is in the dancing itself that the enjoyment is centred, and to it the attention of both ladies and gentlemen is almost wholly directed. An anxious expression is oftimes observable on the face of a male performer, as though his whole mind was concentrated in the effort to acquit himself well in the task before him ; but though his countenance depicts no pleasurable emotion, he doubtless enjoys himself immensely. On the present occasion dancing was carried on with unrclaxed vigor uutil past midnight, when a move was made to the supper room. Tho inner man refrsshed, dancing was resumed, and day began to dawn before the party broke up. The greater part of tho ladies slept at the house, though some rode straight away after donning their riding habits. Tho gentlemen, about forty in number, were accommodated in the barn with beds of soft hay and rugs.

The ease with which the ladies out here do without the paraphernalia considered in England as necessary in preparing for a ball struck me greatly at this my first colonial one. The dressing of a young lady at Home is a big affair, embracing an elaborate costume, an equally elaborate toilette, hairdressing, and goodness knows what all, and concluding generally with an elaborate bill, Out here a light dress of muslin or some similar material, relieved with a little ribbon, and hair ornamented with a flower or two, constitutes the full evening costume of a young lady. She looks quite as nice as her semi-manufactured rival in England, and there is no prospect of a big bill for papa in the immediate future to mar her evening' 3 amusement. The genMemen are equally negligent. If they have dress clothes they put them on ; but if they have not, they appear in whatever cut of black coat they happen to be the proprietors of, and enjoy themselves eveiy bit as much as their swallow-tailed companions.