NOTES FOR WOMEN.

King Country Chronicle, Volume IV, Issue 303, 15 October 1910, Page 6

NOTES FOR WOMEN.

[" Patricia " will be pleased to give advice to readers on all matters concerning dress, house-keeping, etiquette and the toilet. Write, giving pseudonym, care of this office.] Wellington, Thursday. Dear Isobel, —The weather here has been like the curate's egg lately, good in parts, and I write this in momentary fear that we may reach a part that is far from good!

Monday saw a general exodus from the new Government House owing to the discovery that the ten cases of illness among the Governor's staff was due to faulty drainage. Lady Islington with the Hon. Joan DicksonPoynder, Miss Staple ton-Cotton and Captain McGill Maitland, A.D.C, all left in the forenoon for Longwood, Lord Islington's private house near Featherston. The Governor was unable to leave till Tuesday, when he went up by motor. The same day Captain Hamilton, A.D.C., left for Waikanae, where* he hopes to get some fishing. What is referred to in all the papers as "the flight," has, of course, put an end to all entertaining at present, and all engagements are indefinitely postponed. As there is a very large staff of workmen employed on the job it is hoped that Government House will be fit for their Excellences' return in a short time.

On Tuesday Mrs Massey was "At Home" to some of her numerous friends in her temporary residence in Hill street, which Bhe has rented for the session from Mrs Malcolm Ross, who is at present away on a long tour of England and the Continent. The drawing-room, where Mrs Massey received her many guests, was beautifully decorated with vases; and bowls of spring flowers, and the dining-room where tea and coffee was served was al?o artistically arranged with blossoms. Mrs Massey wore a frock of rich brown silk heavily braided with soutache braid to match, and trimmed with fine lace. Mrs Herries wore a blue coat and skirt, and blue and white hat. Mrs Herdman, the charming wife of the member for Wellington North, was in blue. Mrs F. M. B. Fisher wore pale grey with a big hat. Mrs Duncan was in mauve with a hat to match. Among others that I noticed during the afternoon were: — Mrs Hine, Mn and Miss Douglas McLean, Mrs Chatfield, Mrs Dr Newman, Mrs von Haast, Mrs J. Duthie, of the Hutt, Mrs and Miss Buick, Mrs Wright, Miss Rutherford, Miss Bollard, Mrs Tuckey, Miss Hine, Mrs Fraser and Miss Harding.

One of the most delightful recitals of this season was given by the Wellington Piano Company at their spacious show-room on the Quay on Wednesday afternoon. The programme arranged was excellent, and everyone was charmed with the lovely liquid tone of the big Challen grand piano used during the recital. An interesting fact, in the light of later cable news is. that it is the fac-simile of the piano made for the unlucky youne King of Portugal. I suppose we will have to refer to him as "ex-King Manuel" now that his country is a full-blown Republic! Mr Waters played Raff's "Rigandon" in his usual polished style, and Mr Inman's delightful tenor was heard to good advantage in "Go not Happy Day" and "Birds in the High Hall Garden." Mrs B. Wilson, who was the only lady vocalist, sang with her usual refinement and charm. Others who contributed to the enjoyment of the afternoon were:—Mr V. Waters, Miss Renee Queree and Miss B. Harte. The accompaniments were sympathetically played by Mr E. Waters. Among the audience I saw Lady Ward and Miss Ward, Mrs Seddon, Mrs Findlay, Mrs and Miss Ziman, the Misses Beauchamp, Miss Rubi Seddon, Mrs Hwang, Mrs Knox Gilmer, Miss McKenize, Miss Birstow, Miss Esmee Dean, Mrs Holmes, Mrs Dyer, Mrs (Dr) Herbert, and Mrs Barclay. Thursday was a 1 red-letter day in the week's entertaining as the members of the Wellesley Club held their big "At Home" for ladies on that day. The rooms were beautifully decorated with palms, pot plants and cut flowers, and the rich subdued colouring of the walls in the club made a splendid background for the many pretty frocks that were worn by tha visitors. Tea was served in several different rooms both upstairs and on the ground floor, and some interesting games of billiards and bridge were played during the afternoon. Mr H. D. Bell, the president of the club, who has recently returned from a trip to the Islands, and Mrs Herdman received the guests at the entrance. Mrs Herdman wore a graceful frock embroidered tussore silk with a big black hat trimmed with roses. Lady Ward wore a black and white dress with a long black satin scarf with tasseled ends and a black hat. Mrs Findlay was in grey. Mrs Turnbull wore black and violet, her dress being made with bands of violet embroidery, and a black

toque. Mrs (Dr McGavin) was in green. Mrs Elgar, black velvet and hat with blue flowers. Mrs A. Duncan, cream costume and hat with roses. Mrs H. D. Crawford wore a dark heliotrope dress and hat. Mrs (Prof.) Easterfield, mole silk with folds of tangerine and black on the coat Mrs Izard gave a small tea on Friday for her guest, Mrs Isett, of Wanganui. Mrs Ifcard wore a handsome dress of puce crepe de chene, and Mrs Isett a blue costume made with a white lace vest.

Two "At Homes" were held on Saturday. Lady Ward gave a garden party for the Girl Peace Scouts at Awarua House, at which over a hundred girls were present. Races were run and various games played, the prizes being large boxes of chocolates. A band played in the garden where tea was served, and after dancing "Sir Roger de Coverly" the party broke up with cheers for Sir Jospeh and Lady Ward. Lady Ward wore a dress of mauve ninon over silk with a large lace yoke, and a black hat. Miss Ward wore a cream costume. Others present were:—Mrs R. McKenzie, Mrs Field, Mrs and Miss Quick, Mrs and Miss Seddon, Mrs Garlick, Miss Chad Beauchamp, Mrs Dyer, Mrs Sidey, Mrs Myers, Mrs Bail ley, Mrs Darling and others. The same afternoon Mr and Mrs Duthie gave a big "At Home" in their lovely house at the Hutt. Compartments were reserved in the train for the people who went out from town and they were met at the station by Mr Duthie and taken in *buses and motors to "Balgownie." Tea was served indoors, but many of the guests spent nearly all the time in the lovely gardens and conservatories. Some of the visitors went up the river in boats to see the big fern trees, and came back vowing that it was the most beautiful place on earth. Mrs Duthie received in a handsome gown of black silk. Mrs J. Duthie wore a blue frock. Among the many other guests I noticed: —Mr and Mr Massey, Mr and Mrs Herries, Mr James Allen, Mrs F. M. B. Fisher, Mr and Mrs Nosworthy. Mr and Mrs Menteith, Mr, Mrs and Miss Hine, Mr, Mrs and Miss Buick, Mr and Mrs J. Duncan, Mr and Mrs Earle, Mr Aiken, Mr and Mrs Wright and many others. The bowling season was opened on Saturday, there being several entertainments in connection with the different clubs during the afternoon. The latest idea in trimmings for muslin frocks is eyelet embroidery done- in bright coloured flax thread or washable silks. This would look very effective carried out in, say, a brightish cornflower blue on the yoke, or collar, and cuffs, and worn with a sash of pale blue satin embroidered in little flower heads in the bright silk. With this I would suggest a big hat of either fine black or white straw wreathed with cornflowers in every shade from the brightest royal blue to a shade so pale as to be almost white, only with a faint suggestion of pink in it. Everything we wear this year has a very unreal appe|rance of simplicity about them. Our skirts are short and childish, our blouses are made in th«a greatest semblance of innocence and demureness possible, with low collarless necks and little frills, and now I see that all the new hats have flowers that used to be considered the exclusive property of children. I saw a woman of quite fifty or more summers (or was it winters?) trying op hats trimmed with white daisies and buttercups. The strange part of it was that the hat really suited her, and when I remembered the rest of the fashions, I could find no valid reason why she should not wear the hat, and be happy in owning it. Buttons are as popular as ever, and I have lately been trying experiments with some large moulds covered with strips of white or coloured kid, and found them highly successful as well as being novel and rather exclusive. The wooden moulds can be bought anywhere for a few pence, and I found that the "leg" part of an old soiled glove will provide material for about a dozen big buttons. The kid should be cut in narrow strips and plaited or wound over the mould in any pattern you may fancy—or can do! Some time ago I wrote about long silk scarves, and prophesied that they would be very much worn. At that time they had not been seen in Wellington, but since then I have seen two, both made of the softest black charmeuse, lined with white with the ends drawn into a woven silk tassel, and its little holder.

From what I read in the Parisian and English papers this year will be one of the gayest, as far as colours are concerned, that we have ever had. One letter from London describes the effect this season as wholly Oriental in its complexity of colouring. However, I will have to postpone my remarks about colours until I have more space at my disposal.—Yours faithfully, PATRICIA.