Fancy Dress Ball.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 8066, 17 August 1905, Page 7

Fancy Dress Ball.

There have. been.many §p,y.. assemblages, within.-its walls since the Zealandia Hall was erected, but none gayer or imbued with a deeper interest othan the assemblage that gathered there last night, ; when the much discussed and l.«ng-lgpked-forward-to . juvenile fancy islress ball was held. Similar functions have been held in Palmerston on many previous occasions, and they have always been remarkable for the degree of success attained, but there is no doubt that last night's gathering eclipses them all viewed from whatever standpoint one may chose, whether numerically, richness and diversity of the innumerable handsome costumes worn by the diminutive dancers, or from, probably, best of all the unalloyed pleasure the little-ones found in the proceedings, which, surelr, will be remembered with' complete satisfaction and delight in days to come as at. least one period of infinite enjoyment. Some time before the appointed hour spectators commenced to arrive at the hall, determined not to miss the anticipated pleasure of the Grand March, with which, as usual, the proceedings commeaced. Nor were they disappointed in their pleasurable anticipations in this direction. Fully three hundred and fifty children took the floor, and arrayed in costumes that presented a bewildering array to a mere man went through the somewhat- intricate measures of the Grand March in a manner that a long list of superlatives alone can describe. The effect was gay and picturesque' in the extreme and elicited the heartiest applause from gratified parents and spectators who were immensely pleased with the brave show made by.tho diminutive disciples of Terpischore. The march completed, the merry little dancers broke into a lively polka and thence till 11 o'clock had the floor, with a coil*, le of exceptions to themselves. They danced, in addition to the ordinary dances, several fancy measures and. acquitted themselves admirably, so | much so that every effort evoked warm applause from the spectators who filled every available part of the theatre. The exceptions alluded to were a cake walk and skirt dance, the first by the Misses L. Duff, Walkley (2), L. McGrath, Ashton and Brough, aud Messrs Stevens, Manson, West, Wood, Cope and Harris, and the later by the Misses Duff, Watson, D. Wood, F. and M. Collinson, McMillan, Archer and Eva Walkley. Both dances were executed with a grace and abandon that was perfectly inimitable and they had to be repeated at a later hour in the evening. Needless to state lavish applause followed each performance. During the evening the Hon. T. Y. Duncan, Minister for Lands, who was present, with Mr W. T. Wood, M.H.R., expressed the pleasure it gave. him to be present at a function of this description or any other for the benefit of tho town. He said he was not acquainted with the ladies of the committee responsible for such a brilliant success, with one exception, Mrs W. T. Wood, and he well knew the activity and energy she devoted to any matter she took in hand. Her energy and perseverance always commanded success, and he was quite sure the present function would prove a financial success. He referred to the great progress of the town, its free open aspect and healthy situation. Situated as it was where the railways converged, it was certain in time to be one of the largest inland cities in the colony. Mr W. T. Wood, M.H.R,, also briefly addressed those present. He thanked the committee, comprising Mesdames Palmer, W. T. Wood, Bett, Pringle, Whalley, Lovelock, Cohen, Dodd, Leigh,Archer, Abernethy, Schwarz, West, MacFarren, and the Misses Culling, Riyers, Wood and Woodroffe, the joint secretaries, Miss Wright and Mr H. Muller, and the ladies who had taught the' children the fancy dances, viz., the Misses Beswick, Bierre and Culling, Messrs Warden,MacFarren,andßaeburn, for assistance in a similar way, and Messrs Palmer, Bett, and Pringle for preparing the hall. He remarked that it had given both Mr Duncan and himself great pleasure to be present, notwithstanding that the former had been greatly busied with Parliamentary duties and found it somewhat difficult to get away from them. Mr Wood read a letter, received by Mrs Wood from the Hon. Hall-Jones, regretting his inability to attend owing to important work in Wellington. He would have been very pleased to have been present as he recognised it was good work to endeavour to provide such a necessary and useful item in municipal life as a clock and chimes. He trusted the result of the function would exceed all anticipations. Mr Wood announced that the ladies had been requested and would repeat the ball in a couple of week's time in the Opera House in aid of the funds of the P.N. Brass Band.

After eleven o'clock adults took the floor and danced until the small hours, exhilarating music being supplied by Mr T. Kitchen's band. The. floor was in excellent condition and the devotees to the fascinating pastime experienced a most'enjoyable evening. Among the children in fancy dress were the following: Maudie Newman, " Ivy "; Amy Goldfinch," Starry Night"; Pearl Bood, representing Robinson, and Boon; Jane Ford, "Flower Girl"; Elsie Catterick, "Ivy "; Nina Hutton, " Sailor Girl"; Elsie Nightingale "Sailor Girl"; Eileen Woodfield, Kate Greenaway ; Ethel Nash, "Little BoPeep"; ' Violet Henley, " Highland Lassie '; Gertrude Stone, "Queen of Roses"; Inez Mitchell, " Snow Queen"; Mavis Murray, "Evening Star "; Doris Flyger, " Geisha Girl"; E. Toodall, " Fairy "; I*. Nuttall," Queen of Roses "; Annie Dalrymple, " Moonlight"; Vera Cox, •" Shepherdess ", B. Hall, " Orange Polyanthus "; Dorothy Tyer, " Dame • Hubbard " ; Jean Cox, "Clock Fund"; Jean Mc Artney," Highland Girl"; May Stevens, "Japanese Lady,?* E. M. Robertson, " Butterfly Fairy " ; D. Maree, " Flower Girl" ; Gladys Smith, " Wattle" ; Irene T. Smith,- " Fairy " ; Elsie Goar, " Turkey " ; Agnes Delahunty, "Forget-me-not " ; E. Maree, " Fairy Girl" ; L. E. Wyn West, " Gondolier"; M. McArtney, "Pierrot"; Mabel Tucker, "Duchess of Devonshire"; Violet De Luen, "Folly"; Lily De Luen, " Spanish. Girl" ; Annie Ellis, " Swiss Girl " ; . Una Tyer, " Knave of Hearts"; Nancy Sweeney, " Fairy "; Florrie Browning, " Starlight " ; Dolly Browning, " Flower Girl "; Eva Pickering, "Queen.of the Daisies"; Lydia Armstrong, "Winter"; Madge Just, " Flower Girl" ; Hazel Just, " Sport " ; Mary Sexton, "An English Winter"; Elsie Oliver, " Snow" ; May Asth>, "Queen of. the Ivy" ;' Lillian Bamberry, "Blue Bells"; Ray Wes', " Grace Darling " • NTifca West, " Sunflower " ; Eva Thompson, " Jill" ; Myrtle Pittam, " Snowdrops"; Gladys

De Blois, *' The Runaway Girl" ; Riki Wood, "Trilby" ; Martha .Tait, "Ivy"; Eileen Kirk, "Kate: Greenaway''; Lucy _ Lovelock; V Japanese Lady"; Hazel-Carter, " Shepherdess"; Mabel Charker- ■ " Qusen of the Ivy"; Gwen Whalley! " Roy Blue ",* May and Gertie McDonald, "Scotch Lassies"; Hetty Bryant, " Flower Girl"; Bella Bryant, "Fairy Queen"; Dorothy Downes, " Fairy "; Nita Dowdall, " Ten of Diamonds "; Eva Kirk," A Highland Lassie "; Doris Boon, "Blue Bell"; Eppie Brown, "Highland Lassie "; Ada Fitzgerald, "A Grecian Lady ■"; E. Fitzgerald, " Geisha Girl"; Violet Holben, " The Rose of Riviera "; Maggie Tait, "Spanish Girl"; Ivy Smith, "Milkmaid"; N. Whalley, "Folly; Hetty. Davey (Auckland), " Yachting" ; Lottie Winks (Auckland), "Marie Antoinette"; Vera Browne, "Gondolier Girl"; Belle Browne, "Clock and Chimes"; Iris Crichton, " Marguerite"; Trixie Crichton, "Post Card"; Rita Crichton, "Queen of the Gypsies"; May Dowdall, "Romp"; Violet Amies, " Defiance Dried Milk "; Issie Brown, "Gypsy Maid"; Daisy De Blois, " The Maiden All Forlorn " ; Muriel Rush, "Britannia"; Maggie Arnott, evening' dress; Olive Piercy, " Jingle Bells " ; Doris MacFarran, " New Zealand "; Olive Ihle, " Fairy Queen " ; Dorothy Bruntoh, " Golden Butterfly " ; Beryl Pringle, "The Rose"; Louie Wood, " Lamp Shade " ; Ada Holland,. " Evening"; Florae Quinton, "A Japanese Lady "; Hilda Oliver, "Flower Girl " ; Kitty Devine, "'Brescian " ; Eileen Hickey, " Bridesmaid" ; Lucy, 'Parker, "Cornflower" ; Sis Bett, "Highland Lassie"; Olive and.Hazel Bett, '•Two Little Girls in Blue"; Alice Higgins, "Ivy"; Eileen Anderson, "Shamrock; Eva- Oulaghan, "Mimosa"; Louie Hesketh, "Daisy"; Doris E. Ashley, " Queen of the Roses " ; Ethel. Sheerin, •'lrish' Buttercup"; Eileen Mouldey, "Little Miss Muffet" ; Rita Mouldey, "Folly"; F. McLachlan, " Northern Star " ; Annie Hill, "An Irish Peasant"; Ida Alexander, "A Fairy Queen " ; H. Wright, " Highland Lassie"; Amy Wright, "A Fairy"; Lillie Evans, "Evening Dress"; Doris Watson, ." Ivy "; W. Broadbent, " Mary " ; Connie Watchorn, " Pink of Perfection"; Alice Attfield, "Gipsy Fortune-teller " ; Mabel Hocking, "Japanese Lady" ;E. Collins, " Spanish Dancer "; D. M'Donald " Evening Dress"; Alex McFerran, "Sailor Boy"; Myrtle Griggs, " Dorothy" ; Herbert Walden, "Sailor"; C. Nightingale. " Footballer "; W. Sexton, "Jolly Jack Tar ".; Reggie Thompson, " Jack "; Howard Lovelock, "Sailor Boy"; Robert Burns, "Bubbles " ; C. Raehurn, "Highland Gentleman "; Frank and Bertie Palmer, " Robinson Crusoe " and "Frday"; Willie Donaldson, "Toreador " ; V. Crichton," Highlander " ; Noel Crichton, " Boy Blue "; E. Collins, " Nineteenth Century " ; C. Collins, " Nineteenth Century" ; H. Rush, " Chinaman " ; V. E. Edwards, " Highlander "; .Joe Devine, "Australian Bushman" ; Hubert Carter " Bubbles."