Melbourne Festivities For The Royal Visitor

Manawatu Times, Volume 59, Issue 274, 22 November 1934, Page 2

Melbourne Festivities For The Royal Visitor

The Australian Club had the honour of the presence of the Duke of Gloucester at the ball, which it gave in its mngnilicent building last week.

The wide entrance hall has one oh the finest staircases in Australia, its beautiful-carvcd mahogany banister being a show piece of its kind. This rises from tho centre of the hall with a spacious sweep to a landing, which was decorated with shrubs and flowers. Twined in the ballustrade were golden Iceland poppies glowing in tho warmth of a string of lights. Mr. Norton Grimwade, as president of tho club, with Mrs. Grimwade, received tho guests. His Excellency tho Governor (Lord Huntingtield) and Lady Huutingtield were present, accompanied by the Hon. Sara Vanneck and Lieutenant-Colonel and the Hon. Mrs. Helinc I’ott, and attended by Captain Alan Lawrence and Captain Barbour. With His Excellency tho Governor of Queensland (Sir Leslie Wilson) were Lady Wilson and Miss Marjorie Wilson, and Lady Irvino accompanied tho Licutonant-Governor of Victoria (Sir William Irvine). When the Duke arrived with members of his staff ho was received with dignified formality, and after members of tho committee and their wives had been presented, a ceremonial entranco was made into tho ballroom. The Duko dancod first with Miss Marjorie Wilson, and his second partner was the Hon. Sara Yanneck. Eefreshments were served in a room upstairs, tho long buffet tables being adorned with countless bowls of vivid roso-pink rhododendrons, rvkilo silver candelabra gleamed amid the flowers. Over the tables six immense lamps were hidden by parchment shades of faint mauve-pink painted with delicate traceries of rhododendron, blossoms. Every device known to the skilled art Oi. tlie confectioner and pastrycook was employed to givo auued colour and grace to tho tables—swans and tiny figures, baskets, and ornaments being fashioned of spun sugar liko fairy craft. Even more marvellous woro the tw'o supper rooms, where mighty salmon and lordly turkeys kept company with glossy sucking j,.gs, and. *.~o' iustoric boar's head surrounded by roses of French paste. Pheasants in their plumage rested on beds of parsley, while a masterpiece of art was tho sugar model of HALS. Sussex, complete with a sea of rippling waves, over which model yachts glided, and a lofty lighthouse towered on the coastline. On the official, supper table baskets of exquisite roses gave grace and fragrance, while an Australian atmosphere was imparted by an illumined model of a bushman’s hut in rough brovrn bark and by quaintly picturosquo figures of an emu and a kangaroo carried out in velvety pansies. Tho Duke of Gloucester was present at a garden party given by tho Government of Victoria at Parliament House. Tucked away behind this most, imposing building is ono of those surpriso gardens such as aro found behind the great houses in Park Lane and other parts of London's AVest End. There is a quietness and quaint quality about it which has a charm rarely found these days, and more seldom still, in such surroundings. Constant trimming has made tho lawn one of tho smoothest in Melbourne, and about .it the flower beds and shrubs shut .in this oasis with a leafy quiet. The guests entered from llie front of tho House and . also from tho garden. The Premier and Lady Argylc, the President of tho Legislative Council and Lady Clarke, aud tho Speaker of tlio Legislative Assembly (Mr, Everard) stood in Queen's Hall to receive tho Eoyal guost. Others present were Lord and Lady Huntinglield, Sir Thilip and Lady Game, Sir Leslie and Lady Wilson, Sir William and Lady Irvine, and Mrs. Evcrard. Tho Eoyal party proceeded to the gardon, and latter had afternoon tea on tho balcony.