Social Gossip.

Free Lance, Volume V, Issue 247, 25 March 1905, Page 8

Social Gossip.

By Christabel

THK At Home" gn en last Wednesday afternoon by Mm. Collins pioved most delightful. Evenyone admired ve.iy much the beautiful now hall which has just been completed. It is an aitistic study in white, gold, and red, with just a suggestion of the 1 East in the rich rugs and poitaeres. Afternoon tea was served in a, marquee on the lawn, the table being piettily ananged with pink flowers and delicate fronds of maiden-haw . A competition — riddle guessing — was arranged, and wa-> won by Mns Raiikin Brown, who leceired a quaint little gold pm brooch. * • * Mrs. Collins received her guests, weaiing a very graceful gown of cream taffeta, with bands of orange velvet and soft lace on the bodice, which was finished with a wide swathed belt of oieaim Onental satin, fastened with three ambei velvet rosettes. Mrs. Pearce wore a pretty black silk voile gown, and black hat with tips. Mrs. Moorhouse \\a.s in pale grey eohenne over silk, relieved with lace. Mrs. O'Connor wore a black satin gown, and black bonnet relieved with lace. * # * Mrs. T. C. Williams wore black silk gienadme, with soft vest of lace, and tulle bonnet Mns. Tweed, white doth sown, and black picture hat , Mrs. C. Pearce, black, and black hat. The guests included Mr^. and Miss Lewi* (Auckland), Mrs. A. Duncan, Mrs. Larnach, Mrs. Rankin Brown, Mrs La Trobe, Mrs. and 1 the Musses Barron, Mis. Wrieht, Mrs. and Miss Grace, M'- T W. Hislop, Mrs C. Cooper I\li< Crawford, Mrs. andi Mis,s Fe<ll, Mi^ and Mis?. Miles, Mrs Macpherson, Mrs Buchanan, Misses Turner. Branclo'i. Johnston, Duncan, Harcou.rt, Grace, Harding, and Williams. * * * Mrs. and Miss Mackay (Feilding) have been in town for a few dars.

Mass Bienda Hacon, who has been spending several months in England, returned by the Tonga™ o. Mrs. Hope LewLS and Miss Eileen Lewis, wife and daughter of Dr. Lewis (Auckland), are the guests ot Mis. T. C. Wnlliams. Mife. Roberts, wife of Lieutenant Robeuts, of H.M.S. Phoebe, armed in Wellington last week, and is staying just now at Mrs. MaskelPs, Boulcott Tei race * * * Tho engagement is announced of Miss Moya FitzGeiald second daughter of Mi Gerald FitzGeiald, to Mi Maurice Denniston eldest son ot Mr. Justice Denniston Mrs and Miss Yon Dadelz^en (Napiei) are visiting Wellington. ■**■»- ThePremiei, with Mis and Miss Seddon, are ]ust now staying at tlie Grand Hotel, Auckland. * * * Mr*. Dan R/ddifoid (Marton) is m Wellington at present. Other visit on s are Mr. and Mis H. C. Seymour (Picton), who came over for the encket match Mr. and Mrs. Abraham (Palmervton North), and Mrs and the Misses Wilson (Bulls), who came down foi the polo tournament. How very fortunate the polo playeis aie! Last tarne — do you remember ?—? — day after day of glorious weather favoured them, and this year they aire evidently going to enjoy the same happy experience. The Rangitakea team seems to be a particulai ly strong one. Each day there has been a lai ge crowd of onlookers, for polo is a most fascinating; and delightful game to watch. Tihe engagement is announced of Dr. Reid Maokav, a popular resident of Dannevirke, to Miss Ethel Wnght of Auckland. ■* * * A Rangitikei engagement -just announced is that of Miss Tui Lethbndge, daughter of Mi . and Miv. Lethbndge, Feilding, to Mi. Walpole, also of Feildmg. - * - The Countess of Onslow whilst en route for England, stayed foi a few days at Sutton Forrest, New South Wales, as the guest of His Excellency the Governor and Lady Rawson and left there to proceed to Adelaide, w l here the Countess, her son, and daughter joined the RMS Ortona.

On Wednesday, Mai oh 23rd, an exceedingly preitty wedding took place at St. John's Church, when Miss Bessie Hislop, second daughter of the Hon. T. W. Hislop, was mamed to Dr. Walter Moray Shand. The Rev. Dr. Gibb was the officiating clergyman, and the church, which was filled with guests, had been very artistically decked with cnmi-on geraniums, banked high, and leheved with fohaee. The effect when the pietty bride and her attendants grouped thorn-elves was delightfully picturesque. * , The bride entered the church with hei father, and wore a veiy beautiful gown of lvon white Oriental satin quaintly made with full gathered) skirt and folded bodice di aped with exciuas'ite lace, and having a *oft fichu effect. A long tulle veil was worn over a small wieath of orange flowers, and a beautiful shower-bouquet of white roses and carnations was carried. * ¥■ + Hei bridesmaids weie Miss Joan Hislop, Miss Alice Shand, Miss Lucy Biandon, and Miss Dorothy Pollen, whose die^ses were lovely. Of whii/te mousselme-de-^oie, they fell in graceful folds, the skirts benng quite t>imply made. The bodices were as quaint and uncommon as they were sw eet They had deep lace yokes and folded berthas of mousseline-de-soue wdie ai ranged to> fall just below the shouldeis. Then below that again was a soft puffing of white »ilk, which gave a moi^t original touch to the 1 dresses, and they wei c completed with soft scarves at the waist, and elbow sleeves. Their hats were in harmony wuth the quaint nest, of the gowrns being of white diawni silk, and trimmed' with tulle and clusters of tips. Bouquets of crimson flowers were earned, and their gift?- — gold chains and pretty pendants — wei c worn * -y- * Mr. Russell Dvmock was best man a,nd Mr. Maughan Bai nett presided at the orgam. After the ceiemony, a reception was held at the residence of the bride's parents, Salamanca-road. Mrs Hislop received her guests, wearing a pretty gown of russet-brown cloth, with ] evers of lvorv satin and lace and a touch of moss-green velvet, and! hei bouquet was of pale pmk rosebuds Mrs. Shand (Dunedin) was wearing a handsome black silk dress, relieved with white lace, and a black bonnet and her bouquet was composed of pale yedlowflowers. Mrs. C. Cooper wore a pretty cream voile dress with pale blue belt and wlute 1 hat with blue. * * * Lady Stout was wearing a lovely

gown, of black brocade, with deep yoke of white silk, and a pretty white hat with black ostrich taps and tulle. Mrs. Williams wore a handsome black silk gown, with a bonnet of white tulle and lace. Mrs. Collins wore a cream cloth dress, and blaok hat with ostrich feathers , Mrs. A. Pearce, a blaok gown, relieved! with white, and picture hat. Mrs. J. P. Campbell, a very pretty white cloth dres with collar i evens- of duck-e^e; blue cloth, and pretty hat. Mrs*. H. Hislop wore cream voile, and white hat Mrs. Tolhurst, in blaok, with white tulle scarf, and bonnet with w hite o-prey. * * ♦ M.ss Coates wore black voile, with white feathei stole, and black hat; Mrs. Wmght, m very dainty gown of white chaff on, with tin3 r black spots, and black picture hat. Dr. Isabel Watson wore a pretty pale blue voile grown, and a black hat. Mrs. Brandon was wearing black erepe-de-ehxna, witih deep yoke of white silk, and black and white hat. Mrs. Barron wore a black brocade, with white lace, and black hat • Mr-. Pollen, pretty palegreen voile gown, made with French folds, and relieved with black lace : Muss Pollen, a pretty bright bluei muslin gown. Mrs. Faulke wore a grey cloth gown _ and pretty hat to match, swathed with velvet. Miss Duncan wore grey, relieved with pink ; Mrs. Vau'dry Baldwin, in cream cloth, with a bright-red hat. * * ♦ Mrs. W. FitzGerald wore black, with soft cream lace vest, and black hat ; Miss K. FitzGerald, in white, and a white hat with pale blue ; Mrs. Biss, in grey cloth gown, and white hat: Mrs. Miles, m lilac silk voile, and hat with shaded feather ; Miss Miles, pretty mauve floral muslin, and large black velvet hat ; Miss Gore, in white, with blue sash and white hat; the Misses Harcourt, in oieam cloth dlresses; the Misses Fell, in white dresses, and pretty white floral hats. * * # The Misses D. and K. Fitzherbert wore cream voile frocks and! picture hatts- Mass Waldegrave, a pretty palegreen cloth gown, and white 1 hat. Miss MacTavish wore cream voile, and large white hat ; Mass Henry, in cream cloth sown, pale>-green straw hat with tulle. Miss 0. FitzGerald wore cream voile, and hat with pink roses. Miss Moya FitzGerald wore a grey voile gown : M'^s Denniston, in blue voile and plateau hat. On their return from the honeymoon, Dr. and Mrs. Shand, will live in Vivian-street. In the evening there was a theatie party, the brides-

maids and ,se\ ci al hiends, Dr. and Mib. Hislop, and All. and Mrs. C. Cooper being p e^,ent, diid later they went on to the dance gi\en b}, Mi^ T C Willlianib Mis^Guen Bell (Palmeistoii Noith) is on a \is t to liioikU m Wellington. Awh-p'i 1 caches me that Madame Nita Steele, who^e elocutional \ lecitkil \\ai> so\eiy successful, intends shortly to gi\e anothei, w hem slie will be assastecl b\ »e\eral of hei pupiK. * * * The eng.igement is announced of Miss lima Leonard, eldest daughter of Mi. James. Leo.iaid, of Khandallah, to Mr Geo H Ricliaidson, eldevt son of Mr. J. H. Rieluud-on, Commissioner of Government Lite Insurance Department. I ha\ c yet another engagement to announce— that of Mi Gilbert N Baggrtt. eldest, -on of Mr Bagsett of the Public Libiai\, in th s city to Miss Maraa'et Ma> Duncan, only daughter of Mr. and Mis. Alex. Duncan, of Whare Kauri," Me.ivale Lane, St Alb ins Mi. G.lbert Ba^gett i> the Wanganui repier putative of Mesnr-. Dalgety and Co., Limited The wedclmg i*s fixed for the 6th pi ox. A moSt enjoyable kitchen tea, in honour of Miss Lottie Orr, who i^ t-o bemained, was given b\ Mrs J. D Sievw nght, at liei lesidence. "Vailima," the Ten ace, on Saturday aftornon. A goodly ariav of kitchen utensil -> was displayed in the beakfaist-room and dehcjious afternoon tea was «*eived in the dining-room Music and a guessang competition made the tame pass pleasantly and all too quickly. Songs were sung bv Mrs. Ivan Levi and Miss McLean, and a recitation given by Miss J. Rodges. Prizes for tihe guessine competition weie won by Miss Ume and Mi-^ Muiiel Burnard. * * * Mrs. Vivian Donald, who has been spending a few days with her mother (Mrs. C. H. M lls),'ba,s retuinedito Masterton. * • • Mr Person, of the Nelson branch of the Bank of New Zealand, left last week o'l an c ght months' tmp to England. Mr. C Webb-Bowen, of the "Wellington staff, has been appointed to the NeUon bianch during Mr Peiston's absence * * * Mr> Glovei-Eaton, L.R.A.M , late conductor of the ladies' vocal class at the famous Victoi la Institute, Worcester, England and who has been &o very successful with hei pupilft in the short time she has been hvmg amongst us has formed a ladies' Vocal Union, and practice will commence this week. Some of the works to be produced are "Tmlers of the Deep." a very tuneful cantata by Gaul, "The Snow," one of Elgar's part songs, and others if opportunity offers Mrs Glover-Eaton, bv the way, is one of the few members of the Incorporated Society of Professional Muscians who leside- in New Zealand. * * • Up in Auckland, the other dars , Miss Blanchle Buckland Gome, eldest daughtei of Mr. H. Gorrie, Epsom, was married to Mr. Algernon, Malcolm Bortlhwick, of Christ church, and on, the same day Miss Ella May Phil cox (sister of Mrs Queree, the accomplished pianiiste) was married to Mr. Noiman McCorquod'ale, of Sydney. * * * What a very talented family fhe widely-known Castles must be. Mis« Eileen, a younger sister, who will probably undei study Miss Dolly's parts, is said to have the finest voice of tihe trio now before the public, and I am told there aare still more sisters* — equally promising — to follow should occasion require. The engagement is announced m Wellington of Mrs. Travers, widow of the late Mr. W. T. L. Travers, the wellknown lawyer, to Colonel Wood of Nelson. Colonel Wood belongs to an old Waikato family, and has been in the Indian Army until quite latch * ♦ • Under the sensation headlines of "She Preferred the Registiai's Office How a Bride Surprised her Friends," a recent society event in Wellington is thus telegraphed to the Auckland "Heiald*" by the roundabout medium of ib» Chrastchurch correspondent- — "News has been received in Christchurch that a lecent Wellington marraage caused a great deal of surprise to 200 or so prospective guests, who found themselves deprived of all the excitement, and joy that usually occur at 'pretty' weddings. The event was fixed 1 for a date towards the end of the present month (March 1 ), and, as the contracting parties are well known and popular m the capital city the occasion was being looked forward to as one that would be a social function of some magnitude. * * * "The invitations had been issued, and all the customary arrangements were being made, when the many friends of

the pai ties were astounded by the news that the mam age had taken place at the 1 egit.tr ai'b office. The explanation is alleged to be that whiUt still a piospcetne bnde, the lacty was a guest at a leoeait fashionable wedding in Wellington, and was so appalled at the thought that bimilar ceremonies would attend her own maruage, that she decided, and the bridegroom, of eouise, agieed, that in her ca=.e the knot should be tied minus the pomp and circumstance of a 'fashionable wedduig "" * * * Theie is no need to mention names, at tlus time of day. It caused a little nutter of sin prise at afteinoom tea, but the nine-days' wonder is now gradually dy.ng out. Although marned at the registrars office, and without the heaps of wedding presents which the ufeual practice' of inviting all and sundry brings along, I have no doubt the youri" 1 couple will live none the less happily. They weie unconvoiiit'onal, at any rate * * * Glancing through an English papei, I noticed the following paiagraph, which will be read with mteiest by New Zea.landeis —It i& the fashion now-a-day, to visit British colonies South Africa ls the favourite, but even far-off New Zeailand is not forgotten. Bv the time Lady Onslow is on her way home again, Harriet Lady Duffenn wijl have taken her nlace as Maonland's most distinguished eruest She is going out bv way of Madaid, where her sifter Lady Nicholson, is the wife of our Ambassador to the Court of Spain. In New Zealand, of eouise, her daughter is the wife of Lord Plunket, the Governor. » * • Lady Duffenn is one of the Irish Hamiltons, and the widow of that famous diplomat.st and administrator, the Marquis of Duffenn. She has had heavy sorrows not only as a wife but as a mother, foi her eldest son, Lord Ava. died from a wound received during the siege of Ladysmdth As the wife of the Governor-General of the Dominion and Indii. she wais supremely successful and no woman has done more to aid her own sex bv means of philanthropy. She wears decorataons bestowed on her bv Queen Victoria the Shah of Persia, and the Sailtan of Tuike-"

Just as we go to pre^s arrives the new sof the death at Auckland of the Hon. Sir Alfred Jeiome Cadman, Speaker of the Legislative Council. The bad tiding will excite a thrill of genuine unaffected regret from end to end of the col on v. Sir Alfied Cadman. has borne thiough his public and puvate career the white flower of a blameless life. He first took office when the Ballance Ministry came into power in 1891, and as Native Minister and Mmistei of Railways was distinguished for a devotion to duty which it is feared undermined his never too robust health. On his retirement from the Ministry he was called to the Upper House, and last session was elected Speaker thereof. It will be seen by advertisements elsewhere that Mr. C. H. Izard has retired f i om the mayoralty content in order Lo concentrate lias strength upon the fight for the vacant city seat m Parliament. Thift> will also enable him, if elected to devote himself all the more effectively to has Parliamentary duties. The citizens will be vp" pleased to -see that they will not lose Mr. Izard's valuable services in the Council, for, although retiung from the mayoral contest, he stands for re-election to his old seat. * ♦ * If the Russians come and diop a coupJe of nine-inch shells into any of out forts the gurus might last through, it. but the. men wouldn't. You've got to man a gun with reserves then. Where •no they? The\ are not. If the Defence Department finds an artillery office i , who has a wide technical and practical knowledge of gunnery they quarrel with him, and he resigns. Despite the extremely unthankful task volunteer officers and men. have to undertake there are men who want to jump into the breach. * ♦ * Lieut. -Col C F. C Campbell, commanding the Wellington Division Garri>o i Artillei y Volunteers, is appealing to citizens xo meet him at the Chamber of Commerce, National Mutual Buildings. Customhouse Ouav. on Tuesday, 28th mst.. to consider the question of form me; another corps of Garrison, Arta.llery Volunteers As it is absolutely essential to the proper manning of the foite that the Garrison Artillery should be strengthened, it i,s to be sincerely honed the public will show keen interest in the scheme. • • • Mr W. H. Morrah is out for the City Council. Good men axe badly needed, and there are no flies on Morrah. He is a citizen of twenty-eight years' stain ding.