Social Gossip.

Free Lance, Volume IX, Issue 455, 20 March 1909, Page 11

Social Gossip.

(Continued from page 9.) Although the morning did not look fcoo promising, a fine afternoon, favoured the fete held in Mrs. Denton's beautiful grounds last Saturday. The funds were in. aid of the Free Kfndeigarten, which must have profited considerably by the afternoon, as besides the entrance fees, which included aftei - noon tea, visitors were requested on all sides to buy sweets by the children of the Kindergarten who were all dressed in the colours of the school — white and red. • • • Then, too, dunng the afternoon an impromptu concert was given inside the house for the sum of 3d per head, those contributing items being : Misses Newman,, Isaacs, Gladys Cohen, and Flux, while outside on the verandah a gramophone lendered selections. Mrs Den ton was indefatigable in. looking after all the arrangements for the pleasure of visitors, and some of Miss Richmond's old pupils helped with the afternoon tea, wihich was in the capable hands of Mrs. M. Richmond, Mrs. uurnett, and Mrs. Jamieson. • • * Miss Rubi Seddon leaves next Wednesday for a year's holiday in England. • • • Miss Willis, of Johnsoawille, who lias been staying with her brother, Mr. George Willis, leaves to-day for Sydney, where -here marriage to Mr. Edwin Geach, the well-known theatrical manager, takes place in April. • • • Mr. and Mrs. E. Herbert, of Stratford, are staying at the Hotel Windsor. • • • The engagement is announced m an. Australian, paper of Mr. Ernest O'Ferrall ("Kodak," <> f tne "Bulletin") to Miss Dolly Tanton, of New Zealand. • • • On Thursday of last week Mts. Philip Isaacs gave a progressive euchre party at her house on Wellington. Terrace, in honour of Mrs. and Miss Hellaby, of Auckland. The rooms were gay with many-tinted flowers, the supper-table Deing especially charming with tiny sunflowers and coreopsis in silver vases set on a broad mirror as table-centre. Euchre was played in the hall, the prizes being won by Miss Kember and Dr. Anderson. The former received a dainty white satin opera bag, and the latter a box of cigars. There were also "booby prizes for the lowest scores, and these had to Be played off for, the games causing much merriment. • • * After supper, music was enjoyed in the drawing-room, when songs were rendered by Mr. A. Anderson, Miss Daisy Isaacs, Miss Newman, Miss Kember, Mr. Newman, and Mr. Houghton. Dr. Isaacs gave a most humorous recitation. Mrs. Isaacs wore a frock of black sequinned net, and handsons ornaments ; Mts. Hellaby, a gown of black lace, over white silk, with narrow bands of black velvet, and Miss Hellaby's pale blue ninon was made in Empire style. • • • On January 29th, at Lausanne, Switzerland, the marriage took place of Florence Octavia Wright, widow of the late Mr. John Wright, of Dunedin, to Captain Lawrence Pepys Coekerell, of the Royal Berkshire Regiment.

The wedding of Mrs. Barker to Mr. Poidevm, both of Otaki, was quietly celebrated last Thursday week, only the immediate relatives of the bride and bridegroom being present, among them Dr. Amd Mrs. Ske(r,m»n, of Otaki. The bride wore a pale blue cloth costume, a-nd hat to match. The wedding breakfast was served at the Hotel Windsor. ♦ * * The Thorndon Lawn. Tennis Club held a novel competition last week, mi tfce form of a progressive tennis match, in which thirty-two of the members took part Points were scored instead of games, and every ten minutes a bell was rung and the players "moved on." The afternoon resulted an a win for Mr. Irwin among the men, and Mrs. Cecil Jones for the ladies. She had to draw for it with Mrs. Biss a,nd Miss Jones. Among those playing were • Mesdames Holmes, Jones, and Biss, Misses Marchant. Didsbury, Batham, Turton, and Gorp, and Messrs. Swanston, Didsbury, Grace, Irwm, Cachemaille, Howden, Mackay and Fisher.

A veiy large number of ladies went out to Trentham last Friday afternoon to \i ltness the final firing foi the Championship Belt. Much disappointment was felt at the absence of both Lady Plunket and Lady Ward, who were unr able to attend through indisposition. Miss Waird invested the champion, with the Belt, amidst much applause. Lord Plunket referred in his speech to the disappointment of Lady Plunket in being unaWe to attend, as she has always taken a great interest in. military matters in the Dominion, and in the honorary colonel of one of the Christc-lmrch corps. • • • Mts. Barton, in the absence of Mrs. Collins, acted as hostess for the afternoon, arid entertained "the visitors to tea in a marquee, where delicacies were spread on many tables ornamented with the Governor's colours — yellow and brown 1 . Mrs. Barton, wore a dark striped costume, with cream vest and black hat swathed witii tulle and trimmed with white flowers and touches of emerald green. Miss Ward's white Knen costume had a trimming of blue linen, and her white hat was simply adorned with black velvet. * * * Mrs. W. Barton wore a black gowin, braided in soutache, and black lhat with white ruffle finished with a pink rose. Mrs R. Collins was smartly gowned in navy blue, the coatee showing tiny waistcoat flaps of a paler tone over a lace vest, and a white hat trimmed with

wings finished her costume. Miss Collins wore a tailor-made of a striped green tweed, and deep blue hat trimmed with ro&es. • • • Among others present were : Mrs. Gorugan, Miss Robin, Miss Bauchop, Mrs. Macintosh, Mrs. C. H. Izard, Mrs Purdy, Mrs. Young, Miss Tolhurst, Mrs. Bunny, Mrs. P. B. Morrison, Mis. Mason, Mrs. Dean,, Miss Stafford, Miss Moore, acrid Miss Brandon. At the conclusion of the afternoon, Colonel Collins thanked Mrs. Barton, on bphalf of the officers, for her unfailing kindness and hospitality throughout the meeting, and three cheers woTe given by the marksmen present. Mis. Barton leplied, thanking the Colonel for his remarks. • » • Quite an exciting incident happened •it the departure ot the Riverma last Meek foa Sydney when, it was seen that one of the wire ropes on the ship had caught on to a crane on the wharf as the vessel started to back out. Howo\ er, no damage was done, and the lope was quickly removed, though for a second or two many m the huge ci'owd wondered what was going to happen. A large number of friends ueie on the wharf, farewellung Mrs. Holniwood, who left with her daughter and son-in-law (Mt. and Mrs. A. Bailance) for England. Miss Seddon and' Mis Knuox Gilmer were saying goodbye to Miss Ola Humphrey, and" Miss Hislop amd Mrs. Shand were also among the throng doing the same to Miss Norah Merton, of ChristchuTch, wfho left for a six-months' trip. • • • The autumn race meeting at Flemington, Melbourne, is always a good display for the first of the winter fashions, and this year, the weather being wet, furs were exploited on, the lawn, though the wearers must have been very fiot before the day was over. Some eccentricities were to be seen, according to an Australian! paper, the desire seeming to be to haye the dress absolutely skin tight, and the less material the wearer can get about in the more fashionably attired is she. * • * The most successful garments were the short-skirted Directoire dresses, as the trailing skirts looked exactly as though the back width had been left out, and it is almost, impossible to. lift them. The short skirt, on, the other hand, shows a good deal of the feet, so that it behoves the wearer to be tidy about her shoes. • • • Buttons, large and small, down the sides, back, or front, outlining the sleeves, often suggesting a yoke, were the trimming most seen, as weil as braiding, these buttons being nearly always of the same material as the dress. Big muffs of the Queen Anne style were worn by several ladies. Direotoire headgear of the toque or picture variety found many adherents, especially the toque. To wear either, the hair must be tressed low a-nd broad, then on to these nests of puffs are set those busby-like turbans, often of fur or mara-bout feathers. The trimming is simplicity itself ; only a stiff feather or aigrette standing upright is used finished' with a fancy buckle. # ♦ * The large Directoire hat was not so much seen at Flemingtoni as the turban. The few worn> slanted over the face, and one or two almost touched the wearers' eyebrows. The most worn shades were mole or elephant grey and

a diiiU brown. _ One up-to-date girl wore a Directoire pelisse gown, of smoke-grey cloth, the tight outline enhanced by braiding to match, and at one sidie hung a satchel. The hem was bordered with grey fur, and her toque of marabout was also grey, with one erect grey feather. • • • At New Plymouth on Wednesday last week Miss Bertha Batchelor, daughter of the late Mr. Hugh Batchelor, was married to Mr. Fred Black, of Hawera, and formerly of Stratford.