Gossip from Sydney.

Free Lance, Volume XIII, Issue 671, 10 May 1913, Page 6

Gossip from Sydney.

Deab Christabel,- — fW%JLE New Zealand pianist, Mr. Frank Hutcheris, has created a very favourable impression ■- here- The most critical admit tha,t .his technique is surprising in so young a player. ; _ His freedom from mannerisms is a'delightful change after the vagaries of some less accomplished musicians. ■ * * * . *. ... • .The happy day that brought Captain, Cook to the eastern shore of Australia, Afcril 28, 1770, was recently - celebrated' with much "bunting and some speeches at the historic landing-place.; Kurnell, the green headland that juts out into the placid wafers of Botany Bay,'is, as yoii know, the- first bit of Australasian soil to bear the classic .imprint of. Cook's heel. Here he landed with the. botanist Bjanks and Dr. Solander, rand met the wrathful recption of the original owners . of the ground; But the spears of two surprised natives' fell short of the mark, and a charge of shot emphasised _ the survival of' the fittest. A beautiful little pond on which the peaceful waves'its "slender stem, marks the place ;where the crew of the Endeavour replenished their water-casks. V; * * '■ * * The annual ceremony which commemorates the landing of Cook at Kurnell is the conventional "breaking" of the Flag i.e., running, the Union Jack aloft on the official flagpole. This task is always allotted to the State. Governor. This year there was an additional throb of interest to stir our national pride. On the blue waters of Botany Bay, as near as her draught' would allow to the spot where the Endeavour anchored in the lbng ago, floated the cruiser H-.M.A.S. Melbourne. Our first very own warship boomed its guns as Sir Gerald ' Strickland; broke the flag. ' *.; t * * Across the bay was' La Perouse, named after the gallant French navigator. And beyond its green shores the distant smoke from factory chimneys and the haze from dusty streets reminded us that civilsation has its drawbacks. v We could not smell the boiling-down works at Botany. .'. But, look.ng across the golden radiance of the sunlit bay. one' remembered that more than violets grew on the opposite shore. * :■» Kurnell is dedicated to the people, for ever, as a public park. No more lovely spot could have been selected than the ' landing-place of Cook, though its_ distance from the city prevents its being a vastly popular holiday resort. Chief Justice Sir William: Cu'llen is president of the trustees who control Kurnell. Australian born, his speech at the Cook cerejnonial breathed the fervid patriotism of a Hampden. - Admiral King-Hall, very keen about the Australian limb of the British Navy, found his inspiration in the gaily decorated Melbourne. About 200 offioial guests, and two or three thousand of the general public foregathered at the Kurnell. celebration. * * * * . /The Governor-General, being without any official shelter for his head in this State, makes a lightning sketch appearance here as I write. He arrives oy the Melbourne express about 11 a.m.. and reviews a hug© contingent or senior cadets. • As no train leaves, _ Sydney on Saturday evening for Victoria—the Sabbath calm in Spencer-street, Melbourne, being undisturbed by the clatter of roll-ing-stock from New South Wales—Lord Denman flees hence in the Malwa at 5.30 p.m. Meanwhile, Government House is chiefly inhabited'by housemaids brooms and the ghosts of former revelry. One hesitates to describe a situation, which is an outrage on the generous instincts of a hospitable nation, as "comio opera." „ # * * * , Mrs. Sydney Burdekin's will has been proved at £24,482. ,A handsome woman whose taste in dress ran in artistic lines, die survived her much older husband by 11 or 12 years. The late Sydney Burdekin, one-time Mayor of Sydney was. Australian born. A very wealthy man, he was a citizen' who always showed a . sense of responsibiltv in the handling of his affairs. Without touching the high- - water mark of a ohilantbropist, he was a just man, and did many noteworthy, actions for 'the benefit of this, his native city. His fortune must have been divided amongst his children as they came of age, for the sum left by his widow who died in January, can" only represent a email proportion ..of the original Burdekin , estate. One son is till under age. Mrs. Alec. Hay. the onlv surviving married daughter, has been appointed guardian to this youth. » * * * ' >■ Mrs. Hay, like her sister, the late Mrs. Allison, inherited her mother's beauty in a more delicately cast mould of form and feature. Tall and fair, with a complexion like a of faintly tinted porcelain, the lovely Australian

created a mid sensation in London last -year. After her presentation at Court, uhe English papers described her as "an-', otner' beautiful daughter .of the Common- ■ wealth." ' 'Recent Society seasons in the-grey old city by the Thanjes; have enabled some ' of our most'charming'women to rival'the Transatlantic belles, who for many rears snatched the palm for beauty from their less dressy . English sisters;. - Reviewing the height and unusual attractions of handsome , Australians, an enthusiastic London pressman remarked that . he could only lean back for inspiration on. Florodora and .inquire, "Are there : any more at home like you?" , . . -a- *• Miss Mice Burdekin, the unmarried daughter of the lady whose will has just . been proved, probably.. has her own share of her late father's estate. In addition, if this be so r her mother has left . her ; handsome legacies. The details of the' will, and' the ' arrangements set forth for the investment of considerable sums of money, show that not only was the late Mrs. Burdekin well advised, but she was also an extraordinarily fine business woman. It is interesting to_ note her belief in the, sound finance -of insurance policies of various kinds. s : - * . ' * * * ... f ' , The Governor and; Lady Edeline Strickland gave a large garden party at : State Government House: Postponed , from'the original date on account of the murder of King George of Greece, the . recent ' function was not very lucky in the weather. Heavy rain in the morning had made the ground sodden. This was not improving to the temper of the slow procession that'walked two or three abreast from the gate to the remote verandah,, where the Quality received its .guests. A crowd of 2500 persons moving at a snail's pace across a wet lawn," under threatening skies, damped, the gaiety of the proceedings in more'ways ' than one. * ■■■. Some day we may arrive at the only sensible solution of this dreary business. A huge gathering, such as'that at the recent garden-party, should be allowed to assemble as it chooses. A good scrutineer in the person of a tactful private secretary, like the Hon. Victor Hood, could soon pick out all tliose hypersensitive persons whose feelings are hurt if they do not shake the vice-regal hand. A Governor on tour- amongst his guests, aided by the said referee, could spend the afternoon passing from group to group, dropping friendly comments on the weather or the beauty of the harbour. Both are safe subjects, albeit a little threadbare. Everyone would, be satisfied with this compromise as a relief to the present long-drawn agony of spending half the afternoon airiving at the vice-regal presence.

; St. George's Day, April 23rd, falls by chance, as we suddenly remembered, on Shakespeare's Day. St. George has had; this annual party in this city for years. But the recent boom in /the Bard's stocks, which have risen over the Tercentenary Memorial business, recalled the fact that Shakespeare and St. George, if not exactly twins, have a dual interest —as celebrated : Shades—in April 23. • The State schools reverberated with extracts from the great dramatist's works, during the daytime. In the evening St. George's banquet in the

Town Hall made the innovation of admitting a few women guests to its hitherto masculine festivity. The Governor, the Admiral, Chief" Justice and Lady Cullen were the principal official guests. The red and white roses of York and Lancaster were mingled together' as buttonholes for, the male coat. And the medieval Knight Sir Loin of Beef was carried in triumph round the festive board. * * * * - Brocaded velvet is one of -the fashionable fancies of the moment. In warm shades of brown and blue, and cold slate grey, this heavy material, reminiiscent of the • furniture department, is made up into the cutaway coats that are worn so much this season. The skirt, in the same tone as the coat, is invariably of silk or some cither light-weight stuff. As the designs' in the best brocaded velvetare very, large—some of; the patterns, . look as if an eel had writhed all over the pile — : only. large ladies can wear them with even moderate success. * * * *■ Novelist Rider' Haggard has left an indelible mark here as a man'of statesmanlike views, endowed with an extraor- ' dinary gift of. insight into the problems that beset a young country. His speeches showed a much deeper grasp of our affairs than the more - superficial thoueh brilliant Foster Fraser ever seemed to get, of life in Australia. • .« ;*• • * - * " . Captain Silver, in command of H.M.A.S. Melbourne, was here many years ago as a junior, lieutenant on the old Orlando. * * * A plucky Sydney girl, Miss Hypatia Monk, drove* her own car. in the recent test and reliability automobile interState race between Melbourne and Sydney. Though Miss Monk didn't wm a prize, the Automobile Club president suggests that she' should be presented with a special trophy . .The Sydney girl put up a fine performance. A souvenir of the event in which she was the only woman driver, is certain to be handed to her later on. , # * * * ; Though skirts are alihost as narrow as they were last winter, small silk kilting ■ is .let into' the side seams by way of an extra half-yard of space. In the ultrasmart costume a slit -is made to show a glimpse of silk stocking. Mrs.. Grundy, owever, will have none of these tricks, and eyes the wearer with suspicion. Yours discursively,