THE ARTS BALL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22141, 21 June 1935, Page 3

THE ARTS BALL

A BRILLIANT SCENE MANY STRIKING COSTUMES DIGNITY AND ORIGINALITY The dull cares of everyday life were swept away, if only temporarily, on the wings of revelry last evening when the president and ball committee of the Auckland Society of Arts held the annnal arts ball in the Peter Pan Cabaret. As is always the case with the arts ball, the gathering was a very merry one, and a vivid and colourful scene was presented. With identities carefully concealed by disguises of various kinds, restraint was discarded, and all who attended the ball set out thoroughly to enjoy themselves. Costumes were very varied, the national and the picturesque, the historical, the original and the absurd mingling in a colourful array. The grand march was a spectacular event and formed a unique study in contrasts, dignity striving bravely to maintain its place over buffoonery. In the procession the costumes were naturally seen to advantage, and it was quite evident that much thought and originality had been given to the fashioning of many.

The decorations in the ballroom were well in keeping with the nature of the ball, futuristic posters adorning the walls and also the front of the orchestral dais. The supper room was a triumph of decorative skill and was the entire work of Miss Eve Vaile. The corners were massed with imitation trees of cherry blossom in full bloom and the tables were decked with almost every flower that is at present in season-. Tall, slender vases of Iceland poppies, jonquils, mimosa and camelias were placed on the long tables, tho vases being connected by long sprays of autumn-coloured josephines and briglitly-hued berries. Cherry blossom was again to be seen massed round the pillars, and iridescent butterflies with brilliantly-coloured wings adorned the trees.

The difficult task of judging the costumes was undertaken by Mrs. Eliot Davis, Mr. W. J. Crowther and Professor F. P. Worley, who awarded the prizes as follows: —Best national group. Miss H. Johnson's Dutch group; best optional group, Mr. David Nathan's nigger minstrel troupe; . best lady s costume, Miss Norah O'Halloran as the Merry Widow; best gentleman's costume, Mr. B. Donovan, as Thor. A special prize was awarded by Mrs. Eliot Davis to Mr. Mills Pftlmer and Miss L. Williams as Mr. Jiggs and Maggie. One of the most amusing sets was the nigger minstrel troupe arranged by Madame Edith Baird and Mr. David Nathan. All the troupe had blackened faces and the ladies' costumes were tight-fitting black satin mess jackets with exaggerated revers in white satin, and full knee-length skirts. The men were in white satin dress suits with exaggerated tails and black revers to the coats. All wore silver top hats. The har-monium-concertina and the banjo were played by two members of the set, while the others sang "Shine, Shine, Moon," and did an excellent cake-walk to the tune of "Down South." Taking part in this set were: — Mr. and Mrs. L. P. Leary, Mrs. T. H. E. Oakes, Miss Lesley Waller, Miss Denise Didsbury, Mr. David Nathan, Mr. Russell Giesen and Mr. Dennis Nathan.

A Dutch set, arranged by Miss H. Johnson, was also very entertaining, particularly when the members performed an excellent clog dance at the conclusion of the procession. Taking part in it were: —Miss B. Hazelwood, Misses H. and P. Johnson, Miss E. Dommison, Miss M. Putwain, Mrs. H. A. Steinert, Misses Betty and P. Atkinson, Messrs. H. A. Steinert, Tice-

Martin, U. Moller, M. Hemming, E. Martin, J. Crippen. Roughton and H. Knight. Miss Natalie Stratum's .sot represented a brand of wliiskv. Taking part in it were: —Misses Dorothy MCrhail, Eileen McCarthy, Esma Fort, Doris Hartnoll, Mavis Tucker, Billy Nairn, Natalie Stratton, Messrs. 11. Cotterall, J). Gatenby, I. Harvey, T. Kennedy, A. Donovan, A. Kronfeld, M. Stratton and K. Dalton. " Nalda and Joan " were also members of the troupe and danced a duo, All were dressed in black and white costumes, the girls with short pleated skirts, wide lapels on the corsage, and top bats. A very clever dance was given by members of the set. The members of the committee present were:—Ladv Siiielair-Loekhart, who wore a frock of royal hi ue and black chevron-striped velvet; Mrs. Gilbert Archey, black and rose patterned inarocain; Mrs. A. W. Cheat, ficelle georgette with a lace cape; Mrs. R. Coleman, black Chantilly lace; Mrs. Give Coleman, black ring velvet; Mrs. Eliot Davis, phlox pink gold-threaded satin; Mrs. G. A. Jones, black cire satin; Mrs. It. A. Lippincott, black and white patterned chiffon; Mrs. W. J. A. Thomson, black ring velvet; Mrs. F. P. Worlcv, saxe blue georgette; Miss Ida G. Eise, jubilee blue ring velvet: Miss Ruby Coleman, ravenswing blue crepe fleuri; Miss Eve Vaile, apple green georgette; Mrs. Basil Buddie, representing a Victorian lady; Mrs. A. Bullock, powder and patches; Mrs. Alan Donald, Queen Eleanor; Mrs. E. B. Gunson, Anna May Wong; Mrs. T. H. E. Oakes, nigger minstrel;

Mrs. Nello Porter, powder and patches; Miss Lesley Waller, nigger minstrel. Among those present in fancy dress were:'—Mrs. Anthony Stubbs, who represented powder and patches; Mrs. E. Thwaites, Chinese devil dancer; Madame Edith 13aird, costume of 1870; Mrs. K. Rudman, Hungarian peasant; Mrs. C. 15. Simpson, Spanish girl; Mrs. G. Minhinnick, green dragon; Mrs. A. Neville, gipsy; Mrs. Rex Fairburn, Algerian girl; Miss H. Clark, Spanish ladv; Miss L. Williams, "Maggie"; Miss Mae Thompson, Cleopatra; Miss Barbara I'ieree, gipsy; Miss .1. Tattle, clown; Miss P. Buekleigh, Arabian girl; Miss M. Sears, " Blonde of the Follies"; Miss 0. Luketina, gipsy; Miss Winifred Cooke, Algerian girl; Miss Marjorie Cerutty, gipsy; Miss Noelino Worthy, Spanish senorita; Miss T. Moxam, Cleopatra; 'Miss K. Ford, Charmaine; Miss M. Mot/.ger, Russian girl; Miss P. Bernascori, Madame Flame; Miss M. Innes, Chinese girl; .Miss Cynthia Thompson, Chinese girl; Miss A." Nolan (Cambridge), Hawaiian dancer; Miss F. Foote, Chinese girl; Miss Norah O'Halloran, The Merry Widow; Miss Florence Taylor, Quaker girl; Miss Ruth Bailey, Katrihka; Miss Margaret O'Connor, Russian dancer.

Mr. Vernon Brown represented an Algerian; Mr. Alex Garmonsway, Victorian gentleman; Mr. B. T)onovan, Thor; Mr. Rex Fairburn, Algerian; Mr. Mills Palmer, Mr. Jiggs; Mr. Chris. Parker, gipsy; Mr. D. Hudson, Anthony; Mr. A. Thompson, a clown; Mr. D. Spears, Arabian knight; Mr. Laird Thomson, bandit chief; Dr. E. B. Gunson, Mr. Wong; Mr. K. W. Schmidt, Mr. A. Bullock, Mr. C. James and Mr. Anthony Stubbs, powder and patches; Mr. C. Sandford, gipsy; Mr. C. Gudgeon, Russian hillmau; Mr. D. McGregor, Mexican; Mr. W. Willard, Octavius; Mr. D. Vary, Caesar; Mr. R. Beazley, Satan; Mr. K. Wormll, Spaniard; Mr. C. B. Simpson, Spaniard; Mr. E. Thwaites, a Highlander; Mr. G. Minhinnick, red dragon; Mr. K. Minhinnick, 18th century gentleman; Mr. M. Whyte, Chinaman; Mr. It. Bailey, quaker; Mr. ,T. Bailey, jester; Mr, E. O'Halloran, Spaniard; Mr. W. Priestley, Russian dancer; Mr. H. Clark, Spaniard; Mr. A. C. Robb, pierrot. Others present included:—Mrs. MacDonald Ford, black marocain and silver lame; Mrs. Carl Tanner, deep saxe blue Chantilly lace; Mrs. 11. M. Scelly, ciel blue angelskin lace; Mrs. D. McCrone, black and rose j)ink tunic frock; Mrs. R. E. Isaacs, apple green georgette and lace; Mrs. M. J. Cooper, silver grey pleated georgette; Mrs. A. E. Moore, willow green organdie; Mrs. Bernascori, ivory satin; Mrs, N. S. Cassrells, black moss crepe and silver lame; Mrs. Rex Carew, Lido blue crepe and gold lame; Mrs. J. W. Cowley, jubilee blue silver threaded metal lace; Mrs. Hubert E. Green, black marocain embroidered with jet beads; Mrs. H. R. Blootnfield, parchment Mechlin lace; Mrs. J. .1. Sullivan, black beaded georgette; Mrs. J. T. Niven, forest green crinkled crepe; Mrs. R. Webster, blush pink crinkled crepe; Mrs. A. M. Hares nape, gold lame and black marocain tunic frock; - Dr. Gladys Rowley, bottle green crepe fleuri; Mrs. N. Do Berg, powder blue taffeta; Mrs. D. H. Steen, chocolate brown souple satin; Mrs. E. M. Hanson, gold lace over cherry chiffon; Mrs. J. Stevenson, black ring velvet. Miss M. Ellis wore black georgette; Miss Rene Schroder, black marocain and silver lame; Miss J. Luketina, rose and cream checked taffeta ; Miss J. Holmes, silver grey lace; Miss S. Olsen, black ring velvet; Miss Bunty Smales, turquoise blue taffeta; Miss Barbara Somerville, rosje and brown striped dimity muslin; Miss N. Fox, black ring velvet and gold lame; Miss Marie Stewart, cream ring velvet; Miss Rita Chapman, ciel blue embossed chenille georgette; Miss Violet Robertson, black floral marocain; Miss Kathleen McClelland, rose pink crepe fleuri; Miss Lippincott, pink and green floral georgette; Miss Zita Saunders, brown and white patterned erejie suede; Miss Ruth Sutherland, tomato red angelskin lace; Miss Elizabeth Ritchie, sage green crepe suede; Miss T. Roseman, parchment angelskin lace; Miss Betty Richwbite, black crepe suede; Mi|>s G. Buckley, tobacco brown taffeta; Miss Jocelvn Wilkie, white frilled taffeta; Miss H. Seabrook, brick red crepe faille.

ASSOCIATION WORK "<*• | A large gathering of girls, both past and present members of the Young Women's Christian Association, met on Wednesday evening to do honour to Miss . Jean Begg, of the National Young Women's Christian Association of India, who is at present visiting Auckland. Girl citizens formed a guard of honour, and an original song of welcome was sung by the company, Joan Sullivan presenting a bouquet to the guest. Miss Olive Hart, the president of the presidents council, phmucu. fiiu speeches of welcome were made by Miss Hart for the members of the senior department and for the girls' department by Miss Thelma Osborne. The programme included a violin solo by Miss Helen Gray, a Maori dance by members of the Rxcelsior 'Club of the Methodist Church, a song by the girl citizens, a dramatisation by the hostel girls entitled " Clementine," a humorous sketch, " Miss Begg's Ghosts," by the Overseas Club and a dramatisation, " Waltzing Matilda," by senior girls. Mrs. Strange was tho pianist. Miss Begg in acknowledging the enthusiastic welcome, took her hearers on an imaginary tour through India, visiting peoples and places. She spoke of tho varied work of the association and gave numerous incidents which wen? both amusing and interesting, as they portrayed the work of the association with many types of girls and women.