WELLINGTON SOCIAL GOSSIP.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1163, 15 June 1894, Page 15

WELLINGTON SOCIAL GOSSIP.

Wellington, Juno 12. I sincerely hopo that you are not expecting a big budget of social news from me this week, for if so you will be dreadfully disappointed, as there seems to me to have been less than usual going on since last I wrote, but we have only about a week more to wait now before Parliament meets, and this, as you know, is the signal for our plunge into gaiety for tho next three months. It seems very absurd, does it not, but it is tho fashion you see, and no one thinks of going against that. I hear of a large ball which is to be given during the session by a favourite host and hostess in Thomas' Hall, and there is talk of private theatricals in several quarters, and a small dance appears to be on the tapis for either the first or second week of the session. The Hunt Club's annual concert should bo a success, the programme, which is completed now, showing the names of several of our prominent singers and also those of three or four who will be quite now to us, and will, naturally enough, add a certain amount of interest to the affair. Progressive euchre parties are still raging furiously, the mania for them, if anything, being on the increase. Like everything else that has a spice of novelty about it, we are " doing them to death," and this is a decided mistake, for in time the re-action must set in and this pleasant way of spending an evening will then be a thing of the past. Musical evenings have apparently had their day for the present. lam extremely sorry to think this is true, for a musical " At Home," provided one has the right people (people who are bored with rnusio should be religiously excluded) and that it is well managed, is a real treat to many and is full of interest. lam afraid it is the so-called musical evenings which are given by those who do not even understand the divine art that have killed the real thing. One hears an intending hostess exclaim, " But who, among all my forty or fifty guests, am I to get to sing or play ?" and her reflection on the accomplishments of her fashionable assemblage is only too well merited, for how very few among tho youth and beauty one sees are there who can contribute one item towards the entertainment of her guests. Can you wonder then that, in despair, she elects to have a euchre party instead, for at this little or no entertaining is required, for each one entertains the other, and the evening passes off very merrily, and there is always the mild excitement over the prizes, etc., before supper, and after supper one finds tho caos have arrived, so that there is really no time for the party to 11 drag," even were it inclined to do so.

Before I depart from tho subject let me tell you that Mrs Walter Johnston gave a very enjoyable progressive euchre party last Saturday evening, to celebrate tho birthday of one of her daughters. Thero were about fifty guests and everyone played, the competition for the prizes being unusually keen, Mrs Newman and Mr Pearce finally coming off victorious. The " booby " prizes were also presented with the same amount of ceremony, but the kindness of my heart prevents my saying to whom.

Mr and Mrs Johnston received together, the latter wearing a handsome black gown trimmed with lace and trained. The Misses Johnston (4) all wore very pretty white dresses made alike. Mrs Grace wore black, and Miss Grace, royal blue moire with a berthe of white lace. Mrs Barry Goring wore her lovely wedding gown of white satin and lace, with a long train, and others present were the Misses Williams, Douglas, Izard, Duncan, Gore, Buller, etc. Mrs J. Duncan is to give a progressive euchre party to-night, and Mrs Brown jun., is to give another at the end of the week. The latter was arranged for last week but had to be postponed. Mrs W. Ferguson gave a very merry j little children's parly last Friday evening tho Misses Moorhouse and several other ladies and gentlemen being present helping, but apparently enjoying themselves quite as much as the younger folk. Mrs T. C. Williams returned from Hawke's Bay last week, after having had a pleasant month with Mrs James Williams, at Frimley. Mrs Arthur Russell came down from Palmerston about a week ago and is going to stay some little time with her mother. Mrs W. R. E. Brown issued a number of invitations for an afternoon " At Home " for to morrow. I paid a visit to the Art Gallery on Saturday to see the Camera Glut's exhibition of photographs and was well rewarded, for a more beautiful collection, I should think, it would be difficult to imagine. The members further entertained us with selections of music and altogether one could spend a most interest* ing time there. Mrs Hopkins, the eldest daughter of Mr W. Turnbull, has just arrived from England, her sister, Miss Turnbull, having gone down South to meet and accompany her to Wellington. Mr and Mrs Alfred Brandon have returned from Australia,

where they appear to have had a delightful trip. » • ♦ • I hear that Miss Barron leaves for Australia shortly in order to pay a visit to her relatives in Melbourne. Among the young lady visitors for the session from Hawke's Bay will be the Misses Williams, Cara Russell, (Sidney) Johnston, and Ingles, and one of our debutantes tins year will be Miss Eily Williams, fifth daughter of Mr T. C. Williams. Violet.