TEA TABLE TOPICS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1250, 13 February 1896, Page 15

TEA TABLE TOPICS.

Wellington, February 10. Herr Balling and Mr Maughan Barnett gave a very successful concert last Wednesday night at Thomas’ Hall. The room was full and the audience appreciative of the programme presented, more especially as it was not too long, and even the nonenthusiasts wont away feeling that they would have liked to have heard more. During the evening Mr Barnett gave notice that he had arranged with Herr Balling to give another concert on Fi’iday afternoon, as the departure of the Gothic had been postponed till Saturday, but I believe there was a much smaller audience then, no doubt because the afternoon is a less convenient time than the evening.

Among the audience I saw Mrs G. Moore, of Napier, who is visiting town for some weeks. She wore a handsome black brocade gown and a terracotta opera cloak and lace cap with marabout feathers. Mrs Wallace looked well in a pretty pink silk blouse, with folded collar and cuffs finished with bows, black silk skirt; Miss Ashcroft was with her in pale grey-blue and black ; Mrs Levin wore black and Miss Levin cream cashmere and lace; Mrs Pynsent, black silk and cream lace insertion ; Mrs B. Goring, Mrs Swainson ; Mrs Adams, crimson and black striped silk blouse with frills of yellow lace, black skirt and tulle hat; Mrs P Smith; Mrs Maughan Barnett in golden brown silk, with cream lace; Miss P. Snaith in a blue silk blouse veiled with fine black lace, black crepon skirt; Mrs Hardy; Miss Hirschberg, cream veiling trimmed with satin ; Mrs Tregear; Mrs Ross, black brocade; Miss Ross, white corded muslin with folded band, waist and cuffs of shaded mauve silk; Miss Frankel, pretty palegreen blouse trimmed with cream satin ribbon and lace, black crepon skirt; Miss Gore, cream spotted muslin blouse with pretty folded collar and cuffs of yellow satin, serge skirt; the Misses Logan, black velvet gowns and cream cloaks; Miss Williams, pale blue silk blouse and black skirt; Miss 11. Williams, soft white muslin dress trimmed with pink silk: Mrs Fell, black silk with frill of cream lace; Miss Richmond, black silk; Miss Gillon, black and cream veiling cloak ; Miss Dyer, pink silk gown trimmed with stripes of white satin ribbon; Mrs Prouse; the Misses Prouse in pretty white gowns ; and Messrs Atkinson, Gore, Adams, Wrath, Seed and many others.

Mr Campbell Thomson, of Danevirke, who has many friends in Wellington, was married last week to Miss Hunter, also of Danevirke. I hear that the wedding was a very pretty one, and the bride and bridegroom have had a very large number of presents.

I hear that Mrs (Dr) Johnston, an old resident of Wellington, and her two daughters intend leaving England about next June and coming to New Zealand for a year’s visit among their old friends.

Next Saturday Mrs J. Ross, the president of St. Peter’s Working Guild, intends having a sale of needlework and other things in her pretty garden at Inverlochy. There is to be also “tennis, tea and talk,” so with all these attractions a pleasant and profitable afternoon should be spent.

I hear that Miss Fisher, who has joined the Court Singers Company, has only done so for a short time, and leaves them in Dunedin, as she is soon to be married to an Auckland gentleman.

I have noticed some pretty street costumes lately. Mrs Castendyk is wearing pale grey alpaca, trimmed with black satin ribbon, and a white bonnet with snowdrops and black ribbon; Mrs J. C. Martin, a soft grey gown, with cream guipure square collar and cuffs, jetted bonnet; Miss Barnett, stylish black fancy crepon gown, with a square collar, re vers and bands of yellow guipure lace and black satin bows, pretty hat, with black tips and shaded lilac blossom; Miss Fairchild, green brocade blouse, serge skirt and cream straw sailor hat, with white chiffon veil ; Miss N. Fairchild, brown cloth coat and skirt, and neat white sailor hat; Mrs Campbell, stylish fawn cloth costume, with a Norfolk jacket, and cream straw hat trimmed with fawn and brown wings; Miss Turnbull, dark blue cloth coat and skirt, and black hat, with'coque feathers; Mrs AVhittall, wellfitting pale grey cloth gown, trimmed with silvery grey silk, large black hat, with ostrich feathers; Miss Brandon, pretty pink duck costume and small black bonnet;

Miss Dransfield, white pique costume, trimmed with embroidei'y, pretty mauve blouse, with embroidered insertion; Miss Crowther, rose-pink crej)on gown, and pretty black and white hat and white spotted veil ; Miss Ethel Smith, navy blue alpaca coat and skirt, cream blouse and black hat; Mrs Janish, handsome Tussore silk gown, trimmed with lace of the shade, gold straw bonnet, with pale cream, green and pink tulle rosettes and aigrettes ; Mrs Travers, pretty mauve blouoe, black alpaca skirt and becoming black hat, with roses ; Mrs Courtney, bronze silk gown and pretty bonnet to match.

Mr and Mrs F. Murison have returned to town from Dunedin. The Misses Murison are staying with Mrs Eliott in Hill street.

The vexed question of the City baths is resolving itself into a very pretty quarrel between the Mayor and the Councillors. I am very sorry, as the matter will no doubt, be further delayed on account of this. However, the bathing season for this year is pretty well over, and perhaps all the quarrelling and fuss will also bo over in time for baths to be “ fixed up ” for next season.

Mr Duthie’s luncheon party at the Hutt was a very pleasant and successful one. About sixty guests wore present, and among them were Sir Robert and Lady Stout, Mr and Mrs J. C. Martin, Mr and Mrs Fisher, Mr and Mrs Gibson, Messrs Young, Harcourt, &c.

Mrs Rhind gave a delightful children’s party at her residence on the Terrace last week. A large number of children were present, and a few “grown-ups” to help amuse them.

Mrs Gibson gave a very nice musical evening last Tuesday, when a large number of guests were present.

I noticed in the telegrams from Dunedin that the Medical Conference have decided that cancer and consumption are both infectious. I am very glad that this is publicly announced, as it should make people much more careful than they have been in the past. Anything in the world that can be done to prevent the spread of these two most terrible diseases should be done, and if people can be convinced that they aie infectious it will be a most useful thing. It is not long ago that the idea was quite scoffed at by people generally, though I believe that doctors have held the opinion for some time. Tone.