WELLINGTON TABLE TALK.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1678, 27 April 1904, Page 26

WELLINGTON TABLE TALK.

(BY “ERIE.”)

There hi the keenest disappointment felt at the collapse of the scheme for an exhibition being held here this year. We all thought it would work m so> opportunely with the coming of our new Governor and! Lady Plunket. There are, nowadays, nothing but a constant working of wheels within wheels, and a hopeless maize of muddies and' misunderstandings between the City Council and the Exhibition Committee, which leaves the ordinary feminine mindl in chaos. We can’t make out who is to blame, but we grasp the fact that there will be no exhibition. The musical festival and all the other pleasures which pertain to an exhibition are wiped out at once and forever. We are filled with pity for ourselves and our disappointment, and this is unavoidably mixed with anger against the unnamed able culprits who have brought about the fiasco'.

Since Lady Raufurly has gone we do not feel so much interest in the farewell demonstratioms which will be organised for His Excellency’s good-bye. They will- be emphatically man expresIsioms of goodwill consequently most likely will take the form of a recherche meal and banquet.

All our hopes atnd expectations are centred now upon Lady P'lunket. She, as Lord Dufferin’s daughter, has been brought up in Vice-Regal atmosphere, and will be entirely au fait of the pleasures and penalties of a colonial governor's wife consequently unusually well equipped; for the position. * * *

The Hobby Exhibition, which has been so well worked) up by Lieut-001. Loveday, is for the benefit of the cadet bands of the public schools. Oh Wed 1 - nesday afternoon there were seas of children surging about the outside of the drill shed. The only quiet or orderly people were the proud boys in their neat glengarry caps, with a band of red and white tartan and large white collars. They were intensely military, and felt the full glory of handling their rifles arid generally doing duty as a "guard of honour” to his Excellency when he arrived! to open the Exhibition. They were good to look ait these nicelooking boys and tliey had been so. well drilled that they moved about at the word of command most neatly and! read-

Inside, the shabby old drill &hed looked gay "with bunting from the roof, which charitably hid much of its ugliness and d!irfc. The stall with the exhibits ran round! three sides of this big shed, and well filled to overflowing with things useful, curious, old, rare and beautiful. The stallfe. filled with really excellent needlework, were greatly admired. as it was the work of school girls. The home-made sweets and tempting cakes and scones of all descriptions., fairly made even the “grown ups” long for them. The variety' of things were amazing, full rigged ship®, stamp* and poet-card albums, cases of ores, Maori and Fiji curios, a very old bible, wood carving, collections of shells and bird® eggs, seaweeds, and every sort of tools and 'baskets and boxes and mats.

There has beein a great deal of hard work done for absolute method "and order prevailed, and there are neat tickets with the name and age of each exhibitor attached to everything on view. His Excellency was ushered up thei hall by Xiieut.-001. Loveday and followed by Major Alexander and Hons. Carrol and Duncan, Messrs Duthie. Aitken and Wilfor-d Mki.H.R, Mr H. Beauchamp and several other prominent citizens.

There was a very tastefully ornamented tea room improvised in the new orderly room®, and the pretty little tables set out had the nicest of cakes, teenies and most deliciously dainty ham Sandwiches, which were a present from the lle-v. Mother and beautifully cut by the nubs. Amongst the prizes kindly given Avas one from Mrs Fitchett for the best wood carving sent in for exhibition. Mr Nimmo ’gave prizes for naildriving by girls, and' hat-trimming by boys. The competitors Avere amusingly in earnest. The masculine millinery was too eccentric for general wear, but the boys had a very good try for the latest Paris models, with very small success, it must be owned. Altogether the Hobby Show ha® been wonderfully Avell patronised and outside musical help 'has been ungrudgingly given and-this has given the evenings an interest and! cheerfulness which attracted many to Avander in

The youthful band who played all the

• time his Excellency Avas in the “show” • acquitted themselves very well. They ■-are the nucleus of the performers who i; ane- -to ■ compose the real cadet band when* they get their new instruments. . lieut-Cwl. JfjQveday is to be congratulated: upon ifre success of his effort®-, and aw trusto he Avill realise all the money he needs for the purchase of his batnd instrument®.

It was most delightful to have ai real ball once more, and Mrs Fulton’s on Friday evening fulfilled the most exacting wishes. The Sydney street hall looked its prettiest and the lighting was much brighter than it ordinarily is. Mr Flemming’s band was perfection and made dancing a real joy. * * *

Mrs Fulton received her guests in a lovely gown of black Genoa crepei de oliilne handsomely draped with point de Veniee, with a touch of bright colour on the bodice of scarlet flowers and maiden-hair. A bouquet of scarlet dahlias and Autumn leaves was very effective.

Miss Vera Fulton, for whom this derlightful entertainment was given, had a perfect dreaani of a frock. It was of white do sole beautifully tucked and folded amdl finished with medallions of silk guipure and floated prettily over a white glace skirt. * * *

The first set of lancers was composed of debutantes, ahidl they, with their graceful white gowns made a picturesque tableau. These favoured girls also l had a table set aside for them at per time, the decorations of which were entirely white flowers and bon-bons with lilies of the valley. The other debutantes were Miss W. Milos, who wore a eunray chiffon frock beautifully shirred alnd trimmed with white satin ribbon.

Miss K. Marchant had a white tulle gown over silk trimmed with trellises of satin ribbon and rose budis. Miss Elsane Somerville had a sweet gown of white silk with lovely berthe of old lace.

Miss Irene Haybittle wore white silk with lace insertions.

Miss E. Builkley had a fioutioed silk with pretty lace frills. Mrs Fulton’s sister, Mrs Waaburton (Palmerston), wore a beautiful gown if tea rose pink Ottoman silk with quantities of Maltese lace.

Amongst the few married ladies present were Mrs Stafford, Mrs A. Young, Mrs Marohahat, Mrs Simpson and Mrs Baxter. The stage had been furnished most comfortably for the chaperons and decorated! with some beautiful pot plants]* * # «afr

The supper room was the gayest and .prettiest and arranged with tables to take small parties. Each table had its own scheme of colour which was a very effective style of decoration. The supper was exceedingly dainty and nice and! was very much eulogised and enjoyed. -# * *

Amongst the girls ay ho- Avere present AVer© Miss Riddiford, Avoaring a sweet cream brocade with motifs of Paris lace. Mi®s Christine Smith, Avith a very charming, gOAvn of point d’esprit over silk with narroAV black velvet. Miss Vera Tregear, wearing a pretty cream gown with net trimmings. Mists Warburton (Palmerston) had a turquoise silk flounced with tulle. Mike* O'onah Fitz Gerald had a light de soi gown with lace. Miss Hisilop had a black crepe-de-chine goAvri prettily trimmed with lace. Alisa I. Nelson Avere a blue frock. Alias Stuart had a very pretty cream satin and lace gOAvn. Miss Stafford ..had a lovely gown of mushroom pink silk. Miis® E. Stafford had a stylish white satin frock.

Alisa Waldiegrave Avore a becomingblack gOAvn. Mils® 8 1 . Mile® bad a pale: green satin gOAvn with pink roses. Alias Finch had aln amber eilk dress. Miss V. War burton Avore a pretty, pale bln© silk Avitlx chiffon frills. Alias M. Fell hadi a black and Avliite gown. Mis® MacTavish had a pretty pale yelloAV silk with handsome lace berthe. ■Miss Otterson had a white silk Avith chiffon flounce®.

Miss Campbell had a pale grey gown with lace trimmings.

Alisa Holmes has let. her pretty house in Hawkeston street to Mr Buchanan, of the bank, for tAvo years, and) she is going for a trip to Scotland and the Continent,

Miss M. Campbell (Melbourne) i® on a visit to Mis® Stuart, and other New Zealand friends.

The marriage of Air Frecl Barclay, son of Captain Barclay, will shortly take place to Alias Beauchamp, of Alarlborough, 'noice of Air Harold Beauchamp, of this city.

Misk Elsie Joseph has gone to Timor u to visit Mrs Wroughton.

Mrs and Miss Joseph expect to leave for Sydney, and afterward® England and the continent about the end of this month. _ *

>•-•-.■ Mrs Alacarthy had a very pleasant evening on Thesday a® a farewell to Mr /and Mis® Simpson. p * * *

The Misses Brandon left on Saturday by the Victoria for Sydney and Melbourne. They intend to spend some weeks abroad.

Mrs Stafford gave another of her pleaeaint afternoon teas this week to farewell Miss Simpson. .*A * * Mrtg O’Ckxnnor is moving into he** beautiful house on the terrace during this coming week. * * * Miss O’Connor is visiting Mrs Grace. . * -* * The new man-o’-war Psyche is in harbour and looks a very formidable battleship. She is far from attractive looking, being ram-shaped and painted l lead colour. » # # • « Miss Esuie Ward is gclie to Nelson to visit friends. * * * The engagement is announced of Miss De Lamias to Mr Ernest Swainson. # ** # Mrs D. T. Stuart left by the Dorset for South Africa and 1 will return with Mias Stuart in two or three months’ time.