WELLINGTON TABLE TALK.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1716, 18 January 1905, Page 24

WELLINGTON TABLE TALK.

(BY “ ERIE. ’) Chiefly do we discourse of the vagaries of ui© weainer, and venture with apprehension upon our summer gowns and hats. The ramines are legion wno have left their roomy, comioreaDie homes in town, to mil a tut tour-roomed cottages by the sea. The poetry ot picnicking by the ocean side is when lends enchantment to it. The prose comes in very disagreeably when the Want of room and home comforts are daily and hourly matters of endurance. A wet ween shut up m a tiny cottage with restless cinklnen is enough to disillusionise the most enthusiasuc mother. Yet summer after summer they try it again, hoping to enjoy the change from “the common round and daily task,” oi : their lives.

The meeting organised by Mr Moor<. to consider the ways and means for a life-boat service here, seems to have •been only a Laodicean opportunity. Wv all of us keenly sympathise with the parents of the Very plucky young fellows who met their death so sadly that every woman who speaks of it is most anxious to help in getting such a service started, supposing the benevolent plan is feasible. Mr Moore is so enthusiastic that he makes light of the difficulties in his way, but they are very big and veiy hard to get over. The large cost is, of course-, the worst obstacle, and there is no very practicable plan suggested to meet this. It is like the Veterans’ Home, an always recurrent call for supporting funds, and these after a time fail to- be forthcoming. The solons of the sea differ, too, as to the chances of a lifeboat being useful. In such a long coast line as ours, one boat seems rather a drop in a bucket. We are only waiting, however, to- hear of a definite and workable scheme being propounded and we shall, every one of us, ahow our anxiety to see it carried out.

Many of his friends and college mates will remember “Barney” Rose, youngest eon of Captain Rose, manager of the New Zealand Shiv>mng Company m Wellington for many years. “Barney” is now in the 3rd Manchester Regiment, which is stationed in Africa. He i* taking his first six months’ furlougc with his people in London. He, and Harry Tuckey, two old Wellington College boys, foregathered at Kimberley a short time ago, and took a weeks’ holiday together.

The members of the Garrison Band axe most anxious to put in an appearance at the Auckland banc ©unrest, and they are trying haro to earn the necessary funds for their expenses by playing these summer evenings and Sunday afternoons in various places of resort. Their music is so very good, that the public are greatly enjoying it, and I do not understand wh\ this enjoyment is so badly paid for. The collections, we are told, do not average } d per head of the streams of people who promenade to listen. Our bandsmen are having an uphill game in earning their holiday.

It is a fact that every immigrant in the lonic got engagements before they left the shin, and without any assistance Tioxn the Labour Bureau. If ten time, as many servant, girls had come they would all have easTy found places at satisfactory wages. The mistresses of Wellinoton think of deputationing the Government to bring out a whole shin load of girls to ease the worry of their daily lives from lack of any properlytrained servants. The manners and customs of these p-irls would undergo a wholesome change if there was some sort of competition.

In Oh icago they are building a schoolhouse ten stories hi oh to accommodate 8000 children. The infant classes are to be in the top storey, and they ar" to he taken up and down in cages to hold 30 children only at a time, with a resoonsiblo teacher in each. Wellington mothers are not educated up to this Bure ot experience.

Seldom has any piece ‘ caught on” here as has “The Royal Divorce,” as represented by Mr Julius Knight and Miss Maud Jeffr-esj Each night up to the end they had packed audiences that •were absolutely enthusiastic. There was every reason for thiy popularity, for the whole sad story was full of dramatic incident, and exquisitely dressed and staged. It is quite part of one’s theatre enjoyment nowadays to revel in the. magnificent toilettes of the stage-. Miss Jeffries knows well how to wear gracefully flowing draperies and gorgeous gowns, and this is a large part of their success and beauty. In the scene where she signs the divorce, and lays her crown at. Napoleon’s feet, she wears a lovely trailing cream satin- gown beautifully embroidered with large fh ur-de-i.ys in gold bullion, and draped with gauze spangled wi* h gold sequirns, and ablaze with jewels." Another gown of sapphire velvet, with long trailing skirt, was worn with scarf of exquisite Brussels

laoe, and large hat of champagne terry velvet and long ostrich feathers. The quaint Empire make of these gowns need much care and discretion in their make and arrangement, else they could easily be dowdy, but Miss Jeffries makes this irying style absolutely graceiul and fascinating. Mr Knight’s uniforms are very picturesque, and he manages to look wonderfully like the pictures we see of the “Conquering Corsican.” His acting was almost better in this than in anytmng we have seen him in. The final tableau, where he is standing on a reck looking out over the lone sea from St. Helena, made a vividly sad finale to this most stirring and interesting play. K * * * Mrs (Dr) Edgar (Napier) is visiting Mrs J. King. * * * * The Misses Mills returned from New Plymouth on Wednesday. Mr and Mis Mills followed a day or two later. « « * » Colonel and Mrs Collins have been for a holiday to New Plymouth to see the Exhibition there, which seems to be wonderfully good, many being of the opinion that it is better and more complete than any that have been held in New Zealand. Colonel Collins took the world-famous Kolapor© Cups up with him, as it was a place for them to be seen. There were a great many people who were sufficiently educated to appreciate the unique magnificence of their design, which dates back far into the past history °f silver workers’ art in India, when that country excelled all the world in producing wonderful works of art in the precious metals. These wonderful cups tell a history of their own to any who have any knowledge of Indian workmanship, and are interesting for themselves, apart from their now historical career. The people from far and wide in Taranaki made journeys into New Plymouth on purpose to see these marvellous trophies,, and felt well repaid for their trouble. * *r * The new Kiosk is now an accomplished fact, and many were present at the opening ceremony on. Wednesday. It is largo and ornamental, and will be another attraction and convenience to the pleasure-seekers of the Empire City. * #* There is an excellent likeness of Rudyard Kipling in a late “King.” Any of us who saw him when lie was staying at the Occidental when he was in New Zealand, will think it was taken then, for it is his exact, presentment. His dark and rather forbidding exterior, made it hard for us to believe he could evolve “Wee Willie Winkie” or “The Light That Failed 1 .” If Kipling was aware of the numbers of' people who went to the Occidental to. lunch in order to have the satisfaction of seeing him, he was apparently unconscious, for he paid excellent attention to his meal. The sentimental people who had idealised him, were rudely face to face- with uncompromising facts. » * * * Mr and Mrs Stead, with some of their fanvly, have been motoring in the Auckland district. They prefer Christchurch roads for travelling over. Steam motors are out of favour now. 4© * # & Mr and Mrs Balcome Brown have gone inland, with their family, for the holidays, as more change than to the seaside. « * * e Mr and Mrs Hosking l ave Rena Bay on their return home to Dunedin, by the Warrimoo. * * * The New House at. Day’s Bay is an unqualified success, as it is full to overflowing for the whole season.