SOCIAL CHAT.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 6623, 12 September 1908, Page 12

SOCIAL CHAT.

>kitortair.Timni!> at which it behove* ' tfiuwlti to rack their drains in the urt to sti»»;»!y iii'iavors to questions brniiied on a run! have caught on in to a rcni.i ••kublo outent, and ircoly ajiy ho.A «.>,■■•»•; bos the moral fouro to iosuo cards for an ‘*At Home” . thou t offering Ibo inducement. of a -upetition of enmo kiml. Gone aio the ya when conversation. and tea, with rliapy a musical item or two. aulUc-cd r an afternoon “At Home.” A cynical male cron hire toll* me that ' regard* the competition party in the ;ht of a nplondkl institution. U; is anifostly impossible for women to baclcre their neighbours, ho mi vs, while -dgolling their brains in the effort fo i)v«.- something and incidentally win a ,'izo. It lent rneoiuvigemont to tiio mbling instinct, of course, but on the aolo was far ahead of the other ‘‘style

thing.” Then Im burird himself in paper n<> if tho haul word had been tered.

To endeavour to work upon such peoa with fine sense in like trying to how ocks with a razor. Therefore it' was ;elc»s for mo to attempt: to defend my ■x from liin ba*e insinuation?; but hen O when! will the old tradition be .plodcd, that when two or throw women <0 gathered together in social inter- • urse, envy, hatred, and all unoluiili)lcncs6 exist hi their midst.

It b on a par with tho popular f«l----oy Hurt women tight lace. One in a lousaml may, hut why nhould the 00D iffei opprobrium for tLo misdeeds of ■*«? Recently in r. paper with which had to do, there wna a dtecusjion, “Do omen really Like each Other?" A •an wroto us follows: --"Believe me, •an ia just ns cruel to man as woman is > woman; Urn dillercnco is that they, 10 men. hide it better. Take three ale friends, take one away, and the 'flier iwo will run him down for nil ho '• worth. Lot lib commercial roputa- □ n l>e shaky ami his 'dear friends' will ku what lit! U> support he has left a wav ' uni him, ami ho will fall. Hut. mind t>u, a. true gentleman never strikes inn .ifair blow." .Neither, 1 mako bold j assert, does a Iruo gontUnvomuu.

Tho Kimill, yet critical and apptocia■ye, audionco that greeted Mis,* Irene tiimloy on Thursday evening, at tlm .‘own Hall, irw given- a ral e treat. Not •■nly is Miss Ain-rley the possessor of I beautiful voiee, which . rolled with -cgan-liko effect throughout the hall, >ut alio has also a charming and cymmithetic manner, which interests hor istcncrs immediately. The clever couralto wore on the occasion a beautiful rock of ivory point 1 ace over si 11;, with jewelled panels. Created by Worth, the lres« was a present from Madame "della to her young protegee. Lady Ward was among tho audience, accompanied by her daughter and iliac Rubi tfeddon, ■Vrohdoacon Redwood being also of tho party. Mrs D. it. L’licrcn, whoso piano solos evoked so much applause, wore oamoo pink silk with a tunic dra.nery o£ lace.

Tho ladies of the Jf.VV.C..A. committee nro at present lunch interested in getting up a bazaar to raise funds for the permanent home the association hopes one uay soon to possess. On 'Wednesday afternoon Mrs \V. A. Chappie gave ii ‘handkerchief ' tea at the Association's rooms, and the guests brought many beautiful ‘handkerchiefs which should find eager purchasers when tho bazaar and tho handkerchief .stall come into existence.

Tho Association has a very large and pleasant room, ami it »•<» decora led with quantities of yellow daffodils, while Ivcopodium and birch wreathed the pillars which gave a rinnintiy piciurcsuuo air ■to tho room. A musical programme wan contributed by .Mrs B. Wilson, Miss Jdsio Strickland, and Miss .Mills. Miss May Mason gave a recitation, ami Miss iNellio Simpson a Unto solo.

A fcaturo of tho afternoon was a i*l)fcch by Miss Cybelo. Kirk, who told of tho Association's work, and its arrangements for tho entertainment of tho Cirla in tho ovening;, (ho glee club, reading circle, various classes, and tho weekly social evening. Miss I-aw,son aokpd for help for the bazaar, both in tho way of contributions for tho stalls, and putroiuigo later on. Among tho guests wore Lady Ward, Mrs fihcdcs. Mrs l/.ard. Miss Greenwood, Mm Ilaunie. Miss Massey. Miss I'raeor, Mm K'ankiuc-Brown, Mrs 1111, and Mies Aitkon.

Tho Bishop of Christchurch and Mrs Julius have issued invitations for tiio marriage, of their daughter. Miss Bertha Julius, to Mr I’. Biworthy, of South Canterbury. The wedding is to take place in Christchurch Cathedral on October Ist.

On Wednesday night, in tho Sydney atreot schoolroom, a verv pleasant dance was given by a oomm'itteo of ladies: Metdnmes Kirk, Do la Mare, and G Boero. and the Misses Kcbbell, Oram. liiAiH', and Kirk. Among the guests were Misses Kriea and -Margaret Xmll, MiSfi Newman, Miss Daisy Isaacs, Miss Gray, and Miss Winder,

At Bangilike! oh V» ednesday ovoiiiii' l ’ Colonel and if vs Gorton entertained a large party of guests at a hall (writes r.ur lady correspondent). The rooms*were decorated with a lavish profusion of flowers. Mrs Gorton received tho guests in the drawing-room, wearing a gown of palc-bhie silk. The ITon. Kathleen rinnkot and Captains Lyons and Oathnrne ffardy, A,D,wet* present. Others present included Air and Mrs C. J. Monro, Mr nnd Mrs Francis Hcwiit, ■Misses SomnicrviJta, Ho wit t, Marjorie,

/■bralinm. Mb Wilson. Kimsoll. Monro (ail of J'aloe i>lon Noilh), Mr ami Airs .Norman < iorton. .Mj- and .Mrs Leslie Morton. Air ami Air-> iJ. *>. Lcldil'ord, M v and Airs H. W.irh*. Airs .Newman, Miss Ora(inni iHunedin;. Mr and Mia Cc.cemHiiv.lt. tioruq Air T. • ‘alrymple <:»„ Howe,-. l, I ui . : i-rt(;u-Sm it Ji (Marlon;. \ J i--s Wilson. Iw-vetf. .torsler, i'ratt, Doctor Wii--,.J1 dl.iii:.':riii l r). l>wus ijortoii, frank Had/mM. I.m h bridxe .md Dwry. U was Iho “c -o young ;did,. —} Mr and Mrs C. J. Afonro. of )‘a.hm-r.ston .North, ’.i ho made a charming dolnilanlo m an evening frock of i /ory Oriental _ satin, di signed Kin pirn fashr-m and I rimmed with hand-made Indian lace worked with silver. She uUo were _ n eoronet of white llower.s, and carried a beautiful bunquei. of snowdrops, bulbs, and maidenhair. The oilier debutante was Ali• ; (,dga f.evett, win. wore a dainty I rock of white niie>n over satin. She* also carried a 10-.ely bouquet of white

Mrs Drislow cntvrtuined ft large number i.f gucMs at a tea-party at her pretty ) mm* at. K.arori on Thursday afternoon, j 'lowers wer-‘ in a bund an.-a everywhere, n* i always live rare :‘.a lids hoMoss' erdc-rtaimnents. Jn tne two rooms h;et a(arl fur lea, the floral decorative schemes were much admired. Ono was rrenal out in purple and white iuvs n onc-N primroses and violets, yePow shiirlcd lafiijis enlumoing the eflcet. Fed nni’fnoncs. ] rnuroscs ami nnowilakes con»-po-cfl the sdiumo in the second loom. A u: rtuiic-leiler and a siring band conduced to the general enjoyment of the ccmpanv. Tho hostess wore a dainty j rock of can du nil Marquisette, Among lho woll-iJrrssed ladies j>jvseut wore Mrs end Atiss Knox. Mrs Tringhani, Airs T‘-w>lev, Airs Salmond. Airs and Miss Hulls.‘Mrs Harnuel. Airs Maearihy, Afrs Moss, the Misses Turner, Mrs Htuhbs. Mrs am! Aliss HurncLt, .Dr Flatts-Milis, Afiss Nicholson, Airs Voting. Airs Holm wood, Mrs Dal lance, Mins Harvey, Airs Fulton, Mrs StatTord. Mrs D T. Campbell, Aliss Cooper, Airs Cutvin, Aliss Putnam, and Airs Gray.

Miss Marcliaut, who has been visiting Induce and writing her impressions of the Fleet Week festivities there, for several New Zealand papers, returned b- her homo in Duimdia yesterday. House-parties are the order of things at Trentlinm in connection with the goU tournament. ‘Mrs Dalziell. Mrs Biss and Mrs Ewen. have opened their house.!: for ;lie* visitors, amongst whom are Mrs C. Hid will. Miss 11. Johns! on, Mrs Tweed. Mrs W. Bidwill, Mrs Buchanan, Misses Duncan. Lucy Brandon, Bussell and raupson. Mrs D. T. Stuart gave a delightful ai’ternooDrtea on Tuesday, when her rooms were cliavminuly decorated with .spring flowers. .Miss Ernie and Miss V/ylic gave several recitations, and .Miss K. Robertson sang and Mrs Hardy played. In another room them was a fortuneteller, who was Kept busily employed. Mrs Stuart was wearing a smart frock of black crepe-de-chine' with white Jncc end touches of pnlo blue. Miss Stuart’s pretty frock was of heliotrope. Miss M. Stuart wore brown, and Miss Olivo Stuart pale bine. Tim gur-U included Mrs Findlay, Miss Snrott, Mrs Bucholz, Mbs M'Koilar and Miss Jessie M’Kellar, Mrs Eweii, Miss Goales, Mrs Bristow, Airs Eichclbaum and Alisa L. Blundell. Mrs Malcolm Toss was another hostess ef Tuesday afternoon, when she. gave a very pretty girls' tea for Miss Massey, who is staying with her. Spring flowers filled the rooms, and the decoration of the tea tabic, done with daffodil? and primVoses, anil lighted with pink-shaded lumps, was very much admired. Miss Eileen Ward sang very charmingly several times during the afternoon. A General Information Competition, set all the guests puzzling their head? over matters they had probably thought they had at their finger tips. Miss Edwin and Mrs IlMieringtou had an equal number of correct answers, and they received two only-hound book;; ns prizes. Miss Christine Smith, who is on a short visiti; Wellington, was one of the guests, and others present were the Misses Joseph, Stafford, Mason, Lukin, Turner, Rawson, lumphries, Allies, Chatliold and Kennedy. The Concert Chamber of the Town Hall was filled with a "rosebud garden of girls" on Thursday evening on the occasion of the social to the combined team? who have been engaged in tho Ladies’ Tuokoy Tournament. The girl?, for tho most part, wore dainty white frocks with coloured sashes, and looked as though they keenly enjoyed the proceedings. Antecedent to the‘dancing a most enjoyable little concert programme was submi (ted, chiefly by Savage Club members. Supper, served in one of the corridors, was somethin* of a scramble on account of the over-crowding, hut that was a very tiny detail in tho very large sum total of enjoyment. The- winning teams wore most lustily' cheered on Dr Izard presenting the cups, and wore accorded musical honours. There was also a groat demonstration on Dr Izard’s announcement Hint the Ferry Company were donating a gold brooch to each individual member of the champion—i.o. llawko*s I»ay— tearn.

Miss Estelle Beere gave a dance for her juvenile pupils on 'Thursday evening. Mr? Loui-wou lias loft for Christchurch. Mips Lmiisson is at present the guest of Mrs Walter Nathan. Rumour hath it that on the retirement of Dr Dawson, of Temii, his place will bo filled by Dr Elizabeth Gunn. “Woman's Franchise” tho official organ of the suffragist party in England, prints an interesting list of writers for and against the cause. Men who are strong supporters of the women’s cause arc headed by George Meredith mul Lord Morlcy. and include such men of thought as IT. 0. A Veils, Bernard Shaw, Augustine Birrcll, 11. Belloc, I, Zangwill, as well ns Chesterton, Galsworthy, Jerome Jv. Jerome, A, E. W. Mason. Laurence Knusman, Gilbert Murray,. Edward Carpenter, and several others. Of the women writers who are .suffragists there are Olivo Schreiner, Sarah Grand. Beatrice llnrraden. “Vernon Lee,” Elizabeth Robins, May Sinclair, and Cicely Hamilton. The women who ere against the cause include Mrs Humphrey Ward, Marie Corelli, Ko«a N. Carey, and three writers lees favourably known — Crank Danby. Eleanor Glynn, and Victoria Cross. There is not one ma.n writer of any note who is opposed to women suffrage. The rather hideous expression ‘‘neckwear” is now used to mean any and

every description of-Je.ce, ruffles, frill-, nifip, or whatnot lo cover th** 1.-mmin-' j ; ,,.u f or ii'..,. ( , y (ir’-'Tineit. It. is a tonic tins uw-le.vop.r-oi t gi >at importaiuw at. this time, lor a visit to Urdepartment: <ievou-d to the sal'' m p:mds n; aj-,v in the log -imps will be n revel,s (ion * o Ino v. do* in ■ rjuilo lin.nv wont to wear ai'/um! h-:-r tuvr. '1 h< % very Necom-ng lace ruilie oi “0 rr ir-i m'o H ir iv.-in, rod Viv the vard. ar.d laei-md in cm top of tho Mil! lace co!bar i': gives just that hniMiinj touch of in winch we nave been bo-king of Jato with tlm severe him n» ll»<? top ol ine-eoiJar ivand. .Iheatc-il net ruiTie, with lace edg-, is sold by the yard, and iiio?t useful lor making inlets, and for trimming hates and flo/r-as of oilier things, and which ilia expert shopper will discover for herself. ft should be borne in m : ed lh;*t the fnfliiionfs have not changed so cry rnueh. ijnst suromer’o gowns do not. hoi; rirr-ndful 1a- out of date this spring, ami as the sea-on advnncrs we riiati prooatdy see more of those familial dresses. Hut to bring them up-to-aar-:-, tne neck rnuse bo attonded to, and the sleeves ftliouid also lie altered if posniolo; for liio former, the nfa-kv.pnr of tho moment is tho right tiling in tho right pi.*ce-. Apropos of tho .Sydney Fleet festivities a Syuncy lady wruos: —-Dancing in tho darn is a weird cxperienoo, Im: all the gins who happened to be lianemg when tho lights fmied at Government Hou.-o ball say they rather liked it. It was after 1 o’clock', when, without any warning, the cdcctric power gave out, and dariiijGos cams over ci.o see no Tho dancers mopped uerid, but the baudrnosier, quickly gra.-ping the situaHon, struck up the “lilr.c Dauulie,” and the girls—a little bit afraid at first —yielded to the persuasions of their partners, and went ou dauciiig. Though the ballroom was crowded, there were no collisions—no confusion. Suddenly someone struck a match, then in tho'alcove another was struck, and ic was strange to sco by tho light of those two fitful gh:*as the dozens of silently revolving couples, who wa.s who, and which was which, being indistinguishable. Presently Hie music ceased, and then all the American oUlcers clapped loudly—they wanted more, but tho bandmaster evidently thought they had had enough. Two candles were brought in, and in tJjg hall two more, by footmen in livery- Mr Hhnre, to the rescue, iicrl upstairs, returning with two more, and so the reerpri*?u-rooins ami vestibules gradually obtained a little light. “Glod fcfavo the King” wa* abruptly played—a gentle hint. It was funny Vo sea distinguished guests staying at tho house, 'going upstairs to bed, their yi'miles in their hands. Departure for tbo re«t was hot easy, as in the dressingrooms every one tried at onco to unear.h their own belongings bv the meagre light. This finished, as satisfactorily as possible, ail groped to the front entrance, waiting there ior motors and cabs. Talking meanwhile went on in whispers. Jt was mi amusing and levelling wiud-up to a gorgeous and irilliant bail. Wraps were taken away by mistake, and fans and ornaments mislaid. The owners of these have been claiming their lost property at Uovei-ament tiouSoaU iho week, until, as one of the maids eaid, ihe jhac-e has resembled, a sort of Veoiiaiul i'ard.

Melbourne’s welcome to tho American fleet is marked by lavish public and private hospitality (.remarks an mustranaai a utemporary). The stranger is witnm her gates indeed. About iOU.OOO people have flocked to the southern city to participate hi the fleet festivities, and added themselves to Melbourne's haif-miliioa of inhabitants. Many hostesses gave dinners to detachments of tho visiting ofiicers on tho Sunday the ilcet lay in Hobson's Bay, Country cousins fill every spare corner in hospitable homes. Of course domestic servants are reaping a hi west. Many "‘gave novice’''-just before the arrival of the licet in order to bo free to enjoy the gala sights of the city. The faithful minority arc being paid almost anv wages they like to ask. .£1 a week is freely .given by distracted housewives, who do not wish the first course at the dinners they give their Australian or American friends to consist of cooked hostess. Melbourne is all stars and stripes. The emblem of Columbia appears in the city decorations, in the ribbon bows worn by men and boys, ns button-hole adornments, ami even on Hie enamelled hat pins and satin handbays of the women in tho welcoming crowds.