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New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 7849, 11 July 1911, Page 9

stood, like brightly clad statues, while the company tiled through. A temporary cloakroom for the men was erected iu the vestibule and one for tiie ladies further inside. At the entrance to the hall Mrs Dick-Cunyngham, a lady-in-waiting, and tho Comptroller tor the Prince and Princess, received the arrivals and directed them to the small staircase np which all passed to the beautiful suite of rooms where 1 rince and Princess Christian, assisted by their daughters Princess A’ictoria and 1 nncess Mario Louise of Schleswig-Holstein, later joined bv the .Duke and Duchess of Connaught and Princess Patricia, welcomed the guests. . , , Prince Christian, though ho was eighty this year, is a tall and straight and strong-looking man, not at all blase, as the writer found when ho asked her questions about New Zealand, but quite ready to enjoy his party and his guests. When ho heard that my description would go out to the Now Zealand papers he kindly insisted on taking mo in, before many guests had arrived, to see the dining-room, a bright effective chamber iu "old and bine with fine paintings cn tho walls, and beautifully decorated with (lowers, where refreshments were servedHo has a singularly gruff voice, quite like tho ogres of our childhood s imagination and with his somewhat fierce-mok-ing white beard, keen eys, and upright hearing is evidently a being quite out of tho ordinary. A greater contrast than that presented by the aged prince and the Duke of Connaught, that most polished and delightful of men, could hardly bo imagined, . Princess Christian, who is many inches shorter than her husband and looks much younger, is a sweet-faced, motherlv looking woman, rather plump in figure. Slio was on Monday dressed in grey charmeuse veiled in black embroidered in gold. By her stood her daughter. Princess Victoria-, in blue satin veiled with black ninon and erabroidery, ami Princess Mario Louise in grey silk voile. Mrs Lewis llarcourt, w;io of the Secretary of State for the Colonies, stood with the Royalties, and was iu primrose coloured charmeuse veiled iu fine black silk net, and a large black hat. , Lord Richard Nevill, eo long deservedly popular in Australia, where for the last nine years ho has been Chamberlain to the Governor-General, has come over to England hy request, to act as one of the Gold Staves at the Coronation, aud, on Monday, announced each guest to the Prince and Princess, a band playing, meanwhile, softly in one of the rooms. Prime Ministers’ wives, it was noticed, all came iu advance of their lords —this was because the Defence Coiiiroittoo was silting—tho men paid their respects later. New Zealanders present were; —Sir Joseph aud Lady AVard, Miss Eileen and Air Gladstone AA’ard, Mr Hislop (private secretary) and Airs Hislop, Air Matthews (assistant private secretary), the Hon. Dr J. G. Findlay. Attorney-General, Mrs Findlay, Mr Poulton (private secretary), Mrs K. J. Seddon aud Miss Seddon, Sir Cl C. and Lady Bowen, the Primate of New Zealand and Mrs Nevill (Dunedin), Mr and Mrs A. AV. and Alisa Rutherford (Wellington), Lieutenant - Colonel A. Bauchop, C.AI.G- (Dunedin), Lieuten-ant-Colonel D’Arcy Chaytor and Airs Ghaytor (Nelson), Lieutenant-Colonel R. Snow and Airs Snow (Christchurch), Mr and Airs O. C. AlcMillan (Auckland), Mr and Airs Harold and Aliss Beauchamp (Wellington), Mr C. P. Skerrett, K.C. (AVellington). Lady AVard wore a handsome gown of sphinx blue satin with trimmings of wide cream spotted lace veiled in black ninon aud black hat with black feather. Alisa AVard was in pale grey diamante veiled in ninon and trimmed with lace ruffles and insertion; a black hat trimmed with roses.

Mrs Findlay was all in grey—a charmeuse frock veiled in grey guipure laoe and a large grey hat. Airs Hislop wore floral ninon trimmed with reseda satin over white charmeuso and a black hat with plumes. Airs Beauchamp was in nattier blue cloth trimmed with satin; a black plumed hat. Miss Beauchamp, pale blue crepe de chine -gown and biscuit coloured straw hat trimmed with feathers. Alra Nevill, nattier blue satin draped with overdress of black ninon and trimmed with Oriental embroideries; a large black feathered hat. Airs Rutherford migonetto ean toy poplin gown with a black and white toque trimmed with shaded feathers. Miss Rutherford, floral chiffon over pale blue silk and large white hat with blue plumes. t Airs Seddon, hlack lace dress and black toque with osprey. Aliss Al. Seddon, black ninon aver black satin, and ulack hat with plumes. Mrs Snow, gown of pale blue eolienno and large black and white hat.

Airs MoAlillau, white satin veiled with black moire crepe, and black hat with white plumes.