DAY SESSIONS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19528, 10 July 1925, Page 14

DAY SESSIONS.

NEW SOUTH WALES PARLIAMENT. LABOUR’S INNOVATION. (From Ou.u Own Correspondent.) SYDNEY, July 2. The decision of the New South Wales State Cabinet that in future Parliament shall meet from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. requires only the endorsement of the Parliamentary Labour Party to be put into operation. Day sittings of Parliament have long been one of the Labour Party’s pet projects, and now that it is in power, and is in a position to exercise its will, it is not unlikely that the business of the Legislature, or of the Legislative Assembly at least, will now be conducted in daylight. Much of the business of the Legislature, under existing conditions, and especially at the fag end of a session, is now done while members are in a sleepy, drowsy condition, and the spectacle of men being dragged from their sleep in the early hours of the morning to take part in a party division is frequent. While, however, day sittings have their obvious advantages, the question has been raised they will not tend to make politics more of a profession than is now the case, and the monopoly of men who have no calling outside, and who find Parliament, with all its club amenities and its substantial pay, a very pleasant place. If Parliament is to sit in the daytime not a few of the present members, including even some of the Labour members, will have to dissociate themselves largely from business affairs outside.

By Phuxida.

THE MAY COURTS. RICHNESS OF THE SCENE. THE QUEEN'S LOVELY DRESS. NEW ZEALANDERS PRESENTED. LONDON, June 2. It would bo difficult to imagine a scene of greater animation and brilliance than that which the well-filled State rooms presented on the occasion of the first Court held by the King and Queen at Buckingham Palace. Many among the dresses worn wore magnificent, and as there was a very large attendance in the diplomatic circle numbers of foreign uniforms and decorations added a touch of strong and variegated oolour. There was the element of old-time pioturesqueuess in the historic uniforms of his Majesty’s Bodyguard of Gentlemen-at-Arms and of the Yeomen of the Guard, detachments of whom wore on duty in the State rooms. Troopers of the Household Cavalry lined the Grand Staircase. Prom an early hour of the evening people thronged the different ' entrances to the Palace in order to get a view of the debutantes and others. The first Court ia always mainly diplomatic and official. Altogether there were just over one thousand guests. Presentations in the Diplomatic Circle were particularly heavy. The members of the Royal Family who took part in the stately procession from the White Drawing Room, m addition to the King and Queen, were Princess Beatrice, Lady Maud Carnegie (with whom was Lodd Carnegie), Princess Helena Victoria, the Marquis and Marchioness of Cambridge, and Lord and Lady Louis Mountbatten. The King wore too uniform of Oolonel-in-Ghief of the Life Guards. The Queen wore a gown of soft silver tissue embroidered with silver and diamante. The train was of Indian silver and jewelled brocade, the ornamentation taking the form of lilies wrought in jewels. The dross was lined with cloth of silver. Her Mojeety wore a diamond crown, in the centre of which was the famous Koh-i-Noor, and across her breast was the broad blue Riband of the Garter. Her Majesty’s chief ornaments wore diamonds, and she paid compliment to the overseas dominions by wearing the Lesser African Stars as well as the Koh-i-Noor. Among those summoned to attend were Lady Allen, Lady Augusta Inskip, Lady Dorothy Wood, and Mrs L. S. Amery. Lady Augusta Insldp wore a beautiful gown in porvenche shaded chiffon velvet, the draperies held together with a handsome pearl, sapphire, and diamond ornament at the left side. Hanging from the sapphire and diamond shonldor straps wore many ropes of pearls. Her train was of beautiful old Brussels lace and she wore diamonds. Among those presented were Countess Jclliooe (on her husband’s elevation to the peerage), by the Duchess of Devonshire; the Lady Gwendoline Jellicoo, by her mother; the Countess of Oxford and Asquith (on the elevation of her husband to the peerage), by the Marchioness of Lansdowne; Mrs Ernest Davis (Auckland), by Mrs L. S. Amery; Miss Marjorie Nairn and Miss Gladys Ormond, by Lady Allen, New Zealanders presented at the second Court were Mrs C. G. Horne (Nelson) by Mrs Amery; Mias Dorothy Horne, by her mother; the Misses C., L., and M. Morico,• by Mrs Amery; Miss Elizabeth Harris, by Mrs Robert Campbell; Mrs Godfrey Pharazyn, by Mrs Amery; Miss Ruth Pharazyn, by her mother. Mrs Amery (wife of the Colonial Secretary), who made many of the presentations, was in silver lace over pale rose chiffon, with a pale rose train. Countess Jeflicoe was wearing a handsome Russell and Allen gown of ivory duchosae satin, draped with heavy gold lace, embroidered in an original design in jade and gold Her train of fine gold lace was lined with jade-green chiffon. Lady Gwendoline Jellicoe had a charming presentation gown of cyclamen chiffon and coloured silver lace, the skirt made with a pretty godet effect. The train of gold lame tissue was lined with cyclamen chiffon.

The Ostmtoss of Oxford and Asquith wore a rovillo gown of distinction. The gown and train were of rich soft black velvet, draped on elegant lines. Mrs Davis wore heavy silver lace over pale orchid mauve georgette, forming a panel back and front, the skirt having long silver lace points on either side. A train in the same oolour was veiled with silver laoo. Mrs Home chose a charming robe of cream brocade, the skirt inlet with metallic lace godets, embroidered to match the train. Her train of Parma violet velvet was lined with silver tissue and embroidered in diamante.

Miss Dorothy Home wore a gown of ivory georgette and silver lace, with ivory diarhento and silver trimmings. Tie underdress was of silver luce and the train of cloth of silver had a lining of blush rose georgette. The train was trimmed with silver lace and embroidered with pearls. Mrs Pharazyn was attired in pink, with silver lace, embroidered with pearls. The train was of pink velours, souple, lined with silver. Miss Pharazyn wore silver lace over flesh-pink satin bcante, with a sash of rose petal pink ribbons. The train was of cloth of silver, lined with pink mousseline do soio.

Mrs Amery presented the Misses Morico — daughters ol Dr and Mrs C. G. Morico, of Wellington, and granddaughters of the late Right Hon. R. S. Seddou, and Mrs Seddon, of Wellington. Miss Constance Morice wore a beautiful and becoming dress of turquoise blue and silver shot lame, with a kilted apron-flounce of silver lace, and short sleeves of the same. The neck was finished with a draped collar with long pendant ends. Her train was turquoise and silver, and she carried a beautiful fan of turquoise ostrich feathers; her shoes were of turquoise and silver brocade. . Miss Louise Monce were gold lame, with a flounce of heavy gold laoo. The train to correspond was lined with gold georgette. Her shoes were of gold tissue, and she carried a sheaf of yellow irises. Miss Marjorie Morico was in silver lame shot with delicate pink, flounced with silver lace. Her train of silver had a lining of pink, and her bouquet was of pale pink rosebuds. Each, of course, had the regular headdress of ostrich plumes. Miss Elizabeth Harris (daughter of the late Captain Harris, of Christchurch, and Mrs Harris) was in white georgette with an overdress of silver lace, and trimmings of small pink rosebuds, with bouquet of the same flowers. ... , , ‘Although the first Court is always largely diplomatic (writes one who was there), an unusually largo number of debutantes were presented, and their young beauty robbed the Palace of any austerity, and turned it for the occasion into an Arcadia of loveliness and charm. • . , “The old Courts, in which there were no shingled heads, no short skirts no rrooks of shimmering transparency, upheld all the traditions of Victoria’s reign Hie now Courts have not, perhaps, the dignity of the groat days at Buckingham Palace, hut they ’ are much more beautiful, for the joyous youth of the debutantes, revealed in closely cropped heads, fairy-like dresses, and general boyishness, makes so charming a picture that few who are privileged to see it regret -the passing of the old days.