KAPONGA.

Opunake Times, Volume II, Issue 99, 14 June 1895, Page 2

KAPONGA.

GRAND PLAIN AND FANCY DRESS BALL. (Our Own Correspondent.) Our Town Hall was forofally opened last night with a plain and fancy dress ball. A letter of apology from Mr J. Heslop, who, owing to judicial business, was prevented from being present, was read by Mr A. Coxhead. The writer expressed tbe wish that the evening would be a success, and that everyone would enjoy themselves. The hall, whtoh is 60 feet by 30 feet and 20 feet high, is really a credit to the committee, who have worked like Trojans to get erected such a fine building for the people of Kapouga, and they are certainly deserving of great praise, and the district will certainly benefit by having such a building, which, on ordinary occasions, will be able to accommodate the people with a want that has been greatly felt in the past. Lass evening the hall was literally crowded, over 300 persons being present. Under the guidance of Mr J. McClure, the walls were gracefully decorated with nikau palms and ferns, whilst along the full length of the hall were runners hung with the flags of all nations and of every design, with large bunches of flowers placed here and there, which formed a very pretty contrast. The floor was in the pink of condition for dancing, and the weather, which, duriug the early part of the day looked threatening, cleared up, and a sou'-westerly wind sprang up, which was all that could be desired by the daucers. The music (piano and violin), which was supplied by Messrs Hughes and Rountree—names so well known to the district for excellence in music that comment would be out of place. The following ladies and gentlemen appeared in fancy dress : —Mrs Heslop, Japanese Lady ; Mrs Mo Williams, Italian Peasant Girl; Mrs Holmes, Red Cross Nurse ; Mrs Munro, Red Cross Nurse ; Mrs D. Briggs, Bride; Mrs W. Melville, Bride ; Miss Canning, Nancy Lee; Miss J. Canning, Grace Darling; Misses L. and V. Canning, Schoolgirls ; Miss Hastie, Romp ; Miss Vincent, Housemaid; Miss King, Queen of Roses ; Miss Melville, Bridesmaid . Miss Mason, Sunbeam ; Miss J. Stone, Snowdrop ; Mis? Calvert,.Red Riding Hood ; Miss Bulmer, Bulgarian Peasant Girl ; Miss Butler, Bulgarian Peasant Girl; Miss Hughes, Morning Glory ; Miss Naismitb, Sailor Lass ; Miss Brooker, Grace Darling; Miss Clark, Swiss Peasant Girl; Miss Bateman, Night. Gentlemen : Messrs F. S. Canning, Judge; A. Coxhead, Tennis ; E. Hastie, Tenuis; W. Higginson, Jockey ; R. Wilson, Jockey ; F. Buhner, Cricketer; M. Barker, Court Jester ; W. Christie, Volunteer ; 0. Cullen, Bandsman; G. Calvert, Bandsman ; C. Melville, Bandsman ; D. McDonald, Musketeer; J.Naismitb, Ben Bolt: D. Briggs, Rhoderick Dhu ; D. Hughes, Spanish Brigand; J. Webley, Coolgardie Digger; W. Glenn, Cricketer; J. Horner, Stockman ; —. Hobbs, Light Horse Marine; Turner, Ist Mate H.M.S. Pinafore; Eggars, Naval Officer. Owing to the dancers not giving their names into the secretary as to their costume character I had considerable difficulty in obtaining the foregoing, and if I have inadvertently omitted any I apologise for such omission. Dancing commenced at 8 o'clock and continued until daylight. Adjoining the hall is the re-freshment-room, which, from an epicurian point of view, quite excelled the hall itself. The tables were literally creaking under the load of eatables, which ' were in such abundance that enough was left to enable another dance to be held on Friday night for the young folks. The tables were tastefully decorated with beautiful flowers, aud the variety and quality of the viands call for the highest praise to the ladies, who formed the ladies' committee, and who worked and attended at the tables so well. The fallowing ladies composed the committee : Mesdames Coxhead, Canning, Palmer, Bulmer, Hastie, Orudis, Hemingway and Calvert. Mr G. Robertson was M.C. in the fore part of the evening and Mr J. Hastie the latter part, and to them belong great praise for their courtesy and kindness which largely contributed to the success of the evening. Everything passed off pleasantly, and the grand success of the project will give the funds of the hall a big lift, besides marking in the history of Kaponga the gnat "Red-letter-day " which all new districts look for, and some are only fortunate enough to see. June 7, 1895.