SWISS FARM.

Otago Witness, Issue 1877, 11 November 1887, Page 34

SWISS FARM.

The Swiss Farm organised in aid of the funds of All Saints' Church was opened in the Choral Hall on Thursday evening, and attended by a crowd of visitors that completely filled the floor space. The hall was very prettily decorated with flags and evergreens, and the stalls ranged on either side could not have been more liberally furnished, aud more tastefully arranged. The idea to which this bazaar owes its name was carried out in the costumes of the ladies, which were modelled after the picturesque fashion of the Swiss peasant garb. It was also to some extent carried out in the provision stalls on one side of the hall, one of which contained a most appetising display of farm produce-new-laid eggs, hams, poultry, asparagus, tongues, quarters of lambs, and tinned provisions of various kinds— all arranged in the most tempting fashion. Next to this was a cake stall, presenting the choicest specimens of the confectioner's akill ; lower down an excellently ; f amished refreshment stall ; and beyond , this again the Swiss cafe, an apartment decorated with flags and hung with Chinese lanterns, in which . ices and other light refreshments were served to visitors. Then there was a stall in which some very beautiful flowers of various kinds nestled among ferns

* and; evergreens in f a corner of the halli iOn the , other side . were... the Guild I stalls, containing a bewildering assortment lof fancy, work , and needlework of a very useful description. The stalls, which were tastefully decorated, were presided over by the following ladies : — Guild stalls : Mrs Fitchett, Mrs Lusk, Mrs Longford, Mrs White. Guild special department : Miss M'Laren, Miss Lubecki, and Miss Haggitt. Cake and provision stalls: Mrs Gregg, Mrs Street, Mrs Fetrie, and Miss Smith. Flower and fern stalls : Miss Brent, Miss E. Nevill, Miss M. Fitchett, Miss Horsey, and Miss A. Mackerras. Refreshment stall: Mrs Webster and Mrs Royse! , Besides these ladies there were assisting in different capacities the following ladies:— Mrs Macassey, Mrs Dick, Misses Fraser (2), Harris, Webster (2), Howlison (2), Street (2), Gregg (2), Haynes, Wilson, Nut, Treseder, Busch, Ella Adams, and M'Laren, The flower and fern stall was a perfect bower of beauty. It was all the work of the ladies who presided over it, and must have cost them many busy hours. ', Small arches of evergreens cut off a corner |of the building, and underneath this, on a series of steps or shelves, covered with moss, &c, the flowers were arranged — ferns, pot plants, cut blooms, all beautiful beyond description. The ladies worked indefatigably to, sell their flowers, and seemed to do a good trade. There was a basketful of waratahs, a lovely crimson blossom the size of a rose, embedded in stiff green leaves. It is a wild flower, a native of New South Wales. Chinese lanterns gave the flower stall a fairy-like look— the picturesqueness being added to by the pretty Swiss costumes. To take one for example: A short skirt of white, with three rows of black velvet round the bottom, black velvet Swiss bodice, white sleeves, large white hat trimmed with a large cluster of white flowers. The other dresses were very similar in make, the skirts being of different colours, and the head dresses differing. Of all the funny noises I ever heard in my life the Chinese music was the funniest. Tread on a cat's tail, rap on the table, and blow on a tin whistle all at once, and there you have it. It certainly had charms for the breasts of some, for it had drawn to the gallery an admiring crowd of celestials, who beamed down upon their brethren in unmistakable pride.