STRAY LEAVES.

Otago Witness, Issue 1906, 21 August 1890, Page 35

STRAY LEAVES.

FROM •• PEARL PEN'S " NOTE BOOK. The dual concert given by the United Fiiomlly Sooieties in aid of the Free Public Library proved a grand snncpss, boi-h the Opera House »nd tl^e Uheatre Royal being well patronised. Mrs Greenwood, who wore a handsome black velvet gown, with train, and Medici collar, was in excellent voico end sang charmingly, Mrs Paraons, in a black broobe, and Miss TrehairOsborne, wearing pink Batio,were the other lady soloists, both winning cuthusiastio applause. But the grest feature at both concerts wins the teniartoibly chver p>rformnr.cb of the young people from the city "schools', who under their able instructor, M. de Mey, went through their club exercises, Swedish drill, and grand marches in a most attractive manner. It was the prettiest sight imaginable to see the 60 girls, in their dainty White frocks and bright sashes, going through all the intricacies of drill with the pre* cision of miniature S'.'Mi .rs. Tho club exercises of the girls wan a marvellous exhibitioh of grace and skill, which rsceivod «'t enthusiastic encore, while the Swedish drill of the boys, who wore white kniokcrbocki rs, blue blon*t>* , and black stockings, drew forrh warm applause from the large audiences, who evidently appreciated the olever performances of the young folks;* The £3000 required by the fund Committee before proceedings can be oommrn.-ed for the establishment of the library will it \s hoped be realised shortly, whon the City Council will be called upon to fulfil their jnouiide. The idea of any person or persons being called to give evidence at the " bar of the House " sounds sensational, and therefore it was not surprising to anyone understanding these things to see tha galleries packed when the two lawyers (Messrs Bell and Stafford) were announced to appear r$ the 4> Hutchison Committee" business. The cause of all the fuss was the bank's refusal to produce certain documents and books demanded by the committee, and having reference to charges made againbt the Miuiairy bj Mr Hutchison. It is nmd, by the way, that the bank books, ledgers, &}., required for cxami* nation by the committee wtvgb. somewhere about two tons. At any rate it appears to me perfectly justifiable on tho pMl* of the bank authorities that they should, iv the interests* of their private customers, stoutly decline to allow their Hccounts to ba ex&miuedt For the benefit of, those who have never been present on an occa; M-m of this kind in the Home jof Represent*-^ lives, I . may mention that the' "bar ' of the House" is merely a light brass rod' whioh a i icjsseoger places for the time across one of 'the dividing aisles of the chamber, and behiud' this* frail barrier the learned gentlemen iv wig and gown were summoned toappear and give reason >vhy the books referred to should not be produo d, whioh Mr Bell proceeded ' to do in a . tear, logical address; qaoting-largely from high authorities contained in the covers of ,&. mighty ; ik- of law books near at hand. After fully. r n*ing the case for the bank, the legal genfcle■r\ >■ withdrew, the ceremony was ended, and a >n id stampede from the galleries speedily ■ilowed upon their exit, leaving tbe House' to •^liberate upon .the next phase in this curious' iCo of political business. ■ " ' " Wbere will Unionism end ? is a queition that' :s: s coustautly being af-ked nowadays, to' which tin only reply poaaible ieemi, " N9 oneca,n »;y." One night last" week, newly 400 belonging to the Civil ' Service hold a preliminary meeting at the Bxoh»nge Mall, the object being that of coiisidering the lidvisability of forming-an association for tho [iromotion of the welfare of "the service. In the absence of Mr'FitzGerald^ whose health will not permit him to be out after sundown, Mr Q. Si Cooper, Under-secretary, -presided. After 4is> cuesing preliminaries it was ultimately decided that an association should be formed on the sime lines as that now existing in Victoria, to be called "The Public Service Association of New Zealand," an effective, committee being at once formed to oarryout details. "In the course of an excellent speech* delivered by Mt A^. W; Dillon Bell some remarks wereina^e'in reference to the objects of the association, wbea he said there was certainly riot. thAfc esprit ■de corpt amongst them which' oufjht to prevail in'riuch a service as theirs, and it luus't ' have' struck them (bat they did not know as' much "ef j each other as they ought. The meatitip, , whioh ha,d been moat enthusiastic throuLhinu.. wa» broijght.^p a dose by the singing of the .National Anthem, , , Mrs Dr .Collins gave a pleasant little dance last Friday, the evening's enterfcaihment cony raencing with a theatrical; .trifle artistically played by several lady and gentlemen amateurs. Peo-ple who have passed the period for '* all night dancing " Like to be amused ia this fashion, therefore Mrs Collins' evening was pnegof r the most successful of the social festivities of the , season. There are ever so many more " social functions" in prospect, the bachelors having issued invitations for .a ball to be held on the 19th inst., and it is rumoured 'that they intend to be l4 at home" to their fftir J friouds a few' days afterwards. There is also another; tennis ball on the tapis, besides various smaller. trifles to fill up between.' - . .; The second reception at Government House was not nearly so orowded as the first, and consequently muoh more comfortable, for one could move about the rooms with greater ease. Lady Onslow was again attired in black, and, assisted by his Excellency, received the numerous visitors in her usual gracious manner. The Jewish lady, Mrs Baeyertz, whose evanpelistio labours in Australia and in various^parts of New Zealand have;been freely noticed in the press, is at present conducting a special mission ia Wellington, which has been very successful. The ladies had "an innings" in the House 1 last night, at least that is how the local papers put it. Sir John Hall having brought on hie Women's Suffrage Bill, the question was freely discussed at some length by various members. The leader of the Opposition, Mr Ballance, spoke warmly in its favour, as did also Mr W. P. Reeves,' Mr Tanner, Mr Fulton, Mr Downie.Stewart, and Mr Saunders; while Mr Fish, Mr Blake, and Dr Hodgkinson spoke against the measure, the latter gentleman delivering quite an oration, in the course of which he quoted Scripture to an overwhelming extent against the misgaided creatures who want the franchise extended to them. Clearly the subject was beyond the grasp of this venerable old legislator. The ladies proved altogether too muoh for his logic, as tbe division list certified later on, when it recorded 35 votes for the franchise being granted to only 11 -against. Everyone is extremely sorry for the groat lost Sir Walter Buller sustains through the nonappearance of tie Assays, now nearly cix months

out from London. Sir .Waiter had no less thaniffiiarge oases on board, many of them containing valuables.that can ftiever Tie, replaced Vsurh, for instance, as- his collection of Maori and other curios, a large number ot extremely rare books and manußcript-*, bepide* numerous copies (I thiuk he Bald owe hundred) of that beautiful work »• The Birds of New Zealand." Many of hh foreign orders and d?roratious are aldo gone. Lady Buller losob her drawing room furniture, BDd also a very considerable poiHoa of her own and her daughter's w*rdrobo. Of ciur^e one re"O-joißes the fsct that all this :s as nothing in comparison to the loss of life if the vessel- is irrevocably gone, as indeed it would seem now that she must be; for, after being spoken near tbe equator, nothing further has ever been beard concerning her. Tho Orchestral Society's sixth concert was gi?en in the Opera H<>n^ la." \ <-<k VWore a full and appreciative fciviieiDC*, L»td Onslow. as patron of the society, being , in hia usual seat. The orobestra' numb nrßn r8 about 38 instrumentalists (including four or five ladies) who are excellently trained, and nbly conducted by Mr J. B: Connolly, who, alfchoußh > ol perhaps bo eneigetiS in Btyle as Mr Robert Parker, yet holds the performers well together, find conduota with tact and preoisiori. The overtures, symphonies, and ballet m«iio wj-re all by eminent composers, and carefully irtrpretod, tbe soft meljdi^ua movements being exquisitely rendered. Only two soloista appeared at this concert, and they wore comparatively new to, Wellington audiences. Mrs Perrin Bang "Lo, here the gentle lark," taking the audience by surprise, and charming thorn by her sweet aoprano voice and pure intonation. The lady was loudly recalled, arid gave the 14 Lovo " song from 4 ' Patience." Mr Williams, of ' Fink " fame, was the other vocalist, and he sang Bulfe's beautiful "Si tv eavais" with euon artistic gracQ and dnlioiicy of style that, at the* last note died softly away, ft perfect tempest of apphme waa raised and a reoall imperiously demaudad ; the couduotor was powerless to reuiab tbe tumult, and graoefully conceded tbe point. Mr Williams then gave BlumentbnF« "Evening song" with maaterly effect. The, concert was a musical fearfc, and its repetition a fevr nightu, afterwards draw a fair attendance of the publio. Several dances took ,plaoe, laefc, week, .winding up on Saturday night with another of Mrs RupselPu enjoyable 'entertainments} at tu9 Tinakori road residence. This is the second large dance at the same place during the preitnt ueßsion, and aa the' host and hostess are both popular in society their entertainments are invariably crowded Affairs, bat' so well arranged that there is, nothing apprnasbing discomfort eve* experienced ..among the gueitcu - Why willyoußg ladies; whole ftirtti ar» not quite as Whits as they might bo, persist in i wearing ■leeroleis ball gowns .when elbow sleeves n would be so much more becoming? Why, agaioj do bo many ladies walking in .the streets or, elsewhere prqtrude,. their, elbows at an aoute.angle to .the, great discomfort of persons, wijnin their rangf and 4 to the manifest, destruction 'of all. gr&ca In their own movwaenW? And why, on why j will eVeryborly,, uttorly regardleai of effect, upon their Complexions, wear grey fur? It ia nothing short of an epidemic 1 here; and 1 the wearers of etvbtoorjeal'arVfaw andfar 'between in the ntrefeti'ofi out: capital*, :and yet the dark rich furs are far more beautiful as arsettingnto the face than are thejlighteißa.b.adesit which, it) the majorifr ,of. P^as* Jmpa^ ft,,the cdunjbenanc^of .thefWflwer* , Jtiflquires, a^osobluish .complexion to weargrey fur to advantage, and 1 tnißjßlavieh.follpihngfOf fashion is a" great mißakeV and bonnets are mucti worn, and Beti : off a' young and pretty face to porfeotiori; \I have noticed •%eV«ral society |irla<wea*iifg "picture 'bats" lately, one; a brunette beauty; coaturaedin a dark orimion frobky wrth«n&H oape of.thaiame; material as 'her dress* waiyireating-a large black hat with long plumeg,, that, made ,her l lppk altogether bewitching.' r Th^.ptey,afling faihion of having walkitfgvdreßs^^mad^^otono^^he jrround is both unreasonable axtfL .unojean, To. sweep "dirty pavements yitti the hem of one's garments if .tbignor'itfc'qifictatefcof oomtaon rense, ancHri'wet 'weather wnfebthe street's are sloppy either oneTritist hrifletf their skirts to become be* draggled' «md! unsightly,' ot • else,' sacrificing elbgftrio&'to xsleanHnes», they- must lawkwardly ferabpvtha;baok' breadth of -theilr gown and laboriously: hold it up. out of the mud. .Surely it is ; fac;b6tter to have, akirta, made just com.foriijbly^lear.^ftha ground, reserving everyth?npr longer, whether .iemi-traios or full lougtbgowni, foraveoing wonronly. . . ; The artistic lUftcesa achieved by the wollknown firm of Moßsrs Wriggleiworth and Binns in connection witb their new and patented pro- ' ,oesß atyled " Mall opaj type " is certainly well- . merited, for nothing, can exoeed the delicaoy of finirh'and appearauc«of theae portraits, which are a grateful relief to the eye after the glazed tuffaoo of ;the 'old photographs. Moreover, under' this' new* probes* the shading is soj marvellously soft 1 and' pure that they are really more like' the' rarely beautiful platino type; flpaoimtaa~(some exquisite copies of which Sir' Waltnr Buller Bhowed me the other day) rather than ordinary photographs. - The veitibnle of, -the firm's establishment in Willis street is all f iruc-i> an attractive place, into which visitors to the .Empire, City find themselves impelled to .Btray;'butihe collection of .fine photographs' always on .exhibition there has lately been' greatly enhanced by numerous specimens of this latest Btyle of photography. I noticed, yesterday', that besides the customary display of cabinet portraits, some of whioh are of quite exceptional beauty in the matter of po»e, shading, and artistio finish, the firm are exhibiting a splendid portrait of bin Excellenoy the, Governor ; the Countess of Onslow has also to. give them a sitting shortly, when the Mall opal type will be in requisition. On oneside of the vestibule there i« a large life-like group, composed of the Hon. Oaptam Ruaaell and his family; The Hon. W. B. Mantell, M.L.0., oooupiea a prominent position, »b does also the •celebrated Scottish piper Mr M'Kay. There are 1 many otber fine likenesses of old Wellington worthies, whose names >will doubtless be remembered here long after tbe originals will have passed awaj into the great Unknown. A very handsome donation of £50 has juit been banded to the chairman of the Free Publio Library Committee by Mr JohnKirkoaldie. Now, if a few more of'the wealthier class in Wellington would be equally generous, and giver in proportion to their income, the standing discredit of a metropolis minna such an aid to civilisation would speedily be wiped away for ever. An excellent oourae of lectures on "First Aid to the Injured," in connection with tbo St. John's Ambulauoe Association, are being deliveredhere by the medical men of the city. Dr Martin gave the first of the serieß a fortnight ago, and Dr Bwart, medical superintendent of tko hoipJta^ (oIlQWid i»flt week with

> most enjoy»bto address fall of vaiu.-ju^.u.-formation, whioh was. imparted by <h; . : lecturer in a way. that made it mtoret'inj.. 8 L-well at» instructive. The night wbb wreto ■Jy wet and cold, but in .spite of that there *&* a good number present.