TABLE TALK.

Otago Witness, Volume 14, Issue 2648, 14 December 1904, Page 64

TABLE TALK.

MONDAY, December 12. On Thursday evening Mr and Mrs James Mills gave a dinner party at their residence, "Mount Lodge."

On Friday evening Dr and Mrs Lindo Ferguson gave a dinner party at th«ir residence, "Transit House."

Mr and Mrs Ritchie and Miss Mary Ritchie, I who have been abseat from ih< colony for i the past eight months, returned on Tuesday jby the Moera-ki from Me.bourne, having travelled from England by the North German line.

Dr and Mrs Davies and Miss Jessie Davies, after an absence of over a year, returned on Saturday from Wellington, having been passengers by the Gothic trom London.

Mr and Mrs Michie and Miss Michie returned from their trip to Rortorua and the rorfch lay the Waikare on Saturday. Mr and Mrs Michi_ have beau living in Wellington for the past nine month., but have now returned to Dunedin.

Miss Joachim, after an absence of some years, spent in England and on the Continent oi Europe. - oturned to Dunedin last week.

Miss Lorna aoid Miss .Lucy Rattray, who ■were pae&engers by the Gothic to Wellington, came south by_ the Waikare on Saturday. The Misses Rattray, -who went to Hobart to meet their , sisxers, returned with. them.

Miss Mill;, left on Thursday for Waimate, where she is paying a short visit to Mrs Studholme.

; Mt and !Mrs Lethbridge, who have been in England for some months, arrived from Sydney by the Wadkare on Saturday.

Miss Sa!i and Miss "Violet Williams left by the Manuka, last veek for Kupier and the surrounding districts, where they visit friends for a couple of months.

Miss Rose Tabart is visiting Dtinediti at iprefae/it, and is staying at Mara Capstick's, Cumberland street.

Mrs George Roberts is staying with Mrs W. Menlove- at Windsor Park for a little.

Mr Durham Russell, who ha~ been studying at Cambridge for the last lour years, returned tc New Zealand last week from England, and is at present staying with his uncle, Mr Herbert lie Cren, at Momington.

Mr and Mrs L-usk and Miss Lusk reached Dnnedin on Tuesday last by the Mo«raki from Melbourne, on their return journey from England.

Mr and Mrs Pontifex (England), who have been in Tasmania for some months, came over last week from. Me-libourne to visit Mis Pontifex's mother, Mrs Macneil, at Wcodhead.

Miss Hay (Temuka) is at present in Dunedin, and is staying with. Mrs Sise, Queen street.

Mr and Mrs Greenwood, who have been visiting their daughter, Mrs Lanoe, in Canterbury for a few weeks, have returned tc town.

Miss Driver lias gone to "Wellington for a few weeks' change, and whilst there is the guest of Mrs Wilford.

Mr T'apley, who has spent the winter months in Adelaide, has returned to Dunedin.

Miss Macneil (Sydney), arrived by the 'Waikare last week, and is visiting her' grandmother, Mxs Rutherford, Lteith. stret, at present.

T'lie engagement is announced of Miss Ethel Neill, eldest daughter of the late Mr W. G-. Neill, of Dunedin, to Mr Gentleman, of the Baiik of Africa., Capetown. Mrs Neill and her daughters are itow resident in Capetown South Africa.

Mrs Percy Hjorring- (jSTaseby) is the guest of Miss Kenipthorn3, "The Mount."

INVERQARGILL, Monday. On Friday evening the last meeting of the Cecilia dub was ield at Mrs Cullender's, Gala street. There was very good) attendance of members.! and »v excellent programme had

leen arranged, which, needless- to say, was greatly enjoyed. Some of those present, besides' Mr and Mis Oallender and Miss Callender, were Miss Rowley, Miss Fielding, Mr Davidson, the Misses Chmrton, Mr N. Chur■ton, Miss Carswrfl, Mr Traill, Miss V. Mitchell, Miss Gilkison, Mr J. Shand, Miss Eattray Mr G. Hall, Miss Hawkins, Mr Eoyds, Misa E. Dyer. Mrs Eusseli returned from Christchurch on Friday. Miss C. Smith. (Wellington) is on^a visit to M.T3 Howorth. Miss Kempthorne left for Dunedm on Thursday last. Mr and Mrs J. H. Bla-ok have returned! from their holiday to the noith. Mrs Hazlett- is jvisiting r friends in Dun.edin. / Misa Elsie Kirk is back again, from Ohristchurch. Miss A. Vyner arrived on Saturday, and is to spend Christmas with h«r parents.

OAMAEU, Saturday, December 10. Mr Ireland's gfain stors again, presented a gay scene on Thuisd-ay afternoon and evening, on the occasion of the flower show, which was held there this year. The general opinion was that the show of flowers, etc., was very good, notwithstanding the. heavy showers a few days before, which of course damaged anany good specimens.

Kinking is still much m evidence. A large party gathered at the rink last night, some of these present being Mrs St John Buckley, Mrs Borton. Mrs and Miss 'Gould, Misses Williams (2). Misses Bulleid (2), Misses Keddell (2;, Miss Armstrong, Miss Maude, Miss Mutcoch. and many ethers. Lady Miller has gone to Wellington owing to her son's ill-health.

Miss Bella MacdonaJd (Dunedin) was a guest of Mrs Fishei for a few days last ■week. J

Mrs Malcolm Holmes has returned home. Mr and Mrs Edmundsoai, of the Union liank, leave for a three months' holiday to Australia on Monday next.

WELLINGTON, December 8. Miss Higginson, who left for England by the Cormtliic, -was the principal guest at several teas given this week. On Tuesday Mis Grace was the hostess at a- very delightful afternoon, croquet, putting, and tennis being i arranged for the guests' - enjoyment. It was ' pleasant; too, to wander round the lovely gar^ ! den, which just now looks particularly pretty ; and gay. Afternoon tea was laid in the draw- ' ing room, the table looking very attractive,' with roses for decoration. Mrs Grace received ' her guests, assisted by Miss Grace, who wore a becoming dress of lilac muslin, and large hat with roses; Miss^ Higginson wore pale j. green voile, and picture hat ; Mrs lan Duncan, black and white foulard, and b.ack hat; ' Mrs Kenneth Duncan, a very charming dress oj. grey voile, made with many flounces, and a deep Victorian cape, her grey hat being trimmed with Neapolitan violets. Miss narcourt, Miss .Brandon, Miss Hislop, Miss Waldegrave, Miss Duncan, and Miss Johnston ■were amongst the guests. Miss Simpson, who has been on a visit to England, returned by the Waikare last week. Miss Rena Btite, who has been staying in Melbourne, arrived home by the same boat. The Gothic arrived last Wednesday, among the passengers being the Misses A. and li. Hoadley, of Napier, and Miss N. Tanner. Mr and Mrs Hoadley and Mrs Tanner came down . from Napier to meet the Gothic. 1 Mr Frank. Smith, of the Pacific Cable Com- ! pany, Southport, son of Mr Amelius Smith, ! »nd Mr W. Watson, of the Eastern Extension, who has been stationed at Singapore, are both in Wellington just now on leave. A very pleasant afternoon tea was given last Friday by Mrs Campbell, of Kelburne. Mrs Peacock, of Auckland, is her guest just now. Miss Stafford has returned from Christchurch, having greatly enjoyed her visit. Miss Toihurst has also returned from the south. Mr and Mrs Pike have returned from their trip to England, and have taken the house lately occupied by Mr and Mrs Baxter, who left to-day for Sydney, where they will in. future reside. The dance given by Mrs Williams on the night of Miss Beetham's wedding was wholly delightful. Miss Ida Eusseli, "a granddaughter of Mr Williams, and Miss Ethel Abraham (Palmerston)-both made their debut. Miss Russell's dainty gown was of white tulle, much -frilled, and finished with satin ribbon ; Miss Abraham wore accordeon-pleated chiffon and lace. Both carried very pretty bouquets. Mrs Williams wore silver grey brocade and jace; Mrs Eusseli, a handsome gown of creani satin; Miss Williams, white silk; Miss Elsie Williams also wore white; Mrs Beetham, pale blue, relieved with lace. Other guests were Misses .Brandon, Grace, Harcourt, Abraham, Montgomerie, Higginson, Edwin, MacTavish, Fitzroy, Ulrich, Hislop, Fitzgerald, Fell, etc. Madame Evelyn Carlton gave a- very pleasant afternoon at her rooms on Tuesday last. Tea 5 was arranged at small flower-decked tables, ! and several pupils sang delightfully, and with much taste. Our magnificent Town Hall has been quite the talk of the town since the opening day last Wednesday. We have at last something to be very proud of. There was but one doubt — the acoustic properties — and they have been proved simply perfect, which, for a hall so large, is wonderful. The Mayor performed the opening ceremony in the presence of quite 3000 guests, and afterwards fthe vistors were shown over the building and entertained at afternoon tea. In the evening there was a concert, the chief attraction being tbe men's chorus, trained by Mr Maughan Barnett. On this occasion also the hall was crowded with an enthusiastic audience. The children's choir gave a concert on Thursday evening^ and accompanying the part songs was an orchestra of 80 children. This was a pronounced siiccess. The Orchestral Society gives four roncerts on Friday, Saturday, Monday, and Tassday cveii- ] inffs the works to the produced including Dvorak's "Spectre Bride," Coleridge Taylor's ' Hiawatha," and Mendelssohn's "Hynm of Praise." Ihe soloists are "* Miss Aiue i Murphy and Messrs Graham and Hamilton Thifannual distribution of prizes in connection with the Girls 1 High School takes place •n Tuesday, December 13.