TABLE TALK.

Otago Witness, Issue 3380, 25 December 1918, Page 49

TABLE TALK.

Monday. Th* beautiful weather prevailing for the last week has greatly benefited people convalescing from influenza, and enabled those who contemplate leaving town for the holidays to make their plans and preparations with some expectation of enjoyment. Of course, the tramway trouble is a great source of worry to women with little children who look forward so eagerly to the festivities a season so especially their own, and has curtailed the pleasure of shopping considerably. Two drafts of wounded and invalided soldiers are returning, in time to spend Christmas in New Zealand, and after tho strain and anxiety of these past years it is with heartfelt thanksgiving we , approach our first peace Christmas, and feel that we can really say " Peace-and goodwill towards men" with an added appreciation of the meaning of the blessings and benefits to come through the lasting peace which we devoutly hope may be secured tor us. A pleasant little bridge evening was given on Wednesday by Miss Gallaway at her residence, Queen's drive, in honour of her cousin, Miss Laidlaw (Matakanui). Major and Mrs Massey (Wellington) were staying at the Grand Hotel while in Dunedin, and are visiting the southern lakes. Mr Laidlaw and Miss Laidlaw (Matakanui) spent a few days at Onslow House during the week, and returned to Central Otago on Saturday. Sir John and Ladv Sinclair returned from Wellington last week. Mr and Mrs Mill and the Misses Mill have gone on a motor tour to Mount Cook. Mr and Mrs Butterworth, Mrs Cheeseman, and Mr Macintosh left on Saturday to motor to Wanaka and Mount Cook. Miss Cutten left on Monday for Timaru, and is staying at Beverly. Mr and Mrs Garcie De Latour (Wellington) have come to live in Dunedin. Miss E. Haggitt has returned from Balclutha. Lady Williams and Miss Constance Williams left on Thursday for Timaru to stay with Mrs Efeerton Eeid at her station in the Mackenzie Country. •Mr and Mrs Hunt (Wellington) were staying at Wain's Hotel during the week, and have gone to Invercargill. Miss Joyce Williams (Hawke's Bay) is the guest of Mr Henry Williams (Mornington). Mr • and Mrs C. W. Rattray and Miss Rattray have gone to Waikouaiti for the summer. Miss Isabel M'Lean has gone to Timaru for some weeks. Miss Rita Isaacs is spending the holidays at Akaroa. The Red Cross kitchen, which has done such Brilliant work in providing invalid fare and nourishing food during the influenza epidemic, under the able management of Miss K M'Lean and her excellent staff of V.A.D. workers, brought its activities to a close on Wednesday afternoon. The Red Cross Society's rooms in the New Zealand Express Company's buildings are also closed for the holidays. Professor and Mrs Park have let their house in St. David street to Mr and Mrs Didsbury, formerly of Napier. INVERCARGILL, December 21. Miss Jobeon is spending a short holiday at Stewart Island. Mis i Tomkins left for the north on Thursday. Miss Searell (Christchurch) is the guest of Mrs Searell (Yarrow street). Miss Whitcombe (Christchurch) is visiting Miss Stobo (Waikiwi) just now. Mr ' and Mrs Frank Webb returned this week from a trip to Wellington. A very pretty military wedding was solemnised in St. John's Church by Archdeacon Richards on Wednesday morning, when Miss Strettell, eldest daughter of Mr and Mrs O. W. H. Strettell, was united 'n wedlock to Pergemt-major W. J. Fisher, of the Defence Staff. The bride, who was given away by her uncle, Mr C. Gardner, looked most charming in a dainty frock of georgette over ninon. She wore a very pretty veil with orange blossoms, and enrried a larsre bouquet of sweet peas. Miss Y Strettell, her bridesmaid, looked very nice in a lavender cre-rje de chine frock and black picture ha+. Mr P. M'Neilage acted as best man. Mr and Mrs W. J. Fisher left for Akaroa by the midday express. Mr and Mrs C. Gardner spent a few days in town last week. Mr and Mrs D. MacPherson (Otautau) were the guests of Mrs Gardner for a day or two this week'. Mrs Saunders (Otautau) is staying with her daughter-in-law, Mrs W. A. Saunders (Waikiwi). Miss Gibson, Principal of Melrose College, is spending the holidays in Christchurch and Akaroa.. She is at present the guest of Mrs D. El Wood, of Christchurch. OAMARTT, December 19. Mrs Du Croz, who has been staying for some time with Mrs Douglas, has returned to Dunedin. Mr and Mrs Milner have taken a house in Nelson for the holidays, and motored through "last week. Miss de Lambert is visiting Waimate. The Hon. George, Mrs, and Mies Jones have returned from Wellington, where they were the session. Mr and Mrs Dickson, who have been in Timaru for—some months, have returned to 0 a maim. Mrs Orbell has taken the Misses Stronach's oottago at Hampden for the holidays.

Mr and Mrs Percy C. Hjorring have left by motor oar for Queenstown and the lakes

TIMARU, December 19. •Mrs Egerton Reid (Mackenzie Country) and the Misses Reid are in town for a few d Mr" and Mrs W. H. Walton (Wai-iti road) are spending the holidays at Lake• Mrs Matheson (Tighnafeile) and the Misses Matheson- are spending the summer Bowe (Wai-iti. road) have returned from Maryburn Station. > Mrs G. C. Martin (Fairhe) was m town during the week. . , Miss Joan Bradshaw (Waimate) is the guest of Mrs Westmacott (Nile street). Mies Clifford and Miss Chssold have retUMrsdErT. liac U k y (Auckland) is the guest of Mrs R. Gillingham (Fairlie). Af <3t Marv's Church yesterday the wectding tookpKe between Mr J. C. Guinness (soi of Mr and Mrs E. R. Guinness, WaiUxoad) and Miss Freda Jones, (daughter of Mr and Mis Edgar Jones, Timaru). The wedding was a very, quiet one, only immediate of the bride and bridegroom being present.

CHRISTCHURCH, December 20. The town presents a. gay now with Christmas decorations, and now that Se wS-and epidemic are °ver people are busily shopping and making; up foV lost time. To all my readers I tender the compliments of the season, and hoping o htve fine weather for the There have been several small tennis partes during the -eek, the hostesses bemg Mesdames Rnodes, Helmore, Moore, and An Thok n Excellencies the 'Governor-general and the Countess of Liverpool will be in residence at Elmwood (Papanui) early in J prXsor and Mrs Blunt are the guests of P their Excellencies, the and the Countess of Liverpool for the Christ Webster are the guests of Colonel and Mrs Cbaffey. „..*. Major and Mrs Sleeman are the guests of Mrs Beswick (Park terrace). Mr anS Mrs Henry Wood and MssE Wood have gone to the southern lake* Sr Alice Moreland has gone to Hanmer SP Misf 'S. Westenra is the guest of Mrs °Mr t Vernor n ht in) purchased a house on visiting Christchurch.

BLENHEIM, December 17. The influenza epidemic, ; ablv abating in our town and district, is etiU claiming its victims, but each • day . the Snorts improve, and hopes are entertained Iff thing? will shortly return tc.normal. There etill remains much to be done in ine way ofnursing, and the hospital staffs are ke Ouitr y a gloom passed over the town on Saturday morning when it became.known that Mr Thomas Hogg had died from an attack of influenza. Much sympathy is expended to Mrs Hogg, who is now suffering has returned fl 'Xs H Mon?oa Grace has returned from her hoXyTc Hawera, and has gone through to H White-has left for Dunedin, where she intends spending some months. . Mr and Mrs Geo. Waddy have again taken un their residence here. Mr and Mrs E. H. Harvey have returned to their home here. Miss Purser has returned to her home in W Mlfs al Townshend has returned from Pictpn. Miss G. Curtis, who has been visiting Mrs W. Clouston at St. Andrews, has returned to Stratford. __ ... Ks Chaytor has returned from Wellington.

WELLINGTON, December 19. Last Saturday there was a quiet wedding in St. Paul'e, when Mrs Napier Mac Lean, widow of the late Dr Mac Lean, .of Wellington was married to Captain Spencer Bavlev of the Dental Corps, the Rev. A. M J&mL officiating. Mr I M. Butt gave his daughter away, and the bride was attended by her little daughter Mary and Mis? Una Geddes. Mr R. M Watson was best man. There was a reception after the ceremony at the house of the bride on We - lington terrace. The happy couple are back in Wellington after a brief honeymoon. _ Dr Elizabeth Gunn, who was very prominent ministering to the sufferers during the late epidemic of "flu," especially at the temporary hospital in Sydney street and the Normal School, has now recovered from the severe attack which she incurred m the course of her brave ministrations. Among the victims attacked by the epidemic was Mrs Baker daughter of the Minister of Health, the Hon. G. W. Bmmll. For a time the poor lady was eo ill that her life was despaired of, and matters were complicated by the spread of the visitation 1o all the members of the family in the Molesworth street Ministerial residence. But good constitutions and careful nursing, with the direction of the best medical skill, prevailed, and Mrs r>aker is once again among her friends. News from Sydney tells of Mrs and Miss Lin, the wife and daughter of the Chinese Consul here. When Mr Lin was appointed for New Zealand he was in Canada with his family, and he came out here at once, leaving his wife and daughter to visit their own country- They are in Sydney on their way, waiting for a passage, which will be forthcoming now that the maritime workers have arranged their little differences with the shipping companies. Miss . Lin is a welleducated, very learned lady, and writes poetry with great success. Mr Lin declares that when she acquires the English language in the perfection which her study of the same bids fair to attain before long, she will, he hopes, do as well with the Muse as she does now in her own language. We are all looking forward with much interest to make the acquaintance of these ladies. It is not, of course, the first time that Chinese ladies have been in society here, as we have had two Chinese Consuls with their wives. They were of the old nonprogressive school, speaking nothing but Chinese. These ladies will impress differently, we hope. Mrs Gibson Turton, who has been living here (at Wadestown) for some months, is away in Canterbury paying a round of visits. Her friends will be glad to learn that- she is in good health, and that she has recovered her old cheerfulness as much as could be expected. Much grief here at the death of Dr Matthew Holmes, grandson of the late Matthew Holmes, of Dunedin, who fell a victim to his devotion to the sick. ' He had not long returned from the front, where he had acted with great distinction as surgeon-colonel in the thick of it.

Christmas comes this year to us under very different auspices to those of the paßt four years. We feel that the joy of the season is undiluted and without any suspicion of evil. We shall all enjoy it with a supreme conviction of the effect of peace on earth, which was absent from the last four oelebrations. Nothing, of course, oan fill the vacancies. But there is no dread of more vacancies, and that makes all th« difference. Also it is easier to talk of goodwill to all men now. In this spirit let me wish my readers the usual merry Christmas.

AUCKLAND, December 19. The comio opera, " Floradora" (which wu being staged, by a talented number of our amateurs when the influenza epidemic broke out, necessitating the closing down of the theatre), has once again faoed the footlights. The proceeds, which will be oonfaiderable, are to go towards the upkeep of that most excellent institution, the Soldiers' Hostel, opened lately in Upper Queen street. Amongst the principal performers were Miss Lalla Knight, Mr Wallace Atkinson, Mr Kenneth Carlisle, Mr Frank Constant, Mass Mabel Oliver, Miss Hester Yeoward, and Mr Meredith. Miss Daphne Knight's pupils again distinguished themselves in their dancing, which was most picturesque. Full houses have been awarded the management at each performance. Mrs J. EL D. Spicer (Remuera) and her family are visiting relatives at the Lower Hutt.

Miss Farmer (New Plymouth) is staying with friends in Auckland.

The Victoria League Red Cross shop was placed this week-end at the disposal of the V.A.D.'s who work at the annexe in connection with the soldiers' workshops, and the display of the men's handicraft created great interest. Miss Webster was in charge of the shop, and was assisted by Miss -M. Buckland, Miss Upton, the Misses Gwen and Rachel Gorrie, Miss Griffiths, and the Missea Patterson (2). The Red Cross shop is to be again at the disposal of the soldiers for two days before Christmas, after which ii is to be closed until March next.

Major Sir Robert Walker and Lady Walker and family* have gone to Takapuna, and are staying- at Mon Desir until then- departure for England. Mr Justice Stringer and 1 Mrs Stringe* are staying at the Grand Hotel.

Mrs and Miss Rhodes j(Rotorua) have been staying in Auckland for the.past fortnight. Mrs J. C. Wilkin (who of late years haa been living at Cargen) is spending several Weeks in Christchurch with old friends. The cabled news from London of the death of Mr E. D. O'Rorke formerly of Auckland, but who had been resident in England for the last six years, was received by hi* many friends here with genuine regret. Tha cable stated that death resulted from a fall from a horse. Mr O'Rorke had been busily engaged in different parts of England in buying horses for the army from the early months of the war, and it is surmised that it, was in this manner that his death waa brought about.

The death of Mr L. J. Steele (the wellknown artist who had been a resident of Auckland l for the past 30 years) took place here last week. Dunedinites may doubtless remember his pictures in the Exhibition of many years ago in that city— "Tha Story of the Saddle," which afterwards went to France, and "The Death of Starlight," which was bought for Australia. Very genuine regret will be felt not only in Auckland, but also in Dunedin and othei centres of the Dominion, at the passing away at a private hospital here yesterday morning of Mr C. C. Kettle, until a few months ago senior stipendiary magistrate. Possessed of a most charming personalis, Mr Kettle's friends were far and wide, end all through his long illness of some 18 months' duration his visitors have been without number, and hailed from all parts of New Zealand. The flags in the city are at present flying at half-mast out of respect to the memory of the deceased.