WELLINGTON RACE BALL.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 138, 17 July 1914, Page 4

WELLINGTON RACE BALL.

A BRILLIANT FUNCTION. From Our Special Correspondent. WELLINGTON, July 16. The Bace Club ball of 1914 will live long in the memory of the guests, for it was the most brilliant and by far the largest ball ever given in Wellington. Visitors, from every part of New Zealand were present, and the scene during the evening was very beautiful. Eriom the gallery above one watched the kalieidoscopie effect of the moving dancers, exquisitely gowned, the delightful aifd softly tinted lights. The' decorations excelled in beauty anything that has been previously attempted by the club, and they were carried out by Miss Patricia Hardy, who made use of the club's colours, pink and red, with most artistic results. The ceiling was canopied with alternate streamers of rose and white silk—the tent like effect in this delicate colouring being i softened with myriads of large full I bloom pink and white roses entertwined with lycopodium and festooned from the walls to the .centre of the ceiling. The front of the gallery was draped in similar colours 6ml was studded at regular intervals with gilded baskets holding luxuriously arranged crimson roses. These were grouped with artistic carelessness, which was most natural. The. same soft draperies fell down the pillars of each archway, and were caught with rose bushes in fullbloom; Crimson, yellow, and pink roses were in the greatest profusion, and with Wf.ural foliage were climbing the'alcoves and peeping through the trellijsed (walls. At one end of the room the wall was entirely mirrored from ceiling to floor, and sweet peas and roses ran riot here also. The stage was indeed a beautiful spot, representing a terraced, rose garden with masses of flowering cherry in deep pink shade, and crimson azalieas, in the background roses clustered on bushes everywhere, and a fountain illuminated with coloured lights played softly. Spring had conic, and the garden was bordered with daffodils,

embedded in moss. Tall pampas filled any open space, and were a delightful background to the wealth of flowers. On either side of the stage were trellised walls, over which climbed sweet, peas in mauve, pink, and crimson shades. Each alcove was most luxuriously furnished with rugs, easy lounges, and quantities of pretty silk cushions, and tall stands held flowering shrubs and palms. The whole effect was indescribably beautiful and charming. At the entrance to the Town Hall, crimson carpets had been laid, and a sporting effect was given by the trio of large horseshoes, gleaming with coloured li ghts shining through greenery. A delicious smell of the bush greeted one, for the double stairease, also crimson carpeted, was converted into a bower of greenery, and from in between the fern fronds gleamed coloured lights and myriads of roses. Here and there were fashioned little bush houses, clustered with flowers, and furnished with cosy seats. On the landing above the same beautiful effect was carried out to the doors of the supper room. Here again one was met with a brilliant picture, festoons of roses and lycopodium decorated the hall, and every light was shaded with rose-pink. The stage was tanked with greenery and tall palms. The tables, decorated by Godber's (who Eilsc carried out the perfect supper arlurgements), were a charming sight. The vice-regal table occupied the centre, and was decorated with palest pink ribbons and silver vases of pink camelias and birch. Large silver horseshoes were tied with rose-pink ribbons, and dainty pink and silver bonbons were grouped about. In the centre was a beautiful "cup." Many of the small tables were grouped about the room. Crimson tulle, and bonbons and vases of crimson camelias or similar decorations of rose pink were used on each, and the effect was extremely artistic. A second supper room was arranged at the end of a corridor, and here the same colours and beautiful white narcissi were used for deeoration. The menu cards were appropriate, with a sketch of horses at the post, and many sporting emblems were used to decorate the dishes. There were nearly one thousand guests present. Punctually at nine o'clock his Excellency the Governor and Lady Liverpool arrived, with the

house party, and immediately the official set was formed as follows: —His Excellency and Miss Harcourt, Lady Liverpool and Mr J. B. Harcourt, Lord Kelburne and Mrs Marshall, Hon. H V D. Bell and Mrs Massey, Sir Alexander Godley and Lady Ward, Captain Eastwood, A.D.C., and Mrs Hosking, Captain Marshall and Mrs H. D. Bell, Sir Joseph Ward and Lady Godley. • Her Excellency wore vieux rose satin with draped skirt and train of rose ninon draped from the shoulders, a cluster of roses on the lace corsage, and diamond tiara and necklace. Miss Harcourt, a most graceful gown of white and blaek ninon, with a handsome steel panel and quaint ninon drape from the shoulders. Lady Godley wore red satin with overdress of black iflSfc and beautiful lace; Lady Ward a beautiful gown of black satin and ninon, and diamond ornaments; Mrs H. D; Bell blue brocaded chiffon over white satin and exquisite lace.; Mrs Marshall, white satin and lace; Miss Hosking, black and white gown of satin and ninon with deep flounces of Irish crochet; Mrs Massey, black satin and lace gown.