A FASHIONABLE WEDDING.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XXII, Issue 2211, 17 June 1874, Page 2

A FASHIONABLE WEDDING.

The marriage of tbe Earl of Donough. more to Miss Stephens, at St. David's Cathedral, Hobart Town, on the 19th May, is described in the Mercury of the following day :— " Every available portion of epaoe in the cathedral was speedily filled, and while there conld not have been less than a thousand persona in the bnilding, quite that nnmber were obliged to remain outside, and be content with a glimpse of the bridal prrty as they arrived and departed. As soon as the bridegroom and his friends (Hon. W. F. Hely Hotchiuson, and Captain Price, of Madras Staff Corps) had taken np their positions in front of the chancel steps, the bride entered the cathedral by the principal entrance, and walking np to the channel steps, stood on tho left of I the bride-groom. She was magnificently attired in a white uatin dress, trimmed with Brussels lace, a splendid and costly Brussels lace veil, aud a beantiful wreath of orange blossom, whilst she also bad a rare fan of mother I of-pearl. She looked slightly pale, bat throughout the ceremony retained her composure. There were eight brides* maids — Miss May Stephens, the bride's sister ; the Misses Da Cane, daughters of his Excellenoy the Governor ; and tbe five cousins of the bride. They were all similarly attired in white Bilk dresses, trimmed with swans-down, and tarlatan panniers looped ap with white satin bows ; the bodies of tbe dresses were trimmed square with Maltese lace and swans-down. They also wore wreaths of jessamine and lilies of the valley, and tulle veils."

No Queen's Birthday Ball in Stdmt.— By an offioial, or semi-official announcement, in the Berdtd (says the Evening Post), the pnblio are informed that his Excellency (he Governor will give no ball this year on her Majesty's birthday, bat will act in aooordanoe with " the Divine injunotion ;" and then fol« lows a lengthy quotation from the new Testament, in support of Sir HeraolM Robinson's) Intention to give the inmates of the Bone* volent Asylums a "good English dinner."^ Notwithstanding the Scriptural quotation witfr* whioh it has been thought neoenary to «os« ~ tain, or defend the proposed innovation, it i» to be feared many people will demur to the change. " Boast beef and plum padding" to paupers, garnished with texts, will scarcely compensate the members of our shoddy aris. tocracy for the loss of tbeir one opportunity of displaying their elegant oostumes, their polished manners, and their *' nigger break, down" style of dancing. It is all very well to set down the discontinuance of the " birth* day ball" to tbe smallneis of the rooms at Government Honse. Tbe real difficulty lies in tha apparent impossibility of excluding moneyed larrikins, male and female. At the ball, a disturbance took plaoe that very nearlj culminated in a free fight in the hall, and the oannibal habits of some of the guests, who, at sapper time, snatched the poultry off the table, and tore the birds to pieoe* with their bands and teeth, to say nothing of those whose retirement was only effected with tha aid of grinning cabbies, sodisgnsted thevioe. regal party that the present alteration ii not to be wondered at. Tbe "birthday ball" proving a sort of foil dress spree, the late fancy dress ball was tried, bnt even this had its disadvantages. For instance, it was not pleasant for Sir Heroales to reoeive oongratulntory epistles from pawnbrokers who had been able to dispose of '* dead ■took" to (be guests, and "'oped Sir Brqoles 'ud give another fanoy dress ball as it 'elp«d trade." And so the result is that the paupers get an extra stoning, and parvenus, larrikins, and cads get the cold shoulder. Thb Masters and Servants Act.— ln a oase of master and servant, in whiob (ha parties wen Hallenstein v. Murphy, Mr. Bath, gate, R.M., has given (be following judgment: —The information in this case against the defendant, accused of absenting herself from her service, is laid under the 17th section of tbe Master and Apprentice Act, 1885. This Aot (seotion 8) defines the word " master" as meaning any person to whom any child shall be bound apprentice by indenture, that is or deed duly signed, sealed, and delivered. Seotion 10 provides by whom (he indenture is to be executed " by the parent or guardian of the apprentice." Tbe intention of the Legislature is clear, that as a delinquent ap* prentice may be involved in saotmarjr pro* ■eoution and penalties under the Act, it it provided that the apprentice should be folly made aware of the nature of the deed to whioh he or she may be made a party ; and hence the execution of the deed is surrounded with a oertatn degree of solemnity, and the parent or guardian must be a party. By tb» word " parent," I understand (he lather if he be alive and within the Colony. The document founded upon is informal as a deed, not being sealed. The mother has signed (be deed, along with tbe defendant (her daughter), bat daring (he father's life tbe mother as snob, is entitled to no power. The indenture, therefore is informal, and the defendant not being properly bound, the penal olauses of the Aot do not apply to her case. Tbe information will be dismissed without costs. The Population and Public Houses in Greymouth.— The Greymouth Star states — " Through the courtesy of Inspector Hioksoo we are plaoed in possession of the following statistics ; — The (own of Greymoutb, with an estimated population of 2,690, has 49 licensed poblio-hoDSM— I for every 53. The district has 14 public-houses to 620 people, or 1 to every 44. Maori Gully, with its population of 459, has 12 pnblio-honsee, lTor every 48, while the Clifton district has 19 licensed houses for a population of 610 souls, or I pub* lie-house to every 32. How the publicans manage to exist and pay their licenses is a mystery. Allowing for women and children and the publicans themselves we sboold imagine that every man in the various districts would require to spend half-a-orown per day to support these booses." UNrBonTABLK Character or Mabinb Ik. surance Business. — From a statement made in the London Times, it appears (hat the ■abject of the on profitable oharaoter of marine insurance business in England is attracting attention. It is stated that in 1872 fifteen London offices, having an aggregate premium, revenue of £2,488,000, lost £728,000 more than tbeir reoeipts, and that if the average premiums had been 29} per cent, higher (hey wonld then have only covered the losses. An Unusual Oath.—" Attious" remark* that : — " It is a compliment rarely paid to mortal man to be sworn by. In a case tried before Chief Justice Sir James Martin, a fe. male witness did not think the usual oath and the kissing of tbe book sufficiently impressive, for she added as she put down the Bible, * 80 help me Jimmy Martin.' His Honor sternly demanded an explanation of this blasphemous taking in vain of his name, and the affrighted -woman bad to assure him that it was only a way that she had wbeo she wanted to proolaim that she was going to speak nothing bat tbe troth, * Just as your Honor might say strike me blind if it isn't so.' I would like to be present when a woman would say to oar Aotiog Chief Justioe, 'So help me Beddj Barry.'"