SOCIETY

Observer, Volume 1, Issue 17, 8 January 1881, Page 158

SOCIETY

THE DRESSES AT THE RACES.

On the last day of the races the Grand Stand was crowded with the elite of Auckland. Many j of the costumes were rich, and all were more or less noticeable. Among the ladies present I observed the following : — Mrs. and Miss WILLIAMSON ; the latter looking very stylish in a costume of pale blue with small close hat to match. Miss Comisky wore a tussore costume beautifully embroidered with garlands of small flowers in pink and blue; bonnet to match, with forget-me-nots and pink flowers. Mrs. Angerstein wore a jersey costume with Tarn o 1 Shanter hat ; skirt of old gold sateen, navy blue jersey; hat of navy blue silk to match ; old gold scarf. Mrs. J. M. Clark wore a striking costume of white silk ; chocolate-coloured satin and deep gold lace bonnet to match. Miss' WoOLNOUGH wore a well-fitting dress of pale cream, the material being very soft and graceful, and looking like an embossed muslin. The pale colour was relieved by a becoming black hat. Mrs. T. MOEBIN wore a pretty pompadour suit of rather dark blue and white, relieved by lacings of heavy cximson cord and tassels ; white hat faced with black velvet. Mrs. ISAACS certainly wore the most elegant black silk on the Stand. It was made with a long train and nearly covered with jet fringe and embroidery, which glistened with every movement. The bonnet *\vorn by this lady was as elegant in its way as the dress, being a delicate white straw nearly covered with sprays of "lilies of the valley." Miss Isaacs wore a piquant costume of pompadour and wine colour, the colours most prominent in the combination being the deep red and old gold ; small close hat to match. Mrs. A. E. Isaacs, as usual, was elegantly costumed, the dress worn, by this lady leiug a combination of black silk and brocade of bright colours. Mrs. Haines appeared in a most noticeable costume, the dress consisting of a light-coloured pompadour sateen, combined with pink of Bright shades and cream lace ; large Avlute plush hat bound with pink and turned up on one side ; shoes laced with pink ; parasol to match. Mrs. Barten was dressed in elegant taste, both costume and hat being of the shade known as "peacock blue," and trimmed elaborately with cream lace. Mrs. TonKS had on a lady-like costume of pale cream and dark brown, neatly made, with bonnet to match. Miss Whewhell wore a tussore dress, with black scarf to relieve it, and black hat. * Miss Home appeared in pale cream trimmed withlace of the same colour, blue Langtry hood and scarf, and hat of fashionable shape with pink roses. Mrs. CosGRAVE wore an elegant black costume, while her sister appeared in a jersey suit of navy blue and white. Two little girls of their party, apparently, wore very pretty suits of pale blue and white, with Tarn o' Shanter hats to match. I noticed a very young lady most neatly dressed in whi.te with black jersey, black stockings, and hat simply trimmed with white muslin, the black v and white being relieved by a cluster of scarlet roses in the hat.

Conspicuous on the lawn was little Miss LINGARD in a navy blue suit, open jacket, cardinal stockings, and rush hat turned up in front and lined with blue. v Mrs. Major George wore a handsome black silk, embroidered with bright flowers; black hat. Mrs. S. MORRIN wore a becoming costume o£ wine-coloured foulard, relieved by trimmings of cream colour, brocaded with a deeper shade ; close-litting hat of the same combinations. Mrs. Chamberlin wore white muslin, relieved by blue bows ; white hat faced with black velvet. The Misses Whitaker looked very nice in costumes of the palest shade of blue or green — I really dare not say which it was, as to my masculine eyes the colours are so much alike, but I am sure that the ribbon trimmings were blue ; hats of white plush, trimmed with white and cream lace and pale blue feathers. Miss Lawford wore black with white satin and lace trimmings, and a most becoming white satin hat, whq.se only ornament was a spray of cardinal red roses. Mrs. J. M. Dargaville wore a well-made and becoming costume of cream-coloured cashmere trimmed with cardinal red silk, with Langtry hood ; bonnet to match. Mrs. R. A. Dargaville was in black silk, Avith bonnet of cream colour only and creamcoloured scarf to match. Mrs. Mackechnie's costume was of heavy brown silk with trimmings of brown brocade showing a dash of pale gold colour ; bonnet to match of brown pale gold. Mrs. David Nathan showed great taste in her costume of dark blue velvet and silk with bonnet to correspond. It needed no relieving colour. Mrs. R. H. D. Fergusson wore black silk, with grey jacket. Mrs. Kenneth Fergusson appeared in a dark blue satin dress with overdress of a grey open material like lace work, which showed the blue beneath, white hat, trimmed with blue to match, and faced with black. Mrs. Burley wore a correct costume of jam colour and prune, with small bonnet to match. Mrs. Alexander had on a very handsome dress of heavy black silk, most judiciously combined with black and gold brocaded silk ; a black lace scarf close about the throat, and bonnet of black and gold. There were several other dresses noticeable for their good taste that I might mention, but I could not ascertain the wearer's names. There was a pretty "light pompadour" combined with tussore, trimmed very fully with lace. A handsome "black silk" was made iip with "cardinal" wrist cuffs, collar and train being of the bright colour. There were also two or three quiet dresses of green silk — a myrtle green and olive green being conspicuous among them. Several ladies seem to prefer the black costume, which always looks well, though each one may brighten it according to her individual taste. One young lady ignored all colour, save in the pretty brooch in the shape of a leaf, which fastened the lace at the throat of her dress. Two ladies judiciously combined old gold with the black, while another chose a paler shade in the shape of a scarf with which to relieve the dull color. Miss Clayton's costume was one of the most stylish and becoming on the Stand. It was of pale blue, with hat to match, and suited the wearer completely. The Misses Taylor were dressed with their usual good taste, one in a pale green costume, one in white, and the other in a pleasing combination of pink and black. Mrs. Allan Taylor wore a quiet costume of pale gray.

— Mr. J. C. Gavin, of Wellington, arrived on Tuesday by the s.s. "Hawea," for the purpose of proceeding to England by the " Wangamii, " which is to sail next week. — Miss 8., the belle of Coromandel is engaged to be married to a gentleman possessing any amount of the "mammon of unrighteousness." The wedding will take place shortly. — Fires in Auckland usually occur in trios. It is fortunate that those at Messrs. Hewin Bros, and the Cosmopolitan Hotel, which followed that at the Haymarket, were extinguished before much damage was done. — Mr. and Mrs. Laisliley returned by the R.M.S. City of Sydney on Tuesday, after a somewhat protracted tour in Victoria, New South Wales and Tasmania. Mr. Laishley is in capital health, and seems all the better for his holiday. — The four-horse drag, Avhich conveyed a party to the racecourse on each day of the Summer Meeting, formerly belonged to the Hon. W. J. Clarke, of Melbourne, the wealthiest man in the colonies. It was bought in Tasmania by Mr. Crowther, when he was there a few months ago. — On dit that a recent arrival named Davis, who entered into business in High-street some time ago, has just come in for a nice little fortune of £13,000. He is said to be a relative of the Rev. J. U. Davis, the Baptist parson from Dunedin, who was recently sojourning in Auckland. — On Boxing Day, the Alpha Cricket Club had the audacity to challenge twenty all comers. The Alphas, in their first innings, scored 45. The outsiders had made 35 runs, and had 10 wickets to fall, when their opponents threw up the sponge and drew the stumps. — Last Thursday afternoon Mr. and Mrs. R. C. Barstow gave a lawn tennis party in the beautiful grounds of their residence, at Epsom. A large number of their friends accepted their hospitality, and spent a most enjoyable afternoon. The music of a good band served to enliven the proceedings — if they required enlivening, which I doubt.

— Two ladies well known in Auckland society were at Mrs. Hampson's final meeting, on Thursday week, and excited much horror and indignation by the unconcealed manner in which they laughed and jeered (almost out loud) at the proceedings. The least people can do when they attend such meetings out of curiosity is to behave decently. — The usually dead-alive Coromandel has been very gay this Christmas, boating and dancing parties being quite the rage. At a dance the other night an awkward contretemps occurred. In a moment of almost frenzied fun a gentleman so far forgot himself as to try and kiss a yery pretty girl, and she, instead of taking it kindly, well-nigh scratched his eyes out. The wounds which were somewhat severe are healing slowly ! — Vauxhall Gardens on Monday last was the scene of Baptist festivities, supplementary to New Year's Day's fete. The picnicers were, with a few exceptions, young and single. Some came by steamer and others by sailing boats, and one party, at least, of the latter arrived in a rather doleful plight consequent upon the far too sportive disposition of Father Neptune. The amusements consisted of that peculiarly Baptist game, " The Jolly Miller, " interspersed with Moody and Sflnkcy's hymns, strawberries and cream, and a few extracts from "Helen's Babies." — To the Editor : Sir, — Your generosity in giving "Anti-Cockroach" nearly a column of last week's Observer was surely on the principle of giving one sufficient rope to hang herself with. The poor oldlady will certainly expire after bringing forth such a prodigy of wit as that. It is astounding — I mean the wit, by its absence ; and really, sir, you should not encourage the dear old girl to* such frantic efforts unless you wish her to collapse altogether. Already she is very shaky, but bless her old heart, do advise her to exchange the pen for a darning needle, for that will do her more credit, and less harm. Entomologist. — There was a nice little row on the Grand Stand after the steeplechase, on Monday last. Two gentlemen, both of them leading social lights, had a tiff about a disputed bet, and the language, at last, became somewhat sultry. One of the combatants addressed the other as " a slab-headed butter," and intimated that if his adversary was not a coward he should be pleased to punch his sanguinary head. To this the insulted party replied in suitable terms, and then someone drew attention to the fact that there were ladies present. Shortly afterwards a bystander proposed that the quarrel should be adjusted by the parties having recourse to pistols, and ottered to bet the liberal odds of 5 to 1 that they blazed away for half-an-hour without hitting each other. — Mr. William Fraser (third son of the senior partner in the firm of Fraser and Tinne) and Mr. William McGregor (heir apparent of the well-known captain of that name) celebrated on Tuesday night their release from the rigours of apprenticeship by a social gathering of their friends, in the Albert Hall. Between sixty and seventy ladies and gentlemen were present, and the whole affair was carried out in a manner which reflects great credit upon the hosts and their coadjutors. The hall was profusely decorated with bunting, and a bounteous and recherche spread was laid out in the ante-room, and an agreeable programme of dances and suitable games was gone through. The partywas opened at 9 o'clock with a speech by Mr. J. M. Geddes (Master ol Ceremonies) and from that time forward until daylight there was no interruption to the merriment. Messrs. George Fraser, A. W. Mundy, J. McLeod, and J. E. Waygood proved themselves zealous stewards, and the party was perhaps the most sociable one of the season. The games were provocative of much fun, especially " French tig," in which Mr. D., the tender-hearted bass, had an opportunity of displaying his agility, while Messrs. S., W., and G. F. realised in it how hard a thing it is to flirt and keep a bright look out at one and the same time. It is rather a difficult ! matter to determine who was the belle of the j ball, for there were many lovely aspirants for the flattering honour ; but a careful considera- | tion of their respective merits and pretensions, I must award the palm to Miss F. She j is an accomplished dancer, has a pretty face and j figure, and was very becomingly attired. In the matter of costumes, Misses H., M., B. and | G. appeared to decided advantage, while Miss Ti-s and Miss S — 's dancing was the subject of complimentary remark. Miss F., however, was, in my opinion, facile princeps amidst the fair ones.