NOTES BY "THE DUCMESS"

Observer, Volume 3, Issue 55, 1 October 1881, Page 40

NOTES BY "THE DUCMESS"

["The Duchess " will be glad to receive from lady contributors descriptions of new walking costume s, ball dresses, &c, which are worn in Queen-street or at social re-unions ; also particulars of any very striking dresses worn in the Waikato, at tho Thames, or in other to wns where the Observer circulates. All communications considered strictly confidential. Address — " The Duchess," Observer office, Auckland.] — Hats to match, the dress are going out of fashion. — The crinolettes at the Queen's last ball were something prodigious. Worth, sensible that many rivals are gaining on him, brought them out as a grand coup. — So the men are going in for tight-fittimg garments as well as the ladies, are they ? Well, we are fast going back to the style of Adam and Eve, but depend upon it, when things come to the worst, there will be a reaction in the shape of a crinolette ! I prefer Adam and Eve. — There is an immense run upon Spurgeon by the Auckland young ladies. Many of them are losing their heads about the comely young English pastor. Some Ponsonby girls the other night actually refused to go to a dance for the sake of hearing Mr Spurgeon speak at a tea meeting. ?/ — I was told by a lady lately arrived from /Fiji a funny anecdote about Prince George of Wales. At one of the balls given tlie royal lads at Levuka, Prince George was shown the ladies with whom he was to dance, and was told, "Your Royal Highness will ask Mrs and Miss So-and-so, etc.," to which, he sturdily replied, that if he couldn't dance with anyone he liked he would fill his pockets full of cake and go back to the ship ! | — The Mount Albert Cinderella dance took place on Thursday, the 22nd inst. There were about twenty-five couples present ; the hall was decorated with ferns and flags, and a very pleasant evening was spent. There was, however, a lack of gentlemen, an event which does not often happen at Mount Albert. Mrs Greenwood wore black satin, made jersey costume, and a cream plush sash. Mrs C. S. S. George had decidedly the prettiest dress in the room. It was of white satin, elaborately trimmed with pale blue satin, and here and there a soupqon of pompadour long train ; and diamond ornaments. Mrs Home : black satin. Mrs Plumley : dark grey silk. Mrs Stevenson : grey and red silk. Mrs Stone : plain black cashmere. Mrs Baker : black cashmere trimmed with pompadour chenille fringe. Miss Dunnett : blue sateen trimmed with white lace. Miss Home : white grenadine with black lace sash. Miss Evans : pink tarletane. Miss Maxwell : pink tarletane. Miss M. Maxwell : blue tarletane. Miss Eigby : grey silk trimmed with black velvet. Miss — Rigby : white cashmere. Miss George : white muslin with pale blue sash and sleeves. MissH. George : white cashmere, crimson cord and tassels. Miss Plumley : brown silk trimmed with white' lace. Miss F. Plumley : black grenadine with shaded

crimson satin sash. Miss R. Plumley : blile sateen trimmed with white lace. Miss James : black grenadine slashed with blue. N.B. — The claret cup was capital. — I have been greatly amused by reading the report of the headmaster of the Girls' High School. He is very angry at " the unwise demands made upon the children in their homes." He flatters himself that, in spite of the children being kept at home to help their mothers in the household work, some of them are "quite at home "in Euclid and Algebra. Well, I know it is the fashion to exalt these and similar studies as fitting occupations for girls, but take the "Duchess's" word for it they will be of no real use to ninety -nine girls out of a hundred. A thorough knowledge of cooking in a place like this, where servants are so bad and scarce, would be a thousand-fold more to the purpose, and more conducive to the future happiness of every gitl. Girls are not boys, and never will be, educate j them as you will. A girl's lot in life is to marry, and to rule her own household ; and woe is in that house where the mistress hates domestic duties, and would rather do anything than go into the kitchen and cook. How many scenes of wrecked happiness and divided lives have I known to arise out of this very cause. It may seem a slight thing not to be able to make a pudding, or a curry, or a jelly, but it is oftentimes " the little rift within the lute " which splits up households, and drives the man away to his club, to billiards, to drink, and to ruin. Therefore, kind Mr Headmaster, do not trouble too much about a girl's absence when she is kept at home to help her mother. It may lessen the aptitude for Euclid and Algebra, but it will bear fruit perhaps in after years in some bright, happy, and cheerful home, where that girl, too dull for Algebra, and too irregular for mathematics, is the presiding and pervading deity. — The debate of the St. Andrew's Mutual Improvement Association on " Society Journals" on Thursday last was very amusing. When young men stand up and talk in public they must expect to be criticised. If the very flat and. tame reports of the Herald and Star are all the public can get on subjects of interest, and which might have been written by either reporter without being present, then I think any paper which puts a little life, and interest, and spirit into its pages may well be heartily welcomed, even if it rejoices in the soubriquet of a " Society " journal ! Mr James Haslett opened the ball in the affirmative. He condemned society journals on the grounds that they encouraged gossip scandal, vanity,love of dress, and extravagance ; and while commenting upon the Liberty, the Lance, and the Observer, declared that the latter was by far the best of a bad lot, and that it had lately greatly improved in its tone. (Salaam, Jimmy). This pat on the back brought on his legs Mr Hamilton Haslett, who made a furious onslaught without any discrimination. Hot and strong were his condemnations, he censured the first speaker for his lukewarmness, and declared that he could not have ! read the paper, that it was worse than ever, etc., etc. And so this wise young judge (in embryo) this second Daniel, sat in judgement ! Then up rose Mr Chambers for the defence. It was only the wicked, he said, and those people whose own consciences accused them, who need fear a society journal. The good and true it could not injure, it was the means of avenging many wrongs, and bringing many iniquitous practices to light. And then in a rather ironical tone he complimented Mr James Haslett on his eloquence. At which that orator, waxing irate, stood up, and with a low bow thanked Mr Chambers for the very capital manner in which he managed his H's. (Now this was very rough). Mr MacLachlan also argued for the defence, but was put down with the remark, " Oh, it suits his book, you know, and sells his bonnets." But Mr John Reid put the climax on by his sturdy and dogged upholding of society papers. The St. Andrew's Association quivered, to its core, and Mr James Haslett in a final peroration denounced almost with tears the apostasy of Mr Reid. He had not expected this from him, from a man of his sentiments, position, and standing ; he was surprised, amazed, and astonished ; in a perfect furore of anger he recanted all he had said in favour of the Observer, and with a howl of indignation devoted it to some very bad swears, like Helen's babies.