NOTES BY "THE dUCMESS"

Observer, Volume 3, Issue 57, 15 October 1881, Page 72

NOTES BY "THE dUCMESS"

["The Duchess" will be glad to receive from ladycontributors 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 the Thames, or in other toiras where the Observer circulates. All communications considered strictly confidential. Address — " The Duchess," Observer office, Auckland.]

— St. Paul's Church on Sunday night lasi was crowded to excess, and the rendering ck the anthem by a full and powex'ful choir, (Mr Brett taking the solo,) was really superb. An excellent sermon was preached by the Rev. 0. M. Nelson, without any begging notes or minor cadences in it. Why cannot it be always so ?

— Mrs G-lenny, who a short time ago resided at the North Shore, and lately died in Melbourne, has made a most extraordinary will, which proves that with her the ruling passion was strong in death. She has left some of her money to a young man in Melbourne, but the money is only to be paid to him Avhen the English nation acknowledges that it belongs to certain Jewish tribes ! Poor fellow !I am afraid he will hare to wait a long time for his inheritance.

— The Juvenile Fancy Dress Ball at the Ponsonby Hall on Friday, 7th instant, -was very very numerously attended, and passed off most successfully. It is, of course, an open question, whether these entertainments are conducive to children's welfare, still I suppose, like their elders, they require a little amusement. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. That such dances give a polish to youngsters manners, there can be no doubt ; and, if a thing like this is done at all, it should be done well, which certainly was the caseon Friday. Great credit is due to the ladies' and gentlemen's committees who took the supervision. The dancing of some of the little ones was a very pretty sight, especially that of Miss Bertha Devore, as Snowllake, and Miss Bees, as Starlight. They danced together repeatedly, and fairly brought down the house. Miss Louisa Devore looked very pretty as a gipsey ; Misses Maseneld and N. Dunnett went in yachting costume ; Miss Ada Cunningham, as a gipsey ; Miss — Cunningham, evening dress ; Miss M. Lewis, Greek girl ; Miss A. Lewis, tambourine girl ; Miss E. Lewis, Starlight ; Miss F. Martelli, plough girl ; Misa E. Macindoe, evening dress ; Mr Frank Stodart, nigger costume ; Mr Bidder, as an officer, looked remarkably well ; Mr Hazard, Turkish costume ; Mr Reginald Maseneld, cricketer's dress ; Mr Frank Cunningham went as a page, and his elegant dancing was noticeable. Mr McDermot, footballer's dress ; and Mr Edwards, evening dress.

— I am sorry to see Miss Laura Smith's name appear so often in print, both because I know her work (the Young Women's Institute) to be a much-needed and successful institution, and also becaiisc I am certain that she is one of those excellent women of whom we have here so few. The greater pity is it that she allows her English views and prejudices to sway her too much in her estimate of Colonial needs and wants. Nothing could be more certain than that the public would respond liberally to any appeal on behalf of young unprotected governesses and seamstresses, to provide them with a safe and economical home and a pleasant refuge, where they miglit take shelter from the stormy blasts of the world. But when she mixes up with all this a servants' registry office, then I think her judgment errs, her English antecedents leading her away to false conclusions. Of all the labouring classes in this young and prosperous Colony, none are so well off in every way, so independent, so thoroughly capable of taking care of themselves, as domestic servants. Since the stoppage of free immigration, they have everything in their own hands, and can ask what wages and what holidays they please. We must have help, and consequently must put up with anything they choose to give us in the shape of help. Not that for a moment I would wish to say that there are no good servants in Auckland. My own lot has been perhaps exceptionally fortunate in this respect, yet I will give a little episode which happened to me not long ago, and then ask anyone if it would not be better to keep the servants' registry office far away from the Young Women's Institute. I was ill in bed, and it was washing-day, about ten o'clock in the morning. The boiler fire was lit, the clothes were soaked and a portion of them on the lines, when in walked the stout, good-looking young damsel who presided over my lares and penates, and asked if she could go out for an hour ? "Go out !" I exclaimed, quite aghast at such an idea, " and in the middle of the washing ! Why did you not go yesterday, Susan ?" To this she replied that she had. no dress to go out in on Sunday, and that if she did not go to the dressmakers this very day she could not get her dress made in time, &c. And so, to make a long story short, the young lady went off. She came back in two hours and said, " Oh, if you please, ma'am, I'm come to give you notice. I've been offered a place at Gtisborne for 19s 6d a-week, and you could not expect me to stay with you for less. The vessel sails to-morrow, so I must go at once." Here pride came to my assistance. I said, " Pray go, Susan ; any girl who could behave as you have just done is better out of a respectable house than in it." And go she did. There was no redress ; her wages had been paid up to within a day or two of the time of her leaving, and I was quite helpless. Now, with such things as this happening occasionally in our homes, can Miss Smith, wonder if the paterfamilias fights very shy of any institution which mixes itself up with, a servants' registry office?