THE Social Sphere

Observer, Volume XXVII, Issue 38, 8 June 1907, Page 8

THE Social Sphere

By Muriel.

THE winter season of festivities was inaugurated on Wednesday evening of last week, when His Worship the Mayor and the Mayoress (Mr and Mrs Arthur M. Myers) gave an "At Home" in honour of ViceAdmiral Sir Wilmot Fawkes, Lady Fawkes, and the officers of the Australasian Squadron. About twelve hundred invitations were issued. Included amongst the guests were representatives of every department in Government, ecclesiastical, educational and civic affairs, and leading citizens. The reception was held in the Drill Hall, the ugly bare building having been converted by a great amount of labour, artistic taste, and beautiful carpets and furnishings into a splendid reception hall. The smaller rooms adjoining the main hail were also furnished and decorated, as well as the large Bupper-room, where a sumptuous supper was served by a large staft of attendants. Burkes Band was present, and an excellent programme 6i vocal and instrumental music was gone through.

The guests were gracefully and cordially received by Mr and Mrs Myers, the hostess wearing a beautiful dress of white chiffon, richly embroidered in gold, over a dress of white chiffon taffeta, scarf of white and silver tissue ; Lady Fawkes wore an elegant black satin gown, with lovely lace berthe ; Mrs Louis Myers wore a graceful gown of chiffon velvet, with beautiful lace berthe ; Mrs W. Coleman wore a lovely dress of white chiffon, painted in a design of blue, trimmed with lace ; her young daughter was. dainty in white inserted with lace over pale pink ; Mrs Thome George wore black taffeta and handsome lace scarf ; Mrs Alfred Nathan, elegant black lace dress over white silk ; Miss Nathan, graceful creme satin gown relieved with gold ; Mrs J. A. Tole, handsome black sequin - embroidered dress ; Miss role, pretty white taffeta and chiffon frock ; Mrs E. Moss Davis, creme satin relieved with lace and large pink roses ; Mrs R. Frater, handsome black silk gown ; Miss Frater, pretty pale blue frock ; Mrs A. Clark, handsome crushed strawberry chiffon taffeta gown relieved with lace ; Mrs Gore Gillon, handsome dress of black sequin embroidered net over green silk.

Madame Bceufve, lovely lace gown over white satin ; Miss 1). Mowbray dainty white satin dress ; Mrs Duncan Clerk, black satin finished with lace ; Mrs Hope Lewis, elegant grey silk and black lace gown ; Mrs H. Brett, rich black silk relieved with lace; Mrs Colbeck, dainty dre9s of pale pink chiffon, over silk, relieved with silver ; Mrs T. Cotter, handsome dress of black sequin embroidered net, over white silk ; her daughters wore pretty pale blue and white dresses respectively ; Mrs Grant, dainty white chiffon taffeta gown ; Mrs Morrisby, handsome black silk gown, the bodice relieved with lovely lace ; Mrs Munro Clark, creme satin, relieved with pink rosbs ; Miss Dargaville, pale blue silk.

••• ••• '•> Mrs Bodle, black embroidered net gowo over white silk ; Mrs C. J. Parr, graceful heliotrope cbiffon taffeta relieved with lace ; Mrs Herbert Thompboo, black silk, the bodice finished with lace ; Miss Thompson, dainty crenie net and silk frock ; Mrs T. Finlayson, elegant black silk gown ; Mrs Segar, handsome white satin ; Miss Brigham, dainty white chiffon frock; Miss Parkes, elegant striped black velvet and lace gown ; Mrs Bice wore black silk ; and her daughters pretty pale pink taffeta frocks ; Mrs Maraack, black chiffon taffeta gown ;

Mrs Edward Morton, black relieved with lace ; Mrs Devore, beautiful white silk trimmed with black lace ; Miss Devore wore a graceful dress of black net over silk ; Mrs Hardy Neill, black taffeta silk relieved with cretne Valenciennes ; Mrs Savage, beautiful white satin relieved with gold ; Mrs Black, handsome black gown; Mrs Stubbs, black silk ; Miss Stubbs, dainty pale green and white silk : Misses Stevenson, dainty white silk and pale blue frocks respectively.

The engagement is announced of Miss Judith Empson, daughter of Mr W. Empson, headmaster of Wanganui Collegiate School, to Mr Gordon Williams, of Te Aute, Hawke's Bay.

Holy Trinity Church, Dargaville, was the scene of a pretty wedding on Thursday, May 30th, which occasioned considerable interest. The contracting couple were Miss M. B. Stehr, daughter of Mr H. E. Stehr, of Dargaville, and Mr C. G. Speight, of the staff of the National Bank, Dargaville. The Rev. F. W. Young officiated. The bride was given away by her father, and wore a beautiful trained dress of ivory Oriental satin, made with transparent yoke of tucked chifion, and daintily trimmed with lace, handsome chiffon roses, French knots and orange blossoms. Her embroidered tulle veil was becomingly arranged over a coronet of orange blossoms, and she carried a beautiful shower bouquet. The bridegroom's gift was a handsome gold watch and chain.

Misses Speight and Hosking attended the bride, the former wearing a lovely dress of shell pink silk muslin over glace silk the same shade, and trimmed with silrf lace and medallions, smart pale blue hat trimmed with pale blue velyet and pink roses ; her bouquet was of pale pink and blue flowers and ferns. Miss Hosking was daintily frocked in white silk, trimmed with Valenciennes lace, the bodice finished with long silk sash, and white hat trimmed with white silk, and long ostrich feather. Her bouquet was of white and pink blossoms and ferns. The bridegroom's gifts were a handsome gold necklet and pendant, and pretty ruby and pearl crescent brooch, respectively. Messrs Beckett and Coates accompanied the bridegroom. Mrs Stehr, mother of the bride, wore a beautiful gown of grey eilk, trimmed with black lace over white silk, and black bonnet relieved with pink ; Mrs Speight, the bridegroom's mother, wore a handsome black silk gown, and black hat with ostrich feather. A reception was held by the mother of the bride, when a dainty afternoon tea was served, and the customary toasts were honoured. Amongst the presents were a set of silver teaspoons from the choir of Holy Trinity Church, and a handsome silver tea service from the staff of the National Bank.

The engagement is announced of Miss Olive Todd, youngest daughter of Dr Todd, of "The Pines," Waipawa, to Mr H. Burleigh, son of the late Captain Burleigh, R. N., Bay of Islands.

On the eve of his departure for the Old Country, Mr J. W. Walker, the veteran mining expert, took to himself a wife, in the person of Miss Edwards, of Auckland, formerly of the Thames. Mr Walker has hosts of friends on all the goldfields and in the city, who will unite in wishing him and Mrs Walker all possible good luck and happiness.