The Social Sphere

Observer, Volume XXIX, Issue 43, 10 July 1909, Page 8

The Social Sphere

Dear Nita — Their Excellencies Lord and Lady Plunket are once more in residence at Government House, so Auckland will doubtless brighten up for a while as regards social matters. Invitations have been issued for a small dance at Government House on tbe 12th of tbis month.

The Devonport Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club gave an enjoyable little "At Home" in the Masonic Hall on Friday evening last. Progressive euchre was indulged in during the evening, Mrs Swan and Mr E. Hall winning the prizes. After the play a small dance was held. Mrs G. Cooke, secretary, and the following committee were responsible for the arrangements for the gathering : — Mesdames Duder, Ford, Palairet. Pacey, Pitts, Wyatt, Rainger, Powley, Rout, and Misses Alison, Philcox, Pavitt, and Duder.

The weather was most unfavourable on Friday last for the final day's play for the Auckland ladies' golf championship at the Cornwall Park links The game resulted in an easy win for Mrs Guy Williams. A number of visitors were present, and afternoon tea was provided by the members of the club Mrs Arch. Clark, vicepresident of the Auckland Golf Clnb, presented the prizes which had been won during the week.

The engagement is announced of Mr Dan Riddiford, sonof Mr E. J. Riddifoid, of the Lower Hutt, to Mis 9 Meta Johnston, daughter of Mr Sydney Johnston, of Hawke's Bay.

A series of very interesting cooking demonstrations were given at the Federal Hall on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday of last week by Miss Margaret Lovell- Wright (L.C.A.) gold medallist of the National School of Cookery, London. A feature of the demonstrations was " the lightning lunch " of three courses, cooked in fifteen minutes. Miss Lovell-Wright is a past mistress in the art of cooking, and explains everything lucidly. For fourteen years she has cooked with Wright's Emelia gas stoves, which, I am told, are procurable at the local Gas Office. On Friday evening Mißs Wright bade farewell to her occupation as a lecturer on the art of cooking, as she leaves for Melbourne, where her marriage with Mr Adrien Mountain (Mem. Inst. C.E.), city surveyor of Melbourne, will take place.

Misg Lilian Devpre was gowned in blue, with picture hati Miss Sheath, black skirt, daintily tucked, and lace blouse. Mrs Edmund Mahony was smartly gowned in brown ; stylish brown toque with pink roses. Mrs Raymond Sheath, pretty creme gown of silk, with net ; brown and heliotrope hat. Miss Metcalfe looked well in a blue and green costume with hat to match. Miss Lilian Phillips, brown and black striped coat and skirt ; toque with lavender flowers. Miss Douglas, navy blue costume and pink hat. Miss Nellie Douglas, brown coat and skirt with pale blue hat. Miss Petrie, navy coat and skirt ; large black hat wreathed with roses. Miss Blanche Peacocke, grey satin veiled with lace net ; fur toque and stole.

The engagement of Captain Malet, Indian Army, to Mi9s Annie Kidson, of Christchurch, is announced.

The Society for the Promotion of Health among Women and Children held a meeting last Thursday at the Council Chambers, when it waß decided to send delegates from Auckland to attend a conference to be held later on at Wellington, to discuss matters of interest to the Society, and also to try and extend the work. It is hoped that another Vlunket nurse will soon be appointed for the Auckland district. Subscriptions for this object may be sent to Mrs Parkes, Symondsstreet.

The Remuera Tennis Club gave their annual dance in the Wapiti Hall, Fpsora, on Wednesday of last week. The hall was decorated with flags and evergreens. Not quite such a large number of people were present as on most of such occasions, but it was a most enjoyable gathering. The following were the ladies' committee : — Misses Benjamin, Clark;, (Jrowther, Douglas, Ruddock, Draper, Reid, Buddie, Macklow, Stevenson, Commons, Fayton, Morrison and Keesing.

The engagement is announced of Miss Cooper, daughter of Mr Justice Cooper, to Dr Uilray, of Dunedin.

Another medical engagement is that of Dr Sydney Allen, of Dunedin, to Miss King, niece of Dr Truby King. • • •

A delightful afternoon tea was given by Mrs Sharman, of Khyber Pass road> to ber girl friends on Tuesday afternoon. The drawing room was decorated with greenery and pink camellias, while the table in the tea room was a mass of Princess violets. " A vegetable competition " caused intense amusement. Each guest wore a card in which was a sketch to represent some vegetable. Miss Henderson (Remuera) won the prize for the most original design, and the other two prizes fell to Miss Muriel Moss Davis and Miss Gwen Nathan. S : "The hostess received her guests in a beautiful sheath-fitting gown of peacock blue charmeuse, with folds of the same material on the bodice. The smartly c>at chemisette was composed of rich creme lace, and the sleeves were folded and finished with lace to match the chemisette. • ■ •

By Mikabel

The Auckland Trained Nurses' Association held their first re-union on Tuesday evening last at the Piccadilly tea room 8, when a very pleasant card and musical evening was spent. Songs were contributed by Mrs HughesJones and Miss Cooke. A guessing competition was also held during the evening. « a •

An enjoyable bridge afternoon was given by Mrs Wallnutt at her residence, Remuera, on Tuesday 'afternoon. The first and second prizes were won by Mrs G. J. Parr and Miss Petrie. Mrs Wallnutt reoeived her guests in a dainty gown of "rosecoloured ninon de soie/ with lace and ruby velvet. Mrs T. Mahoney was gowned in blue and white checked, with navy trimming. Mrs Sheath, black tailor gown and smart red toque. Mrs C. J. Parr, handsome Directoire gown of royal blue ; black hat with ostrich tips. Mrs Phillips, green' tailor costume, with heliotrope toque. Miss Wallnutt, navy costume and cerise hat. Miss Williams, cloth costume, with handsome grey velvet paletot; toque to correspond. Mrs Bunny (Dannevirke), pretty black and white costumes red velvet hat with

black, relieved with lace. Mrs Devore looked well in a green costume with bead trimming, and modish bonnet.

Miss Hazel Lindsay looked charming in dark brown silk, Paris net yoke, and wine coloured picture hat wreathed with roses. Miss Gwen Nathan, creme cloth costume. Merry Widow hat of mole-coloured satin, swathed with blue, handsome set of white furs. Miss Cooper was handsomely gowned in grey velvet, _ with yoke and sleeves of grey chiffon, immense black satin hat with plumes. Miss Marie Ralph, who hias just returned from Australia, looked well in a tailor costume of shepherd's plaid ; grey chip hat in the beehive shape, with shaded roses. Miss Ida •Thompson, electric blue cloth costume i blue hat with brown? and blue roses. Miss N. Thompson, brown costume, and brown hat. ' Miss Lennox, blue tailor costume, with toque ,of ,the same colour. Miss Beryl Keetdng, creme serge coat and Bkirt, close-fjttirig purple toque.

The Misses Ruddock both wore tailor gowns, with picture hate. Miss Sybil Greig, tailor costume, larjge picture hat swathed with silk in two shades of cerise. Miss Henderson, tailor costume of dark brown tweed .; light brown, hat with wings. Miss Thomas wore a per-fectly-fitting directoire gown of champagne cloth, faced with satin, and trimmed with numerous satin buttons, picture hat to match the costume. Miss Lily Moir, mole cloth tailor costume, mole straw hat with cerise silk. Miss Pearl Gorrie, tailor costume, green picture hat with . green foliage. Miss Bay Tole, white pineapple cloth, made a la Princess, and braided in narrow white silk braid ; white fur toque with uncurled ostrich feather at side. Miss Maggie Frater, brown tailor costume, large brown hat. Miss Daisy Benjamin, creme serge costume, large black hat with ostrich tips.

At St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church, Hamilton, on the 16th ult., Miss Fanny Catherine O'Malley, of Uhura, was married to Mr Percy John Goldfiucb, also of Uhura. The-cere-mony and a nuptial mass were periormed by the Key. Father Molloy, of Taumarunui. The bride was given away by Mr George Goldfinch. Mias Kose Annie Goldsmith acted aB bridesmaid, and the best man was Mr Edmund Grove Bennett.

Two well-known iamilies in the Upper Thames district were united through the marriage of Mr A. A. Mikkelson, second son of Mr JN. Mikkelson, late ol Waihou, to Miss A. Peterson, eldest daughter of Mr K. Peterson, of Mahawaru, which took place on Wednesday ol last week at Christ Church, Manawaru. The bride, who was giveu away by her father, was dressed in a creine silk voile trimmed with silk a,nd piece lace, and wore the customary wreath and veil, and carried a beautnul bouquet. Miss L. Peterson acted as bridesmaid, wearing a creine serge costume. Mr S. Mikneleon was best man. The wedding breakfast was served at the residence of the bride's parents.

This season, shoes — and especially evening shoes — are much to tne fore. As they nearly always match the gown, their name is legion. Many of them are both elegant and costly. Shoo buckles, too, are much worn, in gold, silver, or pearls, upera mantles, also, are made to match the gown, which is often, made in the new Egyptian blue, apple green, or raspberry red.

Guimpes are as much worn sis ever.

White net studded with sequins is much ueed for chemisettes.

Gloves are a vexed question just now, as no oue seems quite ciear whether the short sleeve or the long will prevail. If the toroier, we will all welcome the return ot the long ruffled suede glove.

The controversy still ragee as to which. marriage is preferable, that of a clever man with a dull woman, or vice versa. It greatly depends upon exactly what that word ."dull" is meant to convey to our senses. In any case, the pair are not so ill-as-sorted as some would have us believe, for the cleverest people do not really suiter as much as the half-and-half ones from the stupidity of their fellows. It takes a brain -to appreciate stupidity. I think men are the more tolerant of dulness, partly because a large majority expect it in their women-kind, and also because love of superiority is an ~ essentially masculine characteristic.. ' But the whole question is resolved, " not so much by the one's stupidity as "by the other's temper ; and in this respect in most cases women axe more iiri-,;; table than men, partly on account of :.\> the deadly monotony of la woman's ;; life. Lethargy, whether of ininid or body, is apt to prove mb^t dw- - astrous to their highly strung ;:.'■ nervous; systemß. :; A•. bright ■ wbmajiu.^ .; shuns a slowcoaoh. ■■i'^'[\: )-::.' '^o:s^