MIDLAND RAILWAY CLUB BALL AT GREYMOUTH.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6069, 27 October 1887, Page 3

MIDLAND RAILWAY CLUB BALL AT GREYMOUTH.

The inauguration of the recently formed " Midland Railway Club " at Greymouth was celebrated on the evening of Friday, Oct. 21, by one of the moßt fashionable and select gatherings ever held on the West Coast. Marking, as the formation of this Club doe 3, a new departure in the social life of Greymouth, it was thought, by the members and their friends, that its opening should be attended by some event, partaking more or less of a public character, and that this celebration should assume the form of a ball was almost unanimously deemed the most suitable for the occasion. The rooms of the Club are situated in the very suitablydesigned building, just completed in Mackay street, as offices for the Midland Railway Company, and the staff not yet having assumed possession, advantage was taken of the circumstance to utilise to its fullest^ extent every available portion of the building. For some time previous, the approaching ball had formed the ohiefi thing on the tapis of the social world afc Gxeymoath, and by many of the fair sex was looked forward to with no small feelings of pleasurable anticipation. The Club apartments were turned into reception and lounge rooms, and the drawing-room, with its tasteful arrangement of furniture and artistic floral decorations, was awarded much admiration. Here the guests were received by Mr Gardner (the President of the Club) and Mrs Gardner. The two commodious rooms, intended for drawing offices, gave, by removing doors and excluding furniture, ample space for dancers. They were splendidly lit by innumerable candles in handsome chandeliers. Two other spacious apartments were converted in supperrooms. Dressing-rooms for ladies, and smoking-rooms for gentlemen, ÜBed up all the remaining space in the building. The corridor was lit by an artistic arrangement of Chinese lanterns, whose long ! vistas presented a most pleasing effect to the eyes of the arriving guests. There were present upwards of 110 persons, comprising the leading members of the Greymouth social world, reinforced by a contingent representing the elite of HoHtika society. Dancing commenced at nine o'clock, and the rooms soon assumed a lively and animated appearance. ** When dancing was at its • height the aspect of the ballroom was really fine, tha handsome dresses of the ladies forming a splendid combination of colour, as the dancers glided- past to the slow movement of the waltz. During intervals . the corridor and drawing-room were crowded with the fair guests and their cavaliers, who displayed much assiduity in attending to the creature comforts of their fair charges, and under cover of a dim, religious light were rewarded by many a soft glance and tender pressure of tha hand. Towards midnight the supper-room 3 were thrown open, and select little parties were soon seated at the innumerable small tables, thoughtfully provided for the occasion Therapid popping of champagne corks soon mingled with the strains of the supper extras, reminding those indulging in the latter that, for them, too, were in stora bright and sparkling things. Dancing was kept up till half-past four with mucS animation, when the fair guests, with many expressions of regret, said good-bye to this ex-stwhile Bcene of gaiety and beauty, one and all pronouncing it to have been the grandest social success of the season. The only serious hitch encountered by the Committee was the non- arrival of^ the Rosamond., which vessel contained somo articles for the occasion. On board this boat was a young lady who had bravely ventured all the way from Christchurch in order to be present afc the ball, and who was precluded from attending by the Rosamond being quite unable to cross the bar. Much sympathy was expressed for her misadventure. To the untiring efforts of both Mr and Mr« Sard'ner, ably seconded as they were by an energetic Committee, must be ascribed the sucQeagJkUßßue of^he eyeftt/