For Women Folk L

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11686, 1 May 1916, Page 7

For Women Folk L

Br "CHRYSSA."

Mr and Mrs Frederic Shipnian, of the Paul Default Company, arirved from Dunedin on Saturday by tho second express and aro staying at tho Clarendon. * ■ • •' ■ • • Miss Wilkinson, erf Adelaide, who was the guest of Mrs F. A. Raymond, Timaru, is ati present visiting friends in Christchtirch. Mrs Vivian Wright, of Timaru, will leave this week for Trentham, to stay with Lieutenant and Mrs Eric Fraser. *~• * • * Mrs George Hart (Waverley) is visiting Christ-church * • • • • Tho engagemnt of Miss Isabelle Morrison, second daughter of Mr Morrison, Willowbrae, Chamberlain, to Corporal Georgo Cooling, of tho Thirteenth Reinforcemnts, is announced. ' t •. * * * Miss Myrtle Birdling, who is the guest of her aunt, Mrs Rule, Chapter Street, St Albans, spent the week-end with*friends at- Kaiapoi. ■»•«»» A meeting of the General Committeo of tho Red Cross will bo held on Wednesday, May 3, at 11 a.m., at tho cen-> tral depot, corner" of Worcester and Manchester Streets. * » » • * Colonel and Mrs Purely, of tho Hutt, Wellington, spent tho Easter holidays in Christchurcli. * » • a • The wedding took place at St Matthew's Chur«h, Hastings (Hnwke's Bay), last week, of Miss Amy Rhoda Harper, youngest daughter of the late Mr William Harper, of Oamaranui, to Mr Charles Dampney, of Napier. Tho Rev J. B. Brocklohurst officiated. The bride, who was a mistress of the District High School for some years, was well known and much beloved in the district, and received many good wishes on her marriago. * , » • * Mrs Henderson, of Christchurcli, is visiting her mother, Mrs Henry, at Wanganui. *•• • • • Tho engagement is announced of Miss Frances Imelda de Muth, second daughter of Mrs J. de Muth, of Wellington, to Mr Herbert; Helmling, youngest son of Mr P. 'Helmling, of Christchurcli. * • « • • Tho Rev A. M. and Mrs Johnson, of Wellington, will arrive in Christchurcli to-morrow morning, when Mi* Johnson will attend tho General Synod. * * • • • ■ • .

Miss A. M. Bentham, M.A., passed through Christchurch tho other day, en route to Svdney, where sho will enter the National Y.W.C.A. Training School for secretaries and volunteer workers. Miss Bentham has for tho past year been acting general secretary in tho Y.W.C.A., Dunedin. The training school will t open on May 10, and the course will include lectures on Bible and missions, and Y.W.C.A. history and policy, personal efficiency, current movements, and other interesting subjects. The school is intended not only tor those who intend to take up tho Y.W.C.A. secretaryship as a profession, but for any woman who can givo the time to study and preparation for any kind of social and church work. . . - • * The wedding was celebrated recently at St Peter's Church, Wellington, of Miss Alice Taylor, oldest daughter oi Mr T. Taylor, of Wellington, to Mr Roy Barkle, eldest son of Mr "ft. H. Barkle, Little Akaxoa, Banks Peninsula, when the Rev Mr Watson officiated. Tho two iittlo train-bearers were the Misses Jean and Nola Wilson. The chief bridesmaid was Miss Irene Taylor, the second bridesmaid being Miss Phyllis Bryant, of Foston. Mr S. Austin, of Foxtori, was tho best man, and Mr Noel Bryant was groomsman. Among tho presents was a set nf fish carvers, presented to tho bride by tho staff of Messrs E. C. Browne and Co., Ltd., Wellington « • » • • Miss Frances Ho'dgkins. tho New Zealand artist, who, according to a recent cable message, is an exhibitor at the Royal Academy this year, was the first New Zealander to have pictures accepted at that world-renowned exhibition. Miss Hodgkins*is the sister of -Mrs Field (wife of Mr W. H. Field, M.P.), and at the outbreak of tho war had ■ her studio in Paris. Since then she has established herself at St. Ives, Cornwall, where she has been working very successfully at portrait painting. M'sb Hodgkins is an artist of high repute, and tho leader of her own " school " of painting in Europe. * * * ' « '• SATURDAY'S PAGEANT i A MAGNIFICENT SUCCESS. " A magnificent success." That is the only way one can describe the Coronation ceremony at the King Edward Barracks on Saturday night. ! Tho whole thing was designed by Mr F. W. Hobbs, who also wrote the book, and who revealed himself as the possessor of a quite remarkable talent as a creator of dignified specta'clo. It is qui to safe to say that it Ims not yet •been equalled anywhere else in the Dominion or Australia, and it would not have been out of place in London itself, and this in spite of the special difficulties essential to improvising a theatre." The latter work was so cleverly as well ar tastefully done by those who had it in hand as a labour of love, that the very impression on entering the transformed arena- was one of astonishment and delight which prepared a pleasurable anticipation for the successively growing triumphs which followed. ° The music, both of tho band, orchestra and choirs, was well chosen and dignified in spite of the one littlo choral hitch in regard to the National 'Anthem, and the general arrangements w.iv in keeping. Tho militarv evolutions were another remarkably fine feature. The Coronation cermony proper, which was under the direction of Mr Wauchop. with that vcrv cievcr lady, Miss Menkes, as trainer nf the children and Mistress of the Robes, was so dignified, stately and picturesque a function that ladies who have seen the rual Court functions were quite delighted with it, and said that, within its necessary limitations, it kept thi' true spirit of stately ceremony. There was nothing in any way approaching either exaggerated pomposity or burlesque, and even some idiot- who attempted to raise a laugh l.v bleating like n, sillv goat behind the scenes, found his comic effort fall so flat that he dropped it. . The Queens nil rose to the occasion. Their costumes, though differing so much from each other, were every one in good taste, singularly appropriate, aiufp.'irt 0I " f ' ie P'eture, and they entered fully into the regal spirit of tho pageant.- This feature was a very great help' tovKirds the general effect of the ceremony- It was quite surprising, too, how wvJI the pages, both girls and boys, comported themselves in 'spite of the few rehearsals to which it was practicable toi bring such small children. Handling the royal trains gracefully and cor-

"Qhryssa" will be glad to hear from all interested in Women's Work and Life, and to reoolv© items of Interest and value to Women for publico* tlon, or reference In this column.

rectly in tho full view of such an immense audience is quite an ordeal for little people.

The Queen had four pages. Two little girls in black doublets and hose who looked the very picture of the " Princes in the Tower/' and two httlo bovs in white satin who made an admi'rablo contrast. Tho four carried her roval train, and took their places on either side of the Coronation Chair, which, bv the way, was the exact replica of the Coronation Chair, with its stone of destiny, and was made by Messrs A. and J. White, Ltd. The rest of the stage was very beautifully furnished bv Messrs Strang© and Co., Miss Mabel Ruthorford not only looked verv charming, but she made a very sweet 'queen. She bore her honours with a girlish dignity, but always with an exceedingly pleasant and happy bow and smile, as people in all directions recognised and cheered her as she proceeded through tho aisles to the throne, and especially as she was" led back through the audience by the chancellor. Miss Rutherford is a deservedly popular girl throughout North Canterbury, and the audience was full ot her delighted supporters. Mr T. Chapman's action in purchasing the robes for 120 guineas for the Fund, and presenting them back to the Queen, was a particularlv happy and graceful touch. One of the Queen's little pages voiced the general opinion by exclaiming. "Isn't that sweet of Charlie Chaplin." She was evidently a picture show frequenter,, and that's how she caught the name. Miss Birdling. whose supporters had worked so hard and who, with Miss Rutherford, had completely # outdistanced the city queens, was given a good reception in recognition of the very fino efforts of the Peninsula and Ellesmere people, and by tho Ellesmere peoplo themselves, of whom a very contingent were present in the hall. The first of the princesses to be presented, Mrs John Deans, made a quite regal figure as she approached the throne. Apart from the beauty of her costume, her court train was conspicuous for' the fact that instead of the heavy velvet it was composed of beautiful* black laco, which was most effective and constituted the newest idea in court trains. Mrs Stead was absolutely the most picturesque of all the Queens. She looked as if she had stepped .out of oneof tho pictures of tho coronation, and bore herself fittingly. The colour scheme was quite brilliant, and her two little girl pages were quite part of the picture. Mrs Palmer was the only one of the Queens to wear a short skirt, but otherwise of Early Victorian design. It was glistening with dewdrop-Kko decoration, and her train of emerald green, lined with gold, and fiuished with artistic sprays of golden roses, made her a distinctive and particularly striking figure.' She had two exceptionally clever little pages, who had evidently been well drilled, and her own deportment was especially dignified. Mrs Palmer led tho procession in and did it well. Miss Clifford won universal admiration. Tall, fair, graceful, exquisitely gowned, she looked like a girl queen of romance, a- princess of Ruritania. Her striking court train of black velvet and gold, as it. fell from her shoulders, held by two picturesque little boys, also made a background to a most superb bouquet of ■autumn tints, harmonising exquistely with the old gold lining of the court train. Mrs Walter Hill had a, royal blue court train, and a directoire court goAvn, adorned with exquisite shadow lace and jewelled embroidery. Mrs Hill also bore herself with a special, appropriate dignity, and aJI through helped the picture in this way. Miss Addinell has been popular with all her sister Queens from the beginning, and she was very well received by large numbers of North Canterbury people. Slio had a very handsome gown and carried a very artistically arranged bouquet, blending beautifully with her court train. '

Mrs Lance and Miss O'Halloran, two of the princesses of the north, preceded the procession of Queens and they, too, had most appropriate and artistic court costumes and train-bearers, and "bore themselves excellently.

Mrs George Rhodes was a commanding figure, and a a ivid note of colour was given by her. court train aud the scarlet jackets over white satin of her boy pages. i _ Miss Birdling I have already mentioned in connection with the cere-' mony. Her costume was of white satin with an overdress of beautiful lace revealed through ninon with a court train of blue velvet lined with white. Her lovely bouquet was so designed as to form part of tho colour scheme of _ tho costume, which it did most effectively. Altogether she looked very dainty, and bore herself with a, quiet and appropriate dignity. A great deal of the success of the ceremony was due to Miss- Menzies, both for her personal part in it in introducing all tho Queens, and the unseen but very onerous part of preparation and direction as Mistiess of the Hobos. She not only knew her own port, and earned it out with dignity, hut on the stage where there was no prompter she was a source- of confidence through her intimate knoAvledge of the whole ceremonial. Her dress was of black velvet with beautiful white point lace, and court train, an artistic foil to all the white satin, and she had two very quaint and well trained .little girl paces. Preceding tho procession of Queen and Princesses and their standard hearers, were a party of Maoris, 'costumed in perfect Maori dress. They, too, bore themselves with dignity, and nude a most appropriate introduction io the procession, and feature of the stage pageant, while the two Maori songs for the occasion which they sang were delightful. The costuming of tho men apart from the oxecedingly fine display of military uniforms, was confined to the High Chancellor, the Treasurer, the Court Herald and the Court Tnnnootor. .As Chancellor. Mr E. T). Hi.bon wore a black velvet suit, knee breeches and silken hose, with gold embroidered coat, and ruffles, and over it an ermine lined robe. Instead of the full bottomed wig, which was not available in time, a barrister's wig vas worn. Tin- Chancellor also wore a dress sword with which the Queen conferred her honours. Mr Donaldson as Treasurer, was also in black and goH and knee breeches. He handed an rxreedingly handsome silver casket of the treasur: 1 to the Queen. Captain Charters as the Herald, and Mr Raphael as the Trumpeter, both wore an excellent imitation of the Herald's tabards taken by Mr Hobbs

from the pictures of the Coronation. They proved most effective. A sinking feature of the ceremony ■was the display by the children, who oame in in procession bearing wheat sheaves, fleeces and fruits of the province. The dressing "was most picturesque, and the grouping admirable. The ensemble > dancing made a series of very beautiful pictures. The soloists -were Miss Ruby Wilding and Miss Lock, both of whom did excellent work. Miss Wilding looked like the embodiment of Maud Allan. She dances with a faiiy-like lightness, and her posing is instinct with §;race. Mr Jennings, who auctioned the Queen's garments wittily, also showed himself to have quite a Mauri Allanish faculty in. the use of his hands and arms. If all the auctioning at Addington yards leads to so much picturescyio gesture it must bo quite interesting. The decision to repeat the , whole ceremony and pageantry to-night at popular prices should result in another immense audience. The attendance was so huge that a list of. tho names would simply be a directory of Canterbury. • • * « ■ DR WALDRON'S Hair Restorer, for darkening Grey Hair <to its Natural Shade. Mrs Bollegton be«a to notify ladies that a shipment has just arrived. Price 7s Gd large bottle. _Mre Rolleston, Hair Specialist, Dominion Buildings. . v