LIFE IN THE CITY.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 7535, 11 August 1903, Page 2

LIFE IN THE CITY.

Life is a journey; on we go Through many a scene of joy and woo

The Premier At Home — A Coronation Gown — Diamonds and Medal — Exquisite Decorations — A Young Violinist—Musiciun and Mimic — A Perfect Ball — Draperies and Foliage — Frocks and Frills — The G-range Tea-party—Flowers and Ferns — Visiting Relatives—The Bill of the Barmaid — The Discreet Woman — Striped Katipos—A Sensible Suggestion — Interested hearers.

The Premier's At Home was a very large affair, no fewer than a thousand invitations being issued, and over eight hundred being present. Such a number is not easy to cope with and thfi function might easily have- been moot uncomfortable, but tho arrangements were so excellent that there was no great crushing, md everyone enjoyed the entortaininent immensely. Instead of entering from the large door, the guests passed through two ante-rooms, and from tho sido under an elaborately decorated arch of ilags and foliage. Hero the Premier and Mrs Seddon recoived, tho latter wearing her beautiful Coronation gown of purple velvet, with draperies of jewelled lace, and a cloak of velvet with flounces and hood of very fine lace. The diamonds sho woro were presented to her by the ladies of Kimberley and tho Now Zealauders at Home, and sho had on the left sido of her low bodice tho handsomo silver medal the King gave to the Colonial Premiers' wives. Her daughters were charming in white crepe de chine, with very wide and handsomo tinted guipure, Miss Seddon wearing a pale blue wreath, and Miss May red roses. The whole family made the most delightful of hosts and hostesses and looked after their guests' enjoyment excellently. The decorations were marvellous, and an immense amount of trouble had been taken. Mirrors, some very large, were hung in all directions, and set in soft folds of brilliant-tinted stuffs. Foliage and ropes of moss were stretched across the ceiling and along tho walls, and flags were draped above the windows and at tho back of the stage, Tho platform was beautiful with huge bamboos and palms, pot plants, mirrors, great bowls of wattle, and a mass of arum lilies (brought all the way from Auckland) in an immense white china ewan set in the centre of the foliage. From the stage the hall was a mass of people, and so many men were present that the beauty of the frocks wae not noticeable till folks began to drift into supper. A very interesting programme was gone through; a tiuy lad, Victor Harris, in a velvet suit, white sash and frilled collar, and socks, playing the violin most wonderfully. The items that took the great audience by storm were contributed by Mr Holey Robertson, a wondorfally clever humorous singer. He can sing in falsetto in the most convincing way, and when ho gave a duet quite a number of people got up to see who the lady was. Many of his songs are original or adapted, and he has a most oxpressivo clean-shaven face. Altogether, folks who know declare his talent is wasted as an amateur.

The supper-room was also wonderfully decorated, and all the approaches to it carpeted with red. On the tables wero masses of spring blossoms, including quantities of brilliant anemones. The contro-piece was the immense piece of plate presented to tho Premier by tho New Zealanders at Home. Atrophy that has rose-bowls about it, aud is set on an ebony stand. The supper itself was most sumptuous, and champagne was abundant. As for guests, all classes wero represented: Government and Opposition members, merchants, councillors, lawyers and doctors, from the Government House came Lady Constance Knox, Miss Williams, at present a guest of Lady Banfurly's, Lord Northland, and Major Alexander. Some wonderful diamonds were worn, and some lace that was most covotable. One old Honiton lace veil, worn as a scarf, was priceless, and had been worn by the lady's grandmother on her wedding day. A most delightful dance rounded up the affair, and only at half past one tho guests dispersed.

" Nothing less than perfect " was the description of Miss Coates' dance last Thursday. The Sydney-street hall, fine though it looked on Monday, was still more beautifully arranged, yellow being the main colour, the stage alone being draped and carpeted in crimson. From tho roof hung many baskets of foliage and gorse, tied with loops of yellow ribbon, and connected with one another by trails of lycopodium. All the soft yellow draperies round the many mirrors and windows must havo been arranged by a professional, so deftly aud elaborately were they festooned and looped. Every little room was beautifully furnished with cheery fires blazing, and the daintiest sweets and crystallized rose leaves and violets, set out on the tiny flower-decorated tables. The ugly supper-room was transformed into a scene of beauty, for a great marquee had been set up inside it, lined with flags, and hung with softly-shaded lights. Quantities of spring flowers, in silver vases, decoratod the tables, and the menu was a thing to marvel a 4, with all tho game in and out of season, wonderful salads and sweets, and a never-ceas-ing flow of champagne. At halt-past two the hall seemed almost as full as four hours before, and the guests were even then loath to go, so delightful had been tho affair.

Miss Coates wore an exquisite ivory brocade, patterned with heliotrope, heliotrope velvet decorating the low bodice. Miss Nelson, her niece, from Auckland, was in scarlet satin, much shirred, with a white berthe ; and Miss Howard, another young guest, wore black with touches of white. A lovely quaint brocade, striped with wreaths of roses and lines of faint blue, was worn by Lady Constance Knox, who was accompanied by Lord Northland. Mrs Perry, from Napier, had on a wonderful turquoise brocade, with underdress of peachy mauve, the front of the skirt being of lace frills. Mrs Babington looked charming in accordion-pleated scarlet satin, with flowing chiffon sleeves. A number of visitors were present from Auckland, Napier, Christchurch and Dunedin. The Premier came in for a littlo from the House, where Major Steward's Elective Executive Bill was being discussed, and Sir Joseph and Lady Ward were present. The latter looked delightful in palest grey crepe, with high bait of emerald green,' overhung by exquisite silver and steel embroidery,

Another very largo function was Mrs Bhodes' tea-party. It rained dismally, which was a pity when the Grange is such a charming place to stroll about in, but the fine old rooms were filled, notwithstanding. As for flowers, nothing could bo more beautiful than the violets, narcissi, and anemones set about everywhere, aud even roses grown iv tho open air, decked one of the mantle-pieces. The toa-table had a long draped centre of white crepe hand-painted with roses and foliage, and the decorations consisted of water-lilies and maiden-hair. Mrs Bhodes' maiden-hair ferns aro famous, and most of the guosts made their way to tho conservatories to admire tho huge clumps, and the fine primulas and cyclamens in bloom. A string band played near the stair-case. Numbers of Parliamentary people were there, and Lady Constance Knox oatoo from Government House. Indeod, the stream of cabs up tho steep Wadestown hill seemed neyer-coasing,' Mrs Bhodes has at present her relatiyes—Mrs W. Barton, Mrs J. Studholme, Mrs Boberts, an(J Mrs Howell—staying wifh her,

| There aro some very fino drawings in McGregor Wright's window at pi'CS? nt done by a Mr Andressen, who has been travelling and sketching. They are large size and bold style, and are attracting much notice. Children, specially, tho artist draws wonderfully, aud ono little girl with a German sausage and Sunday marketings under her arm, is captivating ; so aro some studies of San Francisco strect-arabs. I believe Mr Andressen intends to stay herb'for a time'and take orders or give a few lessons. Ho is un-1 doubtedly uuliko and above most black | and white artists who have visited New, Zealand,

The fate of tho barmaid was discussed last Wednesday by a House that began by being frivolous, and ended by being dull. Mr Lewis' speech, seconding the Bill, which was fathered by Mr Ell, was tho wittiest piece of oratory this session, and received with peals of laughter from members and galleries. His proposal that tho old friend of the Premier, the discreet woman, should bo substituted for tho present Hebe, or " the Nymph of tho Corkscrew," as Mr Lewis terms her, aroused much mirth. Mr Hogg also was jocular on the subject, comparing the poor barmaids to the Katipo, the most beautiful of New Zealand spiders, he hastened to add, for fear of hurting tho feelings of the fair representatives of the class, who were occupying seats in tbe gallery, and listening with ill-concealed amusement and scorn. The Katipo has, so said Mr Hogg, a lovely red stripe

■"'*"——■-- ■■■■ I IIIIW»»I WMgMigggiri down its back. At this Mr Fisher awoke to a denial of the stripe, assort- / ing it was a spot. Later on Mr A. L. Fraser slyly chaffed Mr Hogg, saying that if ho had seen striped Katipos, ho must havo been paying some attention to tho beverages sorved by tho fair Hebe, who spread her toils, so Mr Hogg said, alike for callow youths and elderly married mon 1 The barmaids are as they wore and are likely to remain so at present. Tho most sensible suggestion came from Mr Tanner, who stated that it would be unfair to oust so many women from their positions ; but ho thought no more need bo appointed. Consequently I piesumo tho barmaid, like the moa, would become extinct. Up to a late hour thero were interested and interesting damsels in the Ladies' Gallery.