THE WEEK IN WELLINGTON.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume LXIV, Issue 11339, 1 May 1912, Page 2

THE WEEK IN WELLINGTON.

[By Mrs Malcolm Ross.l

ABOUT PEOPLE.

Mrs Sergeant, of Waiigauui, is iv Wollingfcon, to view the pictures. Her lute husband left a large sum to Wauganui for the furtherance of art, ami some pictures have already been chosen b3 T Her. Mrs Nicholas, who was a guest of Mrs Ohattield, has returned to Hawera. Mr and Mrs Aiox. Burnes and Dr and Mrs Andrew, of Nelson, have been in Wellington. Miss Mair is a guest of Mrs Frank Maokonzie, and leaves for London by the Benin era. Dr and mrs Wilson and their baby daughter arrived on Friday —to stay with Mr and Mrs W. A. Kennedy. Miss Grota Ewon is in Mastfcrton, staying with Mrs Erie Williams. Miss Millar and Miss Macandrew have gone to Dunedin. Mrs Thompson, of Hawera, lias gone to Duiiodiu to visit her father, Mr W. T. Glasgow. Mr and Mrs A. W. Morriss, who leave in a weeii for Dunedin, where Mr Morriss has been transferred, are at present at Miss Malcolm's. To-day Mrs Miles and her young son leave for a visit to her daughter in Invercargill. Mrs W. F. HandysiclQ Mr and Mrs W. Bunny, Mr and Mrs H. Bcotham, Mr and Mrs Sydney Johnston, Mrs Pratt and Mrs and Miss Hewitt all came to Wellington for Miss Riddiford's wedding. Mrs .1. Earle has been visiting friends in Groytown. Mr and Mrs ISigar Jiavo taken Mr Walter Nathan's house for some months, and Mrs Quick has lot nor house on the Terrace to Mr Loverton, and goes to Day's Bay House for some weeks. Miss May Moss Jias returned to Wellington, and Mrs Harry Moss is back from Masterton. Mrs limis-.Tones ami Mrs N. ii. Cox, who also were in Masterton at Mr and Mrs Moss' diamond wedding, passed through here to-day on their way back to Timaru. Mrs izott, of Waugaiiui, is a guest of Mrs Charles Izard. Miss Wedgwood is back after a delightful trip to the Franz Josef Glacier, She is with her sister, Mrs Birkott. Miss Molly Clifford returned to Christchurch on Sat- ' urday, and that evening Mr and Mrs Walter Clifford and their daughters left for Sydney in the Tahiti, where they catch the P. and O. Malwa. Miss Browning, of Auckland, is visiting Mrs Miles! A BRILLIANT WEDDING. Naturally the marriage of one of so well known v famil3" as the Uiddifords would bo of considerable interest, and though the weather was execrable, for it poured witn rain nearly all day, there was a large gathering, many being connections or relations. Tiio bridegroom, tho Rev. Leonard Sodgwick, only arrived from England with iiis sister, who was a bridesmaid, a fow days before. The bride, Miss Phyllis Kiddiford, petite and of delicate colouring, looked charming in her satin and silver lace gown, with hor veil and wreath, and lovely bouquet of roses, and hor bridesmaids were all in mauve and pink, with big black hats, and picturesque Euipire sticks of mauve with silver tops and posies tied to thorn of pink roses and mauve freezies. Two wee couples followed tho bride, the little Lindsay lads, her nephews, and the small Cooper girl and tho daughter of Vivian Kiddiford. These were a fascinating quartette, the girls in pink silk frocks and with light little round bouquets, the boys in piuk shirts ana white satin knickers. The beautiful rooms, for Ferngrove is an example of fine taste anil groat comfort, were exquisitely arranged with fiowors. quantities of roses and autumn leaves and foliage being used. Indeed, the decorations were quite remarkable, and the square-tiered wedding-cake was set in a mass of pink mauve and white blossoms and delicate foliage. A feature of the afternoon was the presence of twoutysix of Miss Babur's pupils—tne bride was ouco a pupil there herself— who sang at the church, and in their white frocks and sailor hats, were guests afterwards at the wedding tea. Mr H. D. Bell, Mr Ted Johnston and Mr Frank Logan were the speakers, and the lie:iltlis were enthusiastically drunk. The gicutest hospitality was shown, and the tempestuous weather made the entertainment tho more pleasant, though unfortunately, it spoilt oue's chance of walking in the gardens, now ablaze with bonlire salvia and cosmeas, and wreaths of autumntinted virginian creeper. .The honeymoon was spent at Longwood, and on Thursday the newly-married pair leave for England in tiie Remuera, by which boat so many well-known folk are leaving. THE ART EXHIBITION. A week ago a few press representatives were asked to take a peep at those paintings that had been unpacked. Even then one was astonished at their beauty, and on Friday, when all were on view, the galleries were quite imposing. Already red salemarks are being attached to the pictures, and two splendid ones have been chosen for our gallery—"The Rose-makers," by Levin and Co., and "A Portrait Study," by tho Messrs Riddiford. Both are large pictures. "The Rose-makers of the East End" is by Melton Fisher, tne other by Lowden, and round each was a little knot of admirers. Tho generosity of the. donors, it is to be hoped, will prove infectious. Among the general paean of admiration and praise, there are expressions of disappointment, and comparison with the gallery at the Christohureh Exhibition, and tho Exhibition of the South Seas held more than twenty years ago in Dunedin. But these were loan collections, and nor. intended for sale, and so included examples of the work of the greatest artists—Millais, Watts, Turner, Leightou and others. But lie will bo hard to please who does not rind much to admire in the galleries. Of courso, there are some curious types of art. One painting, called "Ecstasy," shows tJireo figures—an anaemic young man with a sort of glorified dress-suit in sorrowful brown and melancholy greens, and green red-clocked socks, and with two prancing females, thin and hatchet-faced, dancing, with highstepping action, a two-step on a sward

strewn with mushrooms. Background, a doop bluo sea and flat rocks with angular summits agaiust a blue sky. It is a.woircl coucoption. Then there is a large water-colour of Ferdinand, and Miranda playing chess, both of the lovers being strangely cadaverous and lean, ungainly and ungraceful. In the same room are some fascinating examples of Arthur Eacicliam's work, fairies and children, such as his heart loves and his brush paints so deftly. The opening day was very wot, but yet there was a good attendance, and it seems likely that the galleries will become quite a .fashionable rendezvous. Several receptions aro to be given there, I hear. KBLICS OF THE PAST. Last week, by the courtesy of MiHamilton, the curator of tho Museum I was shown some nowly acquired treasures, the generous gift to New Zealand of Lord St. Oswald. If you have read Cook's voyages you will romembor that at Hawaii a chief brought him a feather cloak and helmet, and put them on Him. These are the very ones. The cloak is like a gorgeous velvet red and yellow— but. is really made of tiny feathers, so closely set as to look liko rich velvet, the background being a fibre into which each wee plume is knitted. It is both wonderful and beautiful and makes a regal cloak. The helmet—of the same shape as Britannia wears—is also covered with scarlet feathers, the comb and crest Having a pattern set in yellow. Even in Cook's times theso yellow and scarlet birds were never seen alive, though the sailors saw thoir skins Long ago they have died out. Tho yellow one was very small and there must have been wholesale slaughter to mako such garments. Tho labour is, of course, incalculable. Among tho other treasures was a wide-brimmed, round-crowned hat all covered closely with the feathers —so modern in typo, although made by savages 200 years ago that, with an aigrette at. tho back it would pass as the latest cri of fashion. An idol, too, covered with the same feathers and with a wide mouth set with dog's teeth, is absurdh" like Punch. Then there are priceless Maori flutes, spears, tikis and meres. Thero is no room for them in tho alread} r er.owded mnsiuun, so they have been packed away until tho now building is erected.