AUCKLAND.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume VI, Issue 23, 7 June 1890, Page 11

AUCKLAND.

NJ »v 30 My Dear Friend, NN e were favoured with glorious weather for the ijmeen - Birthday, and al-, on the following Mon day. which was observe! as a close holiday. It i- now rather late in the season for much out-door enjovtnent. but nevertheless 1 noticed that the various excursion steamerwere very well patronLse.l, Lake Takapuna. North Shore. >t. Heliers Bay. Northcote, and Birkenhead apparently ieing the favourite resorts for plea-ure -eeker-. Ti e Winter Meeting of the Takapuna Jockey ' lub wa- the only amusement adverti-ed for the day. 'The attendance wa- a large and fashionable one. The Remuera Social, Literary , and Mu-ical Society held the first meeting of the -ea-on on Thursday evening.'in the Mount Hobeon Hall, and, a- is usual with the—* enjoyable reunions, the building was crowded to it- utn o-t . asacitv. The chair wa- occupies! l.y Nir Justice Conolly, who i n ‘a few word- introduced the' various |e-rfonner-.' I nfortu* nately, owing to a family bereavement, the prevalent complaint. •La gnppe.' and other cau-e-. no less than nine ap.h-gi.-s were receive.! <.ii Thur-lay by the secretary from friend- who has! promi-e.l their assistance for the opening entertainment. However, an excellent, almo-t impromptu, programme was gone through, member- m.ot willingly coming forward with

assistance at the last moment. Pianoforte selections were contributed by the Misses J.aw (two) and Chapman, songs by Mr George Keid and others, and reading* and recitation* by Messrs J. J. Boak and Montague. I must not omit to tell you that during the interval for conversation, tea, cotfee. ami light refreshments, provided by the ladies, were handed round and duly discussed. I saw there Mrs Lennox, Mr* and the Misses Roliertson, Misses Pickmere, Mrs Hardy, Mis* Hardy, Mrs Ernest Burton, Miss Spiers, Mrs Conolly, Miss Conolly, Mr* Finlayson, Miss Finlayson, MrsTewsley, Mrs Buckland, Mrs and Miss Russell, Miss Carr, Mrs Ransome, Mr* Roach, and a number of others. The Art Exhibition in the Choral Hall since its opening has l>een a favourite place of resort, and, indeed, so large i* the number of exhibits that one requires to visit it again and again before one has by anv mean* examined the whole of the works of art. During my several visits I have there met Mrs Payton, who was attired in a stylish dark brown costume, bonnet to match ; Mrs J. 11. Keep, very pretty creme flowered pongee silk gown, fichu of handsome real lace : Miss Rees, very pretty greybrocaded silk, with vest of white silk, grey hat : Mrs David Goldie, seal brown paletot trimmed with fur, stylish bonnet ; Miss Berry, stylish black grenadine costume : Miss Ma*etield, very pretty black and white silk : Miss Alice Tye, stylish costume ot silver grey surah silk : Mrs T. Morrin, very handsome costume of electric blue cashmere, with Isinnet to match ; Mrs Upton, black silk gown, prettymantle of ruby plush ; Mrs Devore, stylish black silk gown, black velvet bonnet ; Miss Devore, handsome costume of reseda green cloth, trimmed with moire silk ; Miss Gorrie, pretty peacock blue gown, hat to match : her sistei wore a stylish grenat costume, gem hat, sable victorine: Miss Bartley, black cashmere gown, stylish hat. fur boa; Mrs Cotter, cardinal satin and black lace costume, cardinal plush mantle : Mrs A. P. Wilson, handsome black satin costume, richly trimmed with jet ; Mrs Seegner, long black paletot, trimmed with fur, black bonnet : Mrs Haworth, handsome long paletot of cinnamon brown plush, bonnet to match : Mrs J. Edmiston, black silk and lace costume, stylish black and creme Ismnet : Miss M. Edmiston, pretty peacock blue gown, with peacock iridescent} trimming, seal plush jacket, black hat ; Miss McLachlan, stylish grey costume. The St. Maur dramatic company produced for the first time in Auckland a specially dramatized version of Mr Fergus Hume's successful novel". ‘ The Mystery of a Hansom Cab.' liefore a crowded house on Monday- night. The drama was splendidly produced, the scenery and stage appointment* were first class, the scenes ‘ Collins-street, Melbourne, by night.' and ‘ Mark Frettleby’s Mansion' being especially beautiful. Miss Seymour played with much success the small and not very congenial part of Rosanna Moore, Miss Eily Mayo appeared as Mis* Frettleby, Miss Kennedy as Kate Rawlins, and Mis* Georgie Smithson caused much amusement by her impersonation of the garrulous boardinghousekeeper. Mi-s Sampson. Mr Saint Maur played with the utmost success the part of the manly young Irishman, Brian Fitzgerald, while the other characters in the drama were in every case well sustained. Evening dress was conspicuous by its absence, in the dress circle dark gowns being very generally worn, and amongst the number I did not see any specially worth mentioning. I notice that the company, for the first time on anv stage, produce Mr David Christie Murray's new plav, ‘ Chums,' next Monday night. I may mention that Mr Robert Lamb, a former resident of Auckland, is at present visiting our city, accompanied by his wife, on an extended wedding tour. Mrs Lamb, it may interest you to know, is a cousin of Mr Robert A. Atkinson, the well-known artist, and was married in England in November last. It is, I understand, the intention of Mr and Mrs Lamb shortly to return to England, via Sydney and Melbourne, there to take up their future residence. Mr A. L. Edwards, well-known and a general favourite in social and musical circles, returned from a lengthened visit to England last week. The bachelor members of the Ponsonby ‘ At Home,’ it is rumoured, intend giving a ball to the Committee at an early date. The ‘ event ‘is nxiked forward to with anticipations of pleasure by the young ladies of the Western suburb. It is whispered that an engagement ha.* recently taken place l>etween Mr T. Whitelaw, of Ponsonby, and Miss Peacock, daughter of Mr T. Peacock, M.H.R. Muriel.

NOTES. A little girl who had not l>een in school long enough to know all the ins and outs of education, was late one morning <luring her first term. ‘ Bring a written excuse from your mother this afternoon,’ said the teacher, and Hattie retired toiler desk, where she began laboriously writing. Presently she accomplished the following note, and laid it triumphantly on the teacher’s desk : • Please egscuse Hattie for being Tardie.’ 4 But this isn't from your mother,’ objected the recipient. 4 No'm.' said Hattie, innocently. 4 But I thought if j wrote it myself, 1 shouldn't have to ’splain it to her that ] was late.’ A certain little boy, according to the Chicago Herald, had greatly annoyed his mother by running away to the house of a neighlx»ur, and staying there until some one was sent for him. Tired of hunting for him, his mother at length called on the mother of the children whom he thus sought, and came to an understanding with her. • When I am willing that George should call on your children,' she >aid, ‘ I will write a note to that effect and pin it on hi> arm. In the note I will state what time I want him sent home, and you can act accordingly.’ The other lady agreed to this plan, and a day or two afterward the child apiieared at her house with a note pinned on his sleeve. She di<l not look at it immediately, hut allowed him to play with her children until she thought it might l»e time to send him home. Then she opened the note, ami found it contained nothing but scribblings. ‘ Why. < ieorge,’ said she, ‘ what does this mean ?’ • Well.' answered George, ‘ my mamma was asleep when I wanted to come up here, so I wrote the note myself.’ ‘ How much older is your elder sister than you *’ ‘ I don’t know. She loses a year annually. I exj>ect we shall be twins before long.’