WELLINGTON.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume VI, Issue 25, 21 June 1890, Page 11

WELLINGTON.

Jixe 12. Dear Bee. I think I told you in my last letter that the day after the Birthday celebration at Government House the Governor and Lady Onslow went over to Lowery Bay to 'tend some time with their children. They have teen there now a week, and it ha.- been nearly all the time most unvieasant weather—very cold southerly winds with heavy rain, and at times hail and sleet, so that 1 am afraid it has ’teen rather an uncomfortable visit altogether, e-tecially as most of the bays on that side of the harbour are exposed to the southerly winds. It must have teen very severe on >a:nrdav last, when we had an exceptionally strong S.E. gale witn rain, ami bitterly cold. The Governor has been Si--wing most of the time independent of the wet. but it must have only been on rare occasions that Lady • mslow and her -taughterseould venture out. The Governor returns. I ’relieve, to day. We are drawing near the session, and there is an air ot excitement ami preparation in the vicinity of the Parliamentary and Government Buildings. The houses are being put in order, ami arrangements generally made for those who usually assemble here during this time each year. It is expected’ that we are to have a very short session, so that we m*v not have so many ladies residing here with the memrer< ’The wives and •laughters will hardly think it worth

while to come. If this is so we shall, in consequence. have a rather quiet time as regards entertainments, balls, after-no.-n teas. etc. Still, we must have some little extra ex- •- tement in the way of gaiety during the winter month-. It dees people good to stir them np in this way. even if it is only once in the year, both for young and old, provided always it is net overdone. The tendency is to crowd all this sort of excitement into too short a time, and then it is ---metimes mischievous. The Opera has gone, and a few evenings after we had entertainments in the same building of quite a different character, namely. addresses bv the evangelist. Mr Henry ' arley. who seems to have attracted large audiences. He 1-. I believe, a very earnest and powerful speaker. and I am sure is doing a great deal of good here On Friday we are to have yet another change of programme at the same • ’{.era House in the plays of Shakespeare bv Mr G. C. Miin. ' t "°’ v *ry highly spoken of. I believe lie brings a very grot company with him. The first play is to be "Julius ’ *sar. This w ill be a startling change from the comic ■•pens that we have had for so many nights lately, and a ' ery agreeable clmnge too, I think. Mr Robert Parker gave on Thur-, lay evening the first of a -enes of lectures »n "The Great Musical Composers.' The -tevia, subject wa- • Mendelssohn. It wa- most interesting and highly instructive to the young musical students, for "h--e -peeial benefit the lecture was given. The lecture »a- illustrated vucally and instrumentally, those taking 1-srt being Mrs Stuart. Miss Greig, tiie Misses Johnson. Mis-Hamert-m. Mi— Quick, and Messre McDuff Boyd. Kennedy, and Hamerton. A very enjoyable evening was spent.

Great pireparations are being made for the next Harmonic Society concert, when the "Golden Legend,' by Sir A. Sullivan. will be produced. The cast is as follow s : Elsie. Mi— K. Hardy : tr-ila. Mi— Porter ; Prince Henry. Mr W. Izard of Christchurch : Lucifer, Mr Water- : Forester. Mr Gray. Miss Porter ha- not -ung before -it the Society's concerts : she lias a very fine contralto voice. The three gentlemen mentioned took part in the piece at the festival in 1888. when it was fir-t given here. On Trinity Sunday, the services were of a more than usually festal character. At Sv Paul s ami St. Peter’s full choral services were given both morning and evening, and the churches were beautifully decorated with flower- At St. Paul's, for the first time. I relieve, there was a choral celebration of the Holy Communion a: mid dav. Mr Parker played ar Sr. Paul - and Mr Trimnell ar St. Peter'-. Major-General Tripe is now in Wellington. He came from India. and is t ravelling through New Zealand for his health. He is a -rear shell-collector. ami as he goes from place to place he is gathering together specimens of all our New Zealand kinds. We have had one verv jolly little dance since I last wrote. It was given by Dr. ano Mrs Collins last Wednesday evening, and was all the more enjoyable for being small and early. The hostess wore a lovely gown of —.ft figured silk of a sky-blue colour, which suited her perfectly. The only other married ladies who were there w ere Madame Lostalot, Mrs Than Riddiford who is visiting Wellington . and MrArthur Pearce Mrs Collin-' sister . There were very few new dresses worn. Both Miss Russell and Miss Maud Grace wore

leautiful white silk gowns, and Mi— Corner wore her pretty soft j.ink silk trimmed with feathers. Miss I. not J. as it always appears in print Cooper wore cream -t«.»tte>i muslin, and the Misses Brandon black, w-ith flower-. Mr- Captain Russell is to give a dance to-morrow evening, but I am afraid you must wait until next time to bear of it. for if I waitei I would mis- the mail. Then, for the week after. Mrs Coleridge has issued a large number of invitations for an " At Home,' and shortly after that the Thorndon Tennis Club's ball conies off. so you -ee we mean to be very gay during the next few weeks. Last night the ann'tal concert connected with the Giri-' High School took place in their large hall in the centre of the building, which wa- leautifully decorated for tie occasion by the girl- them-elves. Miss Su-v Graham sang • Jock o' Haseldean. Mi— Pownali " 1 ’ld and New." Mis- L. Johnson " Whither Away, and Mr Waters • From Kock to Roek.' A pretty trio called "The Flower Greeting’ was sung by Miss Graham. Mi— Henry, and Miss Parsons. The gem of the evening was Mr J. B. Conolly'* exquisite rendering of Beethoven'- Romance in F. Mi— Henry also played a solo, and joined Mr Conolly in a duet for two violins. The rest of the programme consisted of glees and p-art—ng-by the pupils, and also by male voices alone, one of the latter being particularly go—l—Caldieott - " Where are you going to. my pretty maid :' Mr Parker conducted. and 'the concert seemed to be thoroughly enjoyed by the large audience, many of whom were the parents of the pupilattending the school. The girls all looked «o fresh and nice in their white drewe- ami odour-. Rvby.