CHRISTCHURCH.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume VII, Issue 2, 10 January 1891, Page 12

CHRISTCHURCH.

Dear Bek, December 24. One of the best garden parties of the season was given by the Hon. J. T. and Mrs Peacock. The light showers of the previous day just freshened things up a little, and the garden with the pretty striped tents and the bright costumes worn by the ladies, looked very gay. Such piles of strawberries and cream, delicious ices, tea and coffee, dainty sandwiches, cakes, etc. Then for amusement there was dancing to a nice string band, tennis, croquet, and blowing bubbles. I did enjoy that; it was a special pastime of our school days, and I felt quite young again as I watched the ball grow at the end of the pipe and saw the lovely colours. Mrs Peacock received the guests as they came up to the front of the house. She wore a handsome "black silk and black lace hat. Among the numerous guests present I noticed Mrs Wilson, a pretty gown of crushed strawberry with panels of white brocade ; Mrs Alan Scott, brown dress fitting to perfection, trimmed with silk to match and gold embroidery, zouave jacket; Mrs Cunningham, a grey dress with floral design ; Miss Cunningham, pale green, with bands and sleeves of velvet of a dark shade ; Mrs Stead, a lovely dress of pale pink silk and white lace; Mrs Westby Perceval, white silk, with bonnet of terracotta and black ; Mrs F. Grahame, a grey blue gown with sleeves of blue velvet; Mrs Meares, handsome brown silk ; Mrs Neave, heliotrope silk, and black lace mantle; Mrs Louisson, a lovely gown of heliotrope satin with panels of white silk embroidered ; Mrs Ollivier, cream and heliotrope ; the Misses Cowlishaw, pretty white frocks and heliotrope ribbons ; Miss Rhodes, a lovely white silk trimmed with lace, black lace hat with yellow flowers and strings ; Miss E. Rhodes, grey dress trimmed with lace and fringe; Mrs Townend, a most becoming dress of terracotta and white ; Miss Rowland (Sydney), white nun’s veiling trimmed with Valenciennes lace, and floral bonnet ; the Misses Bullock, in white dresses and grey hats ; Miss Withnall, tussore silk and large white hat; Miss Frankish, an electric blue dress with silk trimming and broad lace ; Mrs W. P. Reeves, cream dress ; Mrs I. Gibbs, handsome black silk with heliotrope panel, and on the bodice, veiled with black lace, bonnet to match ; Miss Evans Brown, black dress with gold lace ; Mrs Kaye, Mrs Cowlishaw, Mrs Chynoweth, Mrs Appleby, Mrs Kinsey, Mrs Common, Mrs Rhind, Mrs Fisher, Mrs Jennings, Mrs Hacon, Mrs Day, Mrs Guthrie, Mrs Kimbell, and numbers more were present, and all enjoyed the afternoon thoroughly. The following day Mrs Helmore gave one, with the additional attraction of boating. Their garden, sloping down to the river, is wonderfully pretty. Then they had a diversion which does not often happen—the eclipse, and as it was a very blight day, and smoked glass prepared for the occasion, everyone tried to get a glimpse. I had my best view at home. The boys had been collecting coloured glass, and with two pieces put together, say blue and yellow, or red and green, we got a grand sight. They had a sheet of brown paper pierced with holes, and the shape of the eclipse came out wonderfully from the shadow. This I had never seen before, and is, I suppose, a result of their college education. But to return to the garden-party. Mrs Helmore wore a handsome black dress; the Misses Helmore were in white, and were kept very busy dispensing tea, etc., ably assisted by the Misses Delamain. Mrs J. T. Brown, who has just returned from England, was there. Mrs Alan Scott looked very well in a heliotrope print with bands of darker velvet; Mrs Douglas Andrews wore a lovely white dress with silk embroidery ; Miss Andrews, white and gold ; Miss E. Hutton, a pretty white dress with narrow pink stripe, and bands of pink ribbon, pink and white hat; Miss Nedwill, blue dress braided with white ; Miss Macfarlane, pretty brown dress with silk trimming ; Miss Kimbell, pink print with lace, and white lace straw hat; Miss Robison, white with pale green ; Miss Brett, a pretty grey dress ; Mrs Wilson, blue ress and hat to match ; Miss E. Rhodes, white dress and sailor hat, were some of the guests. Mrs Robison gave a little dance at Burleigh for young people. Miss Robison looked very well in a pretty dark red dress ; Miss Bessie Robison wore pink ; Miss Kinsey was in white; Miss Dora Harman, pink; Mrs F. Robinson, Sink trimmed with white lace ; Miss M. Tendall and Miss larley were some of the guests, there being about forty in all.

There were two other dances the same evening which a great many were sorry for. Mrs W. Davie gave a very pleasant one in the Montreal-street Hall, anil Mrs Hoare gave hers in the Avonside boat-house, so it split up the partners a little. Last week was devoted to ‘ breaking up ’ every evening, and sometimes two schools in one evening. What a busy time this is for mothers : I have seen some going night after night where there are three or four going to school. They are sure to be nearly all at different scholastic establishments ; then all the Christmas preparations at home, and all the family assembling for the family dinner on Christmas Day. The Girls’ High School began, and had a very pleasant evening indeed. The College Hall was closely packed with parents and friends, and had a number of supporters in the shape of students of the opposite sex, who cheered and gave a musical accompaniment as the successful candidates took their prizes. Then the pretty cantata, ‘ The Golden Link,’ was given by the girls, conducted by Mr Tendall, the musical director, and very creditably they performed it. The solos were very sweetly taken by the Misses Richardson, Kinsey, F. McLean, and Allen. We had a perfect day for the sports and picnicing, or whatever way suited anyone best to dispose of the holiday. Hagley Park drew the largest gathering, where the Friendly Societies were holding their annual sports. The procession was not so large as in former days, but better devices. I wish the ‘ Widows and Orphans ’ would think of some other device ; it is such a mournful way to begin a day’s holiday; it is something like going to a funeral first. We know there are such things, but I wish someone would suggest some other device for next anniversary day. The Amateur Athletic Club at Lancaster Park were not as well patronised as usual. Two sets of sports going on at different ends of the town on the same day is a mistake. Sumner and New Brighton were both extensively patronised. Miss Freeman has fairly started her boarding house at Sumner, and the large garden is a very favourite resort

these hot afternoons—plenty of easy chairs under the trees, with everything you want to refresh the inner man without the trouble of taking it with you. Mr John Cooke, who left us about a year ago, when he went to Melbourne to relieve the manager of the N.Z.L. and M.A. Company, has been offered and accepted a very important ana influential position there, the general manager of the Australian Mortgage, Land and Finance Company, with a capital of £4,000,000. Though all his friends will heartily congratulate him on his success, it is mingled with a feeling of regret that he and Mrs Cooke are not returning to Christchurch. There is a strong flavour of Christmasabouteverything this •veek. The papers are teaming with Christmas stories, the shops are piled up and running over with toys, etc., for they are dbzing out of the doors and windows, and decorations are out here and there, so I must finish up my letter by wishing you all a very ‘ Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.’

DOĹY VALE.