WELLINGTON.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume VIII, Issue 27, 4 July 1891, Page 132

WELLINGTON.

Dear Bee, June 19. The ball at Government House will be just too late for this letter, so I am afraid you must wait patiently until next, for it takes place the very night that this must be poster!. I hear that there are over three hundred invitations oat for it, so it ought to be very good. That will be a very nice number for the size of the ball-room. I believe Mrs Harding s *At Home' comes first on my list. What do you think? There were actually more gentlemen than ladies—such a revolution in social matters ! We girls had, in consequence, such a good time. We shall never forget it, I am sure, for it is so seldom that we can afford to turn up our noses, and say our programme is full, but this really was the case a few minutes after we arrived in the ball-room. The dining and drawing rooms were both used for dancing, the folding doors having been drawn back. I suppose there must have been fully sixty guests, nearly all young people, except one or two married ladies. Mrs Harding wore black silk with panels of cut steel embroidery, and both her daughters wore white ; Miss (John) Johnston wore one of the handsomest gowns, of moss green satin embroidered with white lilies of the valley, her niece, Miss Grace, wearing cream ; Miss A. Hadfield wore pale pink : Mrs C. Izard, white silk with black velvet ; Miss Lamach, from Dunedin, one of the prettiest dresses, of black velvet, slightly trained, the low bodice and sleeves being softened by quantities of bright yellow embroidered chiffon; Miss Elfie Williams wore a pretty blue chiffon gown ; Miss Richmond being also in blue ; Miss Buller wore black and white ; Miss Cooper, black ; and her sister, pink ; Miss Moorhouse, white; Miss Gore, black with ruffles of white chiffon ; and her sister, cream ; Miss Butterworth (Dunedin), white silk ; Miss S. Graham (Karorii and Miss Knight both wearing white. Captain and Mrs Edwin were there. Miss Brandon and several others played the extras, King’s band supplying the programme music. Supper was served upstairs, and was prettily decorated with flowers, greenery, etc., as were also the bsdl-room and balcony, which proved a pleasant resort for the dancers. I heaid that a large children's party took place there the following night, and passed off very successfully. Mrs Harding has made a splendid beginning, her dance being the first of the session, taking place the very day that Parliament opened. It is to be hoped that her good example will be followed by many others, for what is pleasanter than a private dance ? I feel quite miserable to think that Madame Patey has gone. Oh, she was just delightful, and we all liked her better and better the more we heard her. Her farewell concert was quite the most successful of all, and a more enthusiastic audience could hardly be imagined. Madame Patey was so good in repeating her songs, and in her last song the audience got perfectly wild with excitement, and the great singer responded twice amid ringing applause. She was very handsomely dressed in bright tomato red satin brocaded with black flowers, and made with a very long full train, the front being plain satin of the same colour draped with beautiful fine black lace, and the hem edged with peaks of black jet embroidery. The shoes were red satin embroidered with black jet, and the high collar of the square bodice was also of jet. The corsage sparkled with diamonds and other jewels, and she wore diamond stars in the form of a tiara in her hair. Long pale tan gloves completed a beautiful toilette. Miss liossow wore a simple gown of cream silk, the skirt being prettily trimmed with lace, her best effort being * Killarney,' for which she had to respond to an enthusiastic encore and sing the last verse again. Miss Emelia Wood has also established herself a favourite here. She wore black velvet and satin with sleeves of thin black lace. Mr Jones was encored for ‘ My pretty Jane,' and sang ‘ Tom Bowling.' Mr Patey has not been able to appear throughout the season here, owing to the effects of an accident which befell him on his way to New Zealand. We were disappointed, bnt it could not be helped, and Mr F. V. Waters took his place both in the solos, duets, and trios. The company very often sang ‘The magic wove scarf.' which was, to my mind, the prettiest trio they had. TAc feature of the evening, of course, was Madame Patey's singing of * There is a green hill,’ which was especially composed for her, and which has been greatly looked forward to by musical people here. It was a splendid season altogether, anti I feel sure we will never forget Madame Paley's visit to ns.

The Ladies' Gallery at the ‘ House ’ has been well-filled since Parliament opened, and was especially so when the Financial Statement was read. I noticed Miss McKenzie, daughter of the Minister of Lands, there. She was with Mrs Ballance, the Premier's wife, and is paying us a short visit. Most of the Minister’s wives were there taking a great interest in everything that was said.

The Ambulance Society had a large meeting at the Museum, when Lady Onslow presented the certificates to the members. The Governor spoke encouragingly, and Sir James Hector also made a speech. Here are the names of the fortunate competitors ; they are all well - known. Medals: Elizabeth Anketell, Margaret Brown, Francis Chiene, Annie Croucher, Lilian Heath, Margaret Kennedy, Onie McKenzie, Edith Palmer, Mary Tuckey. Certificates Maude Blundell, Harriet Davy, Emily Edmeades, Jessie Martin, Vida Pearce, E. Seed, Hetty Williams. Home Nursing : Kate Berry, Maude Berry, Harriet Davy, Jessie Martin, and Hetty Williams. Men's Branch : Harrv Seed, Michael Kennedy, William Bright, T. Donne, Henry Hadfield, Leonard Tripp, Ernest Bell, Francis Fear, John O’Donovan, James B.'Gould, J. Price, Edgar Gibb, D. Darke, and J. W. Whittaker. Dr. Kemp spoke at length, and Dr. Pollen also congratulated the society. Mrs Charles Johnston and Miss King appear to have been especially energetic. An excellent committee has been arranged for the following year:—Madames Bussell. Beetham. C. Harris. Brandon, Pearce, McKenzie, W. Ferguson, G. Taylor, Ewart, H. Bell, Pollen, T. C. Williams, the Misses Johnston and Ludbrook, the Rev. W. C. Waters, Canon Howell, Drs. Ewart, Collins, and McKenzie, and Messrs D. Tripe and H. Seed. We are very glad to see the valuable society in such a flourishing condition. The Harmonic Society are shortly to produce ‘ The Rose of Sharon,’ for which both Miss Spensley and Mr Pusehel are coming from Christchurch to take part. ‘ Rob Roy,’ the operatic drama, is being actively rehearsed by amateurs under Mr McDuff-Boyd’s leadership, and will very soon be ready for public inspection.

Ruby.