AUCKLAND

New Zealand Graphic, Volume VIII, Issue 34, 22 August 1891, Page 299

AUCKLAND

Dear Bee, August 11. While engaged in the pleasant exercise of walking, and the equally pleasant duty of returning calls, I have noted for your benefit a few handsome and stylish walking costumes, which I hasten to jot ere they escape my memory. Miss Hay (Remnera) looked exceedingly well in a neat navy cloth costume and stylish little hat: Mrs Ross (Parnell), black gown, and very becoming l>onnet. lovely sealskin jacket : Mrs Haines, brown tweed costume, and cardinal velvet bonnet ; Mrs D. B. Cruickshank, dark green cloth gown, with darker velvet sleeves and trimmings, long fur pelerine, and pretty black hat; Mis Laurie, wore a per-fectly-fitting navy serge gown, made with the popular Newmarket bodice, lovely boa of feathers, and small rtoral hat ; Mrs T. Morrin, very stylish brown tweed gown Baked with white, and small black hat with birds; Mrs S. Morrin wore black and plush jacket ; Miss Daveney, dark tweed gown, sealskin jacket, and stylish little hat : Miss Worsp, very neat-fitting navy cloth gown, gem hat : Mrs Hesketb, stylish plaid tweed gown, small bonnet, and plush mantle ; her young daughter looked nice in crimson: Miss Von Stnrmer, navy skirt, and jacket which opened in front over a full bodice of eream and caidinal, stylish little hat: Miss Coleman, dark brown velveteen gown, brown felt hat with ostrich rips; Mrs Arthur Nathan, dark cloth gown lovely sealskin jacket, and felt hat with feathers ; Mrs Hope Lewis, who has just returned from her trip to Sydney, wore a very neat navy serge gown and felt Alpine hat ; Miss Russell, stylish navy blue gown, and felt hat with feathers ; Mrs Shera, brown cheek tweed gown, handsome sealskin jacket trimmed with sable, and black bonnet with maize trimmings; Mrs Theile looked pretty in a perfectly-fitting black gown, and black gem hat with spotted veil : Miss Kissling, pretty black costume ; Miss Harrison, navy blue gown, the vest finished with gold button’, small black hat with ostrich feathers : Miss Milne, black costume strined with gold, plush mantle, and stylish little hat; Miss Binney, plainly-made and well fitting fawn tweed gown with tiny brown stripes, hat to correspond. The sixth dance of the season in connection with the Ponsonby Social I‘nion was very numerously attended by members and friends. Splendid dance music was supplied by the band of four performers, while the extras were kindlyplayed by Miss Marie Edwards, Miss Scott, and Mr Neumegen. The lloor was at times rather crowded, but notwithstanding the evening proved none the less sociable, and exceedingly enjoyable. Mrs Hanna wore a handsome black silk gown, relieved with maize colour; Mrs Rees also wore a handsome black silk gown and lovely point lace collarette; Miss Rees, dainty pink veiling gown finished with ribbons the same shade ; Mrs Cossar wore black ; and Miss P. Cossar, a very becoming black silk and net gown handsomely trimmed with jet ; Mrs Morrin, rich black moire antique gown trimmed with velvet ; Miss Morrin pretty bright pink net evening dress; Mrs H. Gentles, heliotrope cashmere, the low bodiee finished with white ostrich feathers; Miss Mary Edwards, cream and blue flowered gown, the shoulders finished with aigrettes of white feathers : Miss Marie Edwards looked nice in pink veiling ; Mrs W. J. Geddis, pale blue silk and net gown prettily finished with white ribbon ; Miss Wright, cardinal brocade gown with small Medici collar ; Mrs W. Boak. cream cashmere gown finished with salmon pinkribbons; Miss N. Edmiston, simple and dainty white net frock finished with white ribbons : she carried a beautiful bouquet of pure white blossoms and delicate greenery; Miss Geddis, coral pink veiling : Miss M. E. Geddis, white tarlatan, the low bodice finished with a wreath of snowdrops; Mrs Saxon, black evening dress relieved with pink ribbons; Mrs A. Campbell, handsome cream silk gown ; her sister. Miss Johnstone, wore a dainty pink cashmere gown, the skirt prettily finished with rosettes of green ribbon : Mrs Drummond, pretty pale blue cashmere gown ; Miss Clara Billington, white dress, the lowneck finished with gold gauze ; Miss Watkins, pink silk and net gown ; Miss Knight, pink veiling finished with white ribbon, and aigrettes of white feathers: Mrs Bartlett, black velvet and lace gown with old gold feathers ; Mrs C. Brown, becoming white cost time ; Miss Short, pretty coral pink veiling gown ; Mrs Kronfelt, cream silk and lace gown ; Miss Bastard, handsome cream gown, the low bodice finished with a wreath of crimson flowers ; her sister wore a pretty white cashmere gown and pale pink flowers ; Miss Partridge, effective and becoming gown of bright pink cashmere, black silk sash, and long black gloves ; the low bodice was finished with a large cluster of pink flowers: Miss Davies, cream veiling with pink sash ; Mi’s Hayles, cream gauze, with corselet of ruby plush ; Miss Keand, pink cashmere, finished with garlands of crimson flowers and foliage : Miss Tapper, white with pink ribbons; Miss Owen, handsome black evening dress relieved with ander; Miss Warren, cream veiling and ruby plush gown : Mi’s Scott, bluecostnme ; Miss A. Scott, white, with pale blue sash ; Miss M. Dickey, pretty cream veiling dress. An exceedingly enjoyable party was given by Mrs Cooke, at her residence, Sarsfield-street, in honour of her son’s, Mr Harry Cooke's twenty-first birthday. The guests, of whom a number were present, were all young people, and the evening was spent most pleasantly in dancing, interspersed with vocal music and very well acted charades, the grotesque appearance and make up of some of those taking part causing apparently an infinite amount amusement

amongst the guests. A splendid supper was provided, and while discussing the good things Mr Parr, in one of his neat little speeches referred to the auspicious event which they were celebrating, and wished Mr Cooke in the name of ail present good health and much prosperity in his future life, which he trusted would be a long and happy one. Miss Cooke wore a pretty white evening dress, and Miss F. Cooke looked well in pink : her cousin. Miss J. Cooke, also wore a pretty pink cashmere lire's ; .Miss — Cooke, black grenadine dress ; Miss McMillan, becoming crimson gown ; Miss Hipkins, dainty white cashmere gown; Miss Rees looked exceedingly pretty in pink cashmeie ; Miss Killen, black net evening dress : Miss J. Patterson, crimson combined with fawn colour : Miss Main, pink cashmeie gown : Miss E. Goldie, pretty white dress, pink silk sash : Miss T. Goldie, pink ca’hmere gown, white silk sash; Miss Plum mer looked well in white ; Miss Kennedy also wore a prettywhite dress ; Miss B. Gittos, tasteful cream net gown : Miss Gittos, wore white; Miss Phillips, black evening dress; while her sister wore a pretty white dress trimmed with black ribbon velvet : Miss Russell also wore white tastefully reliever! with green. A |>arty was also given by Mrs Buckland at her residence, Brightside, which I hear was a great success.

The many Auckland friends of Mr Jack Eairbum, of Parnell, and formerly of the Government Life Insuiance Department, will be interested to learn that he is billed to play Nanki Poo in the ‘Mikado,’ which is to be produced by the Wanganui Amateur Opera Club. The final selection of the cast for the forthcoming performance of • Princess Ida' by the Auckland Amateur Opera Club has been made, and is a' follows :—King Hildebrand, Mr P. A. Edmiston : Hilarion (his son*. Mr T. M. Jackson : Cyril, Mr G. M. Reid ; Florian, Mr Cha’. Chambers ; King Gama, Mr Archdale Tayler ; (his sons) Arae, Mr J. Worrall ; Guron. Mr P. C. Hamerton ; Scynthius, Mr W. Eady. Princess Ida, Mrs Cooper; Lady Blanche, Miss E. Reeve ; Lady Pysche, Miss Maud Harper, Melissa, Miss Lizzie Warren ; Sacharissa, Miss Carrie Knight ; Chloe, Miss S. Jackson ; Ada, Miss Mabel Culpan. The public performance is expected to take place in about two months. The annual meeting of the Auckland West Kindergarten was very largely attended by both ladies and gentlemen interested in the good work carried on by the Institution. The annual report was a most satisfactory one, while the balance sheet showed the finances to be equally satisfactory, a good credit balance remaining to carry on the work. The following ladies were elected the office-bearers and committee for the ensuing year :—President, Mrs Stewart ; Vicepresidents, Mrs Knight and Mrs Faulder; Treasurer, Mrs Daldy ; Secretaries, Mrs Ogle and Miss Peacock : Committee, Mesdames Knight, Elkin, Faulder, Armstrong, E lgar, Dickson, Johnson, Blomfield, Challinor Purchas, Johnson, Morpeth, Parker, Misses Stewart and Peacock.

Muriel.

Dear Bee, August 11. A very artistic invitation reached me to visit the studio of Mr F. Wright one afternoon, when he and his pupils were to have an ‘ At Home.’ The invite represented an easel, with the address and date on the canvas, a palette and mahl stick resting at the foot, while some busts and pictures appeal ed as a background. In one corner my name was written, with the alluring words underneath, ‘ afternoon tea.’ I may as well mention at once that the tea at 211, Victoria Arcade, was excellent, and was provided by a few of the lady pupils, whose talent for painting has in no way interfered with the due development of a genius for cakemaking. These ladies were also assiduous in their attention to their guests. They were Miss Herrold, in navy blue ; Mrs A. P. Wilson, in a beautifully-fitting tailor-made plaid tweed gown, felt hat, this lady was also the maker of some excellent cocoanut candy, I wish I had dared to ask her for the recipe ; Miss Claude Hardie, Miss Horne, in a stylish dress of wood-brown, with bronze-brown silk slashed across the chest and peeping out at the foot of the skirt, black hat with silk trimmings to match. These ladies were assisted by others, w hose names I was unable to obtain. Amongst the verynumerous visitors I noted Dr. Purchas and his daughter, Mrs Roche, from Te Aroha : Mrs George (Epsom), in black, with handsome seal-plush coat, black bonnet with passementerie embroidery ; her sister, Miss McGlashan. in navyblue dress, black jacket ami hat : Mrs Walrond, black : Mrs 1 ’arkinson, seal coat, orange ribbons in her black bonnet ; Mrs I’pton, black braided costume, black bonnet relieved with red and gold ; Mrs Hales, very fetching costume of brown velvet and gold ; Mrs Norton, w ho has lately come up from Dunedin, looked nice in navy blue, jacket edged with beaver, felt hat with narrow red ribbon velvet daintilytied under the chin : Mrs Goring, severely simple black tailor-made costnme; Mrs Lennox, .Mrs Laws, Mrs Gascoigne, Mrs Shera, Mrs R. H. Stevenson, Mrs Browning, etc., etc. Some of the pictures deserve attention. A group of anemones, by Miss Herrold, was very prettily executed : vegetables, life like in appearance, the work of Mrs Waldron ; some very well • painted chrysanthemums, by Mrs A. P. Wilson : also a charming group of azaleas by the same skilful fingers ; a Frozen Morning, by Miss Horne, which idea was happily carried out, as was another of hers, a sketch taken at Te Aroha, which suggested the possibility of a lovely oil-painting ; a view in Auckland Harbour byMr Warner, the water efl'ect being excellent ; several wellpainted studies of still life, amongst the artists being Mr Bartley and Miss Edgar, and a study from a cast, very well done by Mr R. Hare. Mr Wright had few pictures of his own on view, but there were some very pretty sketches on the West Coast, rough sketches of Taranaki, and two beauti-fully-finished oil-paintings. Altogether, what with canvas, cakes, and conversation, we had a very pleasant afternoon. I am sorry to tell you. Bee, that the third daughter of Mr J. J. Dixson — Miss Laura—has been very ill with rheumatic fever, how contracted I do not know, but I am sure she has our sincerest sympathy in her patiently-borne sufferings. Yet another sudden death at Remuera. Mrs Tonks, who has many friends, and was an earnest worker in various good causes—notably, the West Kindergarten—has entered into rest with but slight warning. She was suffering from heart disease, aggravated, no donbt, by recent troubles. She will be much missed. Turn we again to active life, as represented by the first point to point steeplechase ever held in Auckland. < Iver

300 people came from town and elsewhere to witness the meet, which was held at the Three Kings school-house, where all the riders assembled, and were given their badges, red for the heavy weights (13 stone or over), and white for the light (11 stone or over). The heavy-weights were Mr W. Shera, on Bradlaugh ; < 'olonel Dawson, on Ike; Mr Fred Shera, on Mr Lockhart’s Erie ; Mr Paul, on Dundee ; Mr F. Yonge, on Fly ; Mr Abbot, on Mr Percival’s Jim. The light weights were Mr Bloomfield, on Bachelor ; Mr \ . Kerr-Taylor, Kangaroo ; Mr Kettlewell, Don ; Mr Yonge, on Mr Garret’s Guadalquiver; Mr Paul, Mangere ; Mr Gilmore, Tomato; Mr T. McLaughlin,on Mr Percival’s Tommy. They rode tow aids Mount Albert, and were pointed out their course, which was really a very stiff one about five miles in length, by the three masters—Messrs Percival, Garret, and McLaughlin. The start was made at the back of Mount Albert, and the finish at Three Kings. The first one to have a fall was Mr Fred Shera on Mr Lockhart’s horse, the next one Mr Bloomfield on Bachelor. This horse ought really to have won, as it was the best in the field, and a well known steeplechaser. Colonel Dawson got into a swamp, and had an ugly fall. By this time many had given in, as the pace was very fast; also the crowd rushed some, and spoiled their jumps. Air V. Kerr-Taylor, who was then second, had a very nasty fall. He was rilling a five-year-old youngster, Kangaroo whose foot caught in a spike of a gate he was jumping, anil threw his rider, w-ho lost over twenty minutes in trying to catch his horse. Many others got out of their course, getting into barbed wire, and had to return. The winners of the heavy and light weights were two brothers, Messrs Paul, who were riding horses which were in training ; besides, the riders seemed to know the country well. Mr Shera, on Bradlaugh, came in second, but I cannot remember who was third. In the light weights Mr T. McLaughlin, on Tommy, came second, and Mr V’. Kerr-Taylor, on Kangaroo, third. It was really a very unpleasant day for anything like this, such heavy showers were constantly falling, making the ground very heavy. Mr Gilmore, on Tomato, was seen about an hour after the finish pulling down rails, determined, I suppose, to get round the course by hook or by crook. I do not know if he succeeded, but I do know many farmers were very much annoyed. Amongst those present driving I noticed the Mayor (Mr Upton) and family ; Misses Russell, Mrs KerrTaylor and family ; Misses Whitaker and Wilkins, and Mr Lockhart, looking extremely ill; Mis and Miss McLaughlin; Mr Stewart, driving Tandem with Mr and Mis McFailane ; Mr and Miss Ansenne, with Miss Cameron and Mr Clayton ; Mrs (Col.) Dawson. Those riding were Mesdames Bews, Thiele, Laurie, and Bloomfield, the Misses Dunnett, Percival, Kerr-Taylor, Firth, Hesketh (2), Buckland, Yonge and Shepherd. Everyone went away quite satisfied that the first Steeplechase had been a great success. There was also to have been a tandem meet, but only one, 1 believe, turned up. At the usual monthly social in connection with St. Sepulche’s Church, held in the schoolroom, the Rev. J. Haselden exhibited some lovely magic-lantern slides, illustrating Tennyson’s poem,’ * Enoch Arden,’ which was effectively read by the exhibitor. These slides, together with real works of art, just arrived from Home, and shown to the delighted audience, viz., ‘ Ecce Homo,’ ‘Raphael’s Nativity,’ etc., etc., are very different in style and finish to the magiclantern slides as usually seen. These are well worth any one s attention, and deserved the praise they received. Unfortunately, some boys, who called themselves young gentlemen, behaved in a most disgraceful manner, making uncouth and disagreeable noises, and rendering themselves an almost unbearable nuisance. It is to be hoped their parents will not spare the rod, for they richly deserved it. I believe Mrs Owen, Epsom, had a dance, which it was impossible to postpone, but which was robbed of many guest by the sudden demise of Mrs Tonks. Many of our fair readers who take an interest in fowls should have gone to the Poultry Show held at Aitken’s Auction Mart. It was the best show we have had for many a long time. I was glad to notice that several ladies were successful in winning prizes for their fowls. A remarkably successful bazaar has been held in aid of St. James’ Hall Debt Extinction Fund in connection with the Presbyterian Church. The Ladies’ Association worked right nobly to ensure the happy gross result of £123 9s 2d, which, when all expenses were paid, showed the goodly credit balance of £IOO. Some people think a bazaar great fun. I detest them, but am assured that this particular one was free from many objectionable elements, particularly the very disagreeable pertinacity so frequently shown by ladies in their method of worrying visitors, especially gentlemen—some of them clerks who have no money to spare—into taking tickets in lotteries. Possibly some of our good and usually conscientious ladies would be shocked to know that they have by these innocent (?) means fostered or even called into existence a taste for gambling which may even develop into a penchant for cheating at baccarat.

The experiment is being tried of opening our Museum and Art Gallery to the public on Sunday afternoons. How it will answer remains to be seen. The idea is, I believe, that the inspection of works of art will lead people up to loftier views of life, and elevate their tastes. Probably some good sacred music, especially vocal selections, such as • There is a Green Hill Far Away,’ would have an excellent effect on the non-church goers.

Hinemoa.