NEW PLYMOUTH

New Zealand Graphic, Volume VIII, Issue 52, 26 December 1891, Page 731

NEW PLYMOUTH

Dear Bee, December 11. It is such lazy weather that I hardly know if I have the energy to bestow upon you my letter, which has grown into quite a customary affair by now. The last few weeks I have been enjoying a perpetual state of dolce jar niente. It suits me admirably, and I feel that it really is a state for which I am fitted by nature. No round pegs and square holes in this case.

I expect you will like to hear of the opening of the New Plymouth Tennis Club, which took place two or three weeks ago. It being a special occasion, the clerk of the weather saw fit to provide us with weather of the best. The sky was ‘like an ocean hung on high,’ and there was just breeze enough to temper the glare of the sun, and to encourage the pine trees to whisper their secrets in a tone loud enough for all present to hear. Talk about green velvet! our lawns are more like green satin this year. There are three of them, and they are all fully appreciated. On the opening day I should say that nearly a hundred people were present, and a pretty sight it was. It reminded me of a many-hued bouquet. The colours of the Club are pale blue and white, and many showed their loyalty by wearing them. The blue and white stripes on the various dresses, blazers, handkerchiefs, and caps helped to make the ground look very gay. There are some really good players in the Club. Best among the ladies are, Misses Emily Hamerten and Read, and Mrs Fairclough, and among the men, Messrs Lightfoot, Little, Mair, White, and Dr. Leatham (not in their order of merit). At last year's tournament Miss E. Hamerton and Mr Lightfoot were declared champions, and I confidently believe they could hold their own anywhere. Mr J. E. Wilson is the secretary, and well he does his work, as was shown by the meeting at the beginning of the season, when it was stated that not a single subscription was in arrears. As the Club numbers some eighty members, this says much. I felt quite sorry for the ladies’ committee on the opening day, having to dispense tea and cake to a hundred people, but if they felt the task a heavy one, they concealed the fact, and manfully preserved their smiles and pleasant speeches till the shadows had become very long and the dew was falling. I hear that in England tennis is going out of fashion, being superseded by golf. If this be true I know not, but to me it seems that people here are not nearly so enthusiastic as they were. One has not very much trouble in finding a vacant court this year, though perhaps they may have in finding three other people to fill it when found. The other Club, the Te Henui, has been discontinued, most of the members having joined the New Plymouth. In some respects this is a pity, as the community is large enough to support two. What did you do on the 9th of November, Bee ’ There was no lack of amusement here, although the sun did see fit to hide his face part of the time. There were a good many picnics, and one or two dances, and the Presbyterian bazaar, at which there were two concerts, so you see every one was able te enjoy himself, <> chricun son gout. Oh, and there was a fancy dress football carnival as well, but not being a footballer myself, I did not attend. However, I did my duty to the Presbyterians, dropping in in the afternoon tor one hour or so. There was a most creditable display. The stallsthemselves were most artistically decorated with soft shades of liberty muslin and silk, ana flowers and

ferns ran riot everywhere. There was a perfect little bower for afternoon tea, from which I could scarcely tear myself away. It was as if the rose garlands had gotten me in their grasp and held me fast, and there were fair Hebes dispensing such tea and scones and cake, who helped the enchantment. The fair stall-holders seemed to do a very brisk business, and results were eminently satisfactory, over £BO being taken—far more than was anticipated. The bazaar was worked up in a very short time, and reflects the greatest credit on the promoters. The Presbyterians here are a very small body, but members of the other congregations of the place gave them very liberal support at their bazaar, which was a pleasant thing to see. The following are the stall-holders as fai as I can remember them : —Mesdames Paul, Hall, Millar, Ambridge, Cottier, Cock, Morton, Sanderson, etc., and the Misses Cunningham, Flight, Sinclair, Kelly, Smythe, and several others. Last week the annual Flower Show took place in the Alexandra Hall. New Plymouth looks upon this quite as a regular institution now, and it is one of which she need be proud. This is, indeed, a ‘ flowery land,’ and these shows show that we are not able to produce commonplace flowers alone, and that we have also many artistic temperaments among us. There were, I should say, about a hundred and fifty bouquets all told, some of them very beautiful, and some, oh ! shade of Flora ! The wreaths and crosses were also very lovely, but they always remind me of the dead somehow. Those that took prizes were made chiefly of moss rosebuds, Scotch roses, heath and maiden hair. There were several ‘ table decorations,’ and, strange to say, all but one (of cornflowers, poppies, daisies, and grasses) were composed of different shades of yellow, from the palest cream to the most vivid orange scarlet. They were all of them most artistic, but they grew monotonous after a time. Miss Hanis, of Nelson (an artist lady who is visiting here), won the first prize. There were a great many button-hole bouquets, some of them so pretty that one could tell easily that the fair hands that fashioned them had had plenty of practice. They were too small though, for the present fashion. In England they are worn much larger. I wish I could show you Mr Harry King’s columbines. I had no idea before that such flowers grew. They were slender, graceful flowers of all shades —deepest yellow, rust-colour, shaded pinks, reds, cream coloured—almost every shade one could imagine. There was also some very tempting fruit displayed, oranges, ripe and juicy, grown here, transparent currants almost too pretty even to wish to eat, mammoth citrons, etc. Things promise to be very lively here this Christmas. I hear rumours of all sorts of festivities in the shape of picnics and dances. At present La Grippe is holding high festival, and receives a greater amount of attention than anything else. I hear of many people who are thinking of visiting the tourist hut on the slopes of Egmont during the festive season, and some have already been. I call it the tourist hut, but it really has a claim to be called a house, possessing as it does six comfortable rooms, fitted up with every convenience. Wonderful are the accounts of the benefit received through breathing the pure air, and I expect it will not be long before other houses are built to accommodate visitors. The present building is the result of liberal subscriptions from the people of New Plymouth, the government afterwards providing pound for pound. Carriages are able to drive within.five miles of the house, and take about two hours and a half to accomplish the journey, that is, from New Plymouth. lam giving this information for the benefit of others in New Zealand who may think it worth while to scale the heights of snowclad Egmont. That many such tourists may visit us during the coming holidays is the hope of

Mignonne.