TIMARU.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume IX, Issue 6, 6 February 1892, Page 136

TIMARU.

Dear Bee, January 19. This week there is little to tell you besides the visit of H.M.S. Ringarooma. Her arrival here, of •course, created great excitement in onr little town. Great numbers of people went on board, and were courteously escorted over the vessel by the officers, and shown all the chief points of interest A few ladies were entertained with afternoon tea by the handsome doctor in the officers’ ‘ wardroom.’ Boats seemed to be hurrying backwards and forwards all day long. In the evening the electric light on board looked awfully pretty, and there was a splendid display of the search light. 1 need not tell you much about all this, for of course you had the Ringarooma in Auckland, long before she came here. The search lights are wonderful, are they not? Fancy the Temuka people being able to read by them at such a distance. Next morning the Captain and officers were taken for a long and pretty drive round the outskirts of Timaru. They were entertained by Mr Perry with tennis at Beverley during the afternoon. The day was perfect for out-door amusements, and the many guests spent a most enjoyable afternoon. Among the ladies were Mrs G. Rhodes, Claremont, in a cream pompadour silk with lace yoke and sleeves, relieved with touches of olive green, and a white chiffon parasol, and black hat ; her sister, Mrs Davidson, wore white serge, and black hat with cornflowers ; Miss Turnbull, a pretty pink cambric, a large hat with pink dowers ; Miss Grierson (Dunedin), blue and white spotted print, and large fashionable sailor hat; Miss Gillies (Sydney), pale mauve costume; Mrs Smithson, white soft silk trimmed with black ribbon velvet; Mrs Cecil Perry, handsome beaded black silk with black and gold bonnet; Mrs Bristol, black; Mrs Steadman, navy blue with threequarter cloak ; Miss JLeCie.i, heliotrope flowered delaine trimmed with silk of the same shade; Miss White, black and white tennis costume; Miss Chisholm, pretty cream embroidery costume ; Miss Lovegrove, pale green ; Miss C. Lovegrove, pale blue and white ; the Misses Archer, tweed costumes ; Miss Bullock, cream ; Miss Beswick and Miss Antill, pink. In the evening a dance was given to Captain Bourke and his officers in the schoolroom, and quite a number of them were there, their pretty uniforms forming a delightful relief among the sombre dress suits of our gentlemen. A very nice supper was provided by the ladies, there being a great abundance of all kinds of dainties. Captain and Mrs Meason were, of course, present, and with them Miss Moorhouse. Both ladies looked very handsome in black ; Mrs Lawson wore crimson silk with black lace flounces, and Mrs Hassel looked very nice in black relieved with white. Miss M. Allen, in pink merveilleux satin with deep chiffon frills and field daisies, was decidedly the belle of the ball; Miss Gertrude Beswick wore a very handsome dress of brocade trimmed with silver fringe ; Miss Bullock, a white dress ; Miss Chisholm, white and gold ; Miss A. Crammond, white satin ; Miss Cook, white ; Miss Douglas, sea green ; and her sister, white ; Miss Gardner, black ; Miss Gillies, palest sea green moire, striped lisse frills, and posy ; Miss Hassell, black ; Miss E. Hassell, palest pink with coffee lace ; Miss A. Hassell, green silk ; Miss Jonas, white brocade ; and her sister pale blue ; Miss Landsborough, cream ; Miss Le'Cren, pale green ; Miss Lovegrove yellow brocade and white ; Miss E, Lovegrove, white silk with chiffon frills, caught up with purple pansies ; Miss C. Lovegrove, pink muslin; Miss A. Mee, pale blue ; Miss McLaren, a lovely ivoiy brocade ; Miss Wantes, terra-cotta and black lace; Miss O’Brien, black ; and her sister, white ; Miss Plaisted, pale blue with cardinal chiffon frills; Miss Raymond, sea green; Miss Stubbs, white and gold ; Miss Turnbull, pink satin merveilleux with pink roses on the bodice ; Miss Thomson, brown silk; Miss E. White, yellow Liberty silk ; Mrs Lindsay, M'S Jonas, Mrs Steadman, Mrs Landsborough, Mrs Smithson, and Mrs Chisholm were all in black. Among the gentlemen, in addition to those mentioned, I noticed Captain Jackson, Drs. Hogg, Lovegrove, Reid, and Thomas, Messrs E. T. Rhodes, Chisholm, Guineas, M. Gray, McLaren, Jefferson, Mee, Stedman, Bullock, A. C. and F. Perry, Strouts, Hassell, Tripp, Raymond, and Hinge. Mrs Stedman gave a small but delightful Cinderella dance. The closed-in balcony opening off the dancing room was much appreciated, as, unfortunately, it was too wet to venture into the garden. Most of the ladies present had been at the ball of the previous night. Mrs Stedman looked very nice in brown satin relieved with buttercups ; her sister-in-law, Mrs F. Cargill, wore cream broche ; Miss Beswick, black ; Miss Crammond, white ; Miss Chisholm, pale blue ; Miss LeCren, a very pretty pink Liberty silk with wide silk Swiss belt braided with gold ; Miss M. Lovegrove (who has just returned from Sydney), claret broche ; Miss Ethel Loyegrove, green velvet; Miss C. Lovegrove, black ; Miss Effie White, green veiled with black lace. The gentlemen equalled the ladies in number, and a very pleasant evening was spent, the guests, like Cinderella of the fairy tale, fleeing at the stroke of twelve. When the long-expected blowing-up of the Lyttleton took place we were all interested. Captain Falconer has been here for about three weeks preparing for the great explosion. As it was necessary that the sea should be calm, the exact time of the event could not be foretold ; but, in order that the sight should not be missed by any of the inhabitants of Timaru, a notice appeared in the paper to the effect that the firebell would be rung an hour beforehand. So when one morning the bell rang out about ten o’clock, great crowds immediately poured down towards the snore. Every available post of observation was soon filled, and great excitement prevailed, and, indeed, a good deal of impatience. It was nearly noon by the time the warning flag was waved, and then the beautiful column of water ascended to a height of about 60ft. I am afraid that the chief and universal feeling was one of intense disappointment, for great things had been expected. All the windows in town were to be broken, buildings were to fall, the cliffs were to crumble, etc., and lo 1 all that happened was a slight vibration of the ground near. It is certainly wonderful that the explosion of 2000 lbs. of gun-cotton should produce so apparently small a result, However, I hear it has been most successful, and that the Harbour Board are thoroughly satisfied. 1 The other day Mrs Elworthy gave a large luncheon party at the Pareora Estate. A great many guests were invited, and spent a very pleasant day.

Estelle.