NAPIER.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume IX, Issue 7, 13 February 1892, Page 159

NAPIER.

I>kaß Bkk. Jasuary 29. I quite intended telling you about the cricket match held at Farndon, Napier, against the County, only somehow it escaped niy memory when last writing to yon. so though rather late in the day, I will send you an account of it as I know you love to hear about cricket matches amongst other things. Well, to begin with, the weather was glorious, if anything a trifle too hot, but we Napierites are pretty well used to hot weather, so we generally manage to sit and smile through it aIL A number of ladies both from Hastings and Napier, journeyed out to see the fun, and some really splendid cricket was witnessed. The Connty won. They made an unusually large score—l think something over two hundred. <tf course I wanted our Napier men to win. bnt all the same I couldn't help admiring the good play of the county men. Messrs H. B. Williams and (lore played up well for the county, and Mr Jim Wood ia visitor from Nelson, and captain of a club therei played np splendidly for Napier. It was quite a treat to see how he made the ball fly. Messrs Williams and Spackman undertook the tedious duty of scoring. Amongst the ladies I noticed Mrs Lascelles, wearing a rich black gown and mantle, handsome red and gold bonnet : Mrs Tanner, black gown, black cloak, black bonnet with white trimmings: Mrs Harry >mith < Petanei. deliciously cool looking cream delaine with heliotrope spots, cream hat with heliotrope flowers; Mrs Vickerman (Hastings!, shell pink muslin gown, grey chic hat: Mrs (fordon. grey gingham with cream guipure lace, cream bat : Mrs R. Braithwaite, claret gown, small black hat : Mrs Longhnan, cream gown, red Tudor cloak, cream hat ; Mrs Nelson Pierce, fawn gown, large cream bat with rose-pink ribbon bows ; Mrs Jim Wood, cornflower blue gown trimmed with cream guipure lace, large bat; Miss Lascelles looked well in a plaid skirt, pretty pink shirt, white eArc bat with red and blue band ; Miss t.’ueenie Hamlin, very ladylike grey gown, exquisite white hat trimmed with white and gold ribbon : Miss Nina Tanner wore a pretty heliotrope gingham with white embroidery, white sailor hat ; Miss Annie St. Hill looked very charming in white gown, heliotrope silk sleeves and sash, large white bat with feathers : Miss Peacock looked so pretty in grey with a charming little hat. The cricket ground looked quite lively, Bee, for a great number of children were holding their Sunday-school pienic at the park, and the pretty colours of the children's dresses added not a little to the brightness of the scene. There was to have been another match at Farndon, and I was looking forward to seeing it, but, unfortunately, enough players couldn't be got together, so the match has fallen through, I feel quite disappointed about it. There is to be a small tennis tournament started almost immediately on the Farndon < ourts—a local tournament. lam very pleased about it. for it will certainly cause people to take a little more interest in this pretty and health-giving game. Ido hope our girls and young marries! women won't give up playing this season. We are all so like a flock of sheep, I am sorry to say. If one person starts anything, or gives np this, that and the other, the rest seems to follow as a matter of course, and certainly this year the fair sex don't seem quite so energetic. Let us make a fight for it, girls, I say, any of you who may read this letter, and don't let tennis drop. There is absolutely nothing to take its place. Town has been rather empty lately, so many people have been away for the holidays. They are ail gradually returning though, and those who are back look all the better for the change. Mr Heathcote Williams has gone South, I think to the Sounds. What a truly delightful excursion that must be, especially if you can make up a nice party to go with ! Mr and Mrs Jardine, Mr and Mrs Pat McLean, and Mr Cotteril have also gone South. Mr and Mrs Kettle and family are away in the bush districts somewhere to recruit after the influenza. Mrs Bamford has returned from Danevirke, and looks much better. Lady Whitmore, I am sorry to say, has not been at all well lately, and has gone for a change to Waipiro. Mrs Dickson accompanied her. We sincerely hope Ladv Whitmore will return greatly benefited by the change. Mrs Kern, who most of us know better by the name of Mrs Locke, is in Napier at present on a visit to her mother. Mrs Rhodes. Mrs Kern is residing in Australia, and will return there shortly, I hear. Mrs Rhodes continues very poorly, but her many friends hope she will pick up when the cooler weather sets in.

GLADYS.