STATE BALL AT GOVERNMENT HOUSE IN HONOUR OF HER MAJESTY’S BIRTHDAY.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume IX, Issue 23, 4 June 1892, Page 569

STATE BALL AT GOVERNMENT HOUSE IN HONOUR OF HER MAJESTY’S BIRTHDAY.

HIS EXCELLENCY THE ACTING GOVERNOR and Lady Prendergast gave a very large and

brilliant ball at Government House on the 24th inst. in honour of the Queen’s Birthday, at which between three and four hundred guests were present. The weather was bitterly cold and frosty, but fine and moonlight. A more perfect night for such an occasion could hardly be imagined. None of the dancers became uncomfortably hot, and the retreats for non dancers were kept very snug and cosy. The broad verandahs were covered in with striped awnings and lit with coloured Chinese lanterns. They were furnished with lounges of every desciiption. The conservatory was also lit up effectively with the soft subdued light of Chinese lanterns, but it was rather too chilly to be largely patronised, Both ballrooms were opened and all the folding doors thrown back, so that the whole length of both rooms and the drawing-room were turned into one huge room. The ballrooms were artistically draped across the arches with various flags. The mantelpieces were lovely, being one mass of English maiden-hair ferns, with hot house plants and bright flowers placed amongst them. This with a large mirror at the back of each looked extremely well. The drawing-room was prettilydraped and decorated with palms, ferns and flower's. The grand piano was stationed at the lower end of the ballroom, where a band of six musicians discoursed sweet music for the dancers. The champagne supper, which was a very rtcherchi one, was served in the dining room, the tables being admirably arranged for the convenience of the guests. The table was draped with art silk, and decorated chiefly with bowls of chrysauthemums and maiden hair fern, and literally groaned under its wealth of good things, which were temptingly arranged, and continually replenished throughout the evening by a large staff of waiters. Tea, coffee, claret cup, and light refreshments were served from the very beginning, the billiardroom being used for this purpose.

Streams of guests poured in soon after 9 o’clock, and Sir James and Lady Prendergast received at the entrance of the drawing-room, the hostess wearing a very handsome tomato-red satin gown brocaded with black, the long train and bodice being trimmed with black lace and jet, and she wore a tiny lace cap and beautiful jewellery. The ball opened with a set of lancers, the Acting Governor dancing with Lady Buckley, the other ladies and gentlemen in the vice-regal set being the Hon. W. P. Reeves and Lady Hector, Sir James Hector, and Miss Hilda Williams, the Hon. R. Seddon and Mrs Godfrey Knight, M. Lostalot de Bachone and Mrs W. P. Reeves, the Hon. Robert Pharazyn and Miss Holmes, Mr Charles Knight (private secretary) and Lady Campbell, and Mr Duncan and Miss Cooper. Sir James was attended by Lieut.-Colonel Hume as A.D.C.

There were some very beautiful gowns worn, a dozen or so of which deserve to be mentioned. One of these was donned by Mrs Knight, being of lovely sage green silk made with a very long train, and ‘picked out" with orange silk and feathers. Others were Mrs Charles Johnstone, in pale green chiffon exquisitely embroidered with jewels ; Mrs (Dr.) Fell, a beautiful heliotrope gown of openwork gauze and brocade ; Miss Shaen, in heliotrope brocaded velvet, the satin petticoat being of a lighter shade ; and her sister in pink brocade, trained ; Mrs Pharazyn, in rose silk with bands of jewelled embroidery ; Mrs (Dr.) Newman, in prune silk and net; Lady Buckley, a handsome pinkishyellow gown trimmed round the basque with beaded fringe ; Mrs Thomas Wilford, in her wedding dress of silver and white brocade, long train, and diamond ornaments ; Mrs Travers, in blue brocade with large Watteau bow at the back ; Miss Hadfield, in a very pretty salmon pink silk trimmed with embroidered chiffon ; Miss Hilda Williams, in pink satin brocaded with true lovers’ knots, pink shoes ; Miss Grace, in white satin, trained ; Miss Gore, a pretty pale green satin, trained, and trimmed with flounces of white lace ; Miss Knight, a soft yellow Liberty silk gown, and lovely yellow bouquet ; Madame Lostalot de Bachone wore a handsome pink brocade ; and Mrs Ballance, a black satin trimmed with gold and silver passementerie. There were several debutantes— the Misses Meredith (Masterton), Hammerton, Munro (Blenheim), Barclay, Tripe, Griffiths, and Glover, who all wore pretty white dresses, the prettiest amongst them being that of Miss Tripe—of soft white merveillenx, the flounces round the hem caught here and there with flowers. That of Miss Meredith was also pretty—of silk, the bodice folded in a becoming way.

Mrs W. P. Reeves wore a combination of yellow silk and black and gold brocade, the front loosely draped ; Lady Hector, bronze satin over a petticoat of white lace ; Lady Campbell, pink satin ; Mrs (Justice) Richmond, black and white setin ; Mrs J. P. Maxwell, black velvet and yellow satin ; Mrs Tolhurst, handsome black moiie ; Mrs Baker, a beautiful gown of shades of terra-cotta silk and pink silk ; Mrs Castendyk, blue silk brocaded with pink flowers ; Mrs Focke, yellow silk ; Mrs Arthur Pearce, pink silk trimmed with black brocaded ribbon and lace ; Mrs L. Reid, white ottoman silk with maize velvet ribbon ; Mrs Parfitt, black and blue ; Mrs Jellicoe, a lovely gown of salmon pink and Gobelin blue brocade, trained, and trimmed with pink feather edging ; Mrs C. Izard, grey satin ; Mrs Firth, blue brocade ; Mrs M. Richmond, black; Mrs W. Ferguson, black; Mrs Barron, black velvet ; Mrs Morison, black brocade; Mrs Fitzherbert, Mrs Mongomerie (Wanganui), Mrs Fisher, Mrs Mason, Mrs Harding, Mrs Ross, Mrs Fancourt, Mesdamesßarclay, Robinson, Habens, Molineaux, Glasgow, and many others wore black ; Miss Richardson wore black velvet with white chiffon sleeves ; Miss Graham, mauve trimmed with violet velvet ribbons ; Miss Holmes, black with yellow ; Miss Krull, white; Miss Johnston (Fitzherbert Terrace), pearl grey satin trimmed with pearl embroidery ; Miss Dransfield, a pretty maize moire, trained ; Mies Cooper, a white gown trimmed with green ribbons and chiffon ; her sister, pink ; Miss E. Williams, grey satin and silver corselet; Miss Brandon, red net and flowers ; and her sister, pink silk and net; Miss Williams (Dunedin), salmon

angel sleeves ; Mrs Gore, black velvet with cream and black petticoat ; Miss M. Gore, cream trimmed with scarlet velvet and flowers, scarlet shoes ; Miss Chittereil, pale green silk, long white lace flounce round the basque; Miss Hector, white silk ; Miss Hill (Auckland), black trimmed with violets ; Miss Pynsent, white veiled with black pink satin brocaded with true lovers knots, and made with lace ; Miss McKellar wore her beautiful white dress in which she made her debut a few evenings before, and Miss Daisy Knight also wore her pretty ‘ coming out’ dress; Miss Hart, white; Mrs Noake, black velvet, trained, and trimmed with cream lace ; Miss Wilford, black velvet ; Miss Haise, coffee-coloured silk trimmed with lace ; Miss L Haise, black and pink, and her sister, blue; Mrs Ross, black and white ; Miss Ross, a pietty gown of palest green and pink softened with chiffon; Miss Wise, turquoise blue, high collar; Miss Laishley, blue ; Miss Harding, black and gold ; and her sister, cream ; Miss Reynolds (Gisborne), white net and satin ; Miss Morrah, blue net; Mrs Gillon, pale green and white striped gauze; Miss Barron, lemon net and chiffon ; and her sister, pink ; Miss Tuckey, mauve trimmed with lemon feather tiimming; Miss B. Tuckey, navy blue and red libbons; Mrs Tilly, black velvet ; Mrs Samuels, a pretty blue net gown ; Miss Gibson, cream satin and net, MrsS. Kennedy, white silk ; MissM. Kennedy, pink silk and gold girdle; Mrs Burnett, black with front of white lace; Miss Burnett, white; and hersister, cream spotted with mauve ; Miss Powles, white, red sash ; Miss Duthie, cream ; Miss Messenger, cream stiiped with blue ; Miss Quick, grey velvet; Miss Elliott, pink and green net ; Mrs Lowe, a handsome blue brocade ; Miss Fancourt, black ; Miss Barclay, cream figuied net ; Miss (Percy) Smith, black with mauve flowers ; Miss Malcolm, a pretty soft white silk gown ; Miss Allan, pink silk trimmed with black lace ; Miss M. Allan, black ; Miss Bishop, black figured net; Mrs Seed, black; Miss Wright, red; Mrs Edwin, red and black brocade ; Miss Willis, white ; Mrs Crawford, a beautiful maize Liberty silk gown with long train, diamond brooches in the corsage ; Mrs Nathan, a handsome thick cream silk gown with striped gauze petticoat; Mrs Milward, her lovely wedding gown of white satin biocaded ■with true lovers’knots, and trimmed with embroidered chiffon ; Mrs Wallace, Mrs Simpson, Mrs Holmwood, cream net with flowers ; Mrs Wilson, Mrs Kennedy Macdonald, a handsome train and bodice of old gold plush over a petticoat of lighter silk : Mrs Stafford, Mrs Pollen, Mrs Ewart, Mrs Habens, Mrs Martin, Miss Hammerton, biscuit-colour and blue ; Mrs Simpson, Miss Mcßae, in black ; etc.

Amongst the gentlemen present were the Premier (Mr Ballance), the Hon. W. P. Reeves, the Hon. R. Seddon, Sir James Hector, Major Newall, the Hon. R. Pharazyn, Mr Hutchinson, M.H.R., Dr. Newman, Dr. Fell, Dr. Gillon, Lieut. Colonel Fox, Mr Loughnan, the Rev. Fancourt, Mr Rous Marten, Dr. Adams, Mr E. J. Reid, Mr L. Reid, Mr Wardrop, Mr F. A. Krull, Colonel Pearce, Drs. Ewart and Pollen, Mr Vogel, the Hon. C. Johnston, M. Lostalot de Bachone, Mr Quick, Mr Duncan, Mr Harcourt, Rev. Habens, Sir Kenneth Douglas, Captain Messenger, Captain Barclay, Mr Travers, Mr G. Fisher, M. H.R., and Messrs Dransfield, Cooper, Fitzherbert, Anson, Haise, Firth, C. Pharazyn, Still, St. Hill, Tanner, F. Kebbell, Morison, Hall, G. Knight, Richmond, Gore, Wilford, Ross, Meek, Leckie, Glascodine, Brooksmith, Hodson. Jellicoe, Hadfield, Baldwin, Cock, Harcourt, Branfill, Hector, Innes, Fleming, Milward, Leckie, Burnett, Crawford, Young, Smith, Barron, Philgate, Tuckey, Brown, Black, Robinson, Levi, Mills, Mason, Mayor, Loveday, and Quick. As many as possible have been mentioned, but it is almost inqo sible to remember all.

The ball broke up at about half-past two o’clock, ‘God Save the Queen ’ sounding through the rooms as the guests made their adieux. It was a very brilliant and successful affair, and Sir James and Lady Prendergast’s kind hospitaility will long linger in the memory of those fortunate enough to be able to enjoy it. If there was a fault, it was that tlieie were not enough dancing men. Indeed, many of the usual dancers were conspicuous by their absence, probably owing to some unavoidable mistake on the part of the new Private Secretary, whose task must have been by no means an easy one. One great feature was the number of seats provided for the dancers after leaving the ballroom. Lounges were arranged at the landing of the stairs and in every imaginable recess, and were greatly appreciated. The ballroom was not overcrowded, and dancing could be enjoyed in comfort almost through the entire evening. Of course the last dances were the best, said the young people when they had command of the floor. Lady Prendergast intends holding a large reception at Government House in a few days. * * » *** * * * THE LEVEE. A grand levee was held by His Excellency the Administrator of Government on the morning of the Queen’s Biithday at Government House. The hour fixed was eleven o’clock, and by that time a large crowd of gentlemen had assembled. These gentlemen had the right of private entree:—Mr Justice Richmond, Hon. J. Ballance, Hon. R. J. Seddon, Hon. W. P. Reeves, Hon. J. McKenzie, Hon. A. .1. Cadman, Sir H. Atkinson, Archbishop Redwood, Mr J. E. Fitzgerald, Hon. E. Richardson, Mr T. W. Hislop, Mr W. S. Reid, Mr C. Godfrey Knight, Mr G. E. Tolhurst, Mr J. C. Gavin, Mr H. S. Pollen, Mr H. J. H. Eliott, Mr C. M. Crombie, Mr S. Percy Smith, Mr W. T. Glasgow, Mr J. McKerrow, Dr. McGregor, Hon. C. J. Johnston, Hon. R. Pharazyn, Hon. R. Hart, Hon. W. B. Mantell, Mr G. Fisher, Mr E. Pearce, Mr A. F. Castendyk, M. de Lostalot de Bachone, Mr F. A. Krull, Mr H. J. H. Blow, Mr C. J. A. Haselden, Lieutenant Colonel Hume, A. D.C., Mr C. P. Knight, Private Secretary.

Amongst those presented to His Excellency were the following:—Mr J. W. Abbott, Mr R. H. Abbott, Dr. Harry Adams, Mr J. O. Anson, Mr P. E. Baldwin, Mr A. A. Barnett, Mr C. Barnett, Captain Barclay, Mr George Beetham, Mr W. H. Beetham, Mr J. H. Bethune, Mr Henry Blundell, Mr E. Balcome Brown, Mr Frederick Bull, Mr T. Barnett, Mr Martin Chaptttan, Mr John 11. Cock, Mr Walter P. Cohen, Mr G. S. Cooper, Mr Arthur Cooper, Mr Ormond Cooper, Mr Samuel Costall, Mr W. G. Crawford, Mr J. J. Devine, Mr J. Dransfield, Mr J. Duthie, Captain Edwin, Captain Falconer, Mr J. I*. Firth, Mr William

Ferguson, Mr T. R. Fleming. Mr E. Focke, Mr J. G. Fox, Mr G. Gibson, Mr W. Gray, Rev. W. J. Habens, Mr Henry Hall, Mr J. B. Harcourt, Mr W. R. Haselden, Mr A. Heiner, Dr. Henry, Mr John Innes, Mr Alfred Jackson, Mr E. H. Jackson, Mr W. P. James, Mr .1. S. Jameson, Mr E G. Jellicoe, Mr F. A. Kebbell, Mr G. A. Kennedy, Mr S. R. Kennedy, Mr R. W. Kirby, MrS. Kohn, MrN. Lawson, Mr. B. M. Litchfield, Mr R. A. Loughnan, Rev. W. J. Lewis, S M , Mr E. W. Lowe, Mr I). M. Luckie, Mr M. Luckie, Mr T. K. Macdonald, Mr H. E. McCardell. MrC. J. Matthews, Mr W. G. Mantell. MrS. G. Martin, Mr T. F. Martin, Mr J. P. Maxwell, Mr T W. McKenzie, Mr fl. S. McKellar, Mr.l. McLellan, Mr E. W. Mills, Mr E. <’. Mills, Mr E. W. Morrah, Mr J. E. Page, Mr Peter T. .1. Paifitt, Dr. Henry Pollen, Mr C. P. Powles, Mr C. P. Pynsent, Mr W. 11. Quick, Mr Edward Richardson, Mr J. Si. Richardson, Mr C. T. Richardson, Mr H. W. Robinson, R.M , Mr John Ross, Mr C. Rous Marten, Mr H. H. Seed, Mr R. M. Simpson, Mr J. E. Smith, Mr Edward Stafford, Rev. H. Van Staveren, Mr Charles Tringham, Dr W. B. Tripe, Mr Dudley Tripe, Mr J. A. Tripe, Mr R. M. Tolhurst, Rev. H. E. Tuckey, Mr H. P. Tuckey, Mr James Wallace, Mr R. W. Wallace, Rev. C. Waters, Rev. F. J. Watters, S. M., D.D., Mr O. S. Watkins, Mr A. E. Watkins, Mr W. F. Ward, Mr Lewis H. B. Wilson, Mr Andrew Young, Mr W. Young.