Topics of the Week.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume IX, Issue 32, 6 August 1892, Page 776

Topics of the Week.

SOCIETY’S SAYINGS AND DOINGS.

'~I"7 ELLINGTON has been enjoying a rest during the \ V last week, but the pursuit of pleasure in the Empire City will be as keen as ever by the time this appears in print. During the past seven days of peacefulness several minor parties of the milder sort passed oil' successfully. Mrs Edwin gave an afternoon tea to the naval officers, Mrs Hadfield also gave an afternoon tea, Miss Holmes, a euchre party ; Mrs Ferguson, an evening party -music and games—for her relatives, who are visiting Wellington ; Mrs C. Izard, a musical party ; Mrs Adams, a reel party ; and Mrs Gillon, an afternoon tea.

The Countess of Glasgow is setting the New Zealand upper ten a good example in more ways than one. For instance, not long ago she decided to give all her servants a day’s holiday. In order that it should be complete, both Lord and Lady Glasgow and party made arrangements to dine at the club in a private room. If the general run of the servant-supporting public would only do likewise, manifest some thought for their domestics, in fact, the colonial ‘ slavey ' would probably improve rapidly, and her cognomen cease to be a synonym for incapacity and impertinence.

To-morrow—Arbour Day—will be observed as a holiday in Wellington. The Governor and the Countess have both promised to set the fashion by planting trees.

Despite the bad weather which till lately prevailed in Wellington—in common with the rest of the colony, by the way—during the stiy of the H.M.S. Orlando the smart folk of the capital were enabled to do something for those favourites of fortune—the officers. A special reception was given for Lord Charles Scott by the Countess of Glasgow. ft was a very pleasant gathering, chiefly for married ladies and gentlemen, the young people having already been frequently entertained at small dances. A capital string band played during the evening.

The guests arrived at 9 o’clock, and after chatting pleasantly and partaking of light refreshments, left at about half past 10 o’clock. All the Consuls and naval men wore their uniforms, also the aide de camps, this giving the groups of people a very smart appearance. The rooms were, as usual, beautifully decorated with ferns, palms, and flowers. The drawing-room is prettily arranged and newly done up, one great improvement being the shutting up of the door leading into the corridor from the first drawing-room. It is hidden by a huge embossed leather screen, and is now converted into a cosy corner near the lire. Photos, paintings, and other knick-knacks belonging to the family are strewn about the rooms, giving them a homely look. Admiral Scott was attended by Mr Garforth, his flag lieutenant, Capt. Barlow and Capt. Pike, and Lord Glasgow by Capt. Hunter-Blair, A D.C., Capt. Clayton, etc.

The Countess of Glasgow, attended by the Ladies Boyle and Captain Hunter-Blair, paid a visit to the Wellington Hospital on Friday afternoon, July 29th, and were received by Mr Fraser, <'hairman of the Board, Dr. Ewart, House Surgeon, and Mrs Godfrey, matron. The gubernatorial party were conducted all over the hospital, and Lady Glasgow presented every child in the children’s ward with a bunch of flowers.

ON Friday evening last (29th July) Lady Glasgow, the Hon. E. Boyle, ami Mr Gillington visited the Opera House to see Grattan Biggs in ‘The Shadows of a Great City,' a melodrama which achieved considerable success at Home. The party expressed themselves pleased with the performance. The Countess of Glasgow was presented with a magnificent bouquet, and was received by the manager for the company.

Matters musical in New Plymouth have been at rather a low ebb lately, ami a concert given by local amateurs, and ably conducted by Mr Ezra Brooke was welcomed as a pleasing novelty. The orchestra furnished several items, the most successful being Tancredi. The Musical Society

which numbers some thirty six members contributed several glees and part songs which were very much appreciated, ‘Now Tramp o’er Moss and Fell’ being encored. Mrs Solomons (late of Auckland) was greatly liked in a solo, ‘ Alone on the Raft.’ Mrs Brooke's voice showed to advantage whilst singing ‘At Sundown.’ Another lady, new to a New Plymouth audience was Miss A. Ellis. The gentlemen soloists also acquitted themselves well. Mr Cranford, who takes the low D, was perhaps the favourite on this oc casion. Commandant Fox gave an official dinner party on Saturday, 30th, at the Club to his Excellency the Governor and the officers of the volunteers.

The editor of the Gentlewoman put to his readers the question, ‘ Do women desire to vote for members of Parliament ?’ and asked them to vote thereon. The ballot, which has been open for several weeks, closed with the following result 8,301 voting ‘Yes’ and 1,158 voting ‘ No ’ in answer to the above question. This is an interesting and useful indication of what Mr Gladstone called the ‘ womanly mind ’ of the kingdom upon the subject. The Waitara ladies have been indulging in a leap year ball, and have successfully demonstrated that they can hold their own with the men in an affair of this sort. The scene of the dance was the Town Hall, which, as one of the committee pathetically remarked, * is not exactly beautiful, you know. Still, dainty and skilful lingers even transformed its unlovely interior, and it looked its best wreathed in greenery and camellias, etc. The ladies did not feel equal to the sole management of the dance, and, it is whispered, were helped by several generous-minded men. Mrs Snell headed the ladies’ committee, and deserves great credit for her work. Miss Tait was the ladies’ M. C., whilst Mr Bent acted for the gentlemen ; both performed their duties admirably. Half only of the dances were strictly Leap Year ones, but these went off extremely well. The supper, contributed by the ladies, was liberal and appetising. aitara dames, by the way, are said to be splendid cooks.

Another Royal surprise visit was that of the German Emperor, who, when passing Friedrichsruhe, commanded the train to be pulled up, and to the surprise of everyone, for even his eccentricity some people think has limits, sent a message to Prince Bismarck saying that he would be glad of the opportunity to meet him, and desiring the old man to come and wait on him. It is easy to understand that the Man of Blood and Iron would be surprised at such a message, but, it is recounted by those who tell the tale, that the late Chancellor, but for the counsel of his family, would have accepted the informal invitation. As the story goes, however, the old man sent a message to say that he was indisposed—whether from illness or chagrin was not stated—and could not come. The Emperor whereupon gave orders to proceed, and the fate of Europe was perhaps once more changed.

The ladies’ gallery at the House of Parliament has been well patronised this week, there being so little else going on. Amongst those who frequently attend and take the greatest interest in all that is said are Mrs Rolleston (Christchurch), Mrs Valentine (Waimea), Mrs Oliver (Dunedin), Mrs and Miss Duthie, Mrs and Miss Fisher, Mrs Reeves, Lady Buckley, Mrs and Miss Reynolds (Dunedin), Mrs Rhodes (of The Grange), Mrs A. Rhodes (Christchurch), Mrs J. G. Wilson ( Rangitakei), Mrs Ballance, Mrs Allen (Dunedin), Mrs and Miss McKenzie (Otago), Miss Seddon (West Coast), Mrs Newman, Mrs Grace, Mrs Robison (Christchurch), Mrs Hutchison, Mrs Meuteath, Mrs Izard, Miss Griffiths, etc. Lady Glasgow takes an interest in politics, and sometimes visits the House to listen.

I confess amazement at the story from Boston of the extraordinary prank indulged in a few days ago by the students of the supposedly straight-laced institution for blue-stockinged young women known as Smith College.

The peculiar notions of merry-making entertained by the strong minded jades who are dallying with metrics, isms, and ologies at Smith College, led them to arrange a marriage—mock, it is to be hoped—between two of their fellow students. All the details of such a ceremony, from the issuing of invitations to the reception of the guests at a hotel in Boston, and the tying in the due order of the nuptial knot, with the accompaniment of the exhilarating march from ‘ Lohengrin,’ were regularly gone through. So soberly was the joke carried out that many friends of Miss Duncan, the unblushing bride on the sportive occasion, were good enough to show their regard by handsome gifts. Miss Helen Langley Putman, the illequipped groom, carried her unwonted attire of starched linen and ebon tweed so gallantly that no suspicion of her sex transpired to the many guests bidden to the service. Whether this was due to artistic sartorial ingenuity, or to the conformation popularly thought to be peculiar to strongminded young women, does not reveal itself clearly from the accounts of the affair at hand.

It is a lamentable fact that some people scoff' at Missionary work. Few realise the self-denial and self restraint which missionaries and their wives have to exercise. At a working party where white confirmation jackets were being made for the Melanesian Mission, last week, Mrs Palmer, of Norfolk Island, gave some very interesting particulars of the work now being carried on by those who are treading in the footsteps of such men as Bishops Patteson and the two Selwyns. Like St. Paul, these noble teachers work with their own hands, digging and planting kumeras or yams to show the native converts how to labour. ‘My husband,’ said Mrs Palmer, ‘is now head cook. That does not mean that he looks on and directs the boiling of rice, vegetables, etc., but he has to do the work himself to teach the boys.’ The missionaries’ wives assist them in the school, working steadily a certain number of hours each day, and then devoting themselves to lessons in practical work of various kinds for the girls. The great drawback to this busy, useful life, is the necessary separation from their own children, who are obliged to be sent to Sydney or New Zealand to be educated.

Polo playing in India is like polo playing here, an expensive hobby, and so serious has the question become in the former country that Lord Roberts has felt compelled to issue a second circular on the matter, informing the officers that steps will have to be taken to check the game unless they can agree to play it in a humbler way. Like Rudyard Kipling’s mess accounts, polo is apt to land young officers in heavy financial bothers, and the Cornmander-inChief in India, though not wishing to curtail healthy sport, is acting for the benefit of the men in taking the action he has done, and it is to be hoped it will have the desired effect.

Sergeant-Major Pratt has arrived in Nelson. Let us hope he will soon devise a means of kidnapping the gentleman who is causing all the fires in that charming tow n. Another attempt was made recently to burn a house down this time not successfully.

Sir James Crichton Browne is a man of decided courage. In an address to the Medical Society of London he attacks the abuse of education of the young girl. He claims that as the weight of the female brain is smaller in proportion to the size of the body, and as the specific gravity of grey matter is less in the female brain than in the male brain, therefore the woman should not pursue her studies assiduously. This argument is not, however, of as serious importance as the grave charge brought by Sir James against high schools for gills. ‘Some of their methods are capable of leading to great evils.’ He saw lately a score of graduates from a celebrated college. ‘ Many of them had a stooping gait and withered appearance, shrunk shanks and spectacles on nose.’ And he then makes this impassioned plea .- ‘Let us conserve the beauty of our English girls very jealously. I would rather they remained ignorant of logarithms than that they lost a jot of it.’ Sir James is evidently one of those line old Conservatives who believe that women were created solely for the delectation of the eyes of man. A glance at the girls of our high schools and colleges would show him that his experience was a painful exception, for education does not necessarily turn a thing of beauty int" an inspirer of horror.

The dance given by Miss Gibson, the Lady Principal, and the other ladies of the Nelson Girls’ College, was certainly a most brilliant and successful affair. There were about a hundred people present, and the scene as one entered was a very gay and charming one. The room had

been prettily decorated, being draped with bunting, ferns, and green, etc. The mantel piece looked lovely, being a perfect bank of pink and white camellias. The programmes were very pretty, having painted figures on them dressed in various old English styles. It is hardly necessary to add that the music was good (says my correspondent), when 1 say that Mrs Greenfield presided at the piano. The supper was a most sumptuous one. The three long tables almost groaned with their heavy weight, and seemed to cry aloud for people to take pity on them and relieve their sufferings. Needless to say this was speedily accomplished. There were two cosy little sitting-rooms where people could sit if they liked warmth and cosy comfort, but beside these there were several other rooms where the guests might wander about at will. Extras were played by Misses Watson, Wood and F. Sealy. The party broke up about 1.15 a.m., and every one went home voting the dance quite the most successful one they had been to this year.

The Nelson Poultry, Bird, and Dog Show was held on Friday and Saturday week, and an excellent one it was. The poultry classes were especially good, the quality of exhibits having largely improved since last year. It is, moreover, satisfactory to find the number of local breeders is steadily increasing. Owing to counter attractions, the attendance neither day was as good as it might have been. The Committee have been busy for some time getting up an Art Union in aid of the funds of the Society, and from the way the tickets were sold they ought to make a good profit. The prizes were drawn on Saturday evening, and intense excitement prevailed until the lucky winner of the first prize was drawn, everyone wanting to become the lucky owner of the beautiful little sulky which headed the prize list.

ON Friday evening Mr W. H. Webbe will hold one of his open evenings, when an excellent programme of eleven numbers will be gone through. It was somewhat severe on the Amateur Opera Clubigts " of Auckland that the local children should have anticipated them and given a performance of ‘ Pinafore ’ just two evenings ahead of them. To draw comparisons in this case would doubtless be specially odious, but it is impossible to overlook the fact that the children were excellent. The performance took place in St. Sepulchre’s Schoolroom, Miss Harding being directress. The cast of characters was as follows Sir Joseph Porter, Master G. Mcßride; Captain Corcoran, Master Harding; Ralph Rackstraw, Miss R. Fraser; Dick Deadeye, Master C. C. Beale; Boatswain, Miss A. Townshend ; Boatswain’s Mate, Master J. Fraser; Hebe, Miss B. Bonar; Little Buttercup, Miss W. Goodwin ; Josephine, Miss M. Harding. All acted capably, and the singing was, all things considered, very good. Miss Harding made an excellent Josephine. Miss W. Goodwin made a delightful Buttercup, looking remarkably pretty, and really deserving the title ‘ dear little ’ which Gilbert gave her. She acted and sang very agreeably too, and was one of the successes. Miss Fraser did well as Ralph Rackstraw. Master G. McBride as Sir Joseph was good, his enunciation being excellent. Master C. T. Harding made a good deal of his part as Captain Corcoran. The choruses were effective, and deserve praise. The dresses and scenery were pretty, and the whole performance indeed a great success.

One of the most agreeable musicales of the season was the impromptu one given by Dr. and Mrs Campbell to Admiral Lord Charles Scott. There were about eighty guests, who w ere received by Dr. and Mrs Campbell in the drawingroom, thence they drifted into the beautiful music hall through an ample corridor. This very large room will hold from four to five hundred people. It is decorated in true artistic style. The walls ate covered with Italian scenery, mostly exquisite water views brought from Italy by the doctor. The ceiling is splendidly frescoed by Mr Holland, and the floor consists of inlaid New Zealand wood. The acoustic properties of the hall are perfect.

Mil ARTHUR Towsey, who seems destined to become as popular in Auckland as he was in Dunedin, was very generous in his musical contributions, delighting his audience with six or seven songs. Mr Arnold in * Will o’ the Wisp,’ achieved a distinct success. Mr Stubbs also sang. Amongst the instrumental pieces, Mr Beale’s ’cello solos were decidedly the most popular, ami he had to | lay three times, the genial Admiral appearing to greatly enjoy this part of the programme. Mrs Taylor and

Miss O'Brien played prettily. There was an excellent supper to which full justice was done, as music does not fill the hunger vacuum. Amongst the other guests were Captain Barlow several officers from the Orlando, Ringarooma, and Goldfinch, also Dr. and Mrs Honeyman, Professor and Mrs Thomas, Mr and Mrs Broham, Dr. and Mrs Davey, Mr and Mrs Taylor, Professor Pond, Colonel Haultain, Mrs and the Misses Moss, Mrs Pritt and a young lady friend, Mrs Ruck, Mrs Brackenburg, Mrs and Miss Gordon (Onehunga), Mr and Mrs Arnold, Mr Gentle, etc., etc. The latest elected member, Mr R. C. Bruce, w hose portrait we give this week, is no stranger to the House of Re presentatives, having held a seat on two previous occasions. Mr Bruce settled in the colony in 1877, having formerly led a seafaring life. He was first elected for Rangitikei in 1884, and re elected for the same seat in 1887. At the last general

election he was defeated by Mr Hutchison for Waitotara by twenty votes. He was again defeated for the Egmont seat by Mr McGuire. The death of Mr McArthur again called him into the field for Rangitikei, in which contest he was once more successful.