WELLINGTON.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XII, Issue XVII, 28 April 1894, Page 403

WELLINGTON.

Dear Bee, April 19. Mrs Brandon, sen., of Hobson-street, gave a very enoyable AFTERNOON * AT HOME ’ on Saturday from four to six o’clock. Mrs Wroughton {nee Miss Fanny Brandon) of Canterbury is Visiting her mother, and the party was given for her, in order that she might have an opportunity of meeting all her own friends again. The weather was just perfect, and was so warm that most people appeared in their summer frocks again. Lawn tennis was played all the afternoon by the young people, and several other games were also arranged in the garden and caused much amusement. A delicious afternoon tea was laid out in the dining-room and was prettily decorated. and after partaking of this, many of the guests strolled round the beautiful garden and were presented with bouquets of flowers, etc. Mrs Brandon wore a beautiful gown or black velvet with a deep shoulder frill of cream silk Maltese lace, and a black bonnet; Mrs Wroughton wore a fawn gown made zouave fashion and trimmed with bronze velvet, and a small bronze straw hat with salmon pink roses and ribbon; Miss Brandon wore a grey zouave costume trimmed with pink and grey shot silk, and her sister wore a bright shade of Slue trimmed with black velvet and epaulettes of cream lace. Among the guests were Mrs H. Crawford, in fawn cloth trimmed with checked silk ; Mrs A. Crawford, Mrs Higginson, Sir Kenneth and Miss Douglas, Miss Pearce, wearing ecru silk trimmed with the same coloured lace, and a large black hat with a crown of ecru lace; Mrs Maxwell, Mrs Walter Johnston, in a handsome black Sown and bonnet; the Misses Johnston, Dr. and Mrs Grace, Miss race, the Misses Menzies. Mrs and the Misses Williams, Miss Barron, Mrs Pynsent, Mrs Barry Goring, Mrs George Pearce, besides many others, including a number of young gentlemen who were playing tennis. Mrs Wroughton has brought her little girl with he»*, ana will stay some weeks longer with her mother. Mrs Friend, of Karori, gave a very pleasant LITTLE DANCE at her residence there on Saturday night. The weather was not quite all that could be desired for a country dance, as a southerly • buster’ sprung up towards evening, quite altering the character of the lovely weather we had enjoyed throughout the day. A ’bus went out from town, and among the guests who went by it were the Misses Rose, Miss Butts, a number of hospital nurses, whom Mr, Mrs and Miss Friend got to know very well during Mr Friend’s recent illness, when he was confined to the hospital for some months. Some of the guests went out early in the afternoon and played tennis, but most went by the five o’clock bus and spent a very merry evening Mr Friend’s many friends will be glad to hear that he has almost entirely recovered, and hope to see him in his usual place during the coming session. Mr Glegg, bank manager, has gone home for a six months’ visit, and his place in the mean time is being filled by Mr Gee. Dr. Cahill, who has recently been so ill in Napier, has almost entirely recovered now. and is expected back in Wellington shortly. I hear that the severity of his illness (typhoid fever) has had the effect of turning him grey. Both Sir Patrick and Lady Buckley, and also the Premier (Mr Seddon), visited Dr. Cahill while in Napier. The doctor is still a guest of Sir George and Lady Whitmore, of Clive. A very pleasant little gathering took place after the ordinary practice of the ORCHESTRAL SOCIETY a few evenings ago. The President, Mr G. E. Tolhurst, presented the conductor, Mr Alfred Hill, with a beautiful silver mounted baton suitably inscribed, as a token of esteem from the members. The baton was presented to the Society for this purpose by Mr Frank Grady. Mr Hill replied and said it gave him the greatest pleasure to accept this token of good fellowship from the members, and in thanking them said how much he would always value it. The first practice for the coming MUSICAL FESTIVAL took place this week at Thomas’ Hall, there being over two hundred voices present, and there are several more in all the parts yet to be added, who were unavoidably absent irom the first practice. Many little details which had to be arranged to begin with took up part of the evening, but a good hour s practising showed that the conductor, Mr Parker, had capital material to work upon, and that there is every prospect of the festival being a huge success. It has been taken up with great enthusiasm, both from a musical and financial point of view. It is to take Slace before the end of the year. Some of the works to be prouced are ’lsrael in Egypt.’ ‘The Golden Legend,’ ‘The Creation,’ and the remainder of the programme will probably include ‘ The Redemption ’ and ‘ The Spectre’s Bride.’ An excellent committee with, as secretary. Mr Theo. Ritchie, are working the affair up, and evidently intend to eclipse that of a few years ago. The annual CHRYSANTHEMUM SHOW takes place next week. The weather has been very mild during the last few days, and we are hoping it will continue so until the Show is over, for weather seems to affect chrysanthemums almost more than any other flowers, and as there are some beautiful blooms now in the gardens it would be a thousand pities to have them spoiled before it takes place. Wellington society people are getting very restless, and are beginning to wonder when we shall see the Government House once more inhabited. The budding beauties are whispering. ‘ What about a birthday ball ?’ and so on. The fact is that Lord and Lady Glasgow are so very good to us when they arc here that it makes us miss them all the more when they are absent. PREPARATIONS FOR THE SESSION. Government House will hardly seem the same with a new hostess and Glasgow, Col. Boyle, Miss Hallowes. and Miss Wauchope absent. Another change since last session too, is the fact of Lady Augusta having made her debut. The house and grounds are being put in order for the winter, and are beginning to look quite spruce. The house is being painted, and the fences, stables, and all outbuildings are painted to match. The Parliamentary Buildings are also being renovated, and a new entrance is being made from Moles worth-street. This entrance will be the main one, and should look very well when planted and laid out, for one intention is to have a large fountain playing in front of the entrance. OUR PEOPLE. Lady and Miss Gorst arrived from Nelson last week and left today for England by the Ruapehu. During their stay in Wellington Ladj' Gorst was the guest of Mrs H. D. Bell, and Miss Gorst of Mrs T. C. Williams. They both appear charmed with New Zealand, and carry back all kinds of mementos typical of this country, and with the exception of the sad ending (the death of Mrs Lorenzo Moore, of Nelson, Lady Gorst’s mother) seem to have had a delightful time in New Zealand. The Hon. Mr and Mrs Irby, who have been touring New Zealand, also left by the Ruapehu on their return to the Old Country.

Ophelia.