AUCKLAND.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XVIII, Issue XIV, 3 April 1897, Page 421

AUCKLAND.

Dear Bee, March 29. We are keeping Lent fairly well, and I have hardly any stirring news for you. I hear of a number of weddings to eventuate at Easter tide ; till then orange blossoms will not be worn. Mrs Shirley Baker, of ‘ Vaiola House,’ Symonds-street, gave A LARGE AFTERNOON TEA to Mrs Hales, of Wellington, last Friday. Miss Baker sang very sweetly ‘Only a Dream,’ and Miss Laura Baker also sang a solo. The two youngest Misses Baker, whom you know dance so gracefully, were dressed in fancy costumes of short skirts, caps, etc., and danced the Cachuca, and the youngest charmingly fooled the hornpipe. Mrs Baker wore a very handsome black silk , Miss Baker, green tailor-made costume ; Miss — Baker, dark skirt, mauve silk blouse ; Miss Laura Baker, dark skirt, exquisite pink silk blouse trimmed with lace, chiffon ruched sleeves ; Mrs Hales (who shortly leaves for Wanganui) wore a stylish brown lustre ; Mrs Fenwicke, slate grey tailor made gown ; Mrs Houghton, black lustre ; Mrs Clayton (Sydney), black ; Mrs Hardie ; Mrs Thompson, very elegant black silk, white vest, black bonnet with white flowers; Mrs Thomson (Parnell), black silk ; Mrs Lennox, black silk ; Miss Worsp. dark skirt, light blouse ; and many others. Afternoon tea with dainty cakes, trifles, and jellies, was served in the dining-room. Miss Ella Baker is still at Tonga, where she is staying on account of her health. THE PARNELL TENNIS CLUB laiies were very unfortunate with their picnic, which was to have come off on Wednesday last, but as the rain descended so heavily at noon, just the time the guests were expected, they postponed it until Thursday, think ing that it had set in wet, but it cleared up beautifully in the afternoon, when a large number of the guests appeared, so afternoon tea was dispensed. The Committee decided that if the following day was wet they would entertain their guests in the pavilion with progressive euchre, but happily the next day the rain kept off Though dark clouds hung around, and the lawns were heavy with the rains on the prior night, about fifty or sixty turned up to luncheon ami one hundred in the afternoon to tea. The pavilion, which is a very large one, was arranged very prettily, just like a (lining saloon. The tables were decorated with large pots of fetus draped in bouton d'or, ami vases of cosmos and dahlias, and were just weighed down with good things. Mrs Holmes, Misses Davy* (two). Cole brook, and other lady members did all in their power for the comfort and pleasure ot their guests. The day was occupied in playing off doubles, for which the Parnell

Club gave trophies for the best out of seventeen games, the winners to receive two pairs of gloves, and there was also a prize for those who came second, and a booby prize for those who had the least number of games. Amongst those present were Mrs Blair, Mrs Harrison, Mrs Beale, Mrs Holmes, Misses Watkins, Ring, Sloman, Cuff, Burch, Bellairs, Davy (two), Ledingham (two), Kempthorne (two), Nicholson (two). Hay, Harvey, Mrs Kempthorne, etc. Dark skirts and light blouses were, of course, chiefly «n evidence. On Thursday I noticed Mrs Ruck, in black and white check tailor-made gown; Mrs Pollan, black lustre skirt, striped black and white silk bodice, bonnet with flowers ; Mrs Robert Dargaville. black morning costume ; Mrs Tewsley, absinthe green cloth tailor-made gown ; Mrs Thorne George, very handsome black brocaded silk, black bonnet with red geraniums so deftly copied from nature that one wondered if they were not nature’s own ; Mrs J. Roach, slate grey tailor-made gown, blue vest, black hat with piuk roses ; Mrs Preston Stevenson, very stylish black lustre; Mrs Holmes, dark skirt, light blouse ; Mrs Jones, navy striped lustre, black bonnet with pink roses ; Mrs T. Beale, dark skirt, light blouse ; Mrs Goodhue. black lustre ; Miss Barstow, black lustre lined with orange silk, veiled in black lace ; Miss Rees, dark skirt, light blouse ; MissChurton, fawn tailor-made gown : Miss Bull, bright blue striped cambric ; Miss Beatrice Bull, riding habit skirt, light blouse ; Miss Amphlet, black lustre skirt, white blouse, black sailor hat; Miss Russell (Devonport), dark skirt, yellow shower muslin blouse, white sailor hat ; Miss Hull, dark skirt, light blouse, red sailor hat and red tie ; Miss Harvie (Devonport), dark skirt, pink blouse, sailor hat; Miss Shuttleworth, black lustre tailor-made gown ; Miss Stella Rice, white pique ; Mrs Blair, dark green skirt, green striped blouse, sailor hat ; Miss Kempthorne, pink striped cambric ; Miss Gertrude Kempthorne, dark skirt, light blouse ; Misses Laird, Colebrook (three), Davy (two), Clarke, Cuff'. Ledingham (two), Paisley, G. Rice, Atkinson (three), Burch, Hay, Bellairs, Frost, Sloman, and Ring were gowned in dark skirts and light blouses ; Misses Dargaville (two), black mourning costumes, etc. I also noticed Messrs Holmes, Shuttleworth, Burch. Frost, Younghusband, and many other gentlemen. On the EDEX AND EPSOM LAWN last Saturday there was a large attendance to witness the final of the Ladies' and Gentlemen's Singles. Miss Nicholson beat Miss Gorrie after some excellent play, which was pluckily carried on through a shower of rain, which damped the lawns, balls, and players not a little, while the numerous spectators stood around with umbrellas and cloaks. There was also a match between Mr Hooper and Mr Marshal, which was very exciting. The two silver cups were displayed on a small table near the pavilion. Amongstthosepresentlnoticedthefollowing:— Mrs L’dy, black lustre, with cape and bonnet en suite ; Misses Paton (three), dark gowns; Mrs Clayforth, violet serge with mauve silk ; Mrs Chapman, dark skirt, pink blouse ; Mrs Seagar, black lustre skirt, white blouse with red ribbons, sailor hat with red band ; Miss Claire Smith, navy tailor-made gown ; Miss Haigh, black skirt, striped black and white silk blouse, sailor hat; Mrs Watkins, black lustre, with vest, cuff's and collar of white veiled in black net, black bonnet with white flowers ; Mrs Peel, black lustre, orange yoke veiled in black, black hat with yellow roses ; Miss Watkins, white striped muslin, white beafeater hat with flowers ; Mrs Clark, black silk ; Miss A. Clark, pale blue zephyr ; Miss Ring, yellow flowered delaine ; Mrs Stericker, pink cambric, fawn cloak ; Mrs Ashton Bruce grey lustre skirt, white silk blouse ; Mrs Preston Stevenson, black lustre skirt, black and white striped blouse with white sleeves, black picture hat with ostrich feathers ; Miss Stevenson (Ponsonby) and her married sister from the South were similarly gowned in brown ; Mrs Holmes, black lustre, large black picture hat ; Mrs Blair, dark green tailor-made gown ; Mrs Ernest Beale, pretty pink taffeta silk, fawn cape; Miss Atkinson, pink cambric, white lace fichu ; Miss Amphlet. black costume ; Misses Bull (two), dark skirts, light blouses; Miss Maggie McDonald, grey lustre with bronze green ; Mrs Harry Tonks, riding habit: Miss Pekin, grey with fawn lace : Mrs Torrance, black ; Miss Torrance, navy tailor-made gown, pink vest; Mrs Talbot Tubbs, black skirt, pink silk blouse; Mrs Hitchcock, black lustre with mauve green Oriental sleeves, bonnet with mauve flowers ; Mr Charles Baker, grey lustre, fur boa, floral bonnet; Miss Blades, black lustre ; Miss Wallace, brown tailor-made gown ; Miss Mabel P'rost. dark skirt, blue blouse ; Miss Gorrie. dark skirt, light blouse ; Miss Mary Gorrie, heliotrope zephyr; Mrs Shipherd, brown gown, fawn hat with feathers ; Miss Hesketh. dark skirt, green velvet blouse : Miss Grace Hesketh, dark skirt, fawn cape ; Mrs McFarland, white zephyr, violet floral bonnet; Mrs Hooper, black lustre, bonnet with purple flowers ; Miss Hooper, black lustre, hat en suite ; her sister wore a dark skirt, light blouse ; Mrs Hooper jun ). butcher blue cambric with red tie; Miss White, canary coloured crepon. black hat; Mrs Hay, mauve lustre, blacs bonnet ; Mrs Sloman, dark skirt, white blouse, black bonnet ; Misses Sloman (two), dark skirts, light blouses; Mrs Heather, very handsome black silk, bonnet en suite ; Miss Davy, dark skirt, light blouse ; and her sister wore a navy tailormade gown ; Mrs Mahoney, navy tailor made gown, pink vest, sailor hat ; Miss Garland, dark skirt, light blouse, pretty red sailor hat; Misses Nicholson (two), dark skirts, light blouses ; Mrs Harrison ; Miss Brown, brown tailor-made gown ; Mrs Snell, dark skirt, light blouse ; Misses Bleazzard (two) wore waterproofs; Miss Hardie, mode grey skirt and cape, white blouse ; Mrs Clayton (Sydney), stylish combination of navy serge and white ; Mrs Vpton, navy blue ; Misses Stewart, dark skirts, light blouses; Miss Dolly Scherff, brown costume; Misses Rice (three), navy serges ; Mrs Robest Dargaville and her niece. Miss Dargaville, black mourning costumes ; etc. Amongst the gentlemen were Messrs Paton, Peel, Dargaville (two), Dennison, Cuff. Harrison, Heather (four), Tonks, Eliott, Whitson, Frost, Scherff, Grimshaw, Udy, Stevenson, McLean, McP'arland, Chapman, C. Baker, Blair, Holmes, Watkins, Sloman, etc.

Mr William Martin (junrj, of Mount Albert, and well known in athletic circles, got up A RIDING PARTY last Wednesday evening with the intention of riding in the twilight to St. Helier’s Bay and returning by moonlight. About twenty equestrians turned up at the rendezvous, and as the night unfortunately was a dull one, so dark that one could scarcely see one’s companion, a great deal of amusement was afforded, and especially when a few of the party actually got lost. Amongst those present were Misses Martin, Jagger, Seccombe, Tanner, Messrs Twiss, Seccombe, Jervis, Brodie, and the rest were, I believe, Mount Albert people. THEATRE DRESSES. Miss Emilie Hughes and Miss Watts-Phillips were beautifully gowned in ‘ Called Back.’ The former in Act 111. looked very pretty in pale pink satin with a bertha of chiffon and lace, Miss Phillips wore a handsome blue brocaded satin, finished with lace. Among the audience I noticed Mrs T. Peacock, in greenyslate figured theatre dress; Mrs J. L. Dixon, handsome black dress; Mrs Cheesman, a combination of pale blue and dark green ; Mrs Hope Lewis, pale pink evening dress ; Mrs Preston Stevenson, blue silk, black lace fichu; Miss Moss Davis, pretty pink glace silk theatre blouse trimmed with white lace and chiffon, dark skirt; Miss Dolly Davis, cream lace over pink; Miss Thomas, all white; Miss Percival, pink silk; Miss — Percival, blue semi-evening gown trimmed with white lace ; Miss Kennedy, white ; Miss Geddis looked well in white lawn costume. STREET DRESSES. Mrs Thorne-George, dahlia-coloured costume, black velvet bonnet with chiffon bows and feathers ; Mrs Colbeck looked stylish in a green cloth tailor-made gown, white gem hat; Mrs Brett, green shot silk gown, bonnet en suite; Miss Noakes looked very dainty in white muslin with touches of blue, becoming hat ; Mrs G. Collins, light pongee blouse, black crepon skirt, large black hat; Miss Devore, pink floral muslin, black velvet hat; Miss Whitson, white pique, stylish white hat; Miss Courtayne wore a black gown with heliotrope floral design, hat en suite; Mrs T. Morrin, stylish street dress, jacket and skirt of browny-grey face cloth, light vest, smart black hat with feathers. WEST END ROWrNG CLUB. Amongst other items this week I must not omit a meed of praise to the very successful ‘ At Home ’ given in return by the lady friends of the members of the West End Rowing Club, Ponsonby, on Saturday afternoon. The Club's boat-house was effectively decorated with flags of all colours and designs. These were happily blended with foliage and pampas grasses. The table was laden with all sorts of tempting viands, and was tastefully arranged with flowers and miniature flags of black and white —the Club's colours About one thousand guests were entertained in the course of the afternoon, taxing the energies of the ladies and their gentlemen assistants pretty severely. They proved, however, quite equal to the occasion, and everyone seemed to enjoy the outing. The Ladies’ Committee consisted of Mesdames Clark, J. Coe, Cowan, Gallaher, S. D. Hanna, Captain Owen. Vaile (hon. sec.), Misses M. Edwards, Knight, Nesta Rees, Simson, and Watson, aided by many willing coadjutors. Several gig races took place in the course of the afternoon, but friendly chat at the tea-table was more engrossing and attractive than the aquatic events to the great majority of visitors. Mrs Peacock presented the prizes, Mr T. Peacock, patron of the Club, delivering a short address at the request of Mr John Clark, captain, in the course of which he congratulated the ladies on the excellent arrangements they had made for attending to the guests. At the conclusion of the presentation three cheers were given for Mr and Mrs Peacock and for the ladies’ committee. A dance in the boat-house in the evening wasjoined in by about 100 couples, Mr S. D. Hanna officiating as M.C. Mrs Peacock wore a rich red shot bengaline gown trimmed with black and shot silk, black bonnet with red flowers and osprey ; Mrs S. Hanna, black, bodice strapped with white silk veiled with lace, black and white velvet toque ; Mrs Clark, black, white silk zouave covered with black lace, brown toque with shaded roses ; Miss Knight looked very well in cream taffeta silk finished with gold passementerie, large black velvet hat; Mrs Masefield, terracotta frieze cloth gown, bodice of brocaded velvet, fur boa, steel bonnet with clusters of roses; Mrs T. W. Leys, handsome shot pink lustre costume, hat ensuite; Miss Winnie Leys, tasteful grey figured lustre frock finished with frills of ribbon of same shade, cream and golden brown hat ; Miss Nelson, black skirt, pretty shot blue lustre blouse, white hat trimmed with white satin ribbon ; Mrs Oldham, black ; Miss Oldham, white spotted muslin, full collar and belt of yellow satin, black skirt, large black hat with yellow flowers ; Miss Dunnett, fawn cloth costume, red straw hat with black plumes; Mrs Robertson, black figured costume; Mrs J. R. Hanna, stylish black and pink check embossed cloth with straps of pink silk under black lace, floral toque ; Miss Devore looked dainty in pink muslin, the frilled sleeves edged with lace, black hat with poppies and lace ; Mrs Crawshaw, black Ottoman silk, black hat with shot wings ; Miss Kennedy, pink blouse, dark skirt ; Miss Mabel Hanna, veiux rose blouse, vandyke yoke of cream lace ; Miss Rathbone, fawn tweed, revers of ivy green velvet, black hat trimmed with green velvet; Mrs Windsor wore a stylish gown—a combination of vieux rose and black silk grenadine, floral toque ; Mrs Butler, Nil green gown, fawn satin bodice, hat en suite; Miss Bertha Gittos, white pique blouse, blue cloth skirt; Miss B. Whitelaw wore a pretty Nil green veiling with dark green velvet sleeves, black hat with Nil green bow and yellow flowers ; Miss Gray, Prussian blue costume trimmed with shot silk and passementerie, black gem hat; Miss Rees looked dainty in white trimmed with lace ; Miss May Rees, shot lustre trimmed with veiux rose silk, white Leghorn hat ; Miss Vaile, pale pink costume, black hat; Miss L. Edmiston, pale green costume ; Miss Nellie Edmiston, black serge jacket and skirt, golden brown straw hat

witß violet irises; Mrs Hudson, rich black silk, black toque with feathers; Misses Hudson in pink and blue, respectively; Mrs Reynolds, black and white check silk, zouave and wings, over sleeves of white silk veiled with lace, white felt Tyrolese hat ; Mrs Gulliver, navy serge, black felt Alpine hat ; Mrs Andrews, rose pink blouse, black skirt ; Mrs Cowan, white and black spotted pongee ; Mrs Coe, light blouse, black skirt, black hat ; Miss Pearl Hanna, cream frock, black and white hat; Mrs Ambrose Millar, blue and white stripe blouse, grey skirt, brown hat; Mrs Mitchell, fawn bengaline, full vest of shot silk, bonnet with shaded roses; Miss Edwards, black and white ; Miss R Edwards, black and white check blouse, black skirt, black hat ; Miss Bach, pink and white stripe cambric; Miss Muriel Blades, cream frock; Miss M. Fenwick, white pique; Mrs Court, black satin trimmed with jet, violet velvet bonnet; Mrs Crawford, black, black bat with feathers ; Miss Crawford was frocked in cream ; Mrs Matthews, black, blue silk vandyked yoke veiled with black lace, large black velvet hat; Mrs Hodgson, green cloth costume; Mrs Atkinson, light blouse, data skirt ; Miss Cooke, rose pink costume ; etc., etc.

Phyllis Broune.