BLENHEIM.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XIX, Issue VIII, 14 August 1897, Page 247

BLENHEIM.

Dear Bee, August 3. Miss Horton’s dance, which took place last Wednesdav, was an unqualified success, and though rain fell in the early part of the day, the sky had cleared by the evening, and dancers were enabled togain the Good Templars' Hall without having anything worse to encounter than the inevitable mud. The supper was daintily and prettily set out in the back room, and one wondered at the profusion of spring flowers, narcissi and scarlet japonica alternating with variegated foliage with very attractive effect. Among the ladies present I noticed Miss Blanche Mills, who wore a pretty green dress ; Miss Olive Mills, a cream dress, the corsage prettily adorned with violets; Miss Cotterell (Sydney), blue dress and white chiffon ; Miss Johnston, pink silk veiled with striped gauze; Miss Simson, navy skirt, pink silk bodice with jet trimmings ; Miss Fell (Picton) wore a very pretty and becoming dress of white shimmering silk, sleeves of white .satin, the square-cut bodice outlined with light green velvet ; Miss Mildred Fell looked well in black velvet and white chiffon ; Miss Pearce looked very nice in cream ; Miss Powell was in white; Miss Garrard, pink; Miss Leslie (Motneka), green, made in Princess style ; Miss E. Nosworthy, eau de Nil dress; Miss F. Nosworthy, pretty pale pink dress ; Miss May Nosworthy, pink; Miss Mullen, grey skirt, pretty prismatic tinted chiffon trimming a vivid green blouse; Miss Millie Mullen wore palest yellow contrasting with emerald green velvet ; Miss J. McArtney wore a very pretty pink Empire dress with jet ornamentations ; Miss Kate McArtney, an artistic combina-

tiorr of pale blue and darker green ; Miss Kate Sinclair, pretty pink dress trimmed with bands of ribbon of the same colour ; Miss Muriel Sinclair, dark skirt, pale blue blouse ; Miss Bertha Farmar, pale blue trimmed with gold passementerie and blue chiffon ; Miss Clara Farmar, black skirt, pretty pink silk blouse; Miss Fiven, black skirt, salmon pi>.k blouse with frills of chiffon ; Misses Purser (two), cream dresses and sashes ; Miss A. Horton wore a pale yellow dress ; Miss Joe Horton, dark skirt, pretty cream b ouse crossed in front and edged with gold passementerie ; Miss Maclaine, dark skirt, pink bodice ; Miss Rhoda Barnett, cream ; Miss Horton wore cream, and very handsome crimson breetded sash; Miss Essie Waddy was in yel ow crepon ; Miss Cecil Johnston, dark skirt, very pretty blue veiling blouse ; Miss Smith, dark dress; Miss Bessie Smith, dark crimson dress; etc. Some of the gentlemen were Messrs Pulliene, Mirams, G. Griffiths, Waddy, Pickering, Jefferies, Harris, H. Hodson, H. Horton, Mabin. H. Stowe, W. Ewart, MacShane (two), C. Simson, F. Mullen, Sugden, Eckford, etc., etc. The interest in the debating society is extending, and last Friday night there was a large audience, who had the pleasure of listening to an excellent debate on ‘capital punishment,’ Mr D. Sinclair affirming that it should be abolished, Mr L. Griffiths opposing. The subject was well debated, many taking part, but Miss Pearce was the only lady speaker, and what she said was to the point, any flaw in Mr Sinclair’s argument being keen'y commented upon. The Rev. Mr Baker, of Brightwater, Nelson, who had only arrived that day to take charge of the parish for a month, was an able and humorous chairman, and when at the conclusion of his summing up, the votes were taken, it was found that only six were in favour of the abolition of capital punishment. The subject for next Friday is ‘ls not too much prominence given to Athletics, to the curtailment of mental exercises,’ when Miss Pearce will open the debate, Mr Charles Mac Shane to oppose.

Frida.