AUCKLAND.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XIX, Issue VIII, 14 August 1897, Page 244

AUCKLAND.

Dear Bee. August 9. The tremendous excitement of last Monday over the wreck of the * Tasmania ’ has somewhat subsided, though, of course, it was eagerly discussed over that great conversation-assistant—a cup of tea—at the various Bohea functions of the week. A large AFTERNOON TEA was given by Mrs Ching at her pretty residence, ‘ Ely House,’ Remuera, last Tuesday. Our hostess was ably assisted to entertain her guests by her charming daughter, whose natural and unaffected manner was much appreciated as she flitted in and out attending to the various requirements of the visitors. Songs were rendered by Mrs Walter Lawry, Mrs Sydney Nathan, Miss Kempthorne (Christchurch), and Mrs Ching, while Miss Ching played a pianoforte solo, and during the intervals the Italian band discoursed sweet strains, being stationed near the window on the verandah, which was enclosed with canvas. This soft music had a soothing influence, as it dulled the usual clatter of tonques, making one feel dreamy, and rather unfitted to come back to earth and remember gowns. The piano was placed in the entrance hall, while chairs were the only furniture of the recep-tion-room, which was lighted by gas chandeliers, and the blinds drawn, so that the room had the appearance of night. The tea-room was also lighted with gas. The table was uniquely decorated with white damask cloth and ribbons of red, white and blue drawn from corner to corner, dividing the table into triangular shapes, and finished, with specimen vases of white snowflakes lighted with fairy lamps, and surrounded with cakes, trifles, jellies, etc. Now for the difficult part of the afternoon’s business—to describe the gowns, which, if incorrect, you must excuse me, as Colour in gas light is so deceiving, and I confess I was much more interested in the music than the frocks of my lady acquaintances. Mrs Ching wore a very handsome black merveilleux en traine, relieved at neck and sleeves with black net and black beads ; Miss Geraldine Ching, dark skirt, emerald green blouse with white point lace ; Mrs Brassey (sister of our hostess), black widow’s weeds ; Mrs Gutheridge, neat-fitting tweed in coat and skirt style ; Mrs Dignan, green and black corduroy velvet trimmed with mignonette silk, black high-crowned chip hat with petunia ribbons ; Mrs Peacock, grey satin figured with purple flowers, black bonnet with purple, black mantle; Mrs Ran. son, well-fittinggreengown, becoming black high-crowned hat ; Mrs Haywood, black gown, black bonnet with old gold; MrsJohnßoacb, pavementgrey tailor-madecostume, purple vest with gold spots, bonnet to correspond ; Mrs Reid-Bloomfield, black, white satin vest veiled in black, black bonnet; Miss Reay, green gown trimmed with fox fur; Mrs Harry Tonks, black mourning costume, black hat with white daisies ; Mrs A. Buckland, black mourning costume; Mrs Ashton Bruce, periwinkle blue fancy lustre, very pretty black high-crowned chip hat with wreath of blue forget-me-nots and large bows ; Mrs MacArthur, black moire;MrsD. Clerk,bluey-green with fur, hat with pink bow; Mrs E. Hesketh, mourning costume ; Mrs Williams, black silk ; Mrs Archer, black mourning costume ; Mrs Beatty, brown check Bannockburn tweed, black hat with shaded ribbon ; Mrs Shera, navy blue tailor-made gown, bouton d'or vest, bonnet with buttercups ; Mrs Lonsdale Pritt, black merveilleux ; Mrs Tewsley, grey Kelso Cheviot tweed, felt toque with folded red velvet; Mrs Kerr-Taylor, black lace ; Misses Kerr-Taylor, coquelicot red cashmere with black braid, hats en suite; Mrs A. P. Wilson, black Irish poplin, black velvet cape, black velvet bonnet relieved with red ; Mrs Reid (Kohomarma), beige tweed with Italie silk vest, black velvet bonnet with yellow tufts ; Mrs Walter Lawry, black widow’s weeds ; Mrs Bamford, dark green costume; Mrs Sydney Nathan, very striking black silk with magenta silk bodice veiled in black lace, large black hat with flowers and magenta ribbons ; Mrs (Captain) Worsp, mode grey tweed ; Mrs Heather, black silk ; Mrs Thomas Brassey, fawn tailormade gown, red vest; Miss Kempthorne, navy gown, white felt hat; Miss Stevenson (Ponsonby), brown ; Mrs Nelson Gamble, dark green ; Mrs Bodie, slate grey ; Mrs Lennox, black ; Mrs E. W. Peyton, brown ; Mrs Hardy, black ; Mrs L. Benjamin ; Mrs Matthew Clark, beige; Mrs C. C. McMillan, black silk ; Mrs Robert Dargaville, black mourning costume ; Mrs Norton ; etc. On Tuesday evening of last week Mrs (Judge) Smith gave a LARGE DANCE at her residence, * Watea,’ Grafton Road. Nearly a hundred guests were present, the majority of them being the young friends of Miss Bessie Smith, and the evening —a perfect one for dancing—was thoroughly enjoyed by a)l. The long dining room -was used by the dancers, while the drawing-room and the judge’s study were much appreciated, and .well patronised by the non-

•dancers, who indulged in music and cards. The several verandahs, carefully awned in and profusely decorated with flags, toitoi grass, and arum lilies, were freely utilised' by all, while the good things provided for supper were ample and varied, reflecting great credit upon the hostess and her daughters. Amongst those present were Mesdatnes Stone, Keogh, Neil, A. Kenderdine, C. C. Baker, Colegrove, Williamson and Ashton, the Misses Brabant, Girdler, Cormack {Sydney), Atkinson, Rice (two), Preece, Slowman (two), Watson, Brown (two), Pierce (two), Fenton, Dawson. Lusk, Biss. Watkins, Snell, Lindsay, Dacre, ShirleyBaker, Dudley (two), Aickin, Garland, Ilbert, etc., and Messrs Outhwaite, R. Neil, Brabant, C. C. Baker, Colegrove, Kenderdine, Ilbert, Lusk, Slowman (two), Dawson {two), Rice, Kallender, Stone, Kissling, P. Marshall, N. Baker, Hay, Biss (two), Keogh, Flavell. Pierce (two), Dacre (two), Watson, and many others. Amongst so many pretty girls it is rather a difficult matter to select the ‘ belle,’ but the general opinion on that point seemed to be that the honors were very evenly divided between the Misses Brabant and Biss. On Friday evening Miss Olive Smith entertained some eighty of her young friends, and that evening passed off •quite as successfully as its predecessor. A large ‘ at home ’ was given by Mrs R. A. Carr last Friday afternoon at her residence * Marivale,’ Epsom. Our hostess’ efforts to amuse her guests were lightened by her niece, Miss Nora Carr. Both received the visitors at the entrance of the large reception-room, where the guests wandered ad ■lib through the conservatory, verandah and garden. Musical items were rendered by the following:—Pianoforte solos, Misses Cochrane and Whewell; songs by Miss K. Thompson and Miss Sybil Nathan. Afternoon tea was served in a room off the verandah. The table was prettily deicorated with canary silk drapery, and finished with vases of yellow daffodils surrounded with tasty cakes and sweets. Many of the young lady guests, with charming alacrity, handed the tea round to the guests in the reception-room. This room was prettily decorated with yellow daffodils, pink camellias being arranged on the piano and mantelpiece. The corners of the room held branches of bamboo. Mrs Carr wore a very stylish costume of black silk skirt, peacock blue silk blouse, the bodice veiled with black beaded net, the sleeves being finished with rucked net ; Miss Nora Carr looked sweet in a dark skirt, salmon pink silk blouse ; Mrs (Professor) Thomas, black silk handsomely trimmed with ecru lace ; Mrs L. D. Nathan, wore a beautiful English costume, the set of it being perfection, but of which I cannot give you a good description, as the rooms at afternoon teas are not brilliantly lighted, for the sun glaring in at the windows would make the guests un-

comfortable. Well, to continue this stylish costume—beige grey canvas cloth, with sleeves, vest and ruchings from waist to edge of skirt of shot violet, black hat with violet trimmings m suite, pink roses, white marabout; her daughter also wore an English costume of fawn cloth, ecru lace vest with spangles, epaulettes and trimmings of green velvet, black silk swathed the waist, hat trimmed to match the gown ; Miss Alexander, brown tweed with sacque jacket; Mrs Barstow, black; Miss Barstow, handsome combination of black and canary silk ; Miss Amy Barstow, brown ; Miss Todd, dark costume ; Mrs Arthur Bull, black silk with beads, Nil green bonnet with lilac ribbons ; Miss B. Bull, navy serge, red felt Alpine hat; Mrs (Major) George, very striking black costume coat and skirt style, twine-coloured lace vest and revers, bonnet en suite; Mrs R. D. Thomas (Christchurch), dark serpent green costume, bonnet with violets ; Mrs McMillan, black silk with shot cherry vest and sleeves; Mrs J. Russell, brown costume, very pretty pink bonnet; Miss Horne, tweed costume ; MrsKingswell, black silk gown, coquelicot red velvet bonnet ; Mrs W. R. Bloomfield, Lincoln green ; Mrs Dignan, green and black striped corduroy velvet ; Mrs T. J. Brassey was much admired in a stylish black silk with 6cru applique, black hat with orange silk ; Mrs Barton Ireland, black silk ; Miss Gertrude Ireland, grey gown with cardinal silk vest, brown hat with violets ; Mrs Bush, tweed costume ; Mrs A. Carrick, navy serge ; Miss L. Chambers-Taylor, navy tailor-made gown ; Mrs Greenway; Mrs Markham, a handsome combination of black and white ; Miss Firth ; Mrs Thorne George, black ; Mrs and Miss Gillies ; Mrs (Dr.) Roberton, chic grey tweed ; Misses Bleazard (two), Mrs and Miss BleazardBrown ; Mrs Peel, black costume, black hat relieved with red ; Mrs Edwin Hesketh and daughter wore black mourning costumes; Mrs Robert Rose, Sultan red costume ; Miss Stevenson ; Mrs Robert Browning black ; Mrs H. Gorrie, black silk ; Mrs and Miss Kerr-Taylor; Mrs Richmond, black ; Mrs Thompson, black silk, black bonnet relieved with white tulle ; Miss Kathleen Thompson, dark green ; Mrs Alfred White ; Mrs Goodhue, dark green ; Mrs Heather, black silk ; Miss Ware, bronze green ; Mrs Street, black silk ; Miss Rooke ; Mrs Walker, grey tailor-made gown, red vest; Mrs Cochrane, black silk with silver passementerie; Miss Cochrane, pretty costume finished with peacock blue ; Mrs Nolan, dark green tailor-made gown, stylish hat with violets ; Mrs Thomas Morrin, dark green ; Mrs Hull, black silk skirt with figured blue silk bodice ; Mrs Arthur Nathan, bronze green fancy material ; Mrs Alfred Nathan looked very well in black moird, blue chiffon let in neck; Mrs Gamble, black silk ; Mrs Williams, tweed tailor-made gown ; Mrs Hugh Campbell, black silk; Miss Miriam Devereux, grey tweed ; Mrs Archie Clark, brown gown, bonnet tomatch ; MrsGittos, violet serge ; Mrs Col beck ; Mrs Heywood, black; Mrs

Pritt, black; Mrs Matthew Clark, navy rerge ; Mrs Edward Russell, navy serge ; Mrs Bodie; Mrs Beatty, brown check tweed ; Mrs Chambers, black silk ; Mrs Seth-Smith, grey tweed ; Mrs Whewell, fawn tailor tnai’e gown ; Mrs H. Johnson, black silk with white satin trimmings veiled in black net ; Mrs H. B. Morton, navy serge; and many others too numerous for me to remember. THE orchestral society's concert. It is quite impossible in a crowded hall to give any, thing like a complete or representative list of dressesbut among the ladies present I noted Mrs Petrie in cream silk blouse, black skirt, white opera cape ; Mrs Law, black velvet gown ; Miss Philson, black, white opera cape; Mrs Aickin, black; Miss Aickin, mulberry ve'vet evening dress, low corsage with frill of cream lace ; Mrs T. W.Leys, russet browngown, bodice trimmed profusely with shaded silk embroidery ; Miss Winnie Leys, pretty pink theatre blouse, cream net fichu, dark skirt ; Miss Ada Lockie (Wellington), effective pink blouse, black skirt ; Mrs Hooper, black ; Miss Towsey, white evening dress ; Mrs A. B. Reynolds, red velvet bodice, black silk skirt ; Miss Dudding, white evening gown ; Mrs Finlayson, dahlia-coloured bengaline ; Miss Fenton, carmine silk and black lace ; Mrs R. M. Watt, electric blue and white silk; Miss Hill, black; Mrs Windsor, red silk under black lace; Miss Windsor, white, blue velvet cloak ; Mrs V. Rice, black ; Miss Rice looked well in black velvet ; Mrs Miller, grey gown ; Miss Owen, heliotrope silk blouse, dark skirt; Miss Ada Owen, pink silk theatre blouse, dark skirt; Mrs C. C. Baker looked charming in heliotrope, * Princess Maude ’ bodice with white silk square yoke ; Mrs Isidor Alexander, black, rich brocaded opera cloak; Miss Dolly Davis; Mrs Hemus, black ; Mrs Prime, black finished with jet; Miss Laura Bell, black, Oriental silk bodice ; Miss Westwood, crimson and black velvet blouse, dark skirt ; Miss Winnie Westwood, pink silk blouse, dark skirt; Mrs J. M. Geddis, black silk, white cape ; Miss Butters, black ; Miss Lena Butters, velvet blouse, dark skirt ; Mrs Butters, black ; Miss Lewis, amethyst ottoman silk ; Mrs W. Lambert, vieux rose and black. The annual meeting of the LADIES* NEW HEBRIDES’ ASSOCIATION was held in the Y.M.C.A. Rooms on Wednesday last, and was well attended. Among those present were Mrs Kirker, in brown; Mrs Young (treasurer), navy blue dress, fawn cape, black toque; Mrs Scott West, black, grey and black bonnet; Miss Nellie Stewart (secretary), navy blue costume, navy blue sailor hat; Mrs Paterson, black dress, black mantle with grey fur, black bonnet; Mrs D. Ross, all black, black bonnet ; Mrs Robertson (President), black, black and cream bonnet, black velvet cape; Mrs Jas. Haslett, dark costume; Mrs Murdock,

black ; Mrs J. Stewart, brown tweed with green velvet trimming; Miss Murray, navy blue jacket and skirt, navy blue bat trimmed with white ; Mrs J. Ker, dark dress, brown plush cape, bonnet to match ; Mrs Munro, brown tweed, brown bonnet ; Mrs Carrick, black ; Mrs J. Mackay; Mrs T. Mackay; Mrs Entrican, grey costume, black hat ; Miss Rattray, black; Mrs (Captain) Anderson, black and heliotrope, bonnet to match ; Mrs Brown, pale green, shot silk sleeves, bonnet to match ; Mrs Leys, brown dress, brown plush cape trimmed with fur, black velvet hat with feathers and pink flowers; Mrs Matthew Clark, fawn tweed costume, small black hat ; Mrs Peacock, dark puice-coloured costume, black cape and bonnet; Miss Gray, stylish black skirt and coat, black sailor hat; Miss B. Whitelaw, brown tweed, brown cape, brown straw hat to match ; Miss B. Stewart, fawn tweed ; Mrs T. L. Murray, black; Miss A. Young, grey trimmed with turquoise velvet, black sailor hat ; Mrs Chapman, black ; Mrs Houston; Mrs Bodie.

Phyllis Broune.