SOCIETY ON DITS.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XX, Issue XIV, 2 April 1898, Page 418

SOCIETY ON DITS.

That the Williamson ond Musgrove Company paid New Plymouth a visit last week and played to a crowded house.

That the Misses Kempthorne give a large girls’ afternoon tea on Tuesday at their pretty residence overlooking Hobson Bay, Remuera, Auckland. That the unveiling of the portrait of the late Mr Justice Richmond took place in the Supreme Court of New Plymouth last Wednesday. The ceremony was performed by Mr Justice Conolly. That His Excellency the Governor was in Wellington early this week on his way to Hawke’s Bay. That Aucklanders are waking up to the fact that the view obtainable from One Tree Hill far surpasses in extent the much-vaunted panorama visible from Mount Eden. The city itself is not conspicuous from One Tree Hili, but the Hauraki Gulf, Manukau Harbour, Wairoa South Ranges, are alt spread out before the delighted spectator as on a map. That a peculiar incident occurred during the visit of the Bishop of the diocese to Picton on Saturday. The Bishop’s luggage was sent on to Netson by mistake on Saturday, and His Lordship had perforce to wear a curate’s costume at the confirmation service. In these days of belief tn theosophy, palmistry, and other modern superstitions, people may wonder what influence the want of Bishop’s robes may have on the confirmees. The Bishop didn’t like it a little bit, and the ladies of the congregation—there were very few of His Lordship’s own sex present—wondered if a new fashion in Bishop’s robes had come in. That a fancy fair in aid of the general funds of St. Mary’s Church, New Plymouth, will be held on July 28th in the Theatre Royal and will take the form of a Japanese village. That the Primate of Auckland gave a lecture on Tuesday evening in the library at Bishop’s Court to which a number of invitations were issued. The subject of the very interesting lecture was the recent trouble with the tribes on the north-western frontier of India. That the Polo Team to represent Wellington at the Polo Tournament at Hastings consists of Messrs Skerrett, C. Crawford, Cooper, and Major Madocks. That great growling was indulged in over the scant accommodation of the Picton Wharf lately. The Poherua had to anchor out in the stream last Thursday because there was not room for her at the wharf, thus causing a great delay in discharging her cargo and loading up. That the Misses Worsp (Auckland) give a large girls’ afternoon tea on Friday, April Ist, as a farewell to their sister. That Frank Thornton’s Comedy Company is coming to pay New Plymouth a visit on May 6th. That if Blenheim would join Picton in asking the Government for better wharf accommodation it would be more to the purpose than agitating for the removal of the railway management to Blenheim. The interests of both places are identical. If Pieton is forced into the background through the near-sighted policy of Marlborough residents, then Blenheim will also sink into insignificance till more enlightened politicians take up the reins of local government. That about seventy employees of Messrs Smith and Caughey, Auckland, are g’oing to become volunteers. Mr Gower proposed that a corps should be fo m d and called ‘The Queen’s Own Rifle Corps, No. I.’ This was agreed to. Colonel Banks and Major Murray arranged for the necessary drill. That Dr. Anderson, who has lately gone into partnership with Dr. Scott, of Picton, is a decided acquisition to the coming terminus of the South Island. That Mr P. Friend, clerk of the House of Representatives, Wellington, has recently undergone two operations for a throat affection and is now progressing favourably towards recovery. That Mr S. M. Scott, for several years schoolmaster at Midhirst, was presented lately with a handsome walking-stick, pipe, and tobacco pouch on the occasion of his leaving the district. He was also entertained by the Masonic Lodge ‘Hinemoa,’ of which he was the Master.

That Mrs Edwin (Wellington) entertained a few friends at afternoon tea last Monday. That just before her marriage Miss M. Hursthouse was presented with a handsome oak and silver biscuit-barrel and a large photograph of the choir handsomely framed from St. Mary’s Choir, New Plymouth. Miss Helen, who is also leaving the ehoir shortly to be married, also received a handsome silver crumb-scoop and bread fork and a photograph. That Merivale House will soon be occupied again by its rightful owners, Mr and Mrs John Studholme, who purpose returning there after the departure of Sir James Fraser-Tytler and his daughter for England, which takes place shortly now. That M rT.P. Lister has been appointed Truant Inspector for the Opunake and New Plymouth district schools. That the Primate of Auckland invited many leading citizens to meet Mr W. H. Sollman, M.A., Travelling Secretary of the Australasian Students’ Christian Union, in the library, Bishop’s Court, Parnell, on Monday afternoon. The meeting, which was arranged for four o’clock, was a very pleasant and instructive affair, though some of the business men found it impossible to get away at that hour. That in order to finish the new wing of the Parliamentary Buildings at Wellington in time for the opening of Parliament in June it has been decided to enable the work to be carried on day and night, and the somewhat unusual spectacle of labourers working during the night, by the aid of large arc lights, attracts nightly crowds of curious onlookers. That from the Tamahere Church 4 cwt of honey has been removed. The bees have for years made their home in the sacred building, but at length have been removed, to the great comfort of the congregation. That the use of electric light in the Christchurch hospital is expected to save the ratepayers £3OO per annum. That some hospitable people in Dunedin during Jubilee week had two or three visitors sleeping in their draw-ing-rooms. That two old residents of Blenheim, Mr D. Draper, of the Club Hotel, and Mr F. Adams, head of the firm of Adams and Son, are very seriously ill, and the condition of both is critical. That a picnic on the Mount Eden and Epsom lawns was arranged for Tuesday. Aucklanders are very partial to this extremely pleasant form of entertainment. That the Maori korero held at Huntly last week is the largest assemblage of natives which has gathered since the famous Tawhiao tangi at Taupiri in 1894. Two thousand Maoris encamped at Wahi.