WELLINGTON.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXI, Issue XII, 17 September 1898, Page 379

WELLINGTON.

Dear Bee.

September 8.

The first item of ‘Society News’ on my list for this week is a most delightful DANCE

given at the Lower Hutt by Mrs E. J. Riddiford to the visiting College Football Teams. The dance was given in the Oddfellows’ Hall, which was beautifully decorated for the occasion. A special train left town at 8 o’clock and left, the Hutt to return at 2 o’clock. The train was well filled, as you will imagine when I tell you that the four football teams (Christchurch,' Nelson. Wanganui and Wellington), as well as many others, went out. in it. Mrs Riddiford and her friends worked very hard and made the hall look exceedingly pretty. The stage attracted the eye and was prettily arranged with easy ehairs, screens, large pot, plants, and bamboo, while here and there were small tables with photographs and sweet flowers on them. Round the room on the walls were shelves, covered with flowers and flags and the colours of the different schools appeared everywhere. The programmes were also decked with each school colour and looked very effective. Mrs Riddiford received her guests in a handsome black satin gown, the bodice veiled with sequined net, and she wore a pretty pearl ornament in her hair; Miss Elsie Riddiford was wearing a very pretty dress of pale pink, spotted gauze, the bodice and sleeves edged with white lace and finished at the waist, with a long pink sash. Among the guests I noticed Mrs Purdy, who was wearing a handsome black moire silk dress, the bodice trimmed with jewelled net and green satin; Miss Lee, pale blue silk dress, with white lace on the bodice; Miss Johnston, blue brocade, the bodice very much trimmed with white lace; Miss Alice Johnston was wearing a pretty black satin dress, the bodice edged with scarlet flowers; Miss Coleridge, lemon - coloured figured silk; Miss George (Auckland), yellow silk gown, with bodice of chiffon to match; Miss Hislop, white silk, the bebe bodice trimmed with chiffon; Miss Olive Gore, soft white silk gown, with long- rucked chiffon sleeves to the wrist; Miss Russell (Wanganui), white silk, with white lace on the bodice; Miss Hutchison, black satin, the bodice veiled with sequined net.; Miss Douglas, pale blue figured silk, with liertha of white laee; Miss M. Douglas, white silk and chiffon; Miss Jackson, black silk and chiffon: her sister was wearing a pretty white silk dress; Miss Turton (Dunedin), a pretty black satin gown, the bodice trimmed with white chiffon; Miss L. Turton was wearing a pretty mauve silk dress, with passementerie on the bodiec; Miss P. Wilford, white figured silk. Among the younger girls were the Misses Rawson (2), in pretty white dresses; Miss J. Beetham, also in white; Miss Barnicoat (Wanganui), pale blue silk dress; Miss Foster, in pink; the Misses llaselden, Hislop, Broad. Rawson, Higginson. Brandon, Coleridge, Hector (2), Richardson. I lay bitfill, were all wearing pretty white muslin frocks, with coloured sashes. Great interest has been taken in the

football matches between the various colleges which have taken place on the pretty ground at the Wellington College. Matches were played last Friday and on Monday. Among the ladies present on both days I noticed Mrs Fell. Lady Stout, Mrs and the Misses C. Johnston, Mrs and the Misses Williams. Mrs and the Misses H. I). Bell, Mrs J. Duncan, Mrs and Miss Beetham, Mrs and Miss Hutchison, Mrs and the Misses Barnicoat (Wanganui), Mrs and the Misses Harding. the Misses Edwin, Mrs Malcolm Ross, Mrs 11. Gore, the Misses Gore. Mrs and the Misses Hislop. Mrs

and Miss Riddiford. Mrs and Miss Elworthy (Timaru), Mrs and the Misses Rawson, Lady and the Misses Douglas, the Misses Seed, the Misses Henry, and many others. The Misses Gore entertained a number of their girl friends at a TEA PARTY on Wednesday afternoon. During the afternoon songs were sung by some of the guests, while Miss Henry played very nicely on the violin. Miss Gore was wearing a black silk skirt and becoming pale blue silk blouse; Miss (). Gore was in white muslin; Miss Balfour, of Napier, who is their guest, also wore a pretty white muslin dress, trimmed with white lace. Tea was laid in the dining-room, the table being prettily decorated with spring Howers and laden with dainty cakes and sweets. Among those present were the Misses Johnston, in prettyviolet cloth costumes and black and white hats, trimmed with plumes; Miss George (Auckland), black Russian costume an<l black hat. with feathers; the Misses Henry, brown costumes and white sailor hats; Miss Studholme (Christchurch), pretty blue braided costume and black hat. with tips: Miss Harcourt, black costume: also the Misses Williams, Tolhurst, Edwin. 'Burnett, Hislop. Nedwill (Christchurch), Stowe. Smart. Edwin, Hutchison, Rose, Fitzherbert. and others.

Great success attended the annual Bulb Show, which took place in Wellington on Wednesday last, in the Exchange Buildings, under the auspices of the Florists’ Society. The show l>eing purely non-competitive, no awards are given. Mr F. Cooper showed a tine collection of cut narcissi, embracing no fewer than 110 varieties, from his nursery at Alicetown, Lower Hutt, the greatest novelties among the blooms being Glory of Leyden, a very tine Hower with a deep yellow trumjiet on a sulphur perianth ; Colleen Hawn, M. J. Berkeley, and Barrie Ophe, and a rare kind called Baroness Heath. Mr Cooper also exhibited thirty varieties of hyacinths, and forty camellias. Itesides a Hue display of crocuses and anemones. Messrs H. C. Gibbons exhibited a very fine collection of narcissi, conspicuous among which were two large bunches of Prineeps and Giganteus Sir Watkin, remarkably fine specimens of their kind. One of the features of the show was the collection of one hundred varieties of narcissi, and most beautiful cut specimens of rhododendrons, narcissi, jonquils and daffodils, exhibited by Mr Thomas Mason, of the Taita, many of the rhododendrons not being found in New' Zealand outside of Mr .Mason’s garden. A most interesting exhibit of hyacinths and anemones, grown from seedlings, is exhibited by Miss Kane, of Bolt-on-street, the colouring of the anemones especially being singularly varied and uncommon. Very fine, too, was the collection of beautiful cinerarias, palms and ferns, grown by- Mr H. Banks, gardener to Mrs H. Joseph Burne, of Wellington Terrace, many of the flowers being unusually large and well shaped. A small but rare collection of narcissi in |x>ts. grown by Mr Charles Izard were much admired by all lovers of dainty bloom, and Mr H. Poole's liench of azaleas, orchids, primulas, freesias ami bartonias. interspersed with palms, presented a most attractive appearance, anti the marietta. a new climber, with crimson and orange flowers attracted particular attention. Miss Cooper exhibited the only bouquet. composed of most daintily arranged specimens of gaint clematis, maidenhair fern and spring flowers. The large attendance at the show' anti the quality and variety of the exhibits Itear striking testimony to the ever increasing popularity of flowering bulbs by s|H-cialists in these highly decorative flowers of Japan.

OPHELIA.