WELLINGTON.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXI, Issue XXVII, 31 December 1898, Page 859

WELLINGTON.

Dear Bee, December 22. The BICYCLE GYMKAHANA. which was given by Mrs Fitzherbert at her lovely residence at the Lower Hutt, was a great success. The weather could have been better, as during the afternoon rain fell rather heavily, but fortunately it cleared again, so that the sports could Incarried on. The garden looked exceedingly bright. I noticed heaps of poppies of every colour. The sports and musical ride caused great applause. and were performed on the lawn in front of the house. There were sixteen riders in the musical ride, each bicycle being decked with flowers, and the ladies won* white drill skirts and blouses and coloured hat bands and ties. The riders were the Misses Fitzherbert (3), Coleridge (3), Miss Hector. Mrs Purdy, Dr. Purdy. Messrs Duncan, W. Johnston. Coleridge. G. Pearce. Lee, W. Higginson. and Fitzherbert. A string band which was stationed close to the lawn played splendid music. Among the other items on the programme were—tilting the ring, egg and spoon race, threading the needle, all of which were most exciting. Some capital trick riding was shown by the two Mr Fitzherberts, Mr Herbert Fitzherbert especially evincing complete control of his machine, on which he did almost anything from riding standing on the saddle to being only on the pedals right through the frame. It was a pity that the girls could not be induced to give more proof of their skill on the wheel, but what they did show it is evident that only the skirts they have to wear prevent them from being- quite as much at home on the bicycle as the men. Great credit is due to Dr. Purdy for the success of the whole affair, as he did nearly all the organising and drilled the riders for the musical rides, which were performed with grace and precision. A delicious tea was spread in the diningroom. All sorts of dainty cakes and sweets were temptingly laid on the table, which was decorated with yellow daisies. Most, refreshing, too. were the strawberries and cream. Mr and Mrs Fitzherbert received their guests in the garden. Mrs Fitzherbert wearing a black canvas dress trimmed with chiffon and jewelled embroidery, blaek hat with yellow flowers and chiffon; Miss Fitzherbert wore white costume, moss green tie and hat band: Miss I. Fitzherbert, white costume, red tie and hat band: Miss D. Fitzherbert, white drill costume. with mauve hat band and tie. Among the guests were Lady Buckley, wearing a handsome black satin jetted gown, blaek and white hat with feathers; Mrs Grace, green silk, veiled with blaek canvas, jewelled bonnet trimmed with white aigrettes; Mrs C. Johnston, black and white spotted silk gown, the bodice trimmed with coffee coloured net ruehings and deep yellow velvet, blaek hat trimmed with

black and white tips and yellow roses; Miss Johnston, white embroidered costume, pale green sash and collar, white hat trimmed with wings and chiffon; Mrs Duncan was wearing a handsome violet silk gown veiled with black canvas, blaek and violet bonnet; Miss Duncan, mauve, veiled with cream muslin ami trimmed with butter lace and insertion, grey straw hat trimmed with wings and ribbon; Mrs Butts, blaek and white cheek silk gown, black bonnet with white tips: Miss Butts, pale green dress veiled with white muslin and flounced with lace, white hat trimmed with chiffon and green flowers; Mrs Clark (Christchurch) was wearing a very pretty gown of pale green silk veiled with white muslin, on the bodice she wore a jewelled zouave, white hat trimmed with pink flowers and chiffon; Miss Pearce, brown silk, veiled with blaek canvas, black hat trimmed with wall flowers and blaek chiffon: Mrs 11. Crawford, light fawn gown, trimmed with old rose silk, burnt straw hat with red roses and blaek and white tips; Mrs Williams, blaek canvas dress, black jetted cape, and violet bonnet with white tips; Miss Williams, brow n Holland dress, braided with white, blaek and white hat with shaded pink ribbon, blaek and white tips: Miss E. Williams, white skirt, pale green silk blouse, yellow floral toque: Miss Una Williams wore a white muslin embroidered costume and blue straw hat with ribbon to match and violets: Mrs Butler wore a stylish blaek and white costume: Mrs Gore, brown silk gown trimmed with pale blue, bonnet to match: Miss Gore, white muslin, trimmed with lace, blue sash, burnt straw hat with blue ribbon and white ospreys; Mrs Baldwin, blue check muslin dress trimmed with lace insertion. white hat with coloured flowers and chiffon: Mrs W. Turnbull, figured muslin gown, mauve straw hat trimmed with net and flowers to match: Miss Hutchison, green figured muslin gown, trimmed with lace, white hat; Mrs Harding, blaek silk gown and cape, violet bonnet; Miss Harding, white muslin dress, green straw- hat trimmed with chiffon and flowers: Mrs Perry, handsome blaek silk gown, under black canvas, floral toque: Mrs Riddiford. figured silk gown trimmed with lace and jewelled embroidery, blaek and pink hat: Mrs G. Pearce, white costume: Miss Turnbull. mauve figured silk gown, the bodice trimmed with laee and insertion. violet straw hat. with white roses and chiffon: Mrs Newman, pale blue silk gown, veiled with cream crepe and trimmed with insertion and pale blue velvet, burnt straw hat with pink and red roses; Miss Harcourt, white gown, large blaek hat with blaek ami white feathers; Mrs Tolhurst, blaek brocade gown, trimmed with jet. cream chiffon bonnet: Miss Tolhurst, white gown trimmed with lace, green floral toque: Mrs TTabittal, pale green eostume; Miss Ashcroft, white duck costume, blaek hat trimmed with red and pink roses; Miss Pharazyn. yellow muslin gown trimmed with lace, hat to match: Miss Bransfield, white embroidered eostume. pink floral toque: Mrs Pearson, light brown costume, blaek and pink toque: Miss Quick, pale blue muslin flounced with lace, pink toque; Aliss Brandon, black skirt, sill; blouse, and violet and blaek toque: Mrs Bell, pale grey jacket and skirt with lace revers, white chiffon hat with mauve flowers: Mrs Travers, white duck costume, eream hat with pink flowers: Mrs C. Pearce, black ami white costume. Among the gentlemen I noticed Messrs Pearce. C. Johnston. A. Pearce. Anson. Gore. Harcourt. Turnbull. Clark. Travers. Tolhurst. Seales. Butler, Duncan, Grace. Ashcroft. Dransfield, Rolleston. C. Pearce, Hartmann. Coleridge. Richmond. Barclay, Hadfield. Tripp. Hector, Lee. and many others.

There was a very large audience at the Opera House last Tuesday night when the ’.MESSIAH' was performed by the Festival Choral Society under the baton of Mr Robert Parker. All tin- choruses were especially good, and tin- solo parts were taken by Miss J. Ramsay (soprano). Miss Ethel Maginnitv (contralto), the Rev. Mr Earee (bass), and Mr Searle (tenor). Miss Ramsay was wearing :t cream satin gown, the bodice draped with fine white laee; Miss Maginnitv looked nice and won- a white silk dress. tin- square cut bodice, edged with st chiffon frill. Among tin- audience I noticed Lady Stout wearing n blaek silk gown trimmed with jet and lace and red velvet cloak; Mrs Wallis,

black satin and jet; Mrs Williams (England), brown satin gown with deep laee on the Ixxlice; Miss Williams yellow silk; Mrs Tolhurst, handsome black satin gown trimmed with jet embroidery and laee; Miss Lucy Tolhurst, pale pink silk trimmed with white lace; Mrs Macarthy, white silk, the bodice trimmed with narrow black velvet ribbon and laee; Miss Henry, black silk skirt, pale blue silk, evening blouse; Mrs Bristow, black silk gown; Mrs Milward also wore a black silk evening gown; Miss Williams, black silk skirt and pale pink silk blouse; Miss Elfie Williams, black silk skirt, cream silk blouse trimmed with lace; Mrs Fancourt, black silk gown; Miss Fancourt, pale pink dress, the bodice trimmed with chiffon to match; Mrs Litchfield, black silk skirt, cream silk evening blouse; Miss Brandon, black silk ; Miss Harcourt. cream silk with lace berthe; Mrs Quick, black silk gown trimmed with jet and laee; Miss Quick, cream silk; Mrs Pynsent, black satin and lace; Miss Buller, black silk, the bodice trimmed with black and white lace; Miss Seed, black silk skirt, and blaek and white check silk blouse trimmed with jet; Mrs Mee. blaek silk gown, the bodice trimmed with pale blue silk; Miss O'Connor, blaek silk gown with frills of white chiffon on the bodice; Mrs Butt, black silk gown with cream lace fichu; Miss Stafford, white muslin dress and others. Mrs Wallis gave two very enjoyable ‘AT HOMES’ this week, one on Tuesday and one on Wednesday. On the first day Mrs Wallis received her guests in a pale grey canvas gown, the bodice trimmed with white lace; her mother, Mrs Williams. was wearing a blaek and white striped silk gown trimmed with black lace; Miss Williams wore a cream pompadour silk gown trimmed with cream laee. A delicious tea was laid in the dining room, the table being prettily decorated with flowers. During the afternoon Miss St. Hill, of Hawke’s Bay, sang, and Miss I’harazyn played very nicely. Among the guests were Lady Hector, wearing a black braided costume and pretty black and blue bonnet: Miss Hector, dark grey jacket and skirt and white sailor hat; Mrs W. I’harazyn, black silk gown and cape, pretty black bonnet with chiffon and pink flowers; Miss I’harazyn, paie green muslin costume trimmed with cream lace, cream hat with pale green ribbon and violets; Mrs C. Johnston, black and spotted silk, gown, the bodice trimmed with light ecru net, and finished at. the waist with narrow band of deep orange velvet, black and white hat: Miss Johnston, white muslin gown, pale green sash, and white bat with wings and chiffon; Mrs Fancourt. black gown and mantle, black bonnet, with pink roses: Miss Fancourt. pale pink costume; Mrs (1 >re, brown silk gown, with xest of pale blue silk, brown and blue bonnet; Miss (lore: Mrs Quick, brown silkgown trimmed with lace, bonnet to match: Miss M. Quick, cream costume; Mrs and Miss Ashcroft. Mrs Martin. Mrs W. Fitz Gerald, the Messrs Ashcroft. Smith. Tripp. Kolleston. It Johnston.

On Wednesday among the guests were Countess De Courte, who was

wearing a navy blue and white figti'C I silk gown, with bands of blue velvet at the hem, black hat trimmed with chiffon and deep yellow roses; Mrs Rhodes, black silk gown and cape, green velvet bonnet trimmed with ospreys to match; Mrs Williams, handsome black silk gown and jetted cape, cream lace bonnet with pale pink Howers; Miss E. Williams, cream costume; Miss Una Williams, white muslin trimmed with embroidery, blue straw hat trimmed with ribbon to match; Mrs Pynsent, black silk costume; Mrs Anson, black crepon gown trimmed with blaek and white silk, black and white hat; Mrs Turnbull, white muslin dress., with ribbon belt of blue silk, white and blue hat; Mrs and Miss Richmond; Miss Quick, pale bine muslin dress and toque to match; Miss M. Quick, white costume; Mrs H. Crawford, fawn costume, burnt straw hat trimmed with scarlet poppies; Mrs A. Pearce, Miss Gibson (Dunedin), Mrs A. Brandon, Mrs and Miss Stowe. Miss Fancourt, Mrs G. Hutchison, Mrs and the Misses Bowles. Mrs Brown, Mrs and Miss Edwin, and others. The AFTERNOON TEA given by Mrs Alec Crawford at ‘Miramar’ on Wednesday proved a delightful break in the social dullness which has prevailed in Wellington lately. The weather was lovely and one really wanted and enjoyed the delicious afternoon tea provided after the long drive from town. The dining-room' was utilised as a tea-room, and strawberries and cream proved quite irresistible. dispensed on little rustic tables under the shady trees in the garden. Many of the guests bicycled out and managed, moreover, to do so w’ithout detracting from the freshness of their smart white gowns in spite of the dusty roads. Mrs Crawford wore a charming and most becoming costume of black and white striped silk, trimmed with black jet trimming; her sister-in-law. Mrs Harry Crawford, being in white pique, with large black hat. trimmed with yellow roses; Mrs Tolhurst wore black, with a pretty cream and blaek bonnet; Mrs Alfred Brandon was also in black, her large black hat being trimmed with pink roses; Mrs MacPherson wore a very eool-looking gown of mauve silk, and mauve velvet hat; Mrs Wynn-Williams, grey silk, and white hat; Mrs T. C. Williams, black and white; her daughters being charmingly gowned; Miss Williams, in bine cambric, braided with white, and white lace waistcoat and revers, and cream hat, trimmed with blue chiffon; Miss Hilda Williams, in blue silk, trimmed profusely with soft white lace, and dainty white hat; Mrs Ferguson was in white pique, her smart little toque being trimmed with pale pink roses; her sister. Miss H. Moorhouse being in electric blue cloth, with bands of old cream lace on the skirt, and white satin waistcoat and revers, and lovely white hat, embroidered on the white satin crown with blue sequins, and trimmed with lace and cerise-coloured primulas; Miss Buller looked well in black and white check tweed, her large black picture hat being brightened with pink roses; Mrs Adams, black, and pompadour muslin blouse, and

white hat; Mrs Higginson, black and white; Miss Pearce, black, and black ami yellow hat; Mrs W. Turnbull, white pique and white sailor hat; Miss Izard, white, and pretty white hat; Miss Richardson wore a sweetly pretty gown of soft white muslin and insertion, and large white hat; Mrs Grace, brown and yellow striped silk gown, trimmed with gold passementerie, and bonnet to match; and Miss Cooper wore a black skirt and soft white blouse. The drive back to town in the cool of the evening was a pleasant ending to a most enjoyable afternoon.

Miss Richmond's Kindergarten School broke up on Friday morning, and a large number of relatives and friends assembled to see the children go through a most varied programme, embracing arithmetic, reading, astronomy, singing, and all the rudiments of learning, acquired evidently without any effort on the children’s part. Nothing could have been prettier than the happy faced little children all in white, with scarlet ribbons and buttonholes, going- through their programme with the greatest precision and evident enjoyment. Miss Richmond must have felt gratified by the many congratulations she received, on the successful result of her tuition. Miss Richmond and Miss T. Blackett, who assisted her in looking after the children, both wore soft white gowns, with buttonholes of scralet carnations. Among many present I noticed Mrs C. Johnston in grey, with cerise coloured waistcoat and hat, Miss Johnston being in black and white, and white sailor hat; Mrs Fell, grey and black, and white hat: Mrs Grace, dark green tweed: Mrs Clarke (Christchurch), white, and black and white hat; Mrs W. Ferguson, blue and white zephyr, and white sailor hat; Mrs Anson, blaek; Miss Turnbull, black and white gown, white sailor hat; Miss Moorhouse. black tailor-made gown and dark green straw hat trimmed with lettuce green ribbon and tulle; Mrs Collins, white pique, black and white felt hat; Miss Fraser, electric blue tweed, and white hat, Mrs Maurice Richmond, black gown, with white revers, and waistcoat, and black and white hat: MissD.Richmond black and black hat; Mrs MacKenzie. dark blue, and white sailor hat: Miss H. Moorhouse. blue print, and black hat trimmed with pink roses; Miss Blackett, black skirt and white blouse and white sailor hat. The schoolroom was most effectively decorated with scarlet and white flowers, and an artistically draped easel held a beautifully painted programme of the items to be performed by the children during the morning OPHELTA-CLARTSSE.