Personal Paragraphs.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXIII, Issue XV, 7 October 1899, Page 639

Personal Paragraphs.

Lord and Lady Ranfurly gave a dinner party at Government House recently. The Countess wore a very becoming and beautiful gown of ruby velvet with diamond ornaments, and two wings of ruby velvet were fastened among the coils of her coiffure. The table decorations were unusually tasteful and artistic, consisting of silver pots of cool looking arum lilies and maidenhair fern, daintily entwined with long strands of eau de nil ribbons, and the candles were shaded by white silk and lace shades. After dinner Mrs Stebbing and an Italian lady contributed greatly to the enjoyment of the guests by their delightful little musical programme on the piano and mandolin. Amongst those honoured by invitations were:—The Hon. Mr and Mrs Bonar, the Hon. Mr and Miss Hislop, Mr and Mrs W. L. Travers, Dr. and Mrs Adams, Mr and Mrs Alfred De Bathe Brandon, Miss Isabel Coleridge, Professor and Mrs McKenzie, Mr and Mrs Leonard Reid, Rev. W. Patterson and Mrs Patterson, Rev. W. C. Waters, Mr Trask (Mayor of Nelson) and Mrs Trask, and the ladies Mary and Hilda Keppel were amongst the house party present at dinner. Mrs Abbott, of “Balgowrie,” Wanganui, is paying a short visit to Wellington, and is staying at the Empire Hotel, Mrs Fitzherbert, Wellington, is at present in Nelson staying at Lightband's. Miss Medley (Wellington) is the guest of the Hon. Mr and Mrs Bowen at Riccarton, Christchurch;

Mias Berwick. of Christchurch, leaves for England shortly on a v to her married sister, Mrs Williamwho is residing in Paris. His Excellency the Governor n >1 Lady Ranfurly were present at the lecture given in Wellington on Tuesday last by Mr T. Taylor, M.H.R.. iu the Choral Hall on the -Clinton Valley district. The lecture was illustrated by 80 photographs of the mountains and lakes taken by Mr Taylor when on a visit there last Christmas. Archbishop Redwood, attended by the Ven. Archdeacon Devoy, and the Very Rev. Father Lewis, left Wellington last week on a visit to Pahiatua, in order to open the fine-looking new Roman Catholic Church there. It is large enough to hold a congregation of about 600 people.

Mr Butler, of the Public Works office, Blenheim, returned on Friday from a brief visit to Wellington. General regret is felt in Wellington in consequence of Mr Blair's refusal to be again nominated for the position of Mayor at the coming election. There are several reputed candidates for the chair, amongst whom are Mr George Fisher, M.H.R., and Mr John Harcourt, the well-known auctioneer. Mr William Lodder, of Petone, Wellington. is at present visiting Auckland and intends to go on to Rotorua for a few days. Captain Lorraine, military aeronaut to the Ist Volunteer Battalion of Northampton regiments, is at present touring New Zealand, and is to make a balloon ascent and parachute descent, accompanied by a most hazardous trapeze act in mid-air at the Basin Reserve in Wellington on Wednesday afternoon, and afterwards proceeds to Christchurch. Colonel Pole-Penton, ' Commandant of the Forces, is absent from Wellington on a tour of inspection of the Manawatu Mounted Rifles at Palmerston.

■ Mr Gore Adams is visiting his parents (Mr and Mrs C. W. Adams) in Blenheim.

Mrs Charles Pharazyn, Longwood, Featherston, is visiting her parents, Mr and Mrs Charles Izard, in • Hob-son-street, Wellington. Mr Richard Cameron returned to Auckland from Te Aroha on Wednesday last. Mrs Cameron remained behind, hoping to derive benefit from the waters, but up to the present she is suffering very much from muscular rheumatism.

Mr and Mrs J. Donald, of Christchurch, are staying with Mrs Lyall, Nelson.

Mrs and Miss Pogson, of Nelson, have gone for a trip to the West Coast.

Mrs A. S.caife and her three children have left Nelson to join Mr Scaife in Sydney, which place will be their future home.

The Misses Edwards (2) have returned to Nelson after a long and enjoyable trip to Wellington' and Christchurch.

Miss Grubb, of Wellington, is staying with Mrs H. Edward;*, of Nelson.' Miss Gribben has returned to Nelson from Hokitika, having been delayed there an extra week owing to an attack of measles.

Mrs W. Atkinson has returned to Nelson from New Plymouth. Miss Clarice Hunt, who went to England about two years ago to perfect her studies in singing, has returned to Nelson. All are anxious to hear her beautiful contralto voice again. Captain Sargent, formerly of the ships Pleione and Gleulora. and chief mate of the Charles Edward (Nelson), has been appointed to the command of the Huia, trading between Wellington and Wanganui. Captain and Mrs Sargent will leave many friends in Nelson, who wish them every success in their new sphere.

Mr C. Palmer, who has been for some time in charge of the Government Life Insurance office in Blenheim, has now returned to Wellington, and the office closed and the business put in the hands of the Chief Postmaster (Mr Bull), whilst Miss Sherwood has been appointed canvasser. Mrs R. McCallum, of Blenheim, is making a short visit to Wellington. The many friends of Mr J. C. Chaytor, of “Marshlands,” Blenheim, are pleased to greet him on his return from England. He was a passenger on the lonic, and Mrs Chaytor went to Wellington to meet him.

Mr J. Bell, of “Hillersden,” Blenheim. ni.-tde a short visit to Wellington last week. ■:

Mr Hawley, of the Customs, Blenheim, who has been enjoying- a few weeks' holiday, has returned home, and his locum tenens, Mr Hempton, with Mrs Hempton, has returned to Wellington.

Mrs Mouro, “Bank House,” Blenheim, spent a few days in Wellington last week.

Mrs Ferguson (Blenheim) left last week to visit friends in the South.

Mrs Angus Gordon, of Epsom, Auckland, gives an afternoon tea as a farewell to her sister-in-law, Miss Helen Gordon, on Thursday next. His Excellency the Governor has taken a house at Waikanae for several weeks’ fishing next month, and will be joined there by the Countess. At the end of October Lord Ranfurly, attended by Captain Alexander, intends paying a visit to Melbourne for Cup week, and while there will be the guest of Lord Brassey at Government House. His Excellency will be absent from New Zealand in all probability for about a month, as he purposes paying a visit to his estate at Mildura before returning to Wellington.

Mr Cheeseman gives a lecture on Monday, October 23rd, of his travels at Barotonga at the Auckland University.

The Misses Julius, daughters of the Bishop of Christchurch, who have been the guests of Lord and Lady Ranfurly at Government House, and of Mrs Wallis, at Bishopscourt, Wellington, have returned to Christchurch.

Mr and Mrs Arthur Bull, of Mount Eden, give a large At Home on Thursday evening next as a farewell to their youngest daughter, Miss Beatrice Bull, who is to be married on the following Saturday to Mra Lawford, of Waikato.

Mr and Mrs J. Bayly A’Deane, of Ashcott, Hawke’s Bay, are spending their honeymoon in Sydney, and they spend a few months !n England before returning to Ashcott to reside.

Mrs Isidor Alexander gave a large progressive euchre party on Thursday evening last at her residence. There were twenty tables. Mrs Stratton Izard (Greytown) is visiting Mrs C. B. Izard in HobsonStreet, Wellington. Miss Sheridan and Miss Abbott, of Auckland, are staying with Mrs Cave at present.

Mr and Mrs Goring Johnstone, of Castle Point, spent a few days in Wellington last week, en route for Waipawa, where they intend residing in future.

Mr and Mrs Helmore are staying at the Hills, and at present have their daughter, Mrs Arthur Reeves, and her little son with them.

Miss Bowen, daughter of the Hon. C. Bowen, M.L-C., Christchurch, is paying a short visit to friends in Wellington.

Mrs L. Lane (Waikare) has been visiting her mother, Mrs Hutton, Christchurch, and also spent a few days with Mrs J. C. M. Grigg, at the Port Hills. She returned to Waikare to-day.

Mrs W. Barton, of “Fareham,” Featherston, passed through Wellington en route for the South this week, to see her sister, Miss Studholme, who leaves for England by the Ruahine on the 4th of next month.

Miss Palmer is visiting Mrs Tripp at Orari Gorge. Mrs B. M. Moorhouse, Christchurch, is the guest of Mrs S. A. Rhodes at the Grange, Wellington, for some weeks. Three thousand acres of the Heaton Park Estate, near Marton, are to be shortly leased for dairy or grazing purposes, the holdings being divided in 150 acres each.

Mrs Crystall and her sister, Miss H. Inglis, returned to Christchurch on Wednesday, after a very pleasant three weeks’ visit to friends in Wellington.

The Count and Countess De Courte returned to Wellington by the Mokoia on Saturday last from their visit to their relative. Lord Lamington, Governor of Queensland, and enjoyed their brief visit there immensely, being charmed with Queensland. Miss Worsp is staying with her sister. Mrs Thornton, at "Maungakawa,” Cambridge. Mrs Teschmaker (S. Canterbury) is visiting her parents, the Hon. Mr and Mrs Rolleston, at their sessional residence in Wellington-

Mr C. H. Stichbury, of the Government Life Insurance. Wellington, was on Saturday afternoon presented by his fellow-employees with a valuable silver tea service, on the occasion of his approaching marriage. Mr G. W. Barltrop, when making the presentation on their behalf, referred in very flattering terms to the conspicuous ability displayed by Mr Stichbury as an officer of the Department, and to his great popularity among his fellowemployees, and wished him every happiness and prosperity in his future career.

Miss Medley returned to Wellington this week from her visit to Christchurch.

The forthcoming Masquerade Ball on Friday 6th inst., which is to conclude the Ponsonby "At Homes” for this season, is a great topic of interest to the young people of Auckland, and nothing bjit masks, dominoes and fancy dresses will be talked of until the great event is over. There was quite a large gathering of members and their friends at the Parliamentary Tennis Court in Wellington on Monday afternoon to witness a tennis match between a Parliamentary team, consisting of Captain Russell, and Messrs G. J. Smith. R. D. McLean, C. Wilson, J. Allen, and W. Montgomery, and a “Hansard” team, consisting of Messrs Gore, Leslie,Gray, Russell, May, and Cameron; and. contrary to expectation, the Parliamentary team were victorious by five games. During the afternoon afternoon tea was dispensed, and a very pleasant afternoon was spent, and much interest taken in the games by those present.

The September number of the “Review of Reviews” for Australasia contains, among articles of special colonial interest, an interesting paper by Mr T. E. Taylor, M.H.R., an “New Zealand and Federation,” another by “Nauticus” on "Australia’s Naval Future,” and a third, containing criticisms of the Australian Eleven’s tour in England by Major Wardell, Hill, Noble and Laver. The character sketch of the month is “Ex-King Milan of Servia;” Mr Stead chooses the effects of the Peace Conference fpr his monthly topic, and, among the nooks of the month, the place of honour is given to Julien de Narfon’s “Life of Pope Leo XIII.” The "Review” is, as usual, rich in extracts from all the best periodical literature.

The Tutanekai, with a load of railway sleepers, called in at Picton on Monday last, staying till Wednesday. Mrs Seddon, who was on board, took advantage of the stay to visit Mrs C. H. Mills, at Spring Creek, with whom she afterwards drove to Blenheim.

Mr and Mrs H. C. Seymour “Tyntesfield,” were in Picton for a few days for Mr Rutherford’s social.

Mr and Mrs Temple, “Okukuri,” Tory Channel, who have been down South for aholiday, spent a few days in Picton this week.

Among those who worked very hard for the success of the Rutherfords’ social, Picton, were Mesdames Riddell, Allen, Robertshaw, and H. C. Seymour, Misses Howard, Greensill, and Allen, and Messrs Price and Fredericks- Mr Clinche made very artistic programmes with photographs of a cricket match being played on Nelson Square adorning the top.

A very successful enchre party took place on Thursday last at “ San Remo,” Symonds street, the residence of Mr I. Alexander. The guests, to the number of eighty, were received by the hostess and host, and play was kept up till past eleven. After supper the company adjourned to the drawing-room, where with singing and music a very enjoyable evening was brought to a close.