BLENHEIM.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXIV, Issue VI, 10 February 1900, Page 273

BLENHEIM.

Dear Bee, January 29. Since I last wrote to you some amateurs here nave given two performances of “The Magistrate,” and seldom indeed are the members of a professional company so uniformly good as these were. As a rule, two or three in a company are really good, and the rest mere sticks; but in this case all were above the average, and what was rather surprising in those who acted for the first time, they were absolutely word perfect. Mr C. J. W. Griffiths, who took the part of Mr Posket, is a veteran in amateur theatricals, and to his competent stage managership is the great success of the play mainly due. Mr P. Douslin was ‘.‘Mr Bullamy’.’;. Mr L. Griffiths, “Colonel Lukyn”; Mr Geoffrey Horton, “Captain Vale”; Air G. Broad was -a capital “Cis Farrington”; Mr E.Bull, “Achille Blond”; Mr K. Moore, “Isidore”; Mr Dunn, “Mr Wormmgton”; Mr C. Simson, “Inspector Messiter”; Mr S. Connolly, “Sergeant Lugg”; Mr B. Moore, “Wyke.” Mrs P. Douslin, as “Agatha Posket,’* looked very graceful and acted her part splendidly. She wore a handsome black silk dress, lined at the hem with delicate pink silk, the upper part of the bodice filled in with pink, veiled with black lace and sparkling with steel passementerie. In the second act she wore a handsome red evening cloak which came to her feet, and was richly trimmed with dark fur, and a becoming black picture hat with red roses under the brim. Mrs Anderson was a charming and vivacious “Charlotte,” and wore a blue silk dress, the upper skirt of which was cut in large scallops, falling over a lovely deep flounce of white lace; the bodice was cut square, and had long white angel sleeves of white lace, with bands round the arms to the elbows. She wore a French grey evening wrapper, with sleeves, in the second part, and a smart black hat with pink roses. Miss Hague-Smith (Sydney) was “Beattie Tomlinson,” and Miss B. Smith “Popham.” The overture and music between the acts was played by Mrs Lucas and Miss May Lucas on both nights, but on the second Miss Potts (Reefton) played some of Chopin's music charmingly. Among the audience on both nights I noticed Mesdames Black (Melbourne), J. Black, Waddy, Cleghorn, Griffiths, McIntire, C. Watts (Nelson), Shaw, Richardson, Stoney, J. Bell. Morton, (Bulls), Lucas, Purser, Mackintosh (Wellington), Horton, Reid. Monro, IL Horton, the Misses Black (Melbourne), Potts (Reefton), Browning (Dunedin), Browne (2), Seymour, Waddy. Bell, Bourne, Neville (3), Purser (2). C. Farmer, McCallum (2), Archibald (Wellington), Mackintosh (Wellington), and Messrs Bright, J. Black, Bourne, Seymour (2), Sturrock, Stoney, Trevor, Purser, Reid, G. Waddy, and many others.

■ On Thursday afternoon Mrs J. Conoily gave a large garden party tor Mrs Cleghorn, who is leaving here next week on a trip to Europe, before settling down in Napier. The early part of the afternoon was rather threatening, with an occasional spatter of rain, but fortunately it cleared

off, and there was nothing to spoil the pleasant afternoon, though our hostess must have experienced great anxiety of mind, as the tea tables were arranged out of doors; but all's well that ends well, and nothing could have been more successful. Tennis was played all the afternoon, one quartette succeeding another. Mrs Conolly wore white over bright pink, hat to match, and was assisted by her sisters. Mrs .1. Mowat, who wore pink spotted muslin, and the Misses (lard, who both wore blue and white, white hats trimmed with the same colour. Mrs Cleghorn looked very pretty in a brow n dress, relieved with cream, and very becoming hat of yellow covered with black lace; Mrs Anderson wore a stylish dress of white muslin over blue, the bodice elaborately tucked, hat to match; Mrs Mackintosh (Wellington), wore a handsome black dress, with front of pale pink satin with cream lace sprays, black hat with pink roses; Miss black, black jacket and skirt with revers of white bengaline, braided with black; Mrs Clouston, fawn and cream dress, yoke of cream silk closely tueked, trimmed with cream lace, becoming hat; Mrs P. Douslin, electric blue cloth. Others present were Mesdames Gard, Mowat, A. Mowat, Huddleston, Monro, Mclntire, C. Watts, Dobson, Macalister, Petre, Lucas. Mac Shane, White. Moore, Currie, Collins, Griffiths, B. Clouston, C. H. Mills, Orr, C. Svmons (Ashburton), Black (2), Waddy, R. Bell. Douslin, Rogers, Mead, Stoney, Mclntosh. Richardson. Reid, Jackson, 11. Dodson, Mitchell, Horton (2), Goulter; the Misses Nurse, Potts, Mackintosh, Johnston, Harley, Hutcheson. M. McCallum, M. McLauchlan, Waddy (2), Rees, Bell, Browning, Mead, C. Farmar, Dobson, Maclaine. M. Rogers, Harkness, Bourne, Redwood (2), McLaurin, E. Fulton, Giblin, J. Horton, Archibald. J. Horne, E. Goulter, Ward, (2); and Messrs Conolly, Horton (2), Burden, P. Trolove, A. Symons. B. Moore, Black, Corbett, K. Moore, Orr, R. Mclntire, Fish, Stow, J. Bell, Maclaine, G. Broad, Mead, L. Griffiths. Bourne, Stoney, Mein tosh, Trevor. Bunting, Stubbs, G. Waddy, J. Mead, Reid, Lee (Wellington), C. H. Mills, and others.

Friday was Mrs Griffiths' day at home, and among her visitors were Mesdames Black (2), Armstrong-. MaeShane, Collins, Mowat (sent.), C; Symons, P. Douslin, and the Misses Smith, Anderson, Harris, HagueSmith, Black, etc.

FRIDA.