CHRISTCHURCH.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXIV, Issue XIX, 12 May 1900, Page 902

CHRISTCHURCH.

Dear Bee, April 30th. On Wednesday afternoon the members of the Ladies’ Orchestra invited a number of friends to meet Miss Jennie West, their conductress, nt a. farewell afternoon tea in the Y.M.C.A. Rooms, ■which passed off very pleasantly with music and general soeialiility. During the afternoon Miss Freda Marsden, on behalf of the members, presented Miss West with a handsome silver rimmed

bread platter, knife and fork, as a wedding present; it bore an inscrip- . tion and the date. Miss West looked very nice in black silk skirt, blue silk blouse with iridescent trimming and knots of white lace, black hat with large bows of fancy blue ribbon; Mrs Hunter Maeandrew in cloth dress and fawn jacket, felt hat; Miss Macandrew, Miss Cuthbertson (Invercargill), Mrs and Miss Rouse, Mrs Marsden, Misses Preston, Graham, Mrs and Miss N. West and others. On Saturday, Miss West’s pupils gave an afternoon tea in the Durham-street “Drawing-room,” a very pretty room for the occasion, and where Miss Jennie West was again the honoured guest and the recipient of a handsome though plain gold bangle bearing her name and the date. May 2. Quite a number of afternoon teas took place last week, some as farewells to those going Home in the Gothic. Mrs Wardrop gave a very enjoyable one at her residence, Union Bank, Hereford-street, for Mrs Smithson, of Timaru, when she was able to say good-bye to her numerous Christchurch friends. Among those present were Mrs Palmer, Mrs J. C. Palmer, Mrs Ogle, Miss Palmer, Mrs Woodroffe, Mrs Heaton Rhodes, Mrs O’Rorke, Mrs Alister Clark, Mrs Boyle, Mrs J. D. Hall, Miss Cowlishaw, Mrs Wigram, Mrs Beswick, Mrs Ranald Macdonald, Misses Murray-Aynsley, Reeves, Rattray, etc. Mrs (Dr.) Fox gave an afternoon tea at her pretty new home, the corner of Montreal and Salisbury streets, for her sister, Miss Hay, who returns to Sydney next week. Among the guests were Misses Malet, Helmore, Ronalds, Reeves, Wynn-Williams, Mesdames W. B. Cowlishaw, Beswick and others. Miss Wynn-Williams had a pouring wet afternoon for hers, but it did not prevent many of her guests appearing. Among those who spent a very pleasant afternoon were Mesdames Fox, W. Bond, H. Cotterill, J. C. Palmer, Beswick, the Misses Palmer, Elworthy, Rattray, Hay, Reeves, Tabart, Cleveland, Murray-Aynsley, etc. Mrs W’ilding had a delightful musical afternoon at “Fownhope,” Opawa, when a number of visitors, strangers to Christchurch, were present. Those contributing songs or piano solos were Mrs and Miss Wilding, Mrs Burns, Mr and Mrs H. H. Loughnan, Mrs Vernon, Rev. L. Fitz Gerald, Mr Inmanyetc. The garden party in aid' of the Melanesian Mission was Very much marred .. by the rain. Mr Wynn-Williams had kindly lent his pretty grounds for the occasion, but the promoters, with great forethought, had secured the Tuajnstreet Hall in event of bad weather, so, as happened once before, the Mission Garden Party had to be held indoors, and the attendance, of course, was ; very much smaller. Bishop Julius gave some very interesting reminiscences of his stay at Norfolk Island, and spoke of the life there. Being so closely connected with the Islands now makes Christchurch people take more . interest in the work.

Mr H. Wells and the Motett Society gave a very successful performance of Handel’s “Israel in Egypt” on Thursday night in the Tuam-street Hall, which was fairly well filled. The night was very cold and stormy, and the audience were more than pleased not, to have to sit out an interval, and have the concert over early. The soloists were Miss Bonnington, Mrs .Jennings and Mr J. A. Allen, who all acquitted themselves well. The Autumn Show of the Horticultural Society took place last week, when some beautiful blooms and fruit were on view. Mrs Beswick took first prize for the table decorations. The autumn lints are so lovely for decorating. The weather again was greatly to blame for the comparatively small attendance, but among the visitors were Mrs Seeretan, Mr and Mrs Maude, Mr and Mrs S. D. Baker, Mr and Mrs Heaton Hhodes.Mrs G.Khodes,Mrs and Miss Fenwick, Mrs Gould. Mr and Miss Ainger, Mrs and Miss Elworthy, Misses Cholmondeley, Mr and Mrs H. D. Carter, Mrs and Misses Sanders, Mrs A. H. Turnbull. Mr and Miss Graham, Mrs J. C. and Miss Wilkin, Mrs and Miss Palmer. Mrs Ogle, Mrs Jennings, Miss Cunningham, Mr and Mrs Bourne, Mrs and Miss Hewitt, Mrs J. Deans, Dr. Devinge, etc. The "Old Girls” of the Girls’ High School, have determined not to lose sight of one another, and not to forget all they have learnt, and so hayg formed themselves into an association, with a committee which has four sub-sec-tions—literary, dramatic, musical and historical. Miss Cabot is president, and Miss Stevjftispn secretary, A social evening is to be held oure a termi when 1 hope friends will be invited. Twit r v if

DOLLY VALE.