WELLINGTON.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXXVI, Issue 8, 24 February 1906, Page 46

WELLINGTON.

Dear Bee. February 16. Our principal event has been the NAVY LEAGUE BALL given in honour of the Admiral and the officers of the squadron. It was quite a brilliant affair, and went off with much eclat, in spite cf gloomy prognostications, caused by a misunderstanding between the Mayor of Wellington and the officials of the Navy League. It is hopeless for an outsider to try and explain the difficulty—suffice it to say that the Town Hall was the bone of contention. Mr. and Mrs. Hislop, as Mayor and Mayoress, received the Admiral and Lady .Fawkes, and one or two of the leading Navy Leaguers were not present. Apart from all this there is no doubt of the success of the ball. The Torvn Hall was gay with hangings of red, white, and blue, the electric lights carried out tile same scheme of colour.

and both the programme and the menu had pictures of H.M.S. Powerful, stir* rounded by nautical emblems. The sup* per was most elaborate. The floor subcommittee, which struggled—hr the exact meaning of the word —with th* notorious il<»or, had indeed achieved a miracle, ami the surface was really excellent. There was plenty of sitting-out room, and a special alcove, comfortably furnished, was reserved for the guests of honour. The view from the gallery was kaleidoscopic. A special feature of the ball was the energy with which the committee worked to introduce the naval officers to the. ladies, and to assist them in finding their partners. There were about 50 naval men present, His Excellency' the Admiral and Lady Fawkes Isith expressed their pleasure and gratification at the result of the Jjeague's efforts. Conspicuous among the members of the committee who had to do with the ball'were the hon. sec., Mr. Palmer, who bore the brunt of the w-ork; Colonel and Mrs. Campbell, Mrs. Firth, Mrs. Findlay, Misses Pitt, Mills, Dr. Izai'd, and Air. Crombie.

Now for some of the dresses. Lady’ Fawkes wore a handsome dress of chiffon satin, entirely' veiled in lace, diamond ornaments; Mrs. Hislop, black taffetas, with white tulle tucker and ruffles; Airs Wallis, primrose glace, with

lac* berth#; Mrs. Firth, pale blue brocade, with.chiffon frills; .Mrs. Campbell, rose pink satin, veiled in embroidered tulle; Miss Pitt, black satin and jet; the Hon. K. Plunket,’ mauve satin and chiffon; Miss Braithwaite (England) i pompadour brocade, with a panel of pink ehiffon; Mrs. lan Dunean, white glare, veiled in nut brown tulle; Mrs. Elgar, white satin, with an overdress of ehiffon, encrusted with delicate laee, and embroidered with roses in ehiffon; Mrs. C. Kebbe’l (Wairarapa), deep cornflower blue tulle; Mrs. W. Johnston, ivory satin, veiled iir lace; Mrs. Holmes (Wairarapa), black satin, berthe, and sleeves of esprit net; Mrs. iA. Duncan, pink and white chine silk, the three-tier skirt edged .with laee; Mrs. G. Johnston, ivory satin and lace; Mrs. K. Dunean, pa’e blue taffetas, laee berthe; Miss Rolleston (Christchurch), white crepe de. chine, with yellow saslF; Mrs. S. Harcourt, hyacinth blue glace, with laee berthe; Miss Doans (England), white satin,, and lace; Miss Ma'etavish, white louisine and laee; Mrs. Butt, black brocade; Miss Butt, red satin, with lace butterflies; Mrs. Stuart, black eat in and lace; Miss AL Stuart, pale green crepe de chine; Mrs.-Finch, apricot brocade; Miss Finch, pale pink satin, with roses; Mrs. Morison, white silk, veiled in black lace; Mrs. Mills, black brocade; Miss Mills, white crepe de chine and roses; Miss 0. Mills, whne taffetas and laee; Mrs. Ward, white satin, with bows of rose-pink velvet, spray of roses;-.Miss Coleridge, black satin; Miss I. Coleridge, white muslin and lace; Miss Webb, white glace; Miss Nelson, pale blue satin, with l>elt of deep blue velvet; Miss Chatfield, seagreen crepe de chine; Miss Mims, mauve louisine and lace; Miss AV. Miles, ivory satin; Miss Fitzgerald, pale pink mousseline de soie; Aliss B. Fitzgerald, white taffetas and chine sash; Miss Harcourt, black satin, with ■ white tulle tucker and sleeves; Miss G. Harcourt, cream satin and trail of poppies; Miss Gore, white satin and ehiffon; Miss Hislop, white satin and laee; Miss-John-ston, white mousseline de soie, and pink tash;. A'|ss Tzart, black satin, with erthe and sleeves of handsome lace; Miss Henry, pink mousseline de soie; Miss A. Edwin, white satin and lace; Miss Simpson, black taffetas and Maltese lace; Miss E. Simpson, white louisine; Miss Watson, white, mousseline de soie; Miss Harding, Nile green satin; Miss Duncan, emerald chiffon velvet: Miss Hennali. white silk and laee; Miss MeKellar, white crepe de chine; Miss Lukin, petal pink lousine; Miss Mee, white satin, veiled in lace, pale pink sash; Mrs. Dykes, black satin, heavily pailletted: Mrs. Maearthy, cream satin, with cluster of roses; Miss Brindley, white laee and chiffon, with touches of pale blue; Mrs. Milligan, striking dress of flame-coloured taffetas, the three-tier skirt bordered with gold, belt of trelliscd velvet; Miss Davis, pink crepe de chine; Miss. Bulkley,- pale blue satin; Miss M. Henderson, eau-de-nil crepe de chine; Mi s Seed, white louisine ami 1-ee.

One or two .small teas I must tell you

about next week.

OPHELIA.