AUCKLAND.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XL, Issue 19, 6 May 1908, Page 60

AUCKLAND.

Dear Bee, May 2. Now that the Easter holidays are over Fate (ever contrary) has decreed that No doubt the enthusiastic sporteuien. who No doubt the nthusiastic sportsmen, who are going in for wholesale slaughter amongst pheasants, ducks, etc., are revelling in it. 1 hear that game is rather unusually plentiful this year. His Excellency Lord Plunket left by the express last Thursday morning, en route for Lake Rangiriri, to take part in the opening of the shooting season last Friday. The AMATEUR THEATRICAL ENTERTAINMENT. held at Government House last Tuesday and Wednesday, the object of which was to raise funds for the Society for the Promotion of the Health of Women and Children, was an unusually clever amateur performance, and certainly deserved, apart from its laudable motive, a far larger audience. We went on Tuesday night, and, although there, were a fair number in the reserved seats, the unreserved were most depressingly empty. Of course you have already read the criticisms of the performance in the daily papers, so I will only tell you who was there. The Government House party consisted of his Excellency the Governor, Lady Plunket, Miss Cresswell, and Captain Boscawen. Lady Plunket was effectively gowned in a pearl grey crepe de chine Josephine toilette, the decolletage outlined with lace; Miss Cresswell wore a pretty, white gown; Mrs. Arthur Myers, becoming pale blue ninon and white lace, pale blue theatre wrap;, Mrs. Louis Myers wore black, with a real lace berthe; Mrs. Seymour Thorne George was gowned in black and white; Mrs. G. Thorne George, ivory toilette, with pale blue opera coat;'Mrs. Nelson, blaek satin and taee; Miss; Nelson was wearing shrimp pink silk; Mrs, Alfred Nathap’s gown was a pretty Pompadour silk, the V-shaped decolletage softened with lace; Mrs. Jack Bloomfield, black jetted net gown, with lovely black and silver scarf; Mis. Lloyd, ivory brocade; Miss Lloyd, blaek gown, brightened with touches of gold; Miss Satchell (England), cream lace over white taffeta, pale blue ceinture and bretelles; Mrs. Rathbone, black chiffon taffeta toned with cream lace; Mrs. T. C. Williams, black silk, with lovely ostrich feather boa; Mrs. A. M. Ferguson, black satin, with rose p;»nt lace berthe; Mrs. Burns, black silk. Others present were Mrs. Drummond Ferguson, Mrs. and the Misses Moss Davis, Miss Gwen Nathan, Mrs. Waller, the Misses Greig, Miss Roie Nathan, Miss Mills (Wellington). Mrs. R. Burns, Mrs. Bagnall, Miss Gorrie, the Misses Williams, Mrs. Moore, Mrs. George Blomfield, Mrs. Upton, Miss Davy, Miss Gotter, Miss Stephenson, Mrs. W. R. Bloomfield, etc. On Wednesday afternoon Mrs. Aubin gave a thoroughly enjoyable AFTERNOON TEA at her pretty old-fashioned home in Manukau-road. A band was stationed on the verandah, and a most delicious afternoon tea was served in the diningroom, where the tables were effectively decorated with high vases of chrysanthemums. Mts. Aubin was charmingly gowned in a ciel blue and mauve striped sdk with deep cream laee vest; lardy IxM’khart wore a pretty striped marquisette gown toned, with lace and blaek velvet, smart ficelle hut with dropping self coloured ostrich feathers; Mrs. Sweet, very pretty pale grey ninon oyer glace, white ami blac hat; Airs. Gore-Giilon, becoming violet cloth Eton costume with white vest, lint of same shade; Miss Doris Gillon, grey Eton coat and skirt, black hat with blaek and white tulle rosettes; Mrs. Gordon wore an effe.tUvc black coat and skirt with touches of white, becoming hat with wfiatled fohch; Mr*. .Grant Wore a Binart petunia ch ill on talletu

with cream lace yoke, hat to match; Mrs.. Drummond Ferguson, pretty pale periwinkle blue taffeta gown toned with lace, picture hat; Mrs. Beale, grey tweed costume braided with black, small black and white hat; Mrs. Rheimers, smart brown cloth Eton costume with very pretty hat to match trimmed with shaded brown roses; Mrs. Lyons wore a lovely gown of mole coloured chiffon velours finished with blue and silver embroidered applique, hat of same shade with natural coloured ostrich feathers and touches of blue; Mrs. Pollen, crushed raspberry ninon with cream lace vest and black bands, black plumed hat; Mrs. Leathern wore a striking costume of biscuit brown ninon with brown taffeta bands, brown hat crowned with brown coque feathers; Mrs. Guinness, . green heather mixture tailor-made costume with green hat; Mrs. Pabst, navy blue chiffon taffeta with cream lace vest, pretty pale blue shaded hat: Mrs. Herbert Kissling, black crepe de chine with cream V-shaped vest, plumed hat with touches of gold; Mrs. Harry Gilfillan, black chiffon taffeta with black laee, black and white hat; Miss Dagma Gilfillan, pretty cream cloth Eton coat and skirt, most becoming violet hat; Mrs. Jack Spicer, dainty elephant grey face doth with creme net guimpe, very pretty nattier blue hat; Mrs. Marsack, pale grey eolienne and black plumed hat; Mrs. George Morris, black and cream costume and smart raspberry velvet hat; Mrs. J. P. Stevenson, very pale blue taffeta over pink, pale pink plumed hat; Mrs. Stevenson (Wellington),black ehifton taffeta with black lace, black hat with black ostrich feathers; Mrs. Jack Reed, pale grey eolienne and black hat; Mrs. Thomas, wine-coloured velvet gown with silk facings of same shade, small fur toque; Mrs. McGregor wore a beautiful cream eolienne embroidered with cream and gold thread, small black toque. Others present were: —Mrs. Lawrenee, Mts. Fraser, Miss White, Mrs. and Miss Spicer, Miss Devore, Miss Frater, Mrs. George Kent, Mrs. Friend. Mrs. Neill, Mrs. Colgrove, Mrs,. Dixon, Mrs. and Miss Souter, Mrs. Harry Marsack, Mrs. Charlie Brown, Miss Moss, Mrs. Horrocks, etc. The talk of the social world last week, was MRS. R. ANTONY CARR’S BALL, given in honour of her daughter, Miss Airini Carr, who made her debut last Thursday. The ball was given at Mrs. Carr’s residence, Ranfurly-road, Epsom, which is admirably adapted for all social functions, and both house and grounds were made the most of oh this occasion. The gardens were prettily deeorated, with strings of gay-coloured Japanese lanterns, and so that there should be plenty of " sitting-out ” rooms, a large marquee was erected on the lawn for a supper room. The small supper tables, arranged for four and six, looked eharming with their pretty decorations of pink and white roses. Quantities of roses were used in the decorating of the other rooms. Burke’s band supplied the music, the floor was in excellent condition, and partners were plentiful, so there was nothing to mar the enjoyment of the guests, who all agreed 1 that Mrs. Carr’s dance was a most thoroughly successful and enjoyable affair. The guests were received by Mr. and Mrs. Carr and Miss Airnie Carr. Mrs. Carr was handsomely gowned in a beautiful shade or teai green chiffon taffeta, softened with lovely lace. She wore a white osprey in her hair, and carried a lovely pink bouquet. Miss Carr’s charming debutante frock of white silk ha<l a narrow stripe on it, and was finished with encrustations of silver, eluster of lilies of the valley on corsage and wreath of same flowers in her hair. The Hon. Miss Plunket was effectively gowned in ivory crepe de chine, with eeintiire of. gold tissue; Mi-s Cresswell, very pretty, toilette ot black chiffon toned! with white amt finished with bands of blaek velvet; Mm. Arthur Myers, lovely white chiffon gown embellished with lace and gold lovers’ knots; Mrs. Ia?o Myras, gown of white Liberty satin with touches of pink and clusters of pink roses. Mrs. Coleman wore black chiffon taffeta brightened with jewelled lace; Mrs. J. R. Reed was gowned in a moat uncommon

shade of blue ehiffon belours with silk bands; Mrs. W. R. Bloomfield, ivory point d’esprit elaborately embroidered with pink roses and trails of green leaves; Mrs. J. R. Bloomfield was charmingly gowned in buttercup brocade, with lovely lace panels; Mrs. Colbeck, cream lace, daintily finished with heliotrope, heliotrope ceinture; Miss Rooke, very pretty frock of Wedgwood, blue taffeta toned with white lace; Mrs. George Bloomfield wore a graceful blue and white ehine silk toilette; Mrs. Harry Bloomfield, dainty white crepe de ehine embroidered with pretty shaded tissue roses; Mrs. H’. B. Morton, dull green ehiffon taffeta with cream lace on bodice; Mrs. Edward Morton, black taffeta with lovely real laee and touches of heliotrope velvet; Mrs. Alec Ferguson, violet Pompadour silk softened with lace; Mrs. Burns was picturesquely gowneu in blue ana pink floral ehiffon, effectively finished with black; Mrs. Maefarlane, becoming green chiffon taffetas softened with lace; Mrs. Alfred Nathan, lovely black and white gown, finished with smoky blue belours and silver tissue; Miss Nathan looked charming in white embroidered chiffon with touches of silver tissue in her hair; Miss Miles (Wellington) looked pretty in white taffeta veiled in laee, pink chine ribbon ceinture, and pink in her hair; Miss Browning, white taffeta; Miss Lulu Browning, pale pink crepe de chine blended with taffeta of same shade; Mrs. Raymond Biss, black satin and cream laee,- brightened with wreath of scarlet berries; Miss Biss, black frilled ehiffon with real lace berthe; Miss Dot Biss (debutante) looked pretty in a _white taffeta picture frock finished with lace; Mis R . Gorrie wore her pretty deuutante frock of ivory taffeta with silver tissue giumpe and ceinture; Miss Kirker, dainty ciel blue, ring spotted ehiffon; Miss Upton, eau de nil chiffon taffeta with lace berthe; Miss Northcroft, soft white crepe de chine with encrustations of cream lace; Mrs. Richmond, handsome black silk real lace; Miss Richmond, black chiffon; Mrs. MaeCormiek was gowned in white taffeta; Mrs. Savage looked sweet in a blaek crepe de chine Empire frock with black velvet; Miss Cooper wore white chiffon taffeta with overdress of lace, roses on corsage and in her hair; Mrs. Edward Russell, pretty violet and white floral silk with real lace berthe; Mrs. Archie Clark, black taffeta, softened with lace; Miss Isabel Clarke, cameo pink crepe de chine with touches of silver tissue; Mrs. Foster, dainty sea blue taffeta; Mrs. Bodie, black taffeta and cream laee; Miss Nesta Thomas was dainty in white taffeta with dusters of lilies of the valley; Miss Towle looked charming in white taffeta and lace; Miss M. Towle, heliotrope taffeta semi-Empire gown with lace berthe, caught with heliotrope chrysanthemums; Miss F. Walker, very pretty ciel blue taffeta with lace and silver tissue; Mrs. Greig was gowned in black taffeta and cream lace; Miss Sybil Greig’s gown was of primrose taffeta with gold tissue ceinture; Miss Pearl Gorrie, white ehiffon taffeta; Miss Douglas wore her pretty dainty debutante gown of white taffeta; Miss Mills looked very pretty in white spotted silk mousseline with touches of silver tissue and blaek velvet, silver in her hair. There were also present Mrs Rose, Miss Daisy Benjamin, Miss Paton, Miss Buddle, Mrs. Louguet, Miss Aicken, Miss Olive Lusk, Miss White, Miss Cochrane, Miss Bouillon, Miss Devereux, Miss Clark, Misses Thompson, Miss Stevenson, Miss Dulcie Bourne, Miss Brown, Miss Bleazard Brown, Miss Buller, etc. PROGRESSIVE BRIDGE. Mrs. Charlie Brown, St. Stephen’s Avenue, gave a most successful progressive Bridge Party last Friday evening. There were alxmt eight tables of bridge, but there were quite a number of oldfashioned folk who preferred looking on to playing. The prize-winners were Miss K. White, who was presented with a dainty picture in a beaten copper frame; for second prize Mrs. Arnold received a lovely silver-mounted' smelling salts bottle; and Mrs. Bloomfield won the booby prize, a silver sugar sifter. Afterwards we were regaled with a most delicious supper, and the tables looked so pretty with their decorations of erimson dahlias and zinnias. Mrs. Brown was wearing a becoming black taffeta gown with berthe of lovely Irish laee; her little (laughter (Miss Ailsa) was dainty in white embroidered muslin with pale blue ribbons; Miss Wrigley, black silk with cream lace vest and touches of chine rib-

bon; Miss Wilson (Thames), dainty black gown with blaek lace veiling the bodice; Mrs. Bloomfield, black satin and lace; Mrs. Jack Bloomfield was prettily gowned in white silk, softened with chiffon; Mrs. Watt (Wanganui), handsome pale grey brocaded silk with chiffon fichu; Mrs. Marsack; becoming vieu.x rose taffeta, toned with velvet and Indian embroidery; Mrs. George, very pretty white taffeta, veiled in black chiffon and lace, brightened with touches of gold; Mrs Rathbone, eau de Nil chiffon taffeta with cream lace on bodice; Mrs. Ferguson, charming white crepe de chine with white lace guimpe; Mrs. Holmes, black chiffon taffeta with velvet and black lace; Mrs. Thomas, wine-coloured velvet with white. Valenciennes lace guimpe; Mrs. Upfil, pretty pink mousseline de soie with cream net and lace yoke; Mrs. Smith wore white silk and lace; Mrs. Charlie McCormick, pale blue chiffon taffeta with lace berthe. Others present were Mrs. Goetz, Mrs. Leathani, Mrs. Fraser, Mrs. Walker, Mrs. Arnold, Mrs. Colegrove, Mrs. Bruce, Miss Bagnall, Miss Walker, Misses Lusk, Mrs. Pollen, Misses White, Misses Devore, Mrs. Hunt, Mrs. Greig, Mrs. Stephenson (Wellington), Mrs. Lawrence, Mrs, Stubbs, etc. GORGEOUS STAGE DRESSES AT ‘•PRISONER OF ZENDA.” The Julius Knight Company continues to draw absolutely packed houses, and much regret is being expressed that ’’THE PRISONER OF ZENDA”

is going to have such a snort run. Personally, I think it immeasurably better than “The Scarlet Pimpernel,” but that may be because I am a woman, and just love pretty clothes; and I must say that I broke the tenth commandment mors than once when I had the pleasure of a private view of several of the gowns, or, rather, creations, worn in the “Prisoner of

Zenda,” which, of course, look twenty per cent, better “on” than “off,” with all the accessories of tulle veils and ostrich feather head gear, held in. place with jewelled combs, etc., dainty silken hose, with shoes to match, glace underskirts of same shade or some shade that formed a eharming contrast, and gloves and bouquets that fill one with envy. The costumes worn by Miss Ola Humphreys in this piece have previously been described in these pages, so I will not tire you with repetitions, but I can assure you you would never tire of looking at them. Miss Wilson, as Antoinette de Mauban, was exquisitely gowned all through, and, in fact, all me toilettes obviously emanated from the brains and fingers of artists, the blending of colours in the gowns worn in the Coronation scene being absolutely perfect. Having raised your curiosity sufficiently, I will try and describe some that particularly caught my fancy, though really they beggar description; but first I must tell you that they are all made in the very latest fashion. Miss Wilson’s first gown was a perfectly-fitting black and white striped material, made with a semi-Empire skirt, the short waist outlined with a narrow black velvet band, the bodice had a Vshaped vest of lovely ivory laee overlapping a tiny guimpe of tucked black net; the required note of colour was given by a touch of dull terra-cotta finishing the vest both back and front ; with this was worn a most becoming hat, crowned with black and white plumes. Her second toilette was a very simple evening gown of pearl grey chiffon with tucked skirt and square-cut corsage, and she wore a perfectly ravishing opera coat of persimmon chiffon velours with long kimono sleeves finished with fringed tassels. Later she appeared in a chestnut brown cloth Josephine gown, exquisitely blended with a leaf green silk, charming hat in same shades. Miss Jean Martin, as Frau Teppich, wore a very handsome black jetted net robe over black glace, brightened with touches of silver; the long Court train (14 feet in length) was of black satin, embroidered with silver butterflies. Princess Flavia's two maids of honour wore charming white crepe de chine gowns a la Grec, with gold tissue ceintures and touches of gold on the Greek sleeves and hems of the skirts; their trains were of rich ivory satin, lined with pale blue. In theCoronation scene one very handsome .of pale apple green satin with narrow perpendicular banjis of heliotrope and silver, green satin train, lined with heliotrope. Another very effective one was an old rose chiffon with appliqued pink roses and cream laee. A black point d’esprit,- mounted on apricot silk, was worn with a very handsome brocaded silk train, lined with a deeper shade of apricot; and another, of cream lace, had a narrow band of dark violet satin, headed with cream applique, the whole mounted on primrose satin; the Court train was of a much deeper shade, almost tangerine, iin<l large crush roses of primroseshaded to tangerine finished the toilette. 1 could enumerate several more, but lack of space and time will not permit of it. I can only add that the dresses alone are well worth seeing, so let nothing prevent you. from seeing what one of the Sydney papers call “a dress and millinery show.” THE AVONDALE RACE MEETINGS arc becoming quite a fashionable suburban meeting, and on Saturday there were quite a number of people there one w knew. Doubtless the lovely day and the picnic idea tempted them. Avondale always seems a much more informal sort of a meeting than either Ellerslie or Takapuna, and on Saturday most people took lunch baskets, and some even took spirit lamps and "boiled the billy” for their own tea. The racing was interesting, and one or two of the dividends more than interesting if one had been lucky enough to strike them. The steeplechase was a very pretty race, only marred by the fall of Burns, the rider of Matakokiri, which, from an ordinary outsiders point of view, might have been avoided. The jump ut which the accident occur reel seems to have been placed in the worst possible position, ami if it is not altered I should think there will be plenty more accidents, and probably more serious ones. Amongst the visitors I noticed: Mrs Fred. Waller, wearing a pale grey striped coat nnd skirt, with blue and white spotted silk facings, shot silk hat crowned with white wings; Miss Buckland, navy blue cloth, and blue hat; Miss Jftrra Gorrlc, smart grey tailor-made, small green toque wreathed with shaded loses; Miss Gwen. Gorric, striped black

and white summer suiting eoat and skirt, black picture hat; Miss Cotter, smart brown tailor-made, with pretty hat en suite; Mrs Walker, violet cloth costume, and violet hat to match; Mrs Barter, dainty blue grey costume, hat wreathed with red roses; Mrs Harry Whitson, green cloth costume, and blaek hat; Mrs R. B. Lusk, dark green tailormade, with white felt hat trimmed with green velvet and wings; Miss Jean Lusk (Dunedin), green costume, and becoming green hat; Mrs Martelli, brown cloth Eton costume, pretty fur toque; Mrs Haake was effectively frocked in brown, brown and pink hat. Others present were: Mrs Handey, Mrs Cox, Miss Raphael. Mrs Kronfeld, Mrs McCallum, Mrs Gaudin, etc. PERSONAL ITEMS. The friends of Mr. Emil Vincent, who was out in New Zealand a couple of years ago, will be interested to know that he has started business in Ghent, his firm dealing in electrical machinery. Some time ago the colonial papers published an account of the trial at’Nancy, France, of a student with the same name as Mr. Vincent, for attempting to defraud an uncle, and from letters sent to Belgium it would appear that some people connected the two names, and thought the Owners were identical. Such an idea could only be entertained by those who only knew Mr. Vincent by name, and the mistake caused much amusement among Mr. Vincent’s friends. Mrs. Worsp and Mrs. Thornton, Auckland, are the guests of Mrs. Hughlings Jackson, Christchurch. The many friends of Miss Blanche Worsp will be sorry to hear she is very ill in a private nursing home in Christchurch. She has been visiting her sister, Mrs. H. Jaekson, of Papanui Road, Christchurch, for some months past.

PHYLLIS BROUN.