WELLINGTON.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLIII, Issue 20, 17 November 1909, Page 64

WELLINGTON.

November 12. Outside Attractions. This week has been mainly occupied by comings and goings. So there has been little entertaining. An unusual number of people went South for the. gaieties in Christchurch, and most of them agree that the weather on Cup Day was extremely aggravating. Then Palmerston claimed attention with its show and military tournament. Afternoon Tea. Mrs. Napier MaeLean’.s tea, was in honour of Mrs. Noel Nelson, who is now on her way back to Japan with her wee girL Music was a pleasant feature of

the afternoon, some ’cello solos by Mr. Stewart Mac Lean being particularly good, while items by Miss Ward and Miss Haybittie gave much enjoyment. The big picturesque hall was a very popular rendezvous, and against the brown wood panelling the' decorations of nasturtiums were charmingly artistic. Iris in beautiful blended tones of purple, bronze, and yellow, decorated the other rooms, and on the tea-table anemones were set in silver vases. Mrs. Napier Mac Lean wore saxe blue souple cloth with a net guimpe, and an elaborate design in soutache; Mrs. Noel Nelson had a filmy lingerie robe of embroidered lawn and lace, and a rosegarlanded hat; Miss Q. Nelson (Auckland), white embroidered muslin and floral hat; Mrs. L. Blundell, who accompanied Mrs. Nelson to Sydney, wore deep blue ninon with a lace yoke, and a blue toque with shaded roses; Mrs. Young, pale blue Shantung, black hat; Mrs. Ewen, pastel cloth and purple toque; Miss Miles, white lawn and lace, hat with roses; Miss Simpson, floral ninon and rose-wreathed hat; Miss Fulton, white embroidered muslin inserted with lace, tegal hat with flowers; Miss Stafford, white lawn and laee; Miss Jones, pale grey crystalline and black hat.

Mrs. Duncan’s Tea. Mrs. Duncan gave another of her small teas on Thursday afternoon. The hostess wore black crepe de chine, made en Princesse, with dull gold embossed embroideries outlining the square yoke of net; Miss Duncan was in silver grey eolienne, hemmed with eharmeuse of the same shade, which also made the grelots on the net guimpe. The guests included Mrs. Newman, in sapphire-blue ninon en Princesse, with dull gold embroideries, blue hat with plumes and gold galon; Miss Maclean (Hawke’s Bay), pink muslin, and black picture hat; Mrs. W. Turnbull, grey-blue ribbed tussore, the long close-fitting coat braided in the same shade, grey-blue hat with plumes; Mrs. lan Duncan, leaf-green liuen, and black hat. Returning Wellingtonians. Every steamer from England is bringing back returned Wellingtonians, and there is a large contingent due by the Turakina on Tuesday. Mr. and Mrs. Fred Nathan are on board, and with them is their baby daughter, who sees New Zealand for the first time. It will be remembered that Mrs. Fred Nathan was formerly Miss Elsie Joseph. Her mother (Mrs. Jacob Joseph), with Miss Rose Joseph, are also on the Turakina. Then, to continue the tale, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Joseph, W’ho have also been Home, arrived by this week’s Sydney steamer, so there will be quite a reunion in Wellington. Mr. and Mrs. Fred Nathan are to live in Palmerston North, but it is expected they will be in Wellington pretty often. Mrs. Jacob Joseph’s house in Hobson-street is being got ready for her occupation. Another passenger by the Turakina is Miss Riddiford, who has been spending a year in the Old C’ountry. One of Wellington’s most popular bachelors—Dr. Arnold Izard —:is also due by the same steamer, after a busy twelve months’ absence; and other well-known people are Mrs. Scales (Hutt) and Mr. and Mrs. Balfour Kinnear (Hawke’s Bay.)

A New Engagement. Elsewhere you will find the announcement of a new engagement. Miss Dorothy Nisbet has been spending some months here with Mrs. Pike, during the absence in Australia of her parents. Dr. and Mrs. Nisbet have postponed their return to Dunedin for a week or so in order to make acquaintance with their daughter’s fiancee, Mr. Prouse. Miss Nisbet accompanies them to Dunedin. Lady Plunket’s Visit. Next week we are to have a visit from Lady Plunket, who is to spend a week or two here. The news of a viceregal dance was quite sensational, it is so long since anything of that sort has been done; so, although it is rather late in the year, everyone is looking forward to it very much. Lady Ward at last managed to get away for her trip to Invercargill to see her grandson, but her visit was a very short one, as she will be back in Wellington next week. Sir Joseph is, of course, in Christchurch .for the festivities, and Lady Ward is to meet him there. Girls’ College Sports. There were many pretty frocks at the sports of the Girls’ College, and they showed to great advantage on the sloping

green lawns. A prompt and business like method enabled all the events to ba got off successfully, and the girls all looked very nice in their blue dresses. Masses of arum lilies were grouped in the central hall, where tea was provided, the tables being done with ixias, and a bevy of white-elad girls were busy look* ing after their guests. Miss Maclean, the head mistress, wore palest blue chiffon taffetas with a net guimpe and sleeves, mole-coloured hat with garland of pale blue forget-me-nots. Besides the

•ports programme there were putting and •roquet competitions for the benefit of the visitors. Miss Ecclesfleld was in mauve striped linen and a hat with purple flowers; Mrs. Hudson, Atlantic green linen and dark green hat; Mrs. Fisher, tussore silk, faced with green, green hat with roses; Mrs. Kendall, navy Sicilian eoat and skirt, black and white hat; Mrs. Larnach, green striped tweed and purple hat with violets; Mrs. Young, pink linen and pale pink toque; Miss Harding, green linen eoat and skirt with facings of green silk, black hat with flowers; Miss Ashcroft, blue alpaca and black hat; Miss MacGregor, brown linen and cerise hat; Mrs. Hwang, petunia frieze and hat with shaded roses; Miss Lee, tabac linen and black hat; Miss Jameson, white embroidered linen and floral hat.

A Farewell Tea. Mrs. Horatio Nelson’s tea on Thursday was intended as a farewell to Mrs. Noel N Ison. Curiously enough, although the surname is the same, there is no relationship between the two families. The tea table was done with red rhododendrons and white narcissus, while red ribbons gave an added touch of colour. Mrs. Nelson wore pale grey ninon de soie, made en Princesse, with a delicate touch of pale blue on the tucked net guimpe; Miss V iolet Nelson, white lingerie robe of lawn and lace; Mrs. Roland Robertson, pastel Shantung and rose wreathed hat; Mrs. Noel Nelson, petal pink ninon de soie, the tunie skirt hemmed with taffetas of the same shade, mushroom hat with shaded pink roses; Mrs. Louis Blundell, black crepe de chine and lace, black toque with roses. Kitchen Tea.

A kitchen tea for Miss Hoggard was given on Monday by Miss Vera Fulton, who is to officiate at the wedding as a bridesmaid. Pink ixias and feathery grasses made an artistic adornment to the tea table, and later on in the afternoon there was a very pleasant little amateur concert, to which the hostess contributed. Much fun greeted the opening of the pareels, and many of the guesses turned out hopelessly wrong. Miss Fulton wore white muslin en Princesse and elaborately inserted with lace; Miss Hoggard, glacier blue Shantung with a square guimpe of tucked net and a Josephine scarf, white picture hat with black plumes; Mrs. Fulton was in black crepe de chine with a lace yoke and embroideries in a, pale shade of blue.

OPHELIA.