WELLINGTON.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XVLI, Issue 12, 20 September 1911, Page 61

WELLINGTON.

September 15. Afternoon Tea at Government House. On 1 riday Her Excellency Lady Tsling--1 >n gave an afternoon tea at Government louse. Yellow daffodils and freesias 1 ' Led the drawing-room, and in the bull- ? >om were tall clumps of annn lilies; '*He the tea table, arranged in the r litre of the room, was fragrant and guy ith mimosa. Lady Islington has interfil'd herself i n Miss Thelma Petersen, wp beautiful contralto voice has been Wrmly praised by oelabratod nausiiuans

lately in New Zealand. Miss Petersen sang several times at Government House, and both their Excellencies and the guests were delighted with the power and sweetness of her voice. Lady Islington wore black ninon with a doulffiere of black Liberty satin, and folds of rose colour under the black ninon of the corsage; Miss Stapleton Cotton was in pale blue foulard, with soutache and filet lace; Mrs Guise, brown sou pie cloth, with bands of velvet, and a velvet toque. Their Excellencies motored to Featherston next day, and spent the week end at their country seat, where their small girl spends most of the time in charge of her governess. Monday was an important occasion, as it was the Hon. Joan Dickson-Poynder’s birthday, so c 'Longwood” was en fete. By-the-bye, Mr Charles Pharazyn, who is the owner of “Longwood,” has recently sold it, the new purchaser being Mr D. Riddiford, of Hawke’s Bay. Mr Riddiford is a son of the late Mr E. J. Riddiford, of the Lower Hutt. It will be some time before he takes possession of “Longwood,” as His Excellency’s lease has nearly another year to run. A Dance. A noteworthy dance of the season was that given by Mr and Mrs Leo Buller on Friday night. It was hard to recognise the Sydney-street Hall in its new array, which transformed it into a green and white pavilion with tall palms and ferns stationed in each corner and standing guard at every doorway. Even the prosaic dais was suggestive of spring, as for a space it was carpeted ankle deep with moss and lichen, out of which sprang flowering clumps of daffodils, primroses, freesias, and snowdrops. A huge mirror reflected everything on the ballroom floor, doubling the brilliant effect, and on either side it was flanked with a trellis screen, in which daffodils were combined with the feathery green and gold of mimosa. In the annexe—which was a most popular place of sitting out—gorgeous Chinese lanterns •were festooned against the background of white and green. The same delicate colour scheme was carried out in the supper-room, but there it was accentuated by hanging baskets of rose-coloured camellias: while the supper tables were done with wonderful anemones, shell pink, rose, glowing crimson, and deep red. The floor was in splendid order, the music gay and inspiriting, and the supper a most excellent one, so it was with real regret that the last extra was announced. The dance went off with great eclat, and the cheers for the host and hostess at the end were given with a warmth and emphasis that must have been very gratifying. Mrs Buller wore a beautiful dress o.f 'ivory brocade, the ninon tunic having outre deux of delicate lace; pearl embroideries enriched the corsage and the lii.gh-waisted belt, her tiara was of diamonds, and as a pendant she wore an amethyst of immense size and exquisite hue. The purple note was repeated in her bouquet of violets, and the new mauve freesnas, whieh came in for much admiring comment. Among the guests were: Mrs Godley. in a princess gown of charmeuse. draped with lace and delicately embroidered: Miss Brandon, pasdel satin, with a. ninon tunic: Miss N. Brandon, ivory charmeuse and lace; Mrs* •Chaytor, pale blue brocade with crvsal silver embroideries; Mrs Duncan, ona] charmeuse veiled in shot ninon with iridescent embroideries; Miss Tr’orn. anrient liberty satin, with a graceful t.unfic of mole mousseline de sole: "Miss TTir court, ivory satin and Irish lace; "Miss Coates, black charmeuse with a ninon ‘overdress and gold embroideries: Mrs Larnacli. black crone de clu'no with Egyptian embroideries on the ninon corsage: Miss Milos, ivorv satin, with a funic of embroidered ninon: Miss f'MeTidge, chan<*ennt satin in tones of blu o and grev with opal embroideries: Miss T. Coleridge, n. Josephine gown of charmeiis’S draned in i oson net: "Mrs. Petree, satin lumineux veiled in net with Oriental embroideries; Mess Pearce, pale blue charmeuse. veiled tn ninnssoline do smo. embroidered and hemmed with satin: Mrs Thorntom. Ivorv satin, with an overdress nf lace and ninnn; Miss Town, •opal liber! v satin, draped with Lands n p emln-oidorv: Miss Thnann~nn (Melbourne 1 ivnrv satin with tunic of n'nnn. A Maori Reception. Tt is with great regret that we hear of •Mr and Mrs T.eo Buller’s coming -denar ture for England, where ilupy intend to Bve penniiumtly. Indeed, their <»nlv reason fur coming out was arrange for the disposal of the property wh’ld»

formerly belonged to Sir Walter Baller, who was such a well-known figure in New Zealand * flairs. A feature of Airs Buller’e tftay iu New Zealand was the Maori reception given in her honour by the natives of l*apai tonga, .wliere Mr Buller’s country house is. It was quite a stately ceremonial, the powhiri of welcome accompanied by a chant and much waving of green boughs; while the leading 'chiefs made a long, flattering speech in Maori relative to the Buller family. Mrs Buller made a most favourable impression on the natives, who at once recognised her as of rangatira rank. A Concert. Miss Peterson’s committee was too modest iu taking the Town Concert Hall for her benent concert, as the audience was ar too large for the room. However, it was a most enthusiastic crowd, and became deeply impressed with Miss Pete_rsen’s vocal powers, and the importance of enabling her to get the best training possible. All the best musical talent in Wellington contributed to the programme, though interest, of course, centred chiefly in the songs by Miss Petersen herself. She wore white ninon made with an appropriate girlish simpb ity, and Airs. Esson was in pale blue with a berthe of lace. The audience included: Sir Joseph and Lady Ward, the latter hi black velvet; Mr. Cyril Ward, and Mrs. Ward (pale blue charmeuse) ; Mr. Guise and Mrs. Guise (ivory satin and net) ; and a great many other wellknown people. Bowlers as Hosts. Although bowlers have to abandon their favourite game during the winter season, they manage to console themselves in other ways. On Friday there was a most successful dance, preceded by a euchre party, when the hosts were the members of the Kelburne Club. Everything went off|well; the games were close and exciting, and the band played cheerfully all the time. Among those present were Mrs. McVilly, wearing mole ninon over rose pink satin; Mrs. Herdman wore ivory ninon over Liberty satin}; Mrs. Williamson, black satin and jet; Mrs. Clark, black crepe de chine relieved with lace; Mrs. Dall, black charmeuse and ninon; Miss Batten, mauve crepe de chine: Miss •Clark, mole ninon over pink taffetas; Miss Millar pale blue charmeuse: Miss Martin, black satin and jet; Mrs. Wardell, ivory charmeuse and lace. Hockey Ball. There was a great swing and zest at the hockey ball on Saturday, and if the girls were tired after their week of hard play, they showed very little signs. Crossed hockey sticks and the colours of various clubs taking part in the tournament alternated with palms and green ery on the walls and the balcony, which became a very favourite place for sitting out and watching the dances, was fes tooned with flags. Her Excellency Lady Islington had promised to attend and present the championship trophies to the winning teams, but as the senior finals wore still unplayed, there was only the junior cup to be handed over* The Vice regal party was received by Dr. Izard and Miss Mellsop, representing- the New Zealand Ladies’ Hockey Association, and the bouquet Lady Islington was presented with carried out the Association colonies, as it was composed of primroses with black tulle streamers. Speeches were ■made by Dr. Izard and Sir Joseph Ward. In response Lady Islington said how pleased she was to he there, and announced her intention of giving a silver trophy to be competed for. Miss Purr, on behalf of the Wellington College Club (winners of the junior championship) received the prize, and Miss Hicks (of the same club) was awarded the special prize given by Mis-, ( o.ites. In token of the bard and st venous work which fell to the lot of Miss Mellsop, the honorary secretarv of th • \sociation, during and before the tournament the visiting teams made' h<r a special present a I ion of a gold watch wb.irh was linnded to lier bv I.adv Uin"l <»’i to the accompaniment of cheers from I lie girls. Iler Excellency Ladv Islington, who was attended bv Captain MjuDougalb and arconipanied by Miss Stapleton Cotton. wore black ninon, thr vamlvked tunic having a deep liorder of beautiful Julian point Ince and a high-waited Kelt of Rat in. into wliirli w as hich’il a poscy of pink cnrnn'tloiiß. Mi— Staple ton Cotton, a Princoßß dress of black chif-

fon velours with jet embroideries. Two of the clmneroßß of the dance were Mrs. Herdman, in ivory striped ninon over satin with a cluster of roses, and Miss Coates, the latter wearing black charmease with silver and gold einbroideriA*. Miss Mellsop was in black velvet with a tucker of lace. As there were nearly two hundred strangers at the dance it was not easy to identify them. White was the most popular wear, and proved universally becoming. On Monday the final match for the championship was played at Day’s Bay, when Nelson succeeded in beating the holders — a redoubtable team from Hawke’s Bay. Taking it all round, the tournament was successful and well managed, but it. necessarily entailed a very severe physical strain on the players, and some of them were evidently feeling it. In Aid of the Kindergarten. Miss Richmond’s little play, “The Motherley’s Luck,” had a successful run at the Opera House here, and the Free Kindergarten funds should benefit considerably. On one night His Excellency the Governor was present with Lady Islington, the latter wearing black ninon de soie with silver embroideries and fillet of red roses in her coiffure. Hutt Flower Show. Wednesday was beautifully fine for the Hutt Flower Show, but, from one reason or another, there were not so many people present as usual. Most of the Hutt people camo on late. Miss Cirff’s adding and various causes kept the town visitors away. The show itself was well managed, and the locale was ideal, as there was plenty of space, and the white walls made the best of backgrounds to the tables and stands full of flowers. Yellow tints predominated, naturally, as by far the most numerous flowers were dat fodils and narcissus in great variety. This year Mr. Chapman, whose exhibit of cyclamen and many rare flowers is al ways one of the best features of the Hutt Show, had nothing on view, a loss which was much regretted. The greatest interest centred in the new freesias culti rated by Mr. Graham Harvey, aftei years of experiment and selection. The deep apricot and primrose yellow sprays were much admired, but, perhaps, the most beautiful were those in delicate shades of lavender and pale purple. An English lady present, who is a keen gar dene.r, is planning to take some bulbs Home with her, as she does not think the new shades are known to English flower-lovers. The two champion daflo dils of the show, Lemon Queen and Duke of Bedford, were of gigantic size. The former was grown at Hawera. Coming to the decorated tables, one sighed over the iniquities of the table centres. A yard of rose pink velvet, ruined a charming scheme of blue forgot met-nets and a feathery white flower, and a messy arrangement of tulle was all too popular, while the effective simplicity of white lace and embroidery was almost ignored. Some coral red japoniea which could have been a joy in clear crystal vases, was put in an old-fash iojied ejiergne of ruby fluted glass, with a result that was distressing to the artistic eye. Two tables that missed the prize were much approved of by the visitors: one an arrangement, of pale pink anemones with maiden ha i r ; the other done with graceful .-.prays of single and double yellow japoniea. Air I’revithick, the president, .and the officials of the Hutt Horticultural Society, received their Excellencies. Lord Islington made an excellent little speech, and afterwards he and Lady Islington were escorted round the hall and inspected all the exhibits before having afternoon tea. Crimson w.h the keynote of Lady Islington’s attire, her sh-e? matching the hue of the smart tailor made of crimson cloth, with its narr'W braid and buttons en suite, ami the harmony was further carried out. by a shower bouquet of cyclamen shading from crimson to deep dark red. Her hat of oyster legal straw h oi a ru 'he of black ospreys and a lining of black satin. and the sable note was rejveated in her ostrich feather boa Mrs Trevithick wore pale blue foulard, with a net guinipo. ami a black pi lure hat: Mrs Wilford. n heather tweed tailor made, and a brown hat with cerise rocarde; Mrs Godby, naw blue (loth, naw toque with sapphire feHher- M s O. Stevens, Egyptian g’ y \ il- D e vest, hat wreathed with lilac; Mrs Grace, black braided tailor made, black nnd white bonnet: Rolles! >ll (Christrliurch). black rrrpe de chine. I mg black Rat in rort with r die r nnd rover* of black and white <f'ipe<! satin black picture hat; Mir O’Ctmnnr. black coat and

rt, and black and white hat; Miss O’Connor, grey cloth tailor-made, grey hat with cornflowers; Mrs Easterfield, navy coat and skirt piped with green, fawn hat with green wings; Mrs Harvey, black voile, black ami white hat; Mrs Milward. navy cloth, and black hat; Mrs Bunny, grey souple cloth braided in grey, blue hat with wings; Mrs Treadwell, saxe blue foulard, with a ninon tunic of black, black hat; Mrs Wilson, amethyst cloth epat and skirt, and amethyst hat: Mrs (‘overdale, grey Shantung. and grey hat with roses t Mrs Kennedy. black souple cloth, braided in black. black toque: Miss Kennedy, tweed tailormade, and tegal hat with xx ings. A Dance. It Vvas in recognition of the enjoyment experienced at the Hutt Cinderella dances that-, a committee <d town men arranged t dance, when the principal guests .wenHie Hutt hostesses* It was a n|Ost. successful affair. and only came to an end when it was time tor the special train to, take the jhi.tt people back. Messrs. Litchfield. Nathan. ProusO. Atkii'isou. Chesney’.anil W ith/ford were sonic of the Mis. Bridge wore black satin and jet: Mis. Rose I Unit Irish <rn«»i Liberie satin, veiled -in bronze ami green- shot ninon: .Mrs. Maleolmson. pale blue salin.‘th< limit of- ninon sewn in <rvstal brads: Mrs. Dixon, white ninon oye-r satin: Mrs Rathbone, ivoiy satin; Miss M ilia r. * whin : satin with panels of silver tissue' veiled .in while ninon; Miss Eliott I Hut t)/’ pale pink ninon and.satin; Miss Olixp Smith, black chin’oq. velvet' with a deep tucker of lace: Miss Callender (Hutt), riel blur eharmeuse with silver fringe; Miss ( hitman, ivorv satin ami net : Miss Sinclair, white ninon over xx hit*- Liberty salin; Miss Jamieson. cream channelise with' entrrdrux of la<-< ; , Mis- S. Barraud. primrose satiir. tin niijon tuni• bordered- with faint embroideries in blur; Miss Kettle (Cre-vmouth .. black ch ar mouse ami ninon: Miss V. Kettle, opal crepe de chine; Miss Lexer, white and silver ninon over pair pink siik: Miss D. Le.ver. sea blur.' rharmrusr; Miss Kingdon .(Hutt), crimson crepe, ,de chine; Miss West, vivid green Lilwrty satin; Miss Wilson, pair- blue mousseline dr soie: Miss Allport, ivory satin ami lace; Miss Jone-, white channelise with silver embroidered tunic;. Mi-- I’ar-ons Hutt), iris mauve charmousje; Mi-- Stuart-l'<»rbe- 'Hutt', white nipon over pomj»a<l<»ur -ilk; Miss Kirk.caldic. x ieux rose Liberty satin, draped in ninon: Miss Busweli.. Mark chiffon, satin ami jet : Miss W light, white satin with poail embroideries; Miss .Maud Bmlmin (Hutt), pale pinkcrepe de chine: Miss Logan, mist grey ninon o.yer rbaj mouse of the suiim* shade: Miss' Foster 'Hutt), pale.blue mci'veilleux ami chiffon; Miss Mark-, moh* iim< n ’oyer orange charmruse: Mb Brandon. pale pink taffetas, veiled in ninon: Mi-- Xathan, white crepe de chine ami Im-r: .Miss Myer*, black ninon over while -atin: Mi-s Wylie, pale blue cliar-ymm-i- with silver fiinge; Mi<s Wardrop, pale pink ninon oxer ivory satin: Miss Ha v ward illiitl*. w Hite sal in and silver tissue, veiled in ninon; Miss O'Keefe, black charim u-e ami jet ■ -Mbs Thompson (Melbourne ■. ixorx < harmeust . Al Home. 1 he woim n of the Reform Leagm were tin gm-sts of hommr at an “At Home’’ given by Mr Massey and the Opposition members on Monday afternoon. The Art Gallery, wlhti- the “At Home** was held, was arranged as a tea room, with quantities of flowers everywhere, especially on the stage, which xva- beautifully done with ferns ami (lowering shrubs. Each tri table had a vast* of daffodils, freesia-, and violet-, ami along the walls were bowls of golden xxattlr. Mrs Hardy (xvife of the senior Opposition whip) was associated with Mr Massey in receiving the gm—is, who were Cordially welcomed and most attentively looked alter by their host-. Mr- Hardy wore Black cope de chine, with a lace yoke, and a black hat wreathed with roses; the President of tin- Reform League (Mis Xewman) xvore mole chiffon velours, the guimpr of Irish lace outlined with a piping of <cri-r. whuh also appeared in her toque of violets. Others present Were: Mrs Herdman. in a long seal coat over a dark i«d <lr<-s. Idp'ck and white toque; Mrs Grace, black Iwngaline. black bonnet with veiled l!ow< i - of vieux rose; Mrs Rollrstoii (( anti rbury ). black satin coat and skirt, with facings of p<kinn silk, black plumed hat: Mrs D.uthir, black velvet coat and skirt, braided in black, saxe blue hat with black tips; Mrs Buick (Palmerston), black tailor* ftiadr, and black and white hat) Aliaq

nuick, navy coat and skirt, and tegal hat with Howers; Mrs Hadfield, dark blue cloth, with black soutache, blue and white hat; Mrs Menzies, black crepe de chine, violet toque; Mrs Van Haast, tabac brown coat and skirt, and brown hat with plumes; Mrs Morison, mole souple cloth, with touches of green, green hat with wings; Miss Fraser, cream serge tailor-made, black hat with white plumes; Mrs Miles, black embroidered ninon over electric blue satin, black panne toque; Mrs E. Newman (Rangitikei), petunia cloth tailor-made, hat of the same colour with shaded roses; Miss Newman, white cloth coat and skirt, black hat; Mrs McEwan, mauve frieze tailor-made, black picture hat; Mrs Fitzgerald, navy serge braided in black, black gathered hat; Mrs F. M. B. Fisher, pastel coat and skirt, rustic straw hat with roses; Mrs Andrews, amethyst cloth, black picture hat; Mrs Wright, burnt rose cloth, with touches of black; Mrs I. Menzies, dark blue tailor-made, and largo black hat; Mrs Kean, brown tweed, brown hat with cornflowers; Mrs Hine, green tailor-made, black hat with roses: Mrs Hill, dark red cloth, black and white hat: Mrs Scott, black resilda. black and white toque: Mrs Talbot. cream coat and skirt, black picture hat : Mrs Kennedy, black tailor-made, and black and white hat: Mrs Peat, black coat and skirt, and black toque; Mr*- Dawson. black eolienne. black toque: Miss Fitzgerald, dark blue coat ami skirl, piped with emerald green, hat with green wings: .Miss Holmes. brown tailormade. and brown toque; Miss Drummond. navy coat and skirt, and white hat with blue roses.

OPHELIA.