AUCKLAND.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLVII, Issue 5, 31 January 1912, Page 65

AUCKLAND.

January 27. Mining Pieaie. THE Directors of the WaihiPaeroa Gold Extraction Company gave the most delightful picnie on Wednesday. We left Auckland at 7.15 in the morning on board the Wakatere, which had been chartered for the occasion. The morning was grey and still, and it was simply delightful steaming down the harbour. About nine oclock we had morning tea, which was most welcome, because most of us had only a scratch breakfast. We had the Bavarian Band on board, whose music we all enjoyed, the “Chocolate Soldier’ being in great request. About half-past eleven we leached Koho, where a special train was waiting to convey us to Paeroa, travelling through such pretty country. Coaches were waiting for us at the Paerva station, which we boarded, and I am .'-ure we must have wakened up the town as we clattered through. A large number of men elected to walk, for, though r.t road to the works is about two and .. half miles, there is a short cut which only takes about 1-5 minutes. Upon ar:ival at the huge pile of buildings erect>d l.y the company we were met by Mr. .vnd Mrs. Atkin, who is general manager, and Mr. Banks (engineer) and Mrs.

Banks. Flags were flying, and the place looked so pretty with prettily decorated lunch tables, laid under the apple and fig trees on the bank of the river. And here we sat and enjoyed our luncheon, at the conclusion of which Mr. Kingswell gave us an outline of this huge concern, giving special praise to the engineer (Mr Banks) and Mr. Atkin (general manager) for the immense amount of work that had been got through in time for our visit. A most interesting inspection of the whole process followed, under the guidance of Mr. Atkin. Most of us went for a drive up the river to see the huge deposits of sand, and upon our return we had afternoon tea under tire trees. There must have been well over two hundred people present at this time. IVe had brought our band along with us, much to the delight of a large number of Maoris, who, dressed in their best, gave a picturesque touch to the scene. "All aboard’’ was the next cry, and away we went to the station, and soon reached Koho. where the Wakatere was waiting, and, after making a somewhat sketchy toilette, we heard the welcome bang of the gong, and down we went into the saloon, which during our absence had been transformed into a bower of flowers with ribbons festooned from side to side, and, what was most important to us, the tables were laden with good things to eat, and as we were awfully hungry you

can imagine we had a good time. Mr. Kingswell made a short speech, and we all drank his health with musical honours. The Hon. Seymour Thorne George also spoke, but this was all the speeches, as there were lots of hungry ones waiting outside for a second relay. The weather was so ealm that even those who “always ’ feel ill on board-—you know, the sort who feel ill when they go to a shipping office to book a passage —were quite perky and bright, so we sat on deck listening to the seductive strains of some well-known waltz. A few energetic ones were lured on to have a “turn or two, - ’ but for the most we were content to sit still, and by the time the Auckland wharf was reached—nearly midnight—we were a tired but happy crew. While the boat was coming up to the wharf we sang “Auld Lang Syne’’; “For He's a Jolly Good Fellow’’ for Mr. Kingswell, and, indeed, he had been, because he seemed to be in charge of everything, and not one single thing went amiss from start to finish. He was a most delightful host, ably assisted by Mrs. Kingswell and Mr. and Mrs. Duthie. “God Save the King’’ brought our seventeen hours’ pleasure to an end, and we tumbled into cabs and motors and off for home. There were about 150 guests on board, mostly men, and about thirty ladies, among whom were: Mrs. Kingswell, who wore a coat and skirt of coarse linen in a pretty shade of heliotrope, faced with black, a eream hat wreathed with shaded heliotrope flowers; Mrs. Duthie wore a natu-ral-coloured Shantung coat and pleated skirt, black hat with shaded stocks on it, and a blue veib; Mrs. Atkin-Carriek, dark blue doth coat and skirt, black and white hat; Miss Coates (Wellington) wore black doth and a black and white hat; Mrs. Nelson wore a grey coat and skirt and blaek toque with flowers on it; Mrs. Buekleton, dark blue coat and skirt, eream hat with grasses and flowers; Mrs. Somers wore rather a bright shade of blue eoat and skirt and a saxe bhie straw hat with bows of strip-

ed ribbon; Mrs. Greig, grey lustre coat and skirt, hat to match; Miss Molly Cooper tDannevirke), blue doth, black hat; Mrs. D. Isaacs, cream Shantung froek with touch of black and a hat to match; Mrs. Holgate wore blue linen and a black hat; Mrs. E. Russell, tweed eoat and skirt, cream hat with blaek bows; Mrs. Edmunds, blue cloth coat and skirt, black diarmeuse hat with white lace; Mrs. Palmer, cream Shantung coat and skirt with touches of black, cream and blaek hat; Miss Staekpool, dark blue eoat and skirt, blaek hat veiled with white lace; Miss Burgess, cream coat and skirt aud cream hat; Miss —. Burgess, white broderie Anglaise frock over palest pink, vieux rose coat and hat to match; Miss Hartland wore a grey eoat and skirt and blaek hat; Miss Nellie Waller, blaek and white cheek coat and skirt, black hat with large bows of creara lace; Mrs. Boyd, Mrs. Simpson, Mrs. Clifton, Mrs. Jackson, Mrs. Lightbrand, Miss King. Personal. Mr. and Mrs. E. Horton and theio family left on Friday for Taupo, where they are to eamp. Miss Marjorie Towle is to be their guest for a fortnight, Mrs. L. Harvey (uce Martin) is at present in Auckland with her husband (Mr. L. Harvey, S. Africa). They are the guests of Mrs. Harvey’s parents (Mr. and Mrs. Martin). Although not altogether unexpected, the passing away of Mrs. A. I. Johns (which took place at her residence at Devon port iu the early part of last week) was inestimably sad. Too high a tribute cannot be paid to her unusually beautiful disposition, and also to the wonderfully bright and happy manner in which her long illness was borne. To Mr. Johns and the two little motherless children is extended the sympathy of their many friends. PHYLLIS BROUN.