UNITED FREE METHODISTS' BAZAAR.

Auckland Star, Volume IV, Issue 1200, 27 November 1873, Page 2

UNITED FREE METHODISTS' BAZAAR.

THIS long contemplated and woll-furnishcd bazaar was opened this afternoon in the new Market-house with a brass band of music and other festive associations. The west wing of the market, specially set apart for the bazaar, was tastily decorated with flags of various nations, wreathes of fern?, flowers, and native plants, which presented an animated and pleasing appearance. The bazaar, .now open with its variety of goods of almost every useful and ornamental description, is inaugurated for the ostensible purpose of aiding the building-fund of the church now being erected. The ladies connected with the Church have, for some months, been most indefatigable in making j fancy and useful articles for sale ; and among the most active of the gentlemen in arranging and furnishing the bazaar were Mr Robert Bartley, architect of the Church ; Messrs CoupJand, Johnson, Hemtis, Kane, Parker; Mr Carlaw, the organist, and others. The bazaar includes three large stalls of exhibits, a stall for the sale of groceries and local industries, the refreshment, stall, the old curiosity shop, the secret room of mysteries, and a central stall of , flowers, plants, and vegetable productions. Mrs Turner's stall, on the left side of the entrance, was loaded with a great variety of useful and ornamental goods, of almost every conceivable kind. We noticed in the centre a very elegant case of stuffed birds, andanumof toilet sets worked by ladies, a very handsome, sofa cushion by Mrs Parsons, and several curiously-wrought toilet covers, presented by Mrs Green, of Wellington. There were also braided cosies, pockets, anti-macasaors, wool-worked rosettes of different colours in profusion, window curtains, and a quantity of choice mats, ingeniously worked in imitation of mos^'iimVywiid flowers, and exquisite ornaWe noticed, also, a large number of dolls of various sizes, clothed in the costumes of various nations —the sailor boy and the highland lad in the hose and kilt were particularly noticeable. The next stall was devoted to groceries, local industries, sauces, &c, to which department Mr Olson, 1 with his usual liberality, contributed a case of hia appetite-stimulating sauce. Adjoining the grocery stall is the Merlin's cave of the Bazaar, in which will be seen many wonderful things. The next stall is that of three ladies in gentle partnership, Mrs Waterhouse, Mrs Hemus, and Mrs Trigg. whose stall, like that of Mrs Turner's, abounds in articles pertaining to the useful and beautiful. Among the useful may be mentioned the extraordinary wheelbarrow and the specimens of stoneware, which gained first prizes at the Agricultural Exhibition. There were, moreover, fullsized tester bedsteads, a miniature piano (a very curious production), watch-pockets innumerable, worked wool slippers (worthy the feet of a prince), a fortune-teller, numbers lof egg and teapot .cosies; and among the '[ ornamental were magic love-letters, figures of a bride and bridesmaid, artificial bouquets of, flowers; also: ajbjurisj fancy footstools, 'pictures, and a very .elegant glass box of iworked flowers, splendid imitations of New Zealand kinds, and last but not least of the useful and. beautiful^ were the display of ladies clothingandlittle necessaries for the adornment of_the head and support of the sweet vanities of woman-kind. The next stall, under the management of Mrs Coupland, Mr3 Joseph . Warren, and Mra Young Warren was of a similar character, containing dolls, covered footstools, a baby's cradle (prettily finished), a rocking chair, a score or so of handsome pin cushions, a number of flj - cages of different sizes and colours, and a poet's rocking chair. The refreshment stall was loaded with good tilings, cakes, provisions, lollies, and light summer drinks tastily provided by Mesdames Messenger, who preside at this welcome department. The central long table was freighted with flowers of all descriptions,, fruits, <fee. Some of the pot plant 3 were presented to the bazaar by the brothers Mason, of Dodwood and Parnell. -