TO-DAY'S DINNER.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 567, 23 July 1909, Page 3

TO-DAY'S DINNER.

(Specially written for Thi Common] FRIDAY. > Pea Soup. Curried Oysters. Macaroni' Cheese. Suet Pudding. Golden Syrnp. CURRIED OYSTERS One onion minced, 1 small applo minced, 1 or 2 mushiooms (tinned), loz butter! 1 tablespoonful of jriouml uoo,- \ tablcspoonful of cuny ppwdei, 1' teaspoonful of chulnej, tho ]uice of \ lemon, \ pint of milk, 2 dozen oysters bftlt to taste Miilco'tho Onion, ipple, and mushroom ' Fry 'in the butter a'light brown then add the ground rice and currj powdor, add the milk gradually, and salt and chutney. Simmer 20 minutes Rub through a 6ieve. Return to saucepan, add ,the oystori, bearded, and lemon juice Serve with a bolder of rice / , ' '; TOR TO-MORROW. One pound beef steak, tomato sauce, cauli- ' flower,' gelatine, chocolate, vanila essence, ehcos'of stale bread, raisins, J egg, ' FOR SUNDAY. One leg of mutton. Veal Forcemeat. Brussels Spiouts 'Apples! Pastry, Four eggs. ' , One pint .of milk. FOR SUPPER One boiled chicken, chaufroid sauce,' chillis, pistachio nnts, lemons, gelatine, 1 Orange, 2 eggs, stick pastiy, ]am ~ ( . 1 J THE RACE'BALL.

The Town Hal] lends itself admirably to decoration, and full advantage of its possiy bilitios was taken by Miss Prebble, the florist,* who was responsible for. perhaps tho 1 most effective schome of decoration tho hall has seen. The main hall and the great staircase were turned for the evening into a perfect forest of palms, graceful bamboos, and ferns, their rather sombre green relieved by , 6tarry camellias and masses of feathery , wattle. Right in tho middle of tho hall, ' facing tho entrance, stood tho'horse that i ttt many a race baN has stood as an emblem | of the club's best friend On the lower land- I mg couches and chans wero plated in a I bower of greenery, and right to tho top of the high doors the bamboo and palms raised ' 1 I their green curved blades Tho hall itself was, decorated in pink and white. From a great boop suspended below tho central chandelier hung long bands of white and palo pink muslin, whioh were caught to the edge ( of the gallery, forming a tent-like roof Be- _ neath these bands hung festoons of 'coloured lights, and long wreaths of pink and whito camellias. Round the edgo of the gallery i were festooned draperies of pink and white muslin, with long wreaths of pink and white camellias, the wholo effect being very light and graceful. The walls of the hull were draped with puik and white in the samo way, J cjich pillar covered with pink and white, and each alcove separated from the other by a wall of pink and white muslin Over the entrance at each side was placed a giant horseshoe, covered with pink and "white and wreathed with pink and white camellias These alcoves wero all carpeted, and comfortably furnished, and everywhere thore wis the gleam of mirrors. The stage had been turned into a fairyland, with masses of greenery, floral arches, palms, bamboo, wattle, and rhododendrons, whilo all about it were placed fairy lamps, and the front of tho stage was draped the pink aud white that had«such a dainty effect The whole of the othor end of the ball was agleam with mirrors placed together, divided only by narrow draperies of white and pink, and behind these was the mosf picturesque little garden ( _ scene. The whole of the back part of the hall under the gallery was turned into a garden, or, perhaps, shrubbery would be the correct term. Right in the middle was a rustic summerhouse, always in occupation, and all about were plants and little garden plots and trellises of greenery starred with flowers, while here and there ono caught a glimpse of some statue with upraised arm, real as was tho garden. Plenty of chairs and couches had been placed m this shady retreat, and it was pleasant there out of tho dazzloment of the brilliant lights and tho mirrors in the,great hall. 'Stopper in the Concert Hall, whoro thero was again a lavish use of greenerj for decoiation. Tho centre tablo was decorated with the colours of the club, and it had a model of a noble horse ridden by a jockey as centre-piece, and tho' purple ot the rhododendrons'' was outreddenod In the glow of the enmson-shaded silver candelabra at each corner. -The other tables were decorated variously, some with rhododen- , drons, otheis with golden wattle, or with spring flowers The hall presented a very brilliant sight whon all tho guests poured in, and at first it seemed as though there could not possibly 1 bo room for dancing, .60 crowded was i the floor,' but in some miraculous way the crowd thinned, and alwavs thero was plenty of room for tho dancers'" The most beautiful frocks' were'worn, but it was very difficult in such a crowd to see who were there, and people whom one knew had come could not be singled out from the throng of dancers. Thero wore many frocks of gold, silver, or coloured sequins, and many people chose tho directoire style, with tightly-httmg sheatblike overdress, but nowhere was there the i suspicion of a" draped skirt, such as have been shown in English papers and on the stage A band stationed in tho gallery placed 'delightfully all the evemng, except on the two occasions when the Highhnd v pipers marched into the hall, in alt the braver", of > their picturesque uniforms, and with skirl and wail of tho most extraordinary " musical instruments ever invented, set the most courageous iot the gueete to dancing the Highland schottische. There was something so incongruous about the introduction ot pipe music into such a scene* that it became positively fascinating, and everyone was sorry when the skirling ceased. The following wero those who danced m tho official set.—His Excellency the Governor vwth Miss Grace Harcourt; Captain Columbe, R.N.,"with Miss Millar: Mr. J. C. .Harcourt with Mrs.„Columbe: the' Hon. J. CLvrroll with Mrs. Boll; Mr J. Abbott with Mrs. Harold Johnston; Captain Shannon with Mrs. J. Abbott; Mr. Harold Johnston Tilth Mrs. W Bidwdl ' Miss Grace Harcourt wore a charming frock of cream charmeuse, with corselet of sdver sequins; Miss Millar, who made her debut, wore a charming frock of white satin with silver trimming, and earned a bouquet ot w'hito freezias and azaleas, with maidenhan fern. Mrs. Columbo wore floral silk, ve'led with crystal chiffon, and diamonds in hor hair: Mrs W. Turnhull,' white saiin, i with gold embroideiy; Mrs Bell, black vol-1 vet with oream lace; Mrs Harold Johnston , wore pmk channelise, with corselet of gold I sequins; Mrs Abbott, white satin- with pearls and a white ospioy m her hair; Mrs. W Bidwill, stone-grey satin, Lady Price wore a pnncess gown of roval blue satin; Mrs. Elgar, white satm with tuMc overdress covered with crystal beads and bugles; Mrs Moorhouse, silver-grey chine silk; Mrs. Ewen, black ninon over white salk, with /bands of black Cha-nnilly Jaoo insertion; Mrs. C Bidwill, white 'satin, with jowelled embroidery; Mrs. A Pcarco, groy-bluo satin, Mks Beetham, pink frock with over- 1 dross of white chiffon, embroidered with i little pmk roses, Miss Kebbell, gioy charmeu&e satin, Miss- Palmer (Napier), silvei-' scqiuned nut over bluo; Miss Mcta. Johnston (Hawko's Bay), black laco frock, Mrs. Bennett (Blenheim), white satin oharmeuso, with real 1 ico and touches of pale blue, Mass Collendgc, pale pink silk; Miss A. Pearce, w hifce satm j Sirs Grace, black gown with l white lace hchu; Mrs Uawson. black char-1 mouse, with real lace; Miss Fulton, flowered silk; Miss Coates, black lace over cream; I Miss Tolhnrst,, white rhiffon taffetas, Miss Nixon (debutante), cream silk with pearl em-' *- broidery on the bodice, Miss Douglas, (Queenstaw-n), palo blue sdk; Miss B. Putnam, brown hlet net over palo pmk silk; Miss M Putnam, silver scquined robe i over pal© green 'silk, Miss C Beauchamp, silver threaded robe over palo pink; Miss J Roid, white chiffon, with bp-"d-Da.in*.<wl border of roses, and bands '

of pale pink, Mrs Tnngham, champagne charmouse frock ; with gold-sequinod dntctoiro bodice falling in points at each side, wido panel of gold sequins lii front, and large black low on tho torsage, Mrs K Duncan, Sale blue sitin, nifch closolj-fitting oieiress of gold-sequinod net, Mrs Mathew Holmes, uliito libeitj silk, Miss Ecndill, wluto cliiflon, with bauds of black, Mis Mirams, black silk, Miss Buckhurst, pile bluo silk, Mrs Hayward, black frock, With touclici of pile blue, and silvor-sequmetl scarf, Mss Hi\nard, pale bluo lnilstono clnifori, with silver trimming, Mrs Sbtott, pale blue silk, Mrs C luncll, white sitm, Airs T Young, white satin, with touches oi black, Mrs. Bairaud, siliei fiocL over white with silver ornament in her hair, Miss Skoirctt, black sequmed not, Miss Seddon, black fiock and jet trimming, Mrs F J Wilson, palo bluo and wlntc-stnpcd silk, with cicam laooMiokc, and sleeves, Miss B Clifford, oau do nil orepo do chine, Miss Blundell (Nolsop), vcllow silk, Miss D Booth (Nelson), white satin, Miss Chapman, p'alo bluo silk, with white hco bertha, Mrs Shind, 'palo pink iilk, with overdress of silvei sequins, fal'ing ill long points at sido and back, Miss Hussoll, frork of pito mauve, with pile pink, Miss Hislop, with silk frock with over-dross of unite not ind silver trimming, and touches of .emerald green, Mrs Pomaro, white frock, with rose-colour trimming, Miss B Miles, cream silk frock, with tunic' over-dress of silvoi hailstone chiffon, Mi«s D Isaacs, mauve silk, Miss K Simpson, pale pink silk, Mrs Al-ga-r WUliams, bluo silk frock, with closelyfitting over-dress of silver sequins, over silvei tissuo, over pile blue chiffon, and a palo blue filet in her hair, Miss Pkjllifi Foil (Nelson), tobacco brown ninoii over Aetrol bluo silk, with trimming of onontal embroidery in shades of blue, and gold and blown, Mrs F. Lockio, cream Limerick hce over a primrose silk, worked with pile hlue and palo p ; nk ribbo-ii, the bodice finished with kico jewelled in nanj colours, Mrs Dvmock, whito satin with sihci sequins', Miss Doan, white chinrcuse, Mrs H Nathan, whitj sdk. Mis Kembei, crushed strawbpirv chiffon velvit with rreani lice, Miss Kcnthci, white chiilon taffetas, with lace vpanels and sleeves, Mrs C Peaico, white silk diret,toiro frock, Mis Whjtc, black silk, Miss Else Grav (debutante), wlnbo silk frock w l th hec ,Dr Plntts-Mills, pale gree-n taffetas frock, wiUi bands of dark green silk, Mrs Graj, black cluffon, with floral 'design of laigo led roses, over ambci satin, Miss Ethel Nation, pale pink crepo do oh]no, with danitj appbqued desi3ii of tiny chiffon roses in pile pink and heliotrope with green foliage, Miss Nel-on, white sitinj Mis» Wvlic, yellow silk with oncmtol embroidery m palo bluo and pale pink, Mrs A flams, white ninon over silk, with hem of gold tissue, and wreath of httlo pink roses on tho boJiro, Miss M'Kcnzie, palo pink silk, trimmed with not, studded with rose pink sequins, Miss Watson, cream silk, with emerald green jewelled trimming, Mrs C Pharas-yn, nemophih blue channeusc, with silvor trimming, Mrs Rollcston, palo hluo frock, with trimming of vor\ palegieon and heliotrope, Mrs F M B Fisher, nram satin and gold trmming, Mrs Thunder (Ohnstchurch), white satin, with trimming of pearl embroiderv, Mrs Lein (Hutt), white flame, coloured charmouso with over-dress of tulle woikcd with aluminium sequins and edged with fnngo of crystal and aluminium beads; Miss Cliatfiold, gTew crope de chine frock, with strappings of. cense silk, Mrs. Watkins,' black lace frock,' Mrs Mararthur, black lace