SOCIAL AND PERSONAL.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1201, 9 August 1911, Page 9

SOCIAL AND PERSONAL.

An "At Home" at the Pioneer Club. Yesterday afternoon her Excellency Lady Islington was tbs guest of hoaour at an "at home" held at the Pioneer Club, t'or the purnosu ol enabling her, as warden of tho club, to become acquainted with its members, and with the purposes of its existence, The very unpleasant weather prevailing outside—raiii,-cold wiuds, anil muddy pavements—made the rooius, bright with flowers, appear a. vtry dosirable haven, and, for the time being, such discomforts wure forgotten. Upon her arrival, Lady Islington, wlin was. accunipanied 'by Hiss Cotton, wns met by the secretary and tho treasurer (Misa Kane and Mrs. Balmond) and conducted to tho club i'ooms upstairs, where she was received by tho president, Htliss i'-ichmonri, the vice-presidents, Mrs. Wilford, and Mrs. A. E. Atkinson, and by Mrs. Newman, Jirs. Ktehett, Mrs. Chatfitld, am! Miss I{. Eichmond, all members of the committee.

Miss Richmond, in a very pleasant little speech, expressed the pleasure that members of tho club felt in welcoming her Excellency. They had been much gratified when, upon her arrival in New .Zealand, she had 'consented to become warden. The Pioneer. Club was the first club started for women in Wellington, and, daring this munth, it reached its second birthday. . From the beginning of its existence the promoters had endeavoured to make tho rooms both comfortable and useful to members aad their friends, but it was possible that the note of modesty had been rather overdone in tho entrance to the club, whiuh was decidedly not noble fa appearance. Many of the members had had the honour of meetmg tho .King and Queen when they were visiting New Zealand as Duko and Duchess of Cornwall, and'the; felt it a great privilege to meet and greet Lady Islington, which, with his Excellency, represented for them all the monarchy to which they ivera all so attached.

.A cordial little speech of welcome was made by Mrs. Wilford, who represented the civic aspect of the club. Mrs. A. R. •Ukinson spoke oi the bsnevolont workers and institutions of the city; Mrs. Chat- . field, the social aspects of. the club; Mrs. Salmoad, of the literary activities; and ■Mrs. M'Donald, -in a little speech very much to the point, welcomed her Excellency on behalf of tins professional workers belonging to the club. Mrs. Malcolm 805.3 spoke on behalf of the press. Lady Islington, in reply, stated that she hail really came prepared to listen to Speeches, not to speak herself, as her ideas were so fugitive. It had been a great pleasure to her to listen to the wonderful speeches made that afternoon, especially since she occupied the high position of warden of the club. Great credit was due to those ladies' who had organised it, and brought it inio ■ existence, for nothing could be mor useful than it. "To be happy, one must bo usefpl," and there seemed to be no branch of work with which they were not conversant. Sle could not imagine anything more useful than a club where literature was pursued as it was here. She was most interested in the amount of good work which the -women of Now Zealand did, and great credit was due to members for the interest which they took in various charitable works. It was a club to be encouraged, and sho felt that it was an hononr to be its .warden.

Tea was afterwards served in tho "strangers' room," the tables having been very prettily decorated with white and yellow narcissi and foliage. Music also formed a part of the entertainment, Miss Beatrice Eichmond playing and Mrs. Levey ringing. Lady Islington was wearing a black velvet braided coat and skirt, black furs, and a large, black velvet hat with palest pink ostrich plumes. Miss Cotton wore an amythest coat and skirt, furs, and an amythest hat.

The Sunshino Guild. On Friday evening an entertainment, organised by the Sunshine Guild, is to take place in St. Thomas's Infant Schoolroom, beginning at eight o'clock. In a iiuiet way, tho guild has done a great deal in the way of assisting those who iied it difficult to make headway in the' world, and also much in the way of bringing a little brightness into the lives of tliose to whom fortune has not been particularly kind. At the beginning of the year an orphan girl, of whom tho members of tho -guild were particularly fond, died in Victoria Hospital,, and the members wish to raise four or five pounds .with wiiich to buy the grave, and, when they have bought it, they intend planting and caring for it. By this entertaiur raent, and the (sale of sweets, thoy hope to raise the necessary sum. Tableaux and songs, together with a little "Sunshine play," form the programme, and it is hoped that Mrs. Wilford will be ablo to ba present, and give a brief address. Obituary. Tho death took place on Monday, at tho residence of her son-in-law, 85 Brougham Street, of Mrs. Harriet Ann Dempeey. Tho deceased lady arrived with her parents in the ship Serge in 1857, and has lived in Wellington almost continuously since. Her husband, ,who at one time was a prominent man of business in Willis Street, predeceased her twenty years ago, and she is survived by two children, Mr. W. H. Dempsey, postmaster, Pahiatua, arid Mrs. J. B. Young, of this city. Of the family of seven that arrived by the Serge, the only survivor now is 'Mr. W. H. Flyger, the well-known merchant of Newton, Auckland,