HERE AND THERE

Evening Post, Issue 51, 2 March 1931, Page 13

HERE AND THERE

Garden Party at Lowry Bay. Lord and Lady Baden-Powell were tho guests of honour at a garden reception given yesterday afternoon by Sir Francis and Lady Bell and Miss Enid Bell (Deputy Chief Commissioner) at their charming homo at Lowry Bay. Mrs. W. R. Wilson (Dominion Girl Guide Commission or), who will accompany Lord and Lady Baden-Powell through New Zealand, was also present. The wide terraced lawn and the brightly coloured flowers, together with tho background of native bush, made a very attractive setting. A largo number of guests was present, and all were presented to Lady Baden-Powell. A Great Rally. Hundreds of Boy Scouts and Girl Guides arrived in Wellington by special trains from Wairarapa, Taranaki, and Hawkes Bay to greet their chiefs, Lord and Lady Baden-Powell. The rally took place on Saturday afternoon at the Basin Eeserve, in the presence of Ihexr Excellencies, Lord and Lady Bledisloe, who were accompanied by Major, and Mrs. Bathurst and Colonel and Mrs. Vaughan-Hughes. The Mayor and Mrs. Troup, Mrs. W. B. Wilson (Dominion Girl Guide Commissioner), Miss Enid 801 l (Deputy Chief Commissioner), and Mrs. Martin Tweed (District Commissioner) wore also present,: Her Excellency wore a fawn cloth ensemble with a large fur collar, and a fawn hat. Mrs. Bathurst was in a mushroom coloured cnsemblo and hat, and Mrs. Vaughan-Hughes wore navy with touches of white, and a navy hat. Among the very largo crowd of onlookers were Miss Robin, Mrs. Bernard Wood, Mr. and Mrs. C. Birch, Mrs. S. G. Smith, Mrs. G. Shirtcliffe, Mrs. X S. Harston, Mrs. Oorkill, Mrs. and Miss Duthie, Mrs. and Miss Gray, Mr. I. V. Wilson, Miss Gray (Nelson), Mr. and Mrs. C. Batten, Miss Helen Whyte, and Mrs. Phillips-Turner. ; Croquet Club Party. Tho members of tho Wellington Municipal Croquet Club spent a very pleasant afternoon recently, Mrs. EhodesWilliams being tho guest of honour. Mrs. Clark (president) presented Mrs. Bhodos-Williams with a very dainty posy of flowers, _ and expressed great pleasure at having her with them, and their regret at her leaving Wellington. Mrs. Bhodes-Willi-ams, in reply, recalled some of the early meetings of the club, and congratulated the members on the progress made. She urged members to enter for the various tournaments, and. she hoped to see somo of the players at Christehurch next year.' Various competitions were held, which were won by the following:—Mrs. Clark, French; Mrs. Stewart, angles; and Mrs. Manton, golf. Acknowledgments. Tho matron of St. Barnabas babies' home, Khandallah, acknowledges with thanks further gifts to the home. Clothj),g_Miss M'Call, Nga Tawa (Marton), Mrs. E. M. Burgess (Wanganui), Pahiatua Anglican Girls' Bible Class Club. Mrs. E; E. Fenwick (Greytown), Anonymous (Masterton), Mrs. F. H. Lowe (Manaia), Mrs. Newton, M.E.. (Castlecliff), Mrs. Honeyfiold (Patea), Anonymous. Shoes —Lindsay's. Fruit —Miss Tiplcr (Otaki Railway). Now Country Hous«. There have been persistent reports in England that the historic Tudor mansion, Fountain Hall, which stands on the Stutlley estate close, to Fountain Abbey, is being prepared as an occasional residence for the Duke and Duchess of York, states tho "Daily Mail." The work of restoring th<s hall, which has been untenantcd for many years, was begun more than four years ago and is now almost completed. Mr. Claro Vyner, the owner of Studley Boyal, which is less than two miles from the hall, has taken a special interest in the restoration. There has been no official confirmation or denial of tho reports/which may have no more substantial foundation than tho close friendship between the Duke and Duchess and Mr. Vyner. The Duchess and Lady Doris Vyner have been close friends since they were jtirls, and the Duko and Duchess have frequently stayed at Studley Boyal, usually for shooting and hunting. Princess Mary, whoso Yorkshire home is not many miles away, has also visited Studley Boyal. Cleaning, Eeveals Beauty. Women who saw the great Exhibition of Persian Art, which was opened to the public recently at Burlington House, Piccadilly, W., will surely see it again in their dreams, states the "Daily Mail." They will not, perhaps, have visions of the strangely fashioned pottery, the golden bowls of centuries ago, the ancient titles of many colours, or the richly illuminated manuscripts. But they will dream of the. marvellous carpets which hang on tho walls. These carpets, woven hundreds of years ago by Persia's greatest artists, are "old masters" in silk and wool and cotton, each worth a fortune. One carpet puzzled them, for it was the gloriously shimmering blue, white, crimson, and yellow silk carpet of great size which for 300 years has lain upon tho tomb of Shah Abbas 11. in the mosque at Qum. That no profane foot may touch even its fringe, a low barrier has been set around it, and it glistens and glows with the living loveliness of butterflies' wings. But the carpet which every woman must havo coveted hangs on tho wall of Gallery 111., a masterpiece made in 1521 by Ghiyath al-din, which has been lent ■by a museum at Milan, j

When it arrived in London its glory* was almost completely hidden by the grime of centuries. •Permission.to,clean it was sought, but the Italian, authorities were so fearful that they demanded a written guarantee. Three times the carpet was washed, a labour of days for many hands, and when at last tho Italians saw it again they threw up their hands in wonder and delight. They saw its supremo beauties for the first time. Nearly 3000 people, apart from season ticket holders, paid for admission to tho exhibition on the opening day. This is a larger number, than on the first day at the Dutch exhibition, and a little smaller than on the first day of the exhibition of Italian art, which were held in the same build-

A very charming invitation dance (arranged by tho Misses Hume, Kelburii, Messrs. Gillespie and Mr. Winkle) was held at the Kiosk, Kelburn, on Saturday evening, when over sixty couples, were present. The net result, amounting to over £10, will be handed to tho Red Cross in aid of the earthquake sufferers. The Iwstesscs were Mrs. Gillospie, Mrs. Hume, Miss Thornton, and Mrs. Reginald Fildcs. The kiosk, with its new appointments, and the management's attention 'to the comfort of tho guests, ensured a most ■ successful evening's enjoyment. :