THE GOVEROR’S RESIDENCE AT WELLINGTON.

Evening Star, Volume IX, Issue 2650, 15 August 1871, Page 2

THE GOVEROR’S RESIDENCE AT WELLINGTON.

The Wellington Independent publishes a lengthened report of the furnishing of the Government House now nearly completed. We give a few specimens of the description Returning up the corridor, which is costly fitted with oilcloth of a neat pattern, we r gain the hall, and cross over to the card100m, on the right of the entrance. This is a comfortable little room, but is as yet entirely unfurnished, the only article of adornment being a table with a magnificent top of New Zealand woods inlaid, which occupies the centre. This piece of furniture is a masterpiece in its way, and is the handiwork of an ingenious and skilful cabinet-maker of Auckland. This room, of course, has a convenient entrance to the ball-room, a room of fine proportions, being about 25ft. by 70, which oanbe partitioned off to about 40ft. in length, by massive folding doors of the same stainedjand polished wood as that of the entrance hall, with rich moulding, and a fillet of gilt insertion.- Of the appearance of the room itself, it can only be said to be grand yet chaste. The finish of the workmanship in the plaster ceiling is nothing less than superb, but the design, though in well-chosen taste, and displaying great aisvriminatiug skill, is marred by the appearance of the walls, which are hung with French satin paper of most handsome pattern —white and gold—but which suffer greatly by comparison with the rich modesty of the ceil ng. The contrast istio great and the tme is dcstroyel, the supreme grace and beauty of the cornice eclipsing the lustrous dazzle which the walls are wont to impart. At the further extremity of the ball room is the drawi-ig room, which is about forty feet by twenty-five feet. On entering'this room one is almost overawed bv a feeling of surrounding grandeur, and it is difficult which feature most to admire until the rich drapery of the bay window catches the eye. The curtains are of plain amber satin, surmounted by a heavy gilt corn-ce of excellent design, and are greitly enriched by an elaborate valance ; the curtains have patent French rods atta hj; d. by which they may be thrown back or closed from both sides by one motion of a single cord. Tuis a tide of ornature throws an air of splendour on everything pruund, the richness of the fringe, and the graceful an I massive folds lending great effect to the general appearance of the room. The furniture is of ebony, the, chairs being covered with amber silh, and having ornamented gilt edges; the centre ottoman, also covered in amber silk, being a gorgeous piece of furnishing. As a part of the completeness of the architect’s design, the door connecting the drawing-room with tbec mservatory is fitted on rollers, and can be thrown right back, thus affording aclear space on the occasion of balls or ordinary occasions, for communicating with tbe conservatory, a well constructed glass-house, about 20 fe t by 45 feet, to the cooling atmosphete of which, after the excitement of the dance, the participants can retire to enjoy the fragrance of the exotics, a means of exit being provided at the end of the glass building to enable those who have sufficivnt’y refreshed themselves to make way for other fair C) nfcldas. “ Who pass their lives in fountains and on flowers And never know the weight of human hj mrs.” Returning by this door, the hall and a warmer at hq. sphere are regaine i, the spacious prop irtions of the former affording opportunity for a promenade previous to rej iuing the gid ly t rong [l'p.ibaMy- our readers will think tjjaj: the above is quite enough of this kind of writing.]