Manchester Rifles' Plain and Fancy Dress Ball.

Feilding Star, Volume XVII, Issue 42, 17 August 1895, Page 2

Manchester Rifles' Plain and Fancy Dress Ball.

The Manchester RilJes' Plain and Fancy Dress Ball, celebratiug the opening of tho now Drill Hall, wa:; held last evening and was a great success. The decorations, wliich consisted of nikau palms aud small flags on the walls, aud lines of flags from each corner of the room crossed iv the centre, with Chinese lanterns hanging from tlie ceiling, looked splendid, aud the fancy and evening drosses of the dancers made the whole like a sceue m Fairyland. The supper room, wliich was a part of the west end of the Hall partitioned off, was also decorated, aud the catering was all that could ho desired. An attractive feature of the tables were two claret and soup cups, the contents of which were greatly appreciated by tlie guests. Great praise is due to Mr PiunocU, tho caterer. There wero about fifty tive couples present, aud the dancing started with the Grand March, led off by Captain and Mrs Kirton, at 8.30, and from tliat hour until nearly five o'clock this morniug dancing was kept up. General satisfaction was expressed with the programme arranged hy tho Ball Committee— Sergts. Petherick, Aitken, and Boj'd, Vols. Saywell and Richards, aud Vol. Taylor (secretary) — who deserve great praise for the manner iv which thej' carried tlie affair through. Mr Haybittle's band supplied the music, which for time and sweetness could not be improved upon. During tho evening extras were well played by Miss Bmnctte, Mrs Pickering, Miss F. Saxon, and Mr Do Lisle. Sergt. C Aitken made an efficient M.C, nud deserved croditfor the way in wliich he carried out the duties of the position. Following arc most of the faucy dresses : —Mrs Sncllgrovc, ' Night on the Bospho; ns ;' Mr Sm;lgrove, ' Sergeant Rangitikei Volunteers ;' Miss Parr, 'Spanish Gipsy;' Mrs Robinson, 'Parlour Maid ;' Mr Way, ' Midshipman ;' Miss Gray, ' Monte Carlo ;' Mr De Lisle, ' David Garrick;' Miss Hamilton, 'Dorothy,; Mr Petherick, ' Sergeant Manchester Rilles;' Miss Signall, 'Flower Girl;' Mrs iniru, 'Red Wliite and Blue ;' Miss George, 'Highland Lassie,*' Mr Pettigrew, • Highlander ;' Mr F. Relding, 1 Wellington Naval ;' Mr Flyger, ' Wangauui Naval ;' Captain Kirton (Full Dress Uniform) : Mr Porter, ' Cricketer;' Mr Coombe, 'Bandsman;' Mrs Corby, 'Sweet Chiming Bells;' Mrs Mayhew, ' Nurse ;' Mrs Fanthorpe, ' Romp ;' Miss Bilderbeck, 'Pirate's Daughter;' Mr Foster, 'Athlete;' Miss J. Thompsou, ' Guitana ;' Mrs Petherick, ' Tambourine Girl from Maritaua.' Ladies in evening dress : —Misses Morgan, Dormer, Wilkinson, Patterson, Poad, Holmes. Conchie, Curtis (8), Marron, Davis (2), Maul, Green, Coombo, Gosling (2), Saxon ('2', Burnett, Laing, Feron, McCleary, Beattie, and Boyd ; Mesdames Captain Kirton, Pickering, Belfit, Saywell, JoneS, Scott, Trevena, Oliver, Oldershaw, aud Boddie. Gentlemen in evening dress : — Messrs Matheson, Richards, Scott, Trevena, Beattie, Card, Spalding, Bellve, Belfit, Bilderbeck, Boddie, Saywell, and others whose names we could not ascertain, aud twenty volunteers in uniform.