HAPPENINGS IN THE CAPITAL.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIII, Issue 1824, 3 August 1906, Page 3

HAPPENINGS IN THE CAPITAL.

’ TEIE SOCIAL HOUND. ; (By ruNHLoi'K.) i Wellington, July t*l. 1 Various functions have occur;el since last I wrote, and moro are to come. Tho most exciting affair of this week is tho first vice regal ball of tho season, which must, bo described in my next letter. It will probably bo a largo dance, and is very much lookod-fonvard to by thoso wito have got invitations. It is tho custom of tins Governor to give short notico before a ball—a wool? at most—so tho rv- station is short lived, and it boi,oves tho woman who expects a card to always have a ball dross ready. The largest affair last work was corta'tnly Mrs John Duncan's At Home, and like a number of tho teas lately, the guosts wore troubled with no brainracking competition Their conversation,—and whoro two hundred women arc gathered together, silence does not prevail—is not'’oven intorrnn'nd by music, and all one has to do is to stroll about pretty, flower decked rooms, eat and drink dainty refreshments, and talk to one’s friends. It is really a blessed relief after those nerve racking afternoons when one svas given pencil and piper and told to do impossible problems. For younger folk competitions are still popular, but it is a sad sight to see an elderly and imposing matron hunting lor hidden paper hearts, or struggling with the answers I to a sot of riddles. Tho frocks at Airs

Duncan’s tea were worth looking at, and thore was an unusual number of good-looking girls and women present. There are some pretty women among the Duncans, Mies Duuc.an herself, statuesque and graceful, Mrs Kon Duncan’s sister, a handsome girl with fine eyes, and rich tinting - altogether an unusual proportion of good looks in one family. Mrs lan Duuc.au, Miss Draco before her marriage, has a marvellous quantity of fair hair, and wears notably smart frocks.. Mrs Duncatq son , makes tho most charming of hostesses, and her daughter ably sec onds her. Tho latter’s English gown of soft ivory cloth—a mass of broderie auglaiso with tiny touches of pale blue, on tho sho.t bolero - was immensely admired. A tea-room and a coffee-room prevented a great crowd collecting in any one place, and gave an opportunity for the smart frocks to bo soen. The lion Katkloon Plunket wore a dayk tailor mado with violet rovers, and a toque all violet tulle, and Mrs WAterfieh), the bride of tho Governor’s Private Secretary, was in white cloth with a roso-garlanded hat. Ono of the handsomest frocks was worn by Mr 3 David Nathan black taffetas, oponing over lace, with slojes of pale blue panne, and worn with white furs, an ermine toque, and diamond and turquoise ornaments. A number of corselet skirts were worn, mostly with a very short coateo, and if the wearer was tall and thin, thov looked well. The same afternoon Mrs T Young, who has had Miss Helen Denniston, from Christchurch, staying with her, gavo a -.regressive bridgeparty to a number of girls. There were four prizes, won by Alias I‘airio Denniston—who is keeping house for Mr Leslie Reynolds, her uncle, while Mrs Reynolds is in Dunedin--Miss Tolhurat, Mrs Maurico Denniston and Miss Havcourt, and thoy woro charming art knick nacks, such a 3 Liberty’s shop hero abounds in. THE HOUSING DIFFICULTY.

It seems more and moro difficult to rent or buy houses iu Wellington, although buildiug is going on all the time. There are people who have waited years for a suitable residence, and" are still unsatisfied. If thero is any'likolihood of a desirable house box mg vacated, the tenant is besieged with applicants longbofore she decides to movo, and this, tro, when the rent is out of all proportion to the valuo of the house. And yet there aro uow residences being put up iu every direction, sometimos—so billy is our town on ledges scraped out of cliffs, with no garden, and a rudimentary backyard. if any. If the population in croases as it has done, those whose occupation forces them to live in the town will require some arrangement in the shape of fl its, so that a given space of ground may accommodate a number of families. Rents absorb a ridiculous proportion of the average income, and .£IOO a year is paid for a very ordinary house with no ground worth speaking of. In Hill street, which bounds Ravliamont on ono side, builders are vory busy. Tho Roman Catholic Basilica is having two towers added to it—an immense improvement

—and Mrs Graco has donatod a peal oE balls, so tint tho neighborhood will bo made melodious. Mr II D. 801 l has sold his corner section —one of tho loveliest situations in Ihe city—to Mrs

Fred. Puddiford, of Palmerston North, . her house is in its oarliest stagos. A ' new rcsidonco that attracts attention ia Mr Ernest Rawson’s, on tho Terraco, opposite tho Club. It is of red brick, with a row of circular windows in tho gables, and a roof garden with a conservatory, from which a magnificent view can be got. Inside, it is most artistic. Tho lloors are jarrab, scvrprd and oiled. This is tremendously hard and practically nniollam' mable. Tho srpiaro hall, with its charming red-tiled fireplace, is lit by a tall oriontal pierced metal lamp, into which electric light has been put, and a wonderful inconse burner, a silver bird porchod on a bronzo log, is also filled with electric light. In the draw-ing-room, which is all white, there are cunning little sunk cupboards with glass doom ou eithor sido ol the melon pink tiled fireplace, aud tho broad bow windows have double casement curta’ns of Japanese silk, and no blinds. It is |at)gethor a combination of luxury, comfort, and art, and every dotail has beon carefully thought out. TLIE OPERA. COMPANY.

0 : S ,:nrdnv ft rono" tli > Opeia Comp *u? i'-ft We.it. yi-’U. Nex* S.turd -v they open iu Briebaae, which is retn&ikahly quick ViOik, but theo tkoy txjscci— ii tho

b j cnther is a 1 all poaaiblo, to bo in Sydnoy t net four hours before tho Brisbane boat j loaves. It ia n bard lifo, and yet the mom* i bora of tho Company sooui to liko it. Mr j llrnoy, tho manager, dcolatoa it is tho best organisation ho has guidod, and oortainly, i tho girls and tuou hnvo won golden i opinions from oil. Ono girl—tho bond of tbo ohorus—is returning to settle down hero as tho wife of a loading dentist. Miss Godwin has captured a'l hourt", Miss Thorno—who is to bo married in Sydney to Mr Deary, a barrister —is a primo favorite, and Miss Dolly Onstlos is ohurmiugly uaivo and swoot, with a dainty faeo and figuio, and a pretty way of tulkiug. Bho loves oxoroise, and lamented tho wet woollier that forbade tonnis, and mado her substitute tho skipping-rope. M'ss Ghilori’, t in bandsoLiio blonde, is u.uioli lilted. Mr l'\ Wilson uf tbo lovoly voice is regarded ns rrs.r.od by tbo res', of tbo company, bi.t bo is a golf ontbusiast, and those who havo met him on tbo links oro loud in h s pruisos. Tbo last r.ight perfoimnnco was ! pluyod to a house paolcod from iloor to ceiling, women, despite tbo regulations, sitting on tbo dress-oirolo stops, and rows standing behind. As is usual well list nights, tboro was a good deal of u hnirablo fooling cn tbo stngo, and any amount of •' gag,' 1 but tho ontbiniaim was groat, uud tbo performance wound up with speeches and" Auld Lang Syno " at a very lato hour. It is probable Dolly Custlos will net bo back for some timo, for blio bopos to go to l’aiis for moro study. Hor older a ster is doing great things in oratorio musio, bor youngor is studying on tbo oontiueDt, and aho has a brother as gitted as tbo rest of tbo family who will probably main bis

bow to tbo pubic bifjio long. Wb lo boro, Miss Dolly Cnsilos flayed will Mrs tlislop, ef 0. slow Tmrp.ce, who in a friri:tl r,f tliu family. In the Hir'd slu —like 11 0 teat of the piincipals—dressed very quioily. At u binuli t.n, k)io worn ii nut broun codec! uiih ikiit, the holm a eponing over ti lr>co hlrusr. ami n II p wnito 1 It but wroathed wits pink roses. Miss Godwin, who appeared in her own graceful char fuller at tbo last perform nco and unrig ft ballad, woio u charming obiflon frock i f black, with touches of j t and Hatin. Tn lur bcantifu! fair hair —which she piles op very high in olaborato wavcH and pulls - she had a small black wing. Ml! Ill'Ll.KX AND TIIP, SAILORS-

One is not likely to hear anything niovo laacinuling than Mr Billion's lectures. They arc instructive, hut the pill of instruction is quite wrapped up In the delectable jam of iinccilote and humour, and when lie lectured in the Seamen's Mission, on Whales and Whale fishing, he had an enthralled audience, who recognized the speaker had been one of themselves, and who threw in encouraging remarks now and again, or grunted entire agreement with his statements. Mr JJullen upset many old-established notions about whales, and provided the whale was the right species, sees no impossibility in the story of Jonah. Jlc is as magnetic a conversationalist as lecturer, and, at a club in a country town, kept a small coterie of men up till two o’clock with his experiences. His repetition of the hail given by the mail in the crow’s nest when a whale is sighted, was greeted with rapturous applause by the sailors, '.flic hall was crowded, and among the audience was Mrs Williams, Lo whoso generosity the seamen owe their splendid building. MIUTH AND MUSIC.

After tbo lu'go bousos drawn by tbo Opera Company, it whs quite on tbo cards that Mr L'.blie Liams, tbo Eugiish outer tumor, might net bo so successful on his eponirg night, especially as tho fire and a kook in tho biller frosty weather offered hogo attractions. But a largo audience g eetod tao chubby, cherry littlo uir, and from stirs to fiuish ho thorn simply faseinstsd. Moro vorsaiilo than Spurr of beloved mornory, and brilliantly muiic-il, he ecetna ablo to do anything with bis ficgeis, his faco, and ovou bia figure. His storicu aro ne.v and quaintly told, bis song! are mostly hi 3 own composition, and his humor is uover vulgar. If you huve a cbouoo to hear him do not miss it, for rial, heatty, wholesome laughter is a grand tonic, and ono seldom finds so much food for mictb bs i\rr Ha-ris presents in bis billot far ■. Thero eppia.ed to bo only ens person in the audienos who was not atnused to tho \orge cf tears. She was a daik hairr d lady in tbo dress circle, and we arrived at tho conclusion that eho must be Mr Leedie Eariis’ wifa ! Ha gave us a mist realistic imitation of Mol. B. Spurr, who wap his great frioud, and collaborated with him iD some operas that nover raw tho light of pubPeity. Oao song ho sang, “The Lady’s Penny Paper,”—his own composition—ho gave by epecial request three tim;s beforo the King and tj roan. Miss Bo:inu Buckman sang charmingly between Mr Harris’ items, and got a moat flittering reception. She has a very winning srnilo and fiao proionco, and her songs wero artistically ebeson.

COMING AND GOING. Miss Julia Moran, our Wellington violinist, is vieiting Auckland, Mrs Elendoroou, who is Lady Waid's sistor, and is startlingly liko hor, passed through Wellington last week with littlo Pat Awarua, whom sbe has boon taking charge of whilo tho Wards wero at Heme. Sir Joseph will probably como straight down from Auckland directly tbo mail-boat arrives. Mr Cyril Ward —tho eldest eon—

remains in England, but till the oibors nro rolurninp, and tho beautiful houso under tho Tinnkori Hills is all ready for their arrival. Miss Abraham, of Palmorstou Norlh, is a guest of Mies Higginsou. Miss Una William?, whc has been away for somo joars in England, has oorno back. Professor and Mrs Saltnond havo como back from their trip to DuneaiD. Mr Cecil Jones, manager boro for HuddattParkor, has taken Mr Montaguo Laing’s house, Mr Laing being moved to England, Mrs Bonar, of tho West Coast, left for Melbourne, via Dunadm, on Tuesday, She has been boro for somo weeks visiting her friends. PARKS AND PLAYGROUNDS.

Wellington is undoubtedly badly oil for ppacos eloso to tho town wboro childron can frolio and their ciders etroll, but wo bavo Bomo pleasant reserves which are not much frequented. However, it is now decided wo aro lo havo more, and there is talk of filling up tho unsightly Sydney street gully, and making it a plico o' bcauiy. Wo aro—as rrgards freedom-

much better oil than Iho Germans, for provided wo confoun to ordinary usages and bebavo with dtcorum, thc-ro aro few

restrictions. A Homburg man. who for fivo years or joyed tho delights of colouiul

freedom and has returned home, sends mo the following wail : —“ I do feel boxed id, and want to take tho billy and tho tent aod run away under green trees or on the rollirg roa, Srmctimes I do run into tho country, but you cannot sit down in u place, but tho owner comes and h not pleased ; you cannot males a fi e on the ground but tho gins'-d.’urmos como and is not pleased ; neither can you chop a tree down, for tho Ilorr Voret-Vcrwaltor gots you ruu in, You mutt jus. sit in ihj villages in tho beer gaidtns aud drink lad bottled beer and eat raw ham aud eggs, and havo lo walk over gravelled footpaths cr along miles of etrulgbt reads. Fonccs ovo.ywhcre! Fino is tho country ! Boautifi.l in spring, but 1 cannot quito understand again. Now ovory square foot is used, every inch oiliivatcd.”