HAPPENINGS IN THE CAPITAL

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIV, Issue 1931, 13 November 1906, Page 3

HAPPENINGS IN THE CAPITAL

THE END OP THE SESSION. I •»-»■ '1 (Bv Penelope.) Wellington, Nov. 7. Parliament is over, and no one—except perhaps the temporary cfficials, who have to seek other employment—grieves overmnob. It has been a doll session, although underlying its dreariness, there have been oocfl ots of opinion and interests, that, from time to time, have oaused incipient '• scenes " —rgoificant, though never very important to tbo casual looker-OD. Suoh an epfiodo occurred on the last day, when as a rule members, in the blessed hope of not seeing one another for some months, are on excellent terms, and have buried their li.tlo hatohets for a time—evrn if tr ey do dig them up again, The real owns belli was Mr Laurensor, and his vehement entbieak against extravagance which oimo ra'-hor l.ito i a the session, but the Premier turned the weight of his displeasure against Mr '• Wokky " Fraser, who had spoken, certainly, but had not—a 9 Sir Joseph declared—levelled any charges against the late Mr Saddon. Mr Fraser’s f'ioe, as he listened to the Promior, was a study of emotions, surprise and indignation predominating, aod even Government supporters recognised that the blame bad fallen os the wrong man. To add to the excitement, the 'Speaker had occasion to sternly call the Premier to withdraw a certain statement. An old lady in the gallery on her first visit

yas bo interested that she forgot domestic luties and business appointments, and wailed when the House adjourned. "Do Shey always go on 1 ke that* *?” sba asked, eagerly. Bat I thought of the long dreary dulnsss that generally prevails, and said no. A meek Parliament, held while the Appropriation Bill wa l being sigaed by the Governor, feli rather flit after the emotions of the afternoon Mr Hone Htke and Mr Ngata carried eff the honors of the entertainment, the former singing " Bioauss I Live You'’—a quaint eoog and sentiments for Parlia'unai.t, and the latter reeking his rca'ly magefiemt poem of “ Farewell to tbo Maori.” INFLUENZA AND THE EXHIBITION These—with Miss I’alotta's charms a very close second—are the first topics of interest in Wellington just now, The epidemic has in many cases assumed a very severe form, chiefly bronchial, and is alarmingly general, five or six officers being laid up in some places of business. Two doctors arc laid up with it, and the

others arc tremendously busy Miss Ward was unable to go to Christchurch because of an attack, the Hon. Hall-Jones has been ill, and the Hon. Mr Carroll was for a time in serious danger with threatened pneumonia. Dr Collins’ only son was another Yiqfciw, sjtndmliis case the influenza

..... .... —— ; I which is magnificent, hut, owing to msuluI oient advertisement, badly patronised - and Wonderland, the series of fantastic sideI shows, which are making immense sums lof money daily. The water clutto is said to bring in eight shilling's a minute, ami the Ixatzen-jammes Castle is ono long slu-iok from the time you got in till you

come out. MISS PALOTTA’S RECEPTION. About two hundred guofis wore invited by Messrs Willoughby and Ward to meet I tho charming aosrosH lust Friday, Oat, I diningroom of iho Empire Hotel was sot out with flower-decorated little tea-tables |—a vast improvomout to the poripntetio refreshments, when ono stands a chance of ruining a pretty frock with a mupl.ioad cup of tea, or of trailing delicate skirts over equashod cream cakes. Ia tho ante-

room Miss PalotSa rcoeivod hor guests. So much has ono hoard cf her fascination that tho women especially had braood thotnsolvos up for a disappointment. But Miss Palotta is emiuontly satisfying. She is moro than common tall, of stately figure, and in hor oharming faoo hor datk eyes aro sot wide apart uador straight brows. Hor smile is irrosistibly infectious,

and it is easy to behove her when she say she oDjoys everything, and every minut on the stage, She is a Viennese, aud ha the daintiest accent and sweetly graeiou ways that are not always seen in English women. With her blaok ohififon v-dve ooraaloS skirt she wore a net and laoi I blonse, embroidered with gold, and a wide brimmed black velvet hat, with a long I white feather over ono side. Mrs Wtl loughby, who was.reoeDtly married, is 8 very smart woman with a handsome figure. She wore a wonderful piok oloth frock, silk embroidered, and a ooatio of hoe exquisitely worked in tiny roses with shaded ribbon, while hor extrrmaly small hat, tilted forward and to one side, wa3 wreathed with piak flowers. Helping to entertain tho guests were Mr Wllooghby, Mr Ward, and Mr Gsaoh —all very genial and attentive. Among those present were Miss Maris Narelle—iho Irish singer—r. very stately woman, in rnauvo silk, veiled with worked white silk muslin.

THE MAN FROM MEXICO,

The shrieks of laughter that groot this

farce, arc a suro token of its success It is not always the caso in modern comedy but it is artistic. Miss Palotta alone, would impart grace to any scene, and Mr Ward’s fun is excellent; there is a Spanish dance by these two that arc really exquisite, tho brilliant drosses which are all in tones of flame, enhancing the fascination of harmonious movement and pose. Miss Palotta walks beautifully, and sho | dances with a grace and charm that is captivating to watch. Her frocks, indeed the dresses of all, arc beautiful. Perhaps the loveliest, besides the chiffon dancing gown with its iiamc-tintcd skirt and gleaming jewelled embroidery, was a soft grey crope do chiue, the very full skirt set with oval medallions of rose-garlanded silk, each oval bordered with tiny grey ruffles that festooned the foot of the hem. A black tulle, with straight bands of jet cmbroidery in a Greek pattern, was made over white silk, and a pale silk, and a pale pink silk with a wide tinted insertion above the hem, suited Miss Palotta admirably, As has boon tho case in other places, the play is drawing large and most enthusiastic audiences, notwithstanding the epi domic and the Exhibition exodus. It is to be succeeded by “ Tho talk of the Town,” which Mr Willoughby thinks is even bettor. ARRIVALS AND DEPARTURES.

Miss Pearson goes to Caylon (where her marriago takes plaos) this week, aud haa been the centra of various luncheons and teas, Mrs McE’wan, Miss Macgcegor, Misi Chriaaio Smith, and Miss Skerrett being some of bor hostesses. Mr aud Mrs Logan and Mi3S Logan are off for a trip Homo, and Miss McLean, lady principal of tho Girls’ High Sabool, and bor sister leave shortly for a holiday in England. Dr and Mrs Grey Hassell, of Poruua, and Lieutenant and Mrs Pickering have relumed to New Zealand, and Mr Oharlrs Orawford has arrived with his bride, who is a coosin of Dr Anson’s. Miss Massey, who arrived from Auckland last week, has gone to Christchurch to stay with Mr Lowis, M.H.R, Government House is

deserted, and Lady Plunket, with, fife children—she leaves the baby—goes Home in December for aomo months. Sao in tends to plaoa the children at sohool, so probably the Hon Kathleea Plunket will act as chatelaine of Government House during next season. The Wards, too, are off early in the year. THE PREVAILING POST CARD. There seems no diminution of the postcard craze. A very good series was got out immediately after our big fire—illustrative of tho oalamity—and bought up directly, a second edition having to be issued. Bytho way, the fire took plaoe on Monday morning, and on Wednesday afternoon I eaw a man with a somewhat uncertain gait making his way up Grey street, which faces the ruins. As be came in sight of the shells of buildings and the heaps of debris he stopped, planted his slick on the ground, and said in a voios husky with emotion, or some other pausp, " Hullo ! whatob all thish ?” His tone of astonishment was too muoh for the gravity of tho bystanders. Where he had boen Binoe Sunday evening was a mystery. But; to return to post cards, An artistic Wellington girl has designed and got printed a set of cards of native New Zealand flowers. The originals arc in water color, charmingly colored, and tho reproductions are excellent and should prove attractive, Some comic cricket postcards are among

tho most humorous over seen here. Miss Pulotta’s sweet face is to be seen in every bookseller’s window, but her pictures do not do her half justice.

Last summer our muslin gowns hung disconsolately in our wardrobes. This year tbo calm sunshine has tempted them out early, and they flutter about our streets with decorative effect. Tho new Frcir.-h rnu-li is are exquisitely dainty, aud delicate as they leuk will emerge from tho ordeal of tho wash-tub and tbs iron " as good os new.” Some of taenew liners i.ra of charming Unis, She pinks—and this is to ba a 11 pink ” soosod, it is to be remembered —being especially lovely. They are so simply made, too,—merely a blouse and skirt—tucked, if it please the wearer, but rarely frilled—leather, silver, or linen

belt, and a wide atrip of embroidery, edged wish baby valoDoiennes, forming the separate oollar, and faffing from neok to belt over the buttons, These

Ifftb additions are the very latest. Tho insertion must be good and about two inohos wid9, and the lace as narrow aad fine ns possible. I was shown some pretty trifles a girl had recently brought from Sydney, and several of these o. l’ars wo'O amor g jhsm. A perfectly plain blouse can bo made quire smart by adding one of ibose. Another novelty was a oet of thre-o brocchss, one larger than tho others, fashioned like cornflowers in bluo enamel. Tnese fasten down tho pretty embroidery fronts, and can be got in tho design oi daisies or pansies. A delicate white ohiffon shoulder tcarf—the ends

faintly patterned with largo pink paneies and leaves —was a Sydney memento, and a most dtsirablo blus cloth coat, belted and with fall skirls, tho 'oollsr and ouffa of stitched Bilk, was the smsrlost and cosiest of wraps. These coats, which resemble a skiit and Eton in one at first glance, are quite new here. Tbo last treasure was a set of oharming hemilitcbed handkerchiefs, escb banded with a delicate oalor on which was

at lacked the brain and gavo his relation great, anxiety, He is now. however, liuicl i better. The microbe is still at large, am fresh eases are reported every day. Con sequent,ly. to those who have illness ti 1 contend witn, the attractions of the .Exhi bit-ion are of no avail. Those who have gone down are charmed with everything as a whole, though naturally there are several drawbacks, such as dust and want of ventilation, that might be remedied. One extraordinary feature about tho Exhibition was the emptiness, comparatively, of the boats going to Lyttelton. There was absolutely no rush as was expected. L went down to the shipping office expecting lo see a crowd of excited people pushing and jostling to got tickets for Lyttelton, and found one solitary woman in front of the counter. A great number of Wellington folk are going to the Exhibition later, after the first rush, and when matters are more settled in the courts In the meantime those who have come back aro most impressed with the music -

worked, in white, little butterflies. 1 forgot a silver oloetlo bolt—those olastio bolts, sometimes vory wide, nre quitu tho voguo ia Sydney—which had artistic oxydUod buckio and olasp, and whioh was oxaotly tho thing neodod to oomplotn nil embroidered muslin gown, such at our shop windows aro fillod with at prosout. In Sydney all cambrics and linonH ato worn with tho quaint oomb't'a.icn of linori oollarH and rdbow-slcovos, but tho climate is responsible for litis. Here flic linen frock is made with ordinary blouse sleeves, so that the long gloves are not a necessity. Wise and well dressed Women here are wearing white and chum- I pagne-timed lisle thread gloves in the I morning; they are comfortable, cool, I economical, and will wash —a lengthy list I of virtues that should appeal to anyone,