HAPPENINGS IN THE CAPITAL

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 1976, 11 January 1907, Page 4

HAPPENINGS IN THE CAPITAL

By “Penelope.” WELLINGTON, Tuesday A HEAT WAVE.

Wo two enjoying what a conversational shopman described as most suppressing weather. The extreme hoa t makes one , fool like west blotting-

paper, and the pavciiiouta are almost as hot beneath the feet as the sun is on your head. Ice, fruit, muslin frocks, shady hats, and fans aro

in groat demand, and oven helmets and puggerees are being worn. The streets are pitilessly hot and dry, and the gardens are drooping for want of water. Our supply is being curtailed. Hoses for gardens, unless with a motor, are forbidden to bo used, and those enthusiastic and dishonest amateurs who use the hours of darkness Ito refresh tlioir plants are warned to expect punishment. If the drought goes, oil, all watering will bo forbidden, which would bo a great pity wlier the prospects of a I good season are so obvious. It is I oven hinted that our baths might be I stopped. Wo may be reduced to I water-rations—one largo spoonful I morning and evening—as was the I case in Dunedin. At present there 1 aro no indications of rain. On SatI unlay night just before midnight, I when a largo number of people were lying awake owing to the intense I heat, we had a small earthquake—to I add to the goneral discomfort. Nervous folk imagined it the prelude to a big shake, but none came. Mr Bracy—of the Opera Company who I experienced it —told of a serious I shock in Adelaide. The theatre was full, hut the performance had not I begun when the shock occurred, sliakI ing the building, and causing the I great electrolier to sway in a sickening manner over the heads of the 1 crowded stalls. The actors, some halfdressed . and half-made up, rushed 1 from tlioir rooms on to the stage and |in front of the curtain. But Mr I Hugh Ward was quite equal to tho I emergency. Advancing to the footI lights, ho said, impressively, while I the electrolier still swayed and the

audience were on the point of panic, “Don’t bo alarmed, ladies and gentlemen! This is only an effect for to-morrow night’s performance. Wo are rehearsing!”

.FRESH AIR.

It lias become quite the fashion on these sultry days, for troops of people to seek fresh air and a certain degree of coolness by train-rides to Oriental or Island Bay, Kelburne, or Brooklyn. The latter is quite a sensational journey, for tho lino crawls cork-screw-fashion up among the hills and from tho crest magnificent views can be obtained. A collision on the lino would be appalling, but the brakes appear strong and the motormen cool and expert, and, after all one may meet with an accident anywhere. Even in a street a falling chimneypot might mean death, as tho sailor remembered when in a gale he congratulated himself he was safe aboard liis ship. Brooklyn itself lies in a depression on the top of a hill, and from its main street Wellington is invisible. It is progressing rapidly, and buildings going up in every direction. Island Bay now has ail esplanade, seats, and a quaint now tea-room yclept The Blue I Platter, built circular, with a flat I roof where tea and a wonderful view I may be got at the same time. OUR LADY CHAMPION.

No one, who saw Miss Nunneley for the first time, would imagine that the slim pale girl was the wonderful tennis player who —out of sixtyeight games, in tho recent championship meeting—only lost eight, a marvellous record. She will now be able to complete her necklace of medals, already nearly long enough, which matches her belt of gold medals, each representing a tennis victory. As each of these trophies is at least north £5, belt and necklace are valuable possessions. In addition to these, Miss Nunneley has a fine collection of silver toilet tilings, all the results of tennis meetings. She is very quick, sure, and strong, and keeps in excellent trim, considering that she is engaged at the ‘Wellington Public Library all day, and can only get little practice, and then, unless she plays with men, with much weaker opponents. SOCIAL NOTES.

Everyone is too limp to plan entertainments, and what amusements there are, are only public ones. The Gothic arrived on New Year’s Eve, and those who got their first glimpse of New Zealand that evening must have been much impressed. A great yellow harvest moon rose over dim blue hills, and the harbor was a sheet of silver, with long golden reflections. The sky was cloudless, and the, air still, and the city with its clustered glow-worm lights, must have looked beautiful from the big ship’s deck. By it arrived, with her uncle, Mr Dalston, a London solicitor, Miss Mason, whoso marriage to her cousin, Mr Norman Dalston, of the New Zealand Times, takes place quietly this week. Another passenger was Miss Whit law, sister of Mrs J. D. Gray of Wellington, who returns to Auckland, her native city, as Lady Principal of a new collego there. Miss Whitlaw studied at Girton am] was a distinguished teacher at Wycombn Abbey College. Dr. and Mrs Findlay, Dr, and Mrs Sijlumjul, and Dr. and Miss May returned Jast Saturday from a visit to Rotorua, which, except for the extreme heat, was most interesting and enjoyable, Miss Partridge returned this week from her long visit to England, Mr Percy B uller has also come hack, and is settling down again with much contentment. Mrs Gilruth has let her house at

the Mutt to Mr Palgrave, and leaves on some visits South. Miss Webb’s marriage takes place this week. IN WELLINGTON HARBOR.

During the present hot wen the: as an Irishman remarked to m

the other day, the best place in Wellington is outside of it. Ho was thinking of the harbor, where, in a yacht or a steam launch one can keep fairly cool even on the hottest day. But in any case if you feel too hot “on” the harbor there is always the alternative of “in’'’ the harbour. That, however, might be disastrous, because, sometimes, there are sharks about. What with steamers coming and’ going, various yachts, a few motor launches and other craft, Wellington harbour on a fiiio holiday now presents quite an animated scone. There is one little .steam launch in particular on which a number of well-known city men who

are keen on fishing spend many a pleasant day. These amateur seamen have their admiral (a well-known hanker), their commodore (a wellknown shipping man), and various other high officials. The discipline is not so strict aw in JJjs Majesty’s navy, but the fun is as great if not greater. The other day they went an excursion and anchored at the Heads just off the Black Itock, where there are many kinds of fish. Amongst the visitors on this occasion were several ladies and also some of the business moil and actors and actresses connected with Mr Williamson's comic opera company —Mr and Mrs It. Stewart, and and Mrs Lauri, Mr Braoey, and others. Quite a number of fish were hauled in during the course of the afternoon—the beautiful terakj, blue cod, soldiers, crayfish, a huge conger eel, and even a shark. Mr Lauri, who Is a very keen fisherman, landed the conger gel, which weighed close upon 20 pounds, , and his face was a study as it came to the surface. The fish was longer than the fisherman, and there was a pretty considerable strain upon the genial comedian’s biceps before the big fish was safely landed. While some of the visitors were at luncheon in the saloon some wags fixed up the lines of the absent fishermen with bottles, dead fish, etc., and when these were afterwards being hauled up with great expectations there were broad grins on the faces of those “in the know,” and, as the strange fish came to the surface, merry peals of laughter. At o p.m. the word was given to “up anchor,” and the city was reached again at 6 p.m., everv-j one being delighted with the day’s | outing