HAPPENINGS IN THE CAPITAL.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2147, 1 August 1907, Page 1

HAPPENINGS IN THE CAPITAL.

By “Penelope.”

Wellington. THE WINTER RACE MEETING. AA'inter too it was fairly, as the blue noses and generally frozen appearance of those who went to Trontham testified. There was a snip, but a bitter' wind blew from tlio snow, and consequently furs and heavy tweeds were prominent. Here and there a white frock of flannel or cloth dotted tho general mass of dull or rich color. Mrs. David Nathan—whoso gowns aro . always noticable — was in ivory cloth, with full sleeves, and vest of Irish point, and lines of emorald green velvet edging the top of the pinafore bodice. Her largo black hat with floating lace veil and flat- emerald bow suited her, though most other women would have been overpowered by it. There were velvet gowns in abundance —even coats and skirts, which seems a desecration of the beautiful fabric—and exquisite if urs. A much admired sealskin coat reached to the wearer’s feet, and Mrs. AVilford and Mrs. Wilson both looked charming in their sealskins. One of the smartest costumes was worn by Miss Gertie Reid, and was of striped blue and black, revers embroidered with green. The combination sounds fearsome but, with -a charming green hat with pheasant feathers, and on the wearer’s graceful figure it was chic to the last degree. Perhaps the very prettiest girl and costume was Miss Ijtnssell from England in a combination of mouse-color and sable with a large quaintly curved hat on her pretty brown hair, and a velvet coatee over her cloth skirt with its diamond appliques of velvet. The races were keenly contested,

one hurdle race alone being worth tlis entrance fee, so admirably did the horses jump—e.ven over a . nasty water-jump in front of the’stand — and so excitingly close was the finish.

Indeed, one woman in her ccstacy at winning had flung her arms around her neighbours neck, to whom she had never been introduced; and who, after the race discovered her. horse had come in second, declared that sho did not grudge her loss. The few- minutes enjoyment amply made

up for it. AVomen are quaint to watch at a. race. One little lady, unable to see for a burly man in,front,

kept calling out “AA’lio’s ahead?” The poor man, who himself to see had to dodge a huge hat with sweeping feathers, turned round at last, and said in an exasperated ■ tone, “How the devil can I tell Madam?” There is a woman who goes about gathering tips, and gets so - many at times that she is quito perplexed.

The wife of a trainer was .the subject of many courteous attentions. Ifnfortunately it is a rule in that establishment not to tell her, for her own sake, any stable secrets, and she does not know one horse from the other. ■ Country racing folk were everywhere, Sir George Clifford, Mr. Buchanan of the AVairarapa, Bidwells, Pharnzyns, Macleans, and a score of familiar faces. It will bp an admirable course—at present it is in its infancy and there are defects in the arrangements that time will remedy —but the valley it lies in is lovely, despite its hare brown hills, and the mountains on; Wednesday wore a glorfoils rampart of silver. Probably the most observant man Oil the stand was the new aide who arrived last, week, Lieutenant Lyon. He is rather short and thick-set,

and dark, and is a.very sporting person, already looking' for polo popies, and anticipating the-joys of fishing. When in full dress, he wears various medals. I hear the Miss Cloeto of South Africa whom Captain Bingham married, is very wealthy. Another piece of news that will prove interesting to many is that it is quite l on the cards thfit IVtajor Alexunder and Lord Northland may run out to New Zealand for a trip. A GAY WEEK. There has scarcely been time to breathe this week, and really •no time to sit down, save at the necessary meals. There have been bridge parties and tea-parties, a ball, races, and various heterogeneous entertainments in between. Miss Ward was one of the bridge hostesses, and the guests spent a most delightful evening, rounding off with a carpet dance in the big drawing room. I have said before that Lady Ward is the most charming of hostesses, possessing the rare faculy of enjoying herself as well as making her guests happy. The three handsome trophies containing resjfectively the freedoms of the Cities of Edinburgh, Manchester, and london were to bo seen, lhe former is a. great silver casket, the latter a magnificent model of a tower in silver, but that ot Manchester—as one might expect—is more utilitarian and consists of a large centrejiiecp for fruit with two detachable silver side-dishes. Mrs. Finch gave a tea for liei daughter, Mrs. Putnam, from Palmerston North, and Mrs. Willis one the same afternoon fop airs. CocgpuinHood, of Masterton, Mrs. M-Erven •mve a girls’ progressive bridge party on Friday. The table decoration at the latter was notable. Rose,camellias were wired and arranged in a bowl of soft foliage, a cripisou-shacled lamp brought down low, intensifying the color marvellously. Garlands or cmilax stretched from corner to corner of the table. The prize too, was charming, a silver pen, with a, delightful pen-wiper m tooled leather, the work of Miss Palmer, who is doing the lpypliest things in this cratt.

THE HOCKEY 01<Ufi liAhhMoney, and a tremendous amount of labor and taste converted the hopeless interior of the Town Hall, into a fancy land. Stars of red,, white, and bine gemmed the masses of tolia«o that Stretched from the edge of the stage to the organ-pipes, clinging in long festoons from the centre elec-, the lights to the walls. The ceiling was a Inigo tent of red and white, the front of the gallery draped, and the spaces underneath converted into luosfiluxurious resting places for chaperoueg or (or sittipg nut. A t] l0 l further end ol the hall, dim picturesque nooks had been made into veritable shrubberies, with.flowering plants laid down to simulate a garefem Supper was a feast of goo tilings, champagne and game,, ana I friiiS out of season, all partaken of | to the strains of a. hidden string

The frocks wore wonderful, and it was quite an entertainment to sit and watch the dancers flitting by. Three gowns wore particularly lovely. Mrs. Cecil Kibbell, who is a slender distinguished looking, wore a: g°hj | embroidered tulle, hemmed with gold tissue. Mrs. Ken. Duncan, perhaps the most beautiful of our Wellington women, had) on a pale blush-rose taffetas, opening over a petticoat ot the tiniest lace frills, the lace continuing into a vest in the pretty bodice. Most beautiful, too, was.Mrs..Arthur Russell's orchid-mauve broca.dc, with trails, of red-purple. violets from 'shoulder'to hem. Besides this there were many, more worth noting, it space permitted. ■ ' ' Lady Ward looked ; charming in rich white satin, with mother-o-pearl embroidery on the bodice. A black leather in her hair was clasped by a splendid diamond star, the gift or Messrs. Denny and' Co. the Union S.S.Co.’s steamer ''Maori’' was launched ' this year. A . delicately lovely frock of oyster-white crepe, with softly tinted empire wreaths and silver embroidery above the Vandyke ■ silk bands on the skirt, was worn by Mrs. Chas. Reid, of Oainaru. Miss Miles’s gown of Indian work in rose, green, and gold, hemmed with green silk, was exquisite. Miss Ward wore a white satin made with the new Kimono sleeves oyer short lace ones, and decorated with delicate pearl ■ embroidery and pearl tassels. There were, of course, in such a

largo gathering, costumes to smile eve- as well as those to admire. Ospreys worn in the hair are ornamonts to he carefully considered. Men declare that they tickle their noses, and it is quite certain that they must be just set in the right, place and at the right angle, otherwise the result is grotesque. A short girl with a long osprey at right an glee to her hair looked absurd, and a tall woman struck out a new line and wore hers trailing down her back from her coils of hair. A'cry few woman have the knack of lifting up

a long skirt gracefully while dancing, and glimpses of more than silkskirts, or lace petticoats)' were to be gained constantly. But the weilcut, full skirt that just escapes the floor is, the only wear for a ball, and what grace a train gives to the wearer when walking is quite discounted whon she revolves, tight-wrapt JiK* a mu nr,-vi v in folds of silk or 'liilfon A BISKY PROFESSION.

AA’omen have been feeling rather nervous o’ nights lately, when the minster of the house is out and the maid is engaged in her evening stroll, f>r tho burglar is abroad. This time lie is of a particularly virulent type, his equipment including a loaded revolver. There have been various robberies from private houses. Mr. T. G. Macartliy’s residence was broken into, and goods and cash to the amount, of. £lsl stolen. So expert were the robbers that they actually crept into the owner’s bedroom and took the saf e keys from the pocket of his trousors without his awakening; it was perhaps fortunate, when one remembers the loaded revolver, they were so considerately quiet. Mr. Ala earthy had left a fortnight before o:i a trip to the Islands. Another burglary was perpetrated in 'Mr.

Geiald Fitzgerald’s house, ;iml over £IOC worth of cash and jewellery stc-lcn. This also happened in the middle of the. night. Mr. Louis Blundell, who with his wife and family and Miss Coates, left for England and Japan some time ago, let his house to Mr. Harvey, storing some of his silver in an empty room which was kept locked. been broken into and a considerable part of the property stolen. Then we have had dynamited safes in the city, and’ ill one instance the thieves actually

came back the following night to renew their search for cash, blit on this occasion with poor success. Fortunately, the police have captured several men who are to be tried for the various offences, and tlm.public mind is more at ease. 'Wellington is a happy hunting-ground, not only for folk of .this sort, blit for faddists. I saw last, week a woman walking leisurely along Lambton Quay with bare feet and head, and long dark hair streaming down to her waist. Had she been a-Maori, her vagaries might have escaped more notice than a passing stare.

-ABOUT PEOPLE. Mr. and Mrs. Tliorne-George, from Auckland, are guests of Mr. James Coates. Mrs Nathan and her two daughters have gone to Sydney for some weeks. Mrs Putnam has been with her mother, Airs Finch. Miss Loughnan, from Melbourne, is staying with Mrs Napier Maclean. Miss Meinitzliagen, from Hawke’s Bay, is in AA’ellingtou, in connection with her case against Mr. Donnelly. Mrs Atkinson, nee Miss AAhildegrave, is a guest of Airs. Amelins Smith. Aliss. Rosalind. AA’liitsou, who has been staying with Airs Alaicolm Boss on her way from Rotorua, Ims" gone liomo to Dunedin. Dr. and Mrs. Leacock arrived in AA r ellingtnli by the last Sydney- boat. He is a professor of political economy at AlacGill University, Afontreal, and is travelling to gam material for a book on “The Outer Empire.” He is a most fascinating talker, full of information and humor, and intends to giro some lectures. Cable news has just been received of the sudden death of Air. Sillem, the Dutch mountaineer who did such fine climbing in our Alps the ■season before last. He left here to try Aconcagua, and nearly succeeded. It was in attempting this mountain he overtaxed his heart, and he died suddenly of heart failure in the Swiss Alps. He and his wife, a Viennese and a splendidly handsome woman, made many friends in New Zealand.

LADIES’ NIGHT WITH THE SAVAGES. Our Wellington Savage Cliib is a mine of talent of various kinds, and tlie entertainment they gave last Saturday has certainly never been bettered by any professional company here. Dr. Findlay, the Attor-ney-General, was Chief Savage, and made a very witty speech on Savages as Politicians, full of sly hits, and quips. The topical songs, written mostly by Mr. Killick, a very gifted young man here, were excellent, and were parodies from the comic operas. Tim Governor, Mr. and Mrs Waterfield, Sir Joseph and Lady Ward, Miss Ward, and Miss Rubi Seddon, were present. The latter two sat together, and were a most piquant contrast—the one with brilliant brunette coloring, the other with golden hair and roseleaf complexion. This is her first appsqntuge at any public entertainment, Supper was served in the large hall .amidst all the glory of the Jockev Club decorations. This item was announced on the programme — which consisted of huge leaves of paper torn off as each “turn” was completed, by the mystic suggestion “Let us go and see about a dog!” I and it says much for the innocence of I femiuine Wellington that many woI mer. sat and gazed at it uncompreI bending. The men all rose with alacI rifcy. Mr Dykes, the secretary, ought I to feel delighted with the success of I the evening. It was positiveily brilI liant.