A Lady's Letter.

Manawatu Herald, 27 October 1894, Page 3

A Lady's Letter.

Wellington, Oct. 25th, 1894. Socially speaking this has been a dull and uninteresting Week, but it i* just what hiipperis ;tt the end of every session each year. Everyone is weary and jaded with pleasure and many are preparing to go away and recruit their health and strength: ! in the Country. The Members must be fairly worn out, for it has been an exceptionally long session and the late and continued sitting during the la&t fortnight must have been dreadfully tedious and wearying. The Premier is looking utterly worn out, indeed, of them all, I think Hir Robert Stout is about the only one who looks, as I heard some one remark 'as fresh as paint.' He must have a wonderful constitution to stand the amount of fatigue he does. Most of the Members left for their various hdjiles on Tuesday night; and the House had a very deserted air about it on the following day. The Parliamentary grounds are very much improved by their recent alterations. At first, of course they had a singularly bare and uncomfortable look, but now that the grass has grown on the sward in front and the plants are beginning co spiitjg up in the gardens, it looks extremely well and it certainly shows up the Building, which, to my mind, ia the most beautiful in Wellington, to great advantage. The custodian's cottage, which occupied the best part of the grounds, ha 9 been removed to Sydney Street and a front entrance has been made from Moles worth street and is made with a long circular carriage drive up to the front entrance, and this looks very imposing and will be even more so when the trees grow up. The Premier, who ordered this to be done, was much criticised at the time, but it seems to me that, in the years to come, he will be rather congratulated than otherwise upon his action. Next Saturday night the entertainment in aid of the Academy Building fund is to take place at the Art Gallery Miss Holmes is stage manager and appears to have taken a great deal of trouble to make the affair a success, which I t^ust, if only for the sake of so worthy an object, it will be. Amateur theatricals will be the order of the evening, the two pieces chosen being " The Boot 3 at the Swan " and "My Uncle's Will " and the actors will be Mr Ernest Hadfield, Mr Alex. Newton, Mr Ernest Izard, Mr W. A. Day and Mr Dighton, the actresses being Mrs (Dr) Fell, Mrs T. M. Wilford, Miss Alice Grace and Miss Ethel Cooper. There is to [ be music, both vocal and instrumental, during the intervals, so that I think we may look forward to a pleasant and interesting evening. The next social event of importance on the tapis is the marriage of Miss Ida Johnston and Mr Percy Baldwin. I hear that no less than 200 guests have been bidden to the wedding breakfast, which will take place in the large ballroom adjoining Mr Walter Johnston's residence. There are to be 8 bridesmaids. For the evening of the same day Mrs Johnston has issued a large number of invitations ior an " At Home," and 1 think the idea of winding up the proceedings with a ball, a very good one. | The honeymoon is to be spent in a trip up the Wanganui river and afterwards the young couple will settle in Wellington and will live in the house in Hawkestone street, which was recently occupied by Dr and Mrs Newman. , All the summer sports and games are being begun again this week. The Boating season has now been declared open and also the Cricket and Bowling seasons and next Saturday the Lawn Tennis Clubs reopen. The weather has been so deliciously warm and mild that ail our inclination for such things has returned and one hears of picnics, walking parties, etc. ulmost every day. Quite a number of New Zealanders left for Australia last week in order to be present at the "Cup," Major Elliott and Captain Clayton were among the number who went for that gay w^ek in November. A great many Wellington people intend going down to Christchurcb for the Carnival week in November. I believe it has now become necessary to secure rooms for that time fully a couple of months bpforehand. There will be two large balls and several private dances during the week.

The Jockey Club Ball also takes place at that time and is always considered the moat brilliant ball gi\en in New Zealand. Captain and Mrs Johnston-Stewart, Lady Glasgow's brotbeiMn law and sister, left Wellington for Australia some little time ago are now staying with Lord and Lady Hopetown and also intend joining the •' Cup " Festivities there before proceeding to England. Mrs William Barton, who has lately arrived from Home with her husband, is now paying a visit to her ftunt. Mrs Rhodes, ab the Grange. Mrs (Dr) Collins has jnat returned from Melbourne where she appears to have bad a delightful visit She went for the benefit of her health and is looking quite well aguiu. Signa.