GOVERNMENT HOUSE PARTY

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 135, 29 August 1927, Page 4

GOVERNMENT HOUSE PARTY

INDUSTRIAL HOUSES ENTERTAINED 1 A particularly pleasant and informal ; party was given at Government House on Saturday afternoon, when their Excellencies the Governor-General and j Lady Alice Fergusson entertained i about five hundred employees of industrial houses in Wellington. There were a few representative employers present, managers of workrooms and others, but most of the guests were young people. Their Excellencies received all the guests personally in the large ballroom, which was carpeted in deep blue, and decorated with delightful groups of cyclamen and fern, cinerarias and palms, and other conservatory flowers, the long buffet tables with tea being the length of the room, and in the loggia, which was canvassed in and furnished comfortably, the decorations were of spring flowers in large silver bowls or high vases. Elis Excellency entered with Lady Alice, the latter in beige lace over crepe de chine of the same shade, and diamond ornaments, with a wrap edged with white fur. With them came the aides de camp, and Mr. A. C. Day, private secretary, the Mayor of Wellington and Mrs. Troup, Mrs. Sprott, who is a guest in the house at present, the Hon. R. A. Wright and Mrs. Wright, Sir John Luke, M.P., and Lady Luke, Mr. P. Fraser, M.P., and Mrs. Fraser, Lady Fergusson and her daughter. His Excellency in a brief speech bade all the guests welcome to Government House, and said he found that when he and her Excellency were visiting manufacturing works there seemed so much to look at and understand, that they did not see anything of the workers. Therefore they had taken this means of making acquaintance with them, and in the name of Lady Alice and himself, he gave all a most cordial welcome. He asked them to consider themselves at home, and go all over the house and garden, and look at everything which they found interesting, and then to return to the ballroom for afternoon tea. The permission was availed of with great pleasure, and the guests wandered about, “Upstairs and downstairs, and in my lady’s chamber,” for great was the interest taken in the room which had been used by the Duchess of York, with its misty blue draperies, and delightful outlook over the city to the Tinakori hills, and the charming, dainty furniture. Another very interesting room was the one containing all his Excellency’s Maori and Island gifts, magnificent rugs of feathers, tapa, and “cunning work” of all kind, and the endless chains of beautiful shells threaded in wonderful patterns came in for great admiration. A fierce warrior’s headdress with spiked feathers, cowrie shells, and dyed flax chin-strap was an unusual item, while a number of quite pretty hats had been made for the ladies of the party. There were greenstone ornaments, meres and many other curios, which were all a pleasure to view. The flower lovers found joy in the conservatories, and after tea, as the weather was kind, and the sunshine was in evidence, quite a number strolled round, or stood about and smoked and enjoyed the quiet bright- s ness of the day. The party was a very happy and successful one, and many of the guests not only met a number of friends and acquaintances, but made new friends under very pleasant circumstances. An orchestra played popular music all the afternoon, and was an added pleasure.