WOMAN'S WORLD.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 126, 18 November 1911, Page 6

WOMAN'S WORLD.

(Conducted by "Eileen.")

SOCIETY NEWS. I NEW PLYMOUTH. Bridge and Euchre Party.—Last Tuesday evening, in the ■Hygienic Tea Rooms, a most enjoyable card party was given in honor of Mrs. Butler, who is leaving |tiext week with her family for; her future home in Wellington. During the evening the guest of honor was presented 0 with a lovely pair of silver candle-sticks. The bridge prize was won by Mrs. Cottier, and Miss Curtis received that of the euchre. Amongst those present were:—Mrs. Butler, black sequinned net, cream lace shoulder scarf; Mrs. Addenbrooke, black net over glace, finished with sequinned embroidery on corsage; Mrs. Simpson, black chiffon taffeta; Mrs. Burgess, navy blue embroidered chiffon over satin charmeuse the same shade; Mrs. Hoby, black silk; Mrs. Pope, black chiffon taffeta; Mrs. Paul, cream satin charmcuse relieved with gold embroideries on decolletage; Mrs. Fitzhcrbert, black satin, pale blue ornaments; Miss C. Bayly, cream ninon over satin charmeuse; Mrs. Lennon, black and white flowered muslin; Mrs. Leilie Webster, eau de nil crystalline relieved with scarlet roses on corsage; Mrs. Collins, shot mauve silk, richly draped with cream lace; Mrs. Walter Bayly, black .silk, cream lace shoulder scarf; Miss F. Wood, pale blue cashmere de soie trimmed with cream lace; Mrs. A. Jones, black and white striped silk deftly braided with cream insertion; Miss K. Hamerton, moss green silk, cream lace yoke and undersleeves; Mrs. Home, dainty dove grey silk, eveam lace appliqui'd with pale blue and pink flowers; Mr.-.. ,1. Wilson, black silk; Mrs. N.i Baily, black erepe trimmed with silk em- ' broideries; Miss Bedford, perriwinkle blue silk; Miss J. Curtis, pale sea green silk blouse, black, skirt; Mrs. Lysons, pale pink satin blouse, black silk skirt; Mrs. T. Carthew, cinnamon colored satin charmeuse braided with lace insertion; Mrs. A. MaeDiarmid, navy blue flowered silk trimmed with bands of pink flowered ribbon; Miss Brown, black silk; Mrs.j Heard, heliotrope cashmere de soie trimmed with cream lace; Miss Tidy,' black silk; Mrs. Chaney, cream silk; Mrs. Hirst, black chiffon taffeta, cream) lace shoulder scarf; Mrs. Persy Webster, black silk, with cream silk blouse, se-j quinned shoulder scarf; Miss Kidd, pale.green silk, corsage trimmed with cream lace; Mrs. I'. Lawson, cream silk relieved with pale blue roses; Miss Wilson, eau de nil silk; Mrs. H. Stocfcer, black silk, I hiker sequiuned scarf; Miss Marshall, black silk trimmed with bands of rich cream insertion; Mrs. Haworth, cream silk, electric blue velvet coat; Mrs. Courtney, black silk, cream lace berthe; Mrs. Griffiths, pale blue silk finished with cream lace; Miss Grant, black silk; Mrs. F. Wilson, cream crepe; Mrs. Atkinson, black silk trimmed with sequinned cmbroideries, relieved with a cream lace vest; Miss A, Hempton, dove grey silk, cream lace berthe; Miss B. Smith, Wack brocaded silk; Mrs. F. Webster, black silk; Mrs. McKellar, black silk; Miss McKellar, black chiffon taffeta. Bazaar.—A bazaar in aid of the Backblocks Mission was held at Miss Stanford's school, organised mainly by the pupils themselves, and proved to be a great financial success. Amongst the <?nfterprising buyers I noticed: —Mrs. Roy, navy blue costume, green hat; Miss Berry, navy costume, hat to correspond; Miss Sergeant, smart English grey tailormade coat and skirt, toqne en suite; Miss W. Webster, cream cloth costume; coronation blue hat lined with black; Mrs. V. Robertson, blue costume, black hat; Mrs. J. Morton (nee Miss L. Webster), cream cloth coat and skirt, black hat wreathed with pale pink roses; Miss Atkinson, white muslin, black hat; Miss, Barnes, black and white costume, blackl toque; Mrs. Atkinson, navy blue cos-; tume braided with black, black hat;' Mrs. G. Burgess, cream costume, green and black hat; Mrs. C. Webster, white] silk blouse, dark skirt, hat massed with, daisies; Mrs. Johns, tussore silk, hat to match; Mrs. Fitzhcrbert, black silk, burnt straw toque relieved with ruby velvet; Miss Fitzhcrbert, saxe blue cos-: tume, pretty hat to correspond; Mrs. Percy Webster, navy blue costume, braided with black, violet hat; Mrs. 11. Russell, navy costume, black hat; Miss Stanford, navy coat and skirt, black hat; Mrs. Clemow, tussore silk, saxe blue hat; Mrs. Paul, navy blue coat and skirt, velvet toque to correspond; Mrs. Kebbfill. pretty French grey costume, faced with cream lace, putty and black hat. wreathed with pale pink roses; Mrs. Cor-' ney. navy costume, nattier blue hat; Mrs. Beale.nuvy coat and skirt, black hat;' Mrs. Woodard, costume, saxe blue toque trimmed with wings; Mrs. Collins, black costuinc, hat with feathers; Mrs. Fox, tussore silk, black hat; Miss .Cottier (llobart), navy costume, hat relieved with cerise; Mrs. H. Lepper, navy coat and skirt, black hat; Mrs. R. George, electric blue coat and skirt, hat en suite; Mrs. A. Jones, navy costume, black hat; Miss Kidd, brown coat and skirt, burnt straw hat trimmed with black.

Afternoon Tea—Last Saturday, at the Kia Ora Tea Rooms, Miss Cottier. (Hobart) gave a very enjoyable afternoon tea to the friends she made during her short v i*it to N'ew Plymouth. Amongst tlio*e present were: Mrs. Paul, Mrs. Percy Webster. Mrs. H. Stocker. Miss Bedford, Miss 6. Maekay, Mrs. s! Cottier, Mr-,. Kebbell. PKIiSONAL ITEMS. ■ ■:. ;;::d Mr.-,. \\. Newman have gone for a trip to Wellington. Mews. R, ;,,,<! 'f. Kirkby, who have been on a >liort visit to New Plymouth, have returned to Wellington. Mis, Cottier (riobart), who has been visiting her cousin, Mrs. Kebbell, has gone to Auckland, from thence to Rotorua before her return home. Mr. and Mrs. J. Morton left by the expre>* yesterday for their future home in Napier. Mr. W. Boucher left by the s.s. Rarawa on Thursday, having 'been transferred to Auckland. Archdeacon Toogooil and niece, who have been on a health recruiting vi-it to New Plymouth, leave for home on Monday.

BREACH OF PROMISE I'KCIUAR DKKKXCM Auckland. November ],">. A peculiar defence was set up bv a dctendant in a breach of promise case, heard in tlie Supreme Court to-dav. before Mr. -Justice Jul wards and a jiirv of twelve. Delia Josephine Dinan, aged thirtytwo years, a domestic servant, sued John i'earce. aj>ed lliirty-one years, described a- a member of a firm of builders, painters and plumbers, for ,CBO special damages and ,C5()1 general damages. The plaintill' >tated that he had known defendant nine years, and he !>prl asked her to many him in \<Mj. ,-,l u; consented, and defendant said he would «r, O ] lPr father, lie spoke of the maryl.ijre during tlie intervenini; live year-, and eventually I'l-onii-ed to marry her in the. winter of l!'ll. lie bad jriven her small presents, wh ns a purse, ornamental hat pin.?, lies and book-,, but she had always told -him not to spend money on gifts, but to keep it for their prospective liome.

She had not received an engagement' ring, but he told her that he would give her a ring three months before the marriage. He had said 'he was a partner in the firm of Pearce Bros. Just before last Easter, said witness, defendant complained of palpitation of the heart, and said he intended consulting three doctors. On Good Friday afternoon he visited her, and said he had been examined by Drs. Dudley and Bull and another practitioner. She did not know the pronouncement was that he was suffering from a leaking hole in the heart. His Honor: He ought to put a washer in. "WE'D BETTER PART." Witness proceeded to describe how defendant apparently got worse and worse, and recounted conversations in which defendant told of his doctors' discovery that first one valve of his heart, and ..then the other valve, had started to leak, and then the first valve advanced from a leak to a gush, and he came to the conclusion that he was physically too weak to marry. "We had better part," he said, ''because I am wasting your chances." Plaintiff, who broke down at this point, replied that she would never part with him. He said it hurt his feelings to see her, because he could see that his visits hurt. Their parting as friends was suggested. Witness determined ts find out from the doctor what was actually wrong with defendant. When she got the information from the doctor, and found that defendant had not been telling the truth, she consulted a solicitor. AN ADMISSION BY DEFENDANT.

At this stage, Mr. Mowdem, counsel for defendant, intimated that in view of the evidence, he had advised his client to withdraw the denial of an engagement, and to admit there was a tacit understanding. His Honor: You admit the promise and admit breach? Mr. Mowlem: No, your Honor. We admit the promise only. Peter Virtue, manager of the Northern Roller Mills, stated that plaintiff had been employed by him as a domestic servant for the past five years, and defendant had been an habitual visitor to the house. As far back as 1907 defendant called on witness and told him he was engaged to Miss Dinan. He said he was a partner in the firm of Pearce Bros., and asked witness to put bxsiness in tbe way of the firm. Mr. Earl: And you saw him at your office?— Yes.

Was he entertained at supper?—Oh, yes—for four or five nights a week for five solid years. A-QUESTIOX OF APPETITE.

Did he have a good appetile?—l never saw him eat, but I noticed a big difference in the house bills; they tell a tale, you know.

Witness, continuing, said he had put between £IOO and £l3O worth of work in the way of the firm. At one interview defendant appeared to be in "suppressed agony." and having heard he was suffering from a leaky or gushing heart, witness was concerned. However, defendant raced up the hill to Princess street in a way that did not suggest heart trouble. Witness had dealt with defendant as principal of the Arm. He always appeared on the job dressed up, talked about instructing "his foreman," receipted the bills, and took the responsibility of adjusting a •harge for extras. Witness understood defendant was capable of eating a Cornish pie, drinking two or three bottles of ginger beor, and smoking a packet of cigarettes for dinner. "A man's heart must be affected by that," observed witness. ' CORXISH PIES. Mr. Earl: What is Cornish pie?—it is made in a large basin, I understand—a wash-hand basin. (Loud laughter). I know there was no paste left when he was about—perhaps a good thing for the roller mills.

Mr. Mowlem: Do you know whether the illness was pretence or real?—lf it were pretence it was good acting. I don't think it was real. THE DEFENCE. The chief points for the defence were: (1) That what the defendant said about his condition of health to the many witnesses called for the plaintiff was absolutely true; (2) that the promise of marriage had not been broken by the defendant, but by the girl's own act. The jury, after a short retirement, brought in a verdict of £SO general damages and £2OO special damages.