TEMUKA CALEDONIAN SOCIETY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2247, 29 August 1891, Page 3

TEMUKA CALEDONIAN SOCIETY.

ANNUAL FANCY DRESS BALL,

The long looked for ball of the Temuka Caledonian Society which took place on Thursday last in the Volunteer Drill Shed, Temuka, proved as was anticipated a most brilliant success, and was a fitting termination to a _ series of most enjoyable social gatherings—gatherings that it may fairly be said are becoming not only more popular each year, hut which are ;spoken of with a certain degree of envy by kindred societies throughout the colony. The preparations for the ball had been in preparation for some time, and the officials of the Society displayed a deal of tact and discrimination in the way in which they went to work. Their past experience showed them what to avoid and what additions to make to former programmes, and they certainly managed on Thursday evening to hit the happy medium and thus pleased all. The sub-committee appointed to carry out the affair consisted of Mr David Henry (vicepresident, and Messrs W. McLeod, J. W. Yelvin, F. Archer, A. W. Mann, A. Bissett, J. M. Naughton, and G. H. Mogridge, the secretary, to whose knowledge and taste a large share of the successful results must be attributed. To Mr T. Gunion was entrusted the decoration of the Drill Shed, a by no means enviable task, as all conversant with such matters must admit if they have viewed its barren studs and rafters, and the bam like appearance it presents on ordinary occasions. Under his skilful hands it was trasformed into a perfect fairyland. The bare roof was concealed by garlands and flags, conspicuous among which were the standards of the Society, the Lion of Scotland, the Union Jack of England, and the Harp of Erin. The walls were draped in such a maimer as to exclude draught, and their barren appearance was effectually concealed by evergreens and huge fern leaves, whose graceful fronds took away the usually heavy appearance of massed green foliage. At intervals small banners were placed, which gave a pleasing brightnes to the room, and in the comers of the room were shady nooks formed by tree ferns and cabbage trees. In the centre of the room stood, a gigantic tree fern, beneath the ample fronds of which a dozen couples might have sheltered. The ferns, it may he mentioned were given by Mr P. McCaskill whose bush at Gapes’s Yalley must have suffered somewhat severely from the ravages of the decorators. The building was capitally lighted,?) the glare of the ordinary lamps being toned down by numerous Chinese lanterns. The floor, like that of most large rooms, was a little heavy, but its surface was ’glass-like, and the most energetic of dancers made no complaint. The orderly-room was transformed for the time being into a cardroom, n-mi the ante rooms were comfortably fitted up for the ladies’ dressing and cloak rooms. The Volunteer Hall made a capital supper room. Many people consider a good supper well laid a sufficient decoration for any room, but Mr McCaskill, the caterer, was evidently desirous of pleasing more senses than one, for his decoration of the supper room fairly rivalled that of the ball room. Here fern leaves were again brought into play, and judging from the 'general expressions of approval no more effective means of decoration can be used. The tables displayed everything that could tempt the most fastidious, and there was also an ample display of choice flowers and foliage plants kindly lent by wellwishers of the society. The doors opened at eight o’clock, and dancing commenced at half-past that hour. It had been intended bo open the ball with the grand march, but the unusually, large attendance, some 300 effectually prevented this, and the programme, the first item of which was a march polka, was commenced. This was headed by the president Mr A. M. Clark, (in tartan) with Mrs Angus McDonald. The scene then presented was the most brilliant ever witnessed in Temuka. The tasteful, unique, and charming dresses of the ladies heightened by contrast with the sober attire ef those who attended in ordinary evening costume, formed a spectacle that those present cannot but remember with anything but pleasurable emotions. The charm wbs heightened by the display of colored lights audit had been intended to at this stage to have the scene photographed as a memento of what was felt to be one of the happiest efforts of the society to please its members, but it was found that this would have been attended with inconvenience from the fumes arising from the • illuminatihg material, and the idea was abandoned. From this time dancing went on merrily to music provided by Mr G. Levens, (piano), W. Oliver, (violin), and Webb, (piccolo). During the progress of the dances a capital opportunity, was afforded of noting the many pretty costumes and rarely in a country town can such tasteful ones have been seen. To describe all would be impossible, and moreover it would be a decidedly’ invidious task where so many fair maidens are concerned. Among the most noticeable characters, were Mrs Angus McDonald as ‘ Night ’ in a black lace dress shot with gold stars and with crescent moon as a head-dress. Miss Stevenson as a ‘ Grecian lady,’ in a black-and-gold costume, looked distinguished. Miss Ellis, as the ‘ Duchess of Gainsboro’,’ wore a dark green costume faced with gold, with pink lace Gainsboro’ bat, gold aigrettes, and ostrich plumes. Miss LeCren (Timaru) had a charming costume in a dreamy shade of blue, with Gainsboro’ hat of a similar color and plumes. She represented a ‘ Lady of the 18th Century.’ Miss Orton, of Pleasant Point, as 4 Queen of Hearts,’ wore a white costume, relieved with groups of hearts in red, and crown and fan each displaying the same emblem. Her sister, | Miss Marion Orton, appeared as 1 Scraps,’ ! in a three-quarter length white dress upon which was displayed various emblematical devices, Mrs Kempthome, as a ‘Japanese lady,’ wore a magnificent costume of black satin, with a bird of paradise embroidered in gold. It was one of the most unique costumes in the room. Miss E. Robinson honored the Temuka Leader by appearing as its representative. Her dress consisted of white cambric, upon which was printed a copy of one of the issues of this journal. A pretty costume was that worn by Miss Elsie Bissett as ‘ Queen of Spades,’ a black dress, with red train, black spades displayed upon it, and with gold crown. Miss Woodham, of Christchurch, wore the costume of a ‘ Swiss peasant,’ consisting of a red skirt, blue-checked apron, black Swiss belt trimmed profusely with gold, and hair worn in plaits. Mrs Henry appeared as the ‘ Captain of the Fire Brigade,’ in a navy-blue skirt and jacket faced with red, and fireman’s cap. Miss Lee, as a ‘ Druidess.’ wore a white flowing costume, with oak leaves round the skirt and neck, gold girdle and armlets, and cloth-6f-gold hood. Miss Mendelson, as ‘ Living Whist,’ wore a simple white costume, strapped with gold, and with gold drapery from the shoulders, with a red,

heart device. Miss E. Mendelson looked well as ‘a Gipsy,’ and Miss Chisholm (of Timaru) as ‘ Christmas,’ wore a charmihg costume of white and silver, with swansdown trimming, relieved with holly berries. A novel costume was that of Miss McCaskill who appeared as a Russian Spinner, in a royal blue dress, gold trimmings and veil. Among the other visitors were Mrs John Rutherford, Opawa, ‘ Evening Dress ’; Mrs Mrs A. M. Clark, ‘ Lady of the 18th Century’; Lady Blunden, ‘Red Cross Nurse’; Miss LeCren, Timaru, ‘ Beggar Woman ’; Miss Moana Bissett, ‘ Good Luck ’; Mrs Coira, * Newhaven Fishwife ’; Miss M. Dunford, ‘Housemaid’; Miss Pye, Fairlie Creek, ‘ Ivy’; Miss Wilson, ‘ Evening Dress’; Miss Turnbull, Timaru, ‘ Skater ’ ; Miss Webb, ‘ Marguerite from Faust ’; Miss McDonald, ‘Bo Peep ’; Miss H. McDonald, ‘ Shepherdess ’; Miss Grahame, ‘ Ivy ’; Miss Foster, as 1 Priscilla from Miles Stcmdish ’; Mrs Angland, ‘ Black Costume ’_; Miss Erwood, ‘ Fair Maid of Perth ’; Miss Ada Erwood, ‘Patrice’; Miss Ida Macpherson, ‘ Swiss Peasant ’; Miss Knight, ‘ Milkmaid ’; Miss A. McCallum, ‘ Mary Queen of Scots ’ ; Miss F. Campbell, ‘ Nancy Lee ’; Miss Georgie Bissett, ‘ Highland Lassie ’; Miss S. McLean, ‘ Black-eyed Susan ’ ; Miss B. J. Buckman, ‘ Housemaid ’; Miss Ada Mackenzie, ‘House-maid’; Miss Ackroyd, ‘ Esmeralda ’ ; Miss Taylor, ‘ Mother Hubbard;’ a capital copy from the story books; Mi ss Edith Clark, ‘ Florentine Peasant ’; Miss M. Stevenson, evening dress ; Mrs Gaze, * Priscilla Prim ’; Miss Watt, ‘ Moonlight ’; Miss Woodfield, ‘ Swiss Girl ’; Mrs Cutten, ‘ housemaid ’; Miss E. Wethey, ‘ English August ’; Miss Ada Stewart, ‘ Nancy Lee ’; Miss Hay, ‘ Hospital Nurse ’; Miss Ellen Paterson, ‘ Helen Macgregor ’; Mrs Adams (Pleasant Point), ‘Sweet Pea’; Miss Gimson, ‘Magpie’; Miss Klee, ‘Early Morning’; Miss Mary McCaskill, ‘ Gipsy ’; Miss Marion McCaskill, ‘ Snowdrop ’; Miss Jennie McLeod, ‘ White Camelia ’; Mrs McGuire, ‘Housekeeper’; Mrs Deßenzy, Miss Guy, and Miss Russell, evening dress. A complete list of the costumes was practically unobtainable, and doubtless many who had no opportunity of furnishing the stewards with their names have been omitted from it. Among the gentlemen a great variety of costume was displayed, those appearing in kilts being Messrs A, M. Clark (the president), ‘ McDonald Tartan ’; D. Henry , (vice-president), ‘ Stuart Tartan ’; A. Bissett, ‘ Sutherland ’; J. McNaughton ‘ Royal Stuart ’; J. Mabin, ‘ Mackenzie ’; and Master F. Adams, ‘McDonald.’ Perhaps the most unique costume was that of Mr B. 0. Webb, of Geraldine, who wore the dress of a Roman Senator. Others were Sir William Blunden, ‘ Officer of the Tipstone Slashers Irregular Cavalry’; J. M. Twomey, ‘ 19th Century Dude;’ J. F. McCarthy, ‘ Artillery Uniform ’; W. Bebbington, ‘L.L.D.;’ H. Jackson ‘Jockey;’ Master Clark, ’Volunteer Cadet;’ Dr J. S. Hayes, ‘ Policeman ;’ R. Manning, ‘ Pirate King;’ E. Cutten, ‘lrish Absentee Landlord ;’ R. H. Pearpoint, ‘ mess dress Captain of Rifles;’ W. Bryars, ‘ Volunteer Officer;’ T. Radford, ‘Spanish CaValier;’ B. McDonald, ‘ Canadian Costume;’ D. McCaskill, ‘ Stockman;’ Peter Coira, ‘ ColorSergeant Rifles;’ E. Vallender, ‘Butcher and baker, (in a hat made of a loaf of bread); G. J. Mason. ‘ Sergeant Temuka Rifles ;’ J. Lyon, ‘ Irishman;’ J. Velvin, ‘ Lieutenant;’ G. Clinch, * Crossing Sweeper;’ W. J. Higgins, ‘ Plantation Nigger;’ J. Gillespie, ‘ Undergraduate;’ F. Hooper, ‘ Artilleryman;’ A. J. Andrews, ‘ Spanish Student;’ R. Pinckney. ‘ Swagger ;’ E. Richardson, Albury, ‘ Irishman;’ R. Lee, ‘ Lawn Tennis ; J. H. Anderson, ‘Jack Tar;’ J. McCaskill, ‘Lieutenant T.R.Y.;’ T. Cowan, ‘ Naval;’ R. McKinley, ‘ Cavalry Officer; W. Fenton, ‘ Fireman;’ W. Russell, ‘ Grand Turk;’ John Lawson, ‘ Farmer;’ C. King, ‘ Duke of Norfolk;’ G. McMillan, ‘ T.R.V ;’ F. E. Storey, ‘ Bandmaster;’ W. M. Storey, ‘ French Count; W. Cooper, ‘ Undergraduate ; G. Hay, ‘ Lawn Tennis;’ B. Piper, ‘ Butcher;’ D. 0. Hiskens, ‘Artilleryman.’ Mr Mabin, the honorary piper of the Society, played for the Highland dances, and Mr Bisset filled his usual position of M.C. Dancing was kept up until an early hour on Friday morning, when ‘Auld lang syne ’ was sung as a signal for dispersing. The society is to be congratulated on its latest success, which certainly has eclipsed all previous ones. It has been the endeavor of the directors to make their gatherings a source of enjoyment to all, and with this end in view no reasonable expense has been spared. The socials and ball are not looked upon as a source of revenue, but as a means of cementing in friendly union the members of the Society, and this object appears to be fully attained. On Fridny Mr Jackson, of Timaru, secured a capital view of the ballrooms, and on Thursday one of the supper room in all its glory.