Society

Observer, Volume 4, Issue 91, 10 June 1882, Page 196

Society

[Announcements, and contributions for this oolwnn are invited.'] x

—The insignia of the knighthood of St. Michael and St. George cost £1000. — Mv McCosh Clark gave a dinner party to a large number of friends on Thursday at his residence, "The Towers," Bemuera. — Another of the Remuera Social Reunions is to take place this evening (Friday), at the hall, Renraera. — About thirty royal persons were quartered in .Windsor Castle on the 26th April, and every hole and corner of the place was occupied. — There was a jolly company at Paterangi last Friday night, although the weather was rather against it . All enjoyed the hop. — At the Volunteer dance at Coromandel Miss Kate B. appeared in a dark velveteen dress trimmed with cloth of gold, rose wreath. She was the acknowledge belle of the ball. — Many of the presents given to Prince Leopold were paid for by subscriptions raised in an " official " way, people being " asked " to subscribe in such a way that' they could not well refuse. — A pretty wedding custom which is : becoming popular, is that of hanging a floral bell over the head of the bride at the breakfast. It is usually made of the choicest blossoms, all white. , — The Onehtmga dance came off last week and was a great success. All the best looking girls in the city and suburbs were present, and the Parnell contingent distinguished themselves as usual. — The loyalty of some people takes a curious shape. The little daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Connanght, aged about eight weeks, has been presented by the Welsh' with a doll quite as large, as herself. — Mrs J". M. Clark gives a dance at The Towers, Remuera, this -evening (Friday.) All the jumtarts will be there. Mrs Clark's suppers are always very good, and that alone is sufficient to make her entertainments exceedingly popular in this dreadful ago. — At Madame de Monthozon's bal blanc every young girl wore powdered hair, and a costume of the period of Louis XV. Nothing could be prettier than the contrast between the coiffures poudrees and the blooming, youthful faces of the wearers. — It is probable that the first of the season's meetings of the Friday Night Skating Kink will be held next week. * The committee is mostly composed of new men, so that much energy and zeal may be anticipated in the conduct of the meetings. — The Duke of Westminster, by his second marriage, will become the brother-in-law of his daughter, for he is about to marry the third daughter of Lord Chesham, whose eldest son married Lady Beatrice Grosvenor, a daughter of the bridegroom. —The title of " Sir "if there be no wealth to support it, is an incumbrance, and not unfreq'uently an absurdity. The late Sir Harry vVraxall, Bart., was a pauper in the Wandsworth Lunatic Asylum, and the present Baronet was educated nt a workhouse school, and is apprenticed to a pawnbroker^ — Mrs Mackay, the Big Bonanza's wife, treats a3 foul scorn the report that her daughter is engnged to Prince Philippe de Bourbon. The Bonanza takes a sensible view of Royalty in exile. His step-daughter is at liberty, of course, to marry whom she pleases. But he is free to make a will and he does not want his money to go to any fine, loafing gentleman, who would not think it a disgrace to quarter himself on his wife's family. — The ball recently held in the Otara schoolroom passed off well.* Amongst the ladies dresses the following were noteworthy :— Miss McLernon, cream satin and silver jewellery — the belle of the ball ; Miss Clowe, cream sateen, black velvet trimmings ; Miss Russell, black caslimere : Miss J. McQ-ee wine-coloured merino; Miss G-. Elmsly, black cashmere ; Miss Jones, black silk ; Miss A. Foley, prune ; (lustre looked quite fascinating) Miss J. Wallace, black cashmere ; Miss K. Wallace, black merino ; Miss M. Clour, black merino, trimmed with white lace ; Miss Gray, brown lustre trimmed with cardinal bows ; Miss A. Ryan, grey lustre trimmed with white fur ; Miss Fergusson, black velveteen trimmed with black silk and white hioe. The dancing (such as it was) was kept up with great spirit until the small hours. ■ — A new system of gambling lias been established at Nice. Two or three individuals, bought j up "the palace of Queen Christine," gorgeously furnished it, and, under the name of a Club, converted it into an open gambling hell. The right to hold a baccarat bank is nightly put up to auction, and play is carried on with counters, which are handed to the players either against cash or cheques by the cashier of the establishment. A Turk lost at play counters to the value of seven hundred thousand francs, for which he had given cheques, and then he levanted. Several of the players who had won counters brought actions against the establishment, which they lost ; for it was held that the obligation to pay the counters did not exist, as to all intents and purposes they represented a gambling debt. Cheating and swindling are said to flourish in this establishment on a large scale. — At the ball given by the Ponsonby Quadrille Club, the hall was- prettily decorated with flags, and the affair was an unqualified success. Among the most noticeable dresses were the following: — i Miss Farquar, who was the belle, wore pale pink satin, with cream lace ; Miss Tapper, black grenadine, and silver ; Miss Y. Henderson, brown velvet dress, old gold satin ; Miss Eva Morris, black and white with ivy leaves ; Miss M. Radcliffe, white and pink; Miss Sinclair, black velvet trimmed with pink and satin ; Miss Cameron black grenadine and pink satlan ; Miss Binstead, cream and cardinal ; MissE. Radeliffe, white and pink ; Miss M. Brown, black dress and pale blue ; Miss Tapper, cream and pale blue; Miss Swailes, cream dress and blue trimmings ; Miss A; Wilson, pale blue sateen, and looked charming; Miss Thompson, black dress with white sash. Dancing was kept tip "witli spirit till 2 o'clock.

— Several of the liveliest and prettiest actresses of the Vaudeville, G-ymnase, "&c, formed themselves about threte years ago into a society, -which ; took' the name of " Les Rieuses." They meet once a month at dinner, and, according to the statutes, no male creature is allowed to he at these gatherings, and no man's name is even permitted to be mentioned, unless it be to level some abuse at his devoted head. At a recent meeting, it was discovered that the fines levied had amounted to a large sum. It was unanimously decided to give a supper and a dance to as many gentlemen of their acquaintance as could be conveniently apcommodated. The entertainment took place, but the visual order of things was completely reversed ; the ladies took the initiative in every way, offered flowers to the men, filled their glasses, invited them to dance, conducted them to supper, and finally a lottery was drawn, at which every man won some prize of a comical character. Here is a new idea for some of our society leaders. — The return ball given by the officers of the Eose Casey to the bachelors of Mahurangi was a complete success. The steamer, which lay alongside the wharf with her decks covered with an awning served as a promenade, and a plank was erected which readied from the steamer to the entrance of the new goods shed in which the ball was hold. The shed was docorated in grand and tasteful style with numerous flags and ferns. Supper was served in the Eose Casey's saloon, where all seemed to do justice to the grand spread before them. The handsomely-dressed young ladies, with the grand display of different coloured flags, completed a very pretty, sight wb en dancing was in operation. One would have to travel a long way in our country districts before he would meet with a collection of young ladies to surpass those of Mahurangi in their dancing abilities. With so many fine and prettilydressed young ladies it was hard to pick out i the belle. But it was pronounced by a majority that Miss Warm occupied that envious position. Miss J. Darrock looked extremely -well, as she always does on these occasions. Miss M. Darroch, Miss M. A. Warm, and McMurdo wore most becoming dresses. ' Every praise is due to the officers of the Eose Casey for the manner in which the ball was conducted, for they must have been put to a lot of trouble in obtaining a piano from Atickland, and also in securing Mr Reid's Band. — An esteemed Napier correspondent forwards the following : — The first of the Napier winter dances for this season took place at the Theatre Eoyal, Tennyson-street, and was a great success. The room was crowded, and the dresses worn by the ladies scrumptious, being all made of the richest materials. Several young ladies made their debut ; they all looked pretty and simple, but wlute being a trying colour to most, we shall have more to say about them the next time. Mrs Coleman wore a magnificent suez blue silk trimmed with white Jace. She certainly took the palm from the other married ladies. Mrs Balfour wore blue silk with bine satin panniers; Mrs Burke, blue silk ; Mrs Yickerman, cream and cardinal satin ; Mrs Hamlin, black velvet body, cardinal silk and plush skirt ; Mrs Baker, heliotrope silk trimmed with blood roses ; Mrs Knowles, blue and cream ; Mrs Stuart wore a lovely pink silk, but unfortunately it is not her colour. We would suggest black, or pale blue ; Lady Whitmore, black velvet with blue satin .front ; Miss Hitchings wore a handsome dress of pale blue satin with plush body. To her should be given ihe single ladies palm, for, with the pretty dress, she is a most graceful dancer and a witty companion ; Miss Bratwaite looked very pretty in cream satin and cardinal, as did also Miss Chapman in pink and white llama ; Miss Sutton, blue silk ; Mrs Carr, cream satin ; Miss Weber, white satin with white wreath ; Miss Kelly, pink and cream silk ; Miss Mifcchel, white silk and pink trimming; Miss Donnelly, black and cardinal satin ; Miss Bell, black satin and red roses ; Miss Addy Bell, white satin and Madras muslin, with cloth of gold roses. There were many other pretty dresses worn by ladies whose names we have forgotten. The music, supplied by Mr Q-arry, Mrs Coleman, Mrs Lineston and Miss Hitchings, was very good. Dancing was kept up until three o'clock.