SOCIETY

Observer, Volume 4, Issue 94, 1 July 1882, Page 244

SOCIETY

— = — -^ . [Announcements and contributions for this column are invited.~\ The bachelor of Te Arai intend to give a ball shortly. Mr and Mrs J. B.Russell and daughters have gone on a visit to New South Wales. " ' About _ seventy couples attended the Parnell subscription dance." A number of the officers of H.M.S. Nelson have gone to the Hot Lakes, via Cambridge. The Bachelor's Ball is -well under way. Mr Imdlow is acting as honorary secretary, and a very powerful committee of management has been formed. It will be interesting to our lady readers to know that the officers of the JNelson ai f e nearly all first-class waltzers. Our authority is private ad- . Tices from the Wellington belles. \ Mrs G-lover gave a pleasant entertainment at lier house in Symonds-street, on Thursday last. Tableaux vivants and singing were the order of the evening, the whole winding up with a dance. The vivants throughout were really excellent; and it is needless to say that a very enjoyable evening ■was spernV by alL present. ' "- Tjbe citizens' ballin honor of Cbminodore Erskine anaihe 1 ' officers of 5. ,M. S. Nelson takes 'place.inf . the; Choral : Hall pjo /Thursday evening ni^b^ jafla^ - th.c tqttt ensemble' is Sxpeoted to- exceed anyfcniog' ;^-"' ; '- ?--:/,!■:..:■■ . ■''-.• vv. .■■-' i<i-l-h4k--}i:k.'.:-i-. : .'P\'< '■■ : ■' ; :'-'VV'' -.-■.

of the kind since the ball given to H.R.H. the Duke of Edinburgh. The Auckland Choral Society will also' giro a grand concert to the visitors at an early date. This>evening (Friday) at the Towers, Remuex*a, Mr and Mrs J.M. Clark give a ball on a larger scale than usual. Commodore ErsMne and the officers of H.M.S. Nelson are invited and will no doubt be present. The Auckland Cltib purpose entertaining Commodore Erskine and the officers of the Nelson at a banquet, shortly. The first of a series of monthly "At Homes" took place at the . Temperance Hall on ' Friday evening last. Amongst the ladies present were the Misses Lonergan, Miss Connelly, Miss Greorge, Miss Kilfoyle, Miss Cahill. The affair was thoroughly enjoyable, and the " ladies' engagoment dance"' was a noval and most successful feature. Mr Jack Cahill efficiently performed the duties of Master of Ceremonies. The Ngaruawahia ball was one of the most successful held there for a long time. The room was neatly decorated with evergreens and well lighted ; the floor was also in good order, and as there was a select party of young people present, nothing more could be required for an evening's enjoyment. The dresses were all veryneat,tho most noticeable being Miss Hammond, cream and cardinal ; Miss Wallans, black cashmere ; Miss Kingsnorth, was also attired in a becoming black costume ; Miss Devenport looked very nice in brown sateen and silver, jewellery ; Mrs Latchinore displayed her usual good taste in black, and cardinal with gold jewellery. Mrs Ellis and Miss Tattersall, who kindly presided at the piano,wero neatly attired. The supper was held at the Eoyal MailHotel, and reflected great credit on the proprietor for the way in which it was kept up. The Parnell subscription, dance which, took place on Thursday evening, the 22nd inst., in the Parnell Hall, was unquestionably one of the best entertainments of the kind ever given in this aristocratic suburb. The dingy, dirty, and generally awful appearance of the very ancient edifice was concealed in a most skilful and artistic mannei', and the committee, who must have worked like horses, are certainly entitled to the highest commendation on the result of their efforts. Anyone who has visited the Parnell Hall any time within the last century will easily understand the tremendous difficulties in the way of making the place at all inhabitable, and while on this point we might well be permitted to ask why in the name of all decency and respectability Parnell does not send the hat round and rake up sufficient cash to build a hall fit for ladies and gentlemen to assemble in. However, as we said before, the old mousetrap looked almost pretty on Thursday night ; wherever there was a hole or an unusually prominent piece of dirt there was a gay piece of bunting over it — flags and ferns did their work well. The music (piano, cornet, and violin), waa perfectly satisfactory, and included all the ! latest airs from " Patience" and the " Pirates." Miss Mabel Fairburn and Miss Carrie Thomas played the extras in a most acceptable manner and fully merited the congratulations showered upon them by the dancers. Tho supper was, as a matter of course, considering the price of tickets, of the bread-and-butter description. Among the married ladic3 present were Mrs J. M. Clark, Mrs W. F. Hull, Mrs Saunders, Mrs Fairburn, Mrs W. E. Morrison, Mrs White, Mrs Cheeseman, Mrs Waymouth, Mrs John Mowbray, Mr 3 Moss, Mrs Groodhue, Mrs Griblin, Mrs Ireland, Mrs Lawford, each of whom had a number of fair maidens under her protecting wing. The belle of the room seemed to be Miss Mabel Fairburn, but opinions were divided as they always are on this delicate question. Miss Tisdall (daughter of Major Tisdall) and Mis 3 Mary Anderson " came out" on this occasion, the latter, contrary to the usual custom, wearing a costume of black and red, and an exceedingly becoming one it was. The waltzing of the Parnell girls is proverbial for its excellence, and the display on Thursday night was no exception. Mr Dewes and Mr Frank Corbett were indefatigable as committee men, and in no small measure contributed to the great success of the dance. | The grand sacred concert given on Thursday evening at St. Benedict's Chtirch, Newton, may justly be regarded as one of the musical events of the season — both as regards the attendance of the general public (over 1200 persons being present), and for the successful rendition of the very difficult music selected for the occasion. The fine edifice was crowded in every part, amongst the audience being the Very Eev. Father Fynes, Vie. Cap. ; Very Rev. Father O'Sullivan, 0.5.8. ; Very Rev. Father Downey, P.P., 0.5.8. ; Rev. Father Fox, 0.5.8. ; Rev. Father O'Gfara, 0.5.8. ; Very Rev. Father Walter Macdonald and the Rev. Father Riordan (of Pamnure) ; the Lady Mayoress, Mrs J. M. Clark, and members of 'all denominations, exhibiting on this evening a catholicity of spirit which is greatly to be commended and speaks well for the entente eordiale which exists amongst the religious communities of this province. Professor Herr Carl Schmitt conducted and there was an unusually strong chorus, over 100, and about 40 "instrumentalists. The soloisfcs were : Soprano, Miss Bleazard ; alto, Miss McKay ; tenor, Mr Coupland ; bass, Mr Rhodes. The overture was given from Mendelsohn's "Athalie," and proved a very finished performance, after which selections were given from Haydn's third Mass (Imperial.) Miss Bleazard's exquisite singing was the theme of general remark ; her sweet and fresh voice telling tvith wonderful effect in the Kyrie and Benedictus. Miss McKay laboured under some disadvantage in having kindly taken up the alto at j the last moment owing to Miss M. Tole's indisposition, but acquitted herself with success ; and the same may be said for Mr Rhodes and Mr Coupland. The choruses were given in the second part of the entertainment with much greater precision and effect than in the first. But the event of the evening was decidedly Herr Carl Schmitt's " O Salutaris," specially composed for the occasion, with solo soprano (Miss Bleazard), a sglect"chorus, . and violin obligato by the composer. The whole performance proved a treat to be remembered, and was repeated in response to the vociferous applause of the audience. At this stage Father O'Sullivan returned^ thanka to the 'conductor and the ladies and gentlemen of all .er^bdfe ,whb had^so, ably assisted them in their ? %Bio^t^Q inake \tlie 'concert; such a great success. '■Ho] • ip&peakV their kind- aid- : on ! the

i opening of the church when Earmer's Mass would be performed under Herr, Carl Schmitt., The concert concluded with The March .of the Priests from " Athalie." About £150, we are informed, will be realised by the concert.