ALEXANDRA. MASONIC BALL.

Waikato Times, Volume X, Issue 661, 15 August 1876, Page 2

ALEXANDRA. MASONIC BALL.

(By oar Special Corretpon-frnt.J Tk accordance, Mr Editor, with your instructions. I, with grare misgir ng» oa 10 the success of *ho ball «t Al xandra, proceeded to that place on Thursday last. I had not any doubi that nil that enrrgy <md '»o' could effeci would bo done t» " promote the affur, but Jupiter Fluviui se -m«vl determined to claim t'te iOt't as ttis own. and I fear«d that the attendance of the fair •et, up n wl>o»e prcs dc» d^penli entirely fie enjorment of th» eTtnin-?, wouli be extremely liroi cd. Hiwerer, I am glad to iiy, I wa§ agreenbly disuppointd. Th«'daj wai eyeryth;n» th^t couM be drgircd, and before I hay? conciu ed this report you will lee 'hat th» human elcm nfc« of nuccsi more t • > di t thiir best, » d 4 t» fo Aloxar dr» 'lit* honor of having ocanised and oon» ducted to a *afciafa3tory concluiion, without any exception,

THI BRST BUD T hare witnessed or board of in Waifcato. The ball was siren by +he members of the loaul Masonic lorlpe, and at fi-a was intended, I beliorp, to be of m>d -rate pre;pnsir>ni. But the ipirir of tb» ilfxvndra Matim rose with theoctmion, and from forty invit itiont the number of q-iesti bidden to the feast iwelleatocoaiiderably OT?r one hundred. And thete repre»entrd every portion of W:iiKato, — Ngaruiwahia. Cambrilsre, Te Awamutu, Kihikihi, Hamilton Kist. and West, Harnpipi, Ohaup>, and all the •ettlementi round Alextndra, all «fnt their quota and thns g»»e to the en'crtainrnmt the fhi'-acter of a Weilrilo bill. Between 4 aad 5 o'clock p m the litt!« town be^ai to look Y*ry lir \y from the frequent arrir il tf the guea'K, » d the bu»!)in» bunin n» like manner which ci iracterised the fairer por ion argu'd well for th* Buc>en nf tWe erening. I Tinted »hp Al«"x-indrfx Hill, in which the saltatory er.»luti:>ns were to be condtotrd, at 7 30, half an hour before thr time fixel for ihe commencempnt of bn^inei", m order to stiop'y you with a desciiption of tlie appcarunfo of th ■ b ill rjDm. Here I met with too or tlir.-e of the

COMMITTEE, wlii-h cms »tt> r! of .Wows Aubin, Roberts, Kirk, bevirnm. Spei.s-Dick, Finch and Mu'lina From the baal* of tbrne aentlcnen I experienced .ho Rren'e fc coirteiy, and e\erj iifo»" nation I desired wis » corded ni». I will now describe tho

DKCOBATIONS. And h»r», Bi\ I must pre.niie that I hare not alwvs burtu, as yoi k iow me, •> oru» y oil b>ifhel<>r, -w 10 q owls at tht> waste ot energy and the folly of whirling round a p-owded room until yo'ir brain swim). I claim, Sy, ti have had in mjr youn;<T d.iys a const (crab c kiiow'ed^e of thm tort of thing, mil at I went 3-01© vy-w con^i lered a sort of ' l>>aliionnbla Fwe I,' i»o 1 i»n curtain you wi I a?c »rrl ra« tome ore tence if I aamre you ih it * h ive r<irely e*eu a bill room more ta-*fefullf .Incorvtol. fho hall wnt hung from end t» onA with fe»too >s of cTert^reens, oroj»i'i» oie anolhor in every dir< lion. Sufpended from ibe cmire, thefligi of St An Irewi*' t»ro=9, md the red, white nnd blue dr >o.>ad griccful'y over ih/- hradt of the da near*. At ti># ti,>,jer end of the ro >m the grand old Union Jaok was jn'tired, whilo at ihe lower end tli» British ensign, thi* dig tb it ' for » tb>anand reirs nab brared I lie baMle nud tho b/foze,' a^rved to remiud us tint though amu-int» onrsnlrea ronnj thousands of milv>» from home, we yet hid a thare and an i.itareit in th» deir old count y. Afc iiitervalb round the w llj of tao room were diipUyel ranom M^ionic emblems, the colouri of wh'c'i, pe^pinij out fr->m amongst the da,-k fall I^o of theiomefrhab heavy an 1 tomhre New Z >Hlaad ever* K<*eo)a, lent ii^hfc an I coou-in^ to the pic'ure. (h.t pruce of palms— 1 10 mktu — appat'^d to both* »t,ip'e of l,b« decor itiuis, which in thcnselro* were m» noir perfeo'ijii a* po-B'ble, though had the s'a-ion uf the yeti* bjen aumtner, and fl)wera obtumhle, a ct-tain h) Ti.ieaj And sa Inesi which i'e'm to attend tbedt^'k green 00l >ur of mo«t Ne>v Z-aloncJ ah.-üb*, woul 1 doubtleu have been ay idej. Saa's wore 61 d all round tbt hull foi' the omrenieuo* of danci'rs, and tho d 101 1 , which is admir<iblv adap'ed for too u'idinij motion so necesatry in roo l^ d»»ncM»?, h*d bpen »roll wtidd. After •pending wmi ti 00 ad<niri/ig the appearan^o of t le ' loom 1 < gin ' I proceeded witu two of tin lO'n'nitiee to the cupper rojn, where a spread had been 1 il out bv lio4 Kiih'li of the Alex m -Ira Hotel. The anpv>er ro »n wns 1 son, of wing added on 'o rli • h »|i firtm occi-<ioii, and capib'e of aco >minodating lOi) p*irg)ni ,t supper. Thn deioati'n^ in thi* derxrtmeut also showed great t«st». We then ntnrned ta tie bill rjom, where the preo»nj*ory ' t>otlin^ ' of the musicians otuU alreidy p ainly be heard, and arrive 1 just in time to witaaai llao ooninieuoouioiit of the

which opened wit'i a quulrill?, Mr Kirk ably otflji itin<» hs M(J The t>u-<ts at this ti-ue, n>t harin<; al l arrived, and l ( c bao'iel im <>ob h iving overcome that delici nn b ioh. ln>'Ss wlu h eh iractur ie«s tho-e of Waikato and prevent* foo r&sh overtures tJ partner*, only about 25 cmplo B'o>d u^ At v later perio I your reporter Invim seen el a stition wh oh give him a bifd'i eve view of the a«emb'a,'«, c 'untsd ao less thtn 45 couples Hituilly pngiged in unravnlliiiJ the mize* of a ' »qu ire ' Tie soene wa< one of the gre itest anim iti in. Ihe drk-8-cs of thn ah<» were r^ry taitnful, without any of hat <-au linen which »o much de r»c • from ihe ap .- a a icd of a, costum-. .a» t'i.- bfi i n r i k u • 'ho fiu-at n jtes of a live \ qu dri>le id h' giy th : njsw c •et in 'iiouon, 'h) peism^ cont-rast b m iw en the bright a<"ti c of h f ir ouu« nnl the cO'iTnniioiiAl bli-k a >p,r«l oftho - 0 nor i z, the flishim: evci nad tmt'ing faces of th> asa'mblfui beau i s pr e ->cn'ea a tou l enumMe' w'ac'i ilinosf ra «n*ded your rep 'it ii- to fi<- c hit du>y and da->h down io fhe floo to take his ihire of the fun. Tj- fol ) i $ w»s th« « bi.l of fare' p'^ovidci lor h • entertainment of thegues's: — Piojfram.ne : Qmidrille (l«t set), Polkn, Wai z, Linocr*, L* "Vartoriant, Gal op. Caledoni *i>s, M zur a, Bchoti*rh-', W*'z On jll , n , F{ q ,1a -J BoUotti*che, (Jtloi>. Laa ers, Wiaz L» Vjrsovia a, Q i ' i c, (■«• ««'), Soh >tisshe, Po k«, D Albert Qaidrilla, Mizu"lc*. Hi»li!»n I S- h tttiso'ie O»'»doniam, W»ltz, Q-alop, Sir Roger de Covtrlej.

Thii -o-V of going' wu v* iei out In ita entirety to the musio of » band ' Which, ainoe the dep»> ture of the military from thii pro»inof f I hue m-t hnrd mrp «jpd. It oon.^fted of the f 1 owing la^arumenta handlid by nllthaje fjrmors in » mo-t nrtittic ini.nner :: — '. corn >pean, opheiclidt, piccolo, b b clarinnel . and • piano, which Intter w« pre»i «d o/er d ii-ni^ th«* erVni q by the va.ioui Udie« prt>aent, who kind y 1 ut t • r «-iwtnnee. 1 c»nnot refrain from »•• c i» 'y cxt> li-.g th« cUrionft player, who, > it ai> • 'lour •Otrctly to be rxrested f> m one rt derins? Tolinrary wrTicei, n->d ceacfrJ ppoducing hii deliriou* muse during all tlie dinoet, and »No officiated n 'e.dir of the , ouh«atr». But wbilit the •fhe» c po--iiom of nature were tiiui iber» 1» •dminmto ed to. the mort animul com'ui « were not na^leoted, fur • gojd »au aub•tanlia,!

iUPPSt bad been provided (aa mentioned abore) fey Mr fin b, of the Alexandra Hotel At the muc u»ion oi fie hist dance of the first half of the programme, th« siewanK » bo were r«pr< Mitel ia the persons of Dr Waddington, Mei-r« Auhin, SpeirsDick, Roberts, Kiik, and Bertram announceri that »n adjournment would take p»je or refre-hmmt. Thi w' ole com pany forthwith pro<eerled to the anppir rn*m. For lome time jour ie -o • w<i* uselfM, as the clatter of knivea an t f rk< the rushing to a d fro of the ajt mUms. the rapid dia pp?ar-nce of vim '• wd liquid* of etery dene i tion, find tie ronfused mu mur* of the or hodox tupper flir ations »er«- all that could be ac u or )»• ard. I learned, howwr. that Mr Wil- n. < f tbe Eichant-e Hotel. Al«-x-anrlra, wan the caterer for the nine and uririt department, and the un'feraiil satisfaction «nd hilarity thut prevud-H the banqueters apoko Tolumrt for th<ir quality. Your r- porter i» in a pofi ion to etati , from large and Ti.rifd eiper c «-c. tln.t tl ey ivere ot » o»t ext-ellent qi-ali y /f'rr jome half- hour h«d been ?pa tin rrfeilnnfr the »ystjiii oi iheHa>e«r*. Mr /uhin took th»- chair, and cJk-d on I>r Wad Wjttoa, »4»« acled a« ' vice,' to j roDr Wtddinc'on, bi became % lojal •ul jet,j ct, proposed ti c ' Qucon.' The Chairman th<*n prjpoted tlie ' Grand Mas er, HUH the Prmce tf Wale*.' ft 1 r Ber'rwn prop^a d ' Deputy Grand I'a'ter of Kew Zeuland, B.r Donalti lld/enn.' Mr J J "Wilaon proroitd 'The Army and Ka»v, ooujile I wi'h the ht.lh o Colonel Lyon.' This waa drunk wi'l!) three limes tl r«e cliceri. TJe gallnnt Co'onel roie to rftum thnnVe. He cai J the Britiah Army wain tnerically *mall, but over when culled upon, it had been f u- fl equal to the <h mm da of duty, • nd he had no doubt ■would always continne to to do. As to the Nn?y, Erg'nnrl havin> owed lie a.fey in a great measure to that brunch of the foicen, Britons would alwsy* feel proud to do honor to it. The Volunteer!, too, weio not one whit behind in their de*iie to arl up to what wait required of them in the defei cc of their country The CVonel nt down ami 1 loud c'ieer» Mr S| ei»'» I) ck propoted te health «>f ' the ladiea ' The gen Itn an'i cmi tion pa Hnabt prtv nteil the utten cc of the rentimriit* which mu-^t Imve hl'ed h'* 1 rat t when prop sing tkn toast ; hi } r«rt waa ti o fu 1 to fpen'i, aod Ie r^ound h'lM sent with a ►il.-no which «ni tw uty lim'« mrie eloquent than a cat ?n"t of Don-ensic.l fUllerx*. ?,Ir Bertram proposed t.ie ' ileinbtrs of ti i I,"(l?eßi.ti,' Hemihon. M F O-»u( in, P M., returned thanks in a ti- rt *|ppec'i'. The Chat.-man proposed the ' Pre«s.' This t< a-^t havi.ig be*n d.ank the co.n|>nny rtlurncd to the Bull-.-oom, nnd dancing w.-s reMimcd. Daylig.it waa stealing in through the window when the la^t dauce wa« conrinded md the whole party broke up thoroughly well «atii«tiVd with the e> tertainment afforded them by ttc Alexandra Matons. I cannot conclude my report without compliment ng eTeiy one contcrncd in the uianagemint ot ilic" afll'ir. It ha» rarely boon Tnj lot to me cv«.jtliiny p««» "ft in co thoroughly natisfaciory amnnner. The who c «fthe neiensary pnangeme.its — the drew-inp-roomfc, llie" ball-room, *)oth in iis decorntions a.id floor t'.ic sup|M>r and cardrooms, the attention of the siewa.ds in p.ovidmjr partntmfor ••'kia-i^ers— we.e aspcrtect as it was )'Oi-nbl» to nuke ihens, and irom coir»in( ncement to end disoider end coufuaion were banished Irom the assemblage.