NEWS from 100 years ago: THE ‘TALLY-HO!’ BALL

The landed gentry of the southern provinces have just gathered together for this year’s ball held by the Christchurch Hunt Club. Hundreds of beautifully dressed guests were welcomed to the ballroom last night by a ‘rousing “Tally ho!” from the huntsman’s horn.’ An orchestra played in a gallery lined with black and groups of hunting emblems. ‘Needless to say, some very beautiful and stylish gowns, many of them imported from London and Continental fashion centres, were worn.’ The cloths and colours included gold tissue, gold lace, white satin, jade green georgette, blue brocade, blue and gold brocade, pale rose brocade, jewelled net, ivory lace, pink tulle, pale pink georgette, pink and silver brocade, turquoise blue brocade, pink brocaded marquisette, ivory crepe de Chine, royal blue satin, lemon-coloured georgette ... Gonda Teschemaker, wearing a ‘lovely gown having a foundation of rich violet satin, with draping of georgette in the same shade,’ one day will marry the hunt club whip, wealthy landowner John Hutton Grigg of Longbeach. She enjoys an income of thousands of pounds a year from family investments not only in land but also, like most of the old gentry, in mortgages, bonds, debentures and shares in mercantile firms, coal, gas, cement, shipping, publishing and insurance companies, banking and the rubber industry in Malaya. Although wealth is shared out more equally now than in nineteenth century New Zealand, these families are still very rich and powerful, and continue to stick together very tightly.

The Press, 13 August 1920
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