Item 04: Memoirs of a Colonial Boy by Robert Joseph Stewart, ca. 1971 - Page 179
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[Page 179]
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of Condobolin, who had been in the Boer War. He put me wise to Mess etiquette and initiated me into my new officer status generally. This camp, unlike the previous one, enjoyed perfect weather for the whole period of eight days, which was spent mostly in carrying out battalion and brigade tactical exercises in the sparsely inhabited country immediately east of the camp. I quickly learnt to give commands rather than make suggestions, and I enjoyed listening to the analyses and criticisms of the day's manoeuvres by the senior officers at evening conferences in the Mess. In due course I returned home to Parkes feeling that I had had a really enjoyable holiday.
Social gaiety in Parkes at this time centred mainly around the all-night balls held every three weeks during the Winter, by the "Winter Dancing Club", in the old Masonic Hall, and the programme of dances lasted until nearly daylight. In addition there were the grander annual Hospital, Race, Catholic and Masonic Balls, and a few other special ones, all of which attracted visitors from neighbouring towns many miles away.
Dress suits were the correct male dress, though Dinner jackets were tolerated for young fellows, and because the waltzes, two-steps, polkas, mazurkas, and particularly the square dancing of the Lancers was so fast and strenuous, many men took a spare white collar to effect a change at the supper interval. It was obligatory to wear white kid or cotton gloves to prevent sweating hands from soiling women's delicate frocks, which were low-cut, with very short sleeves and full length skirts.
To drink anything very alcoholic before or during the ball was still considered very bad behaviour. Soft drinks and coffee were the only beverages at the otherwise sumptuous supper, an elaborate, sit-down, knife and fork feast eaten on long tables in an annex, about midnight.
Gentlemen were expected to take a partner for almost every dance, and not to gather in corners discussing politics, sport, or business while dancing was in progress, and leave a few nice ladies sitting disconsolately around the walls. Incidentally no lady, that was a lady, ever went outside; there were