Tahitian Wedding.

From Our Own Correspondent PAPEETE, March 24.

AN interesting wedding ceremony took place last week at the British Con sulate in Papeete between Miss Mar cella Gump, daughter of Mr. Gump, principal in the firm of S. and G. Gump Company, art dealers of San Francisco, California, and Mr. Lew Phillips, son of Mr. J. A. Phillips, late of Staffordshire, England, now resident in the island of Moorea, Society Islands. Mr. Phillips, senior, is a real old-timer in Tahiti, who arrived here in the ’80’s, and married into one of the principal families of Moorea, where he established himself in the settlement of Faatoai, one of the most beautiful in the South Seas.

Coupled with the popularity of the bride and bridegroom, this created an unusual amount of interest in the proceedings.

The real marriage festivities com menced in Moorea some days after the official ceremony, upwards of fifty guests from Papeete travelling over in the yachts “Vanora” and “Pilgrim”, whose owners made a special trip for the occa sion. The religious part of the proceed ings were concluded in the native church and the whole party afterwards sat down to a native repast on the roomy verandahs of the Phillips home.

The newly-married pair received their Tahitian names from an ancient relative of the bridegroom on his maternal side, and, in accordance with time-honoured Island custom, it is by these names that they will henceforth be known by all their native friends. Arranged by such an expert in these matters as Mr. Phil lips, senior, and assisted by a small army of experienced retainers, it is not surprising that everybody present voted the affair a huge success.

Later, the party was removed to the Faatoai Hotel. Among the guests were Mr. Ray Long (late editor of the Cos mopolitan Magazine), Mr. Starr (of the yacht “Pilgrim”). Lieut.-Commander Rollings (of the “Vanora”), Mr. Wessels

(owner of the “White Shadow”), and many other prominent people.

Mr. and Mrs. Phillips, junior, will re main in Moorea for the present.

The Rev. A. J. Thompson arrived in Sydney by the “Macdhui” on April 19 from his mission at Wanigela, Papua.