TAPANUI ITEMS.

Clutha Leader, Volume V, Issue 215, 23 August 1878, Page 5

TAPANUI ITEMS.

[FROM OUR, OWN CORRESPONDENT.] I promise at starting not to say one word about the weather. If others of your correspondents would take the hint and follow my example,. I fancy your valuable space and your readers' patience would be tho better for it. We can imagine everything they could say oh the subject. In fact weather phraseology has become stereotyped, and I don't think it possible to say anything original on the topic. Well notwithstanding, or rather, perhaps, on account of the weather, we manage to keep stirring pretty briskly in Tapanui. It may indeed be questioned if there is another up-country town of its age in the Colony, outside railway communication, which keeps so well abreast of the times. In proof of this statement take the following show of facts. We have a well conducted weekly newspaper, an efficient school teacher, a Mutual Improvement Society, good readings and lectures on alternate fortnights by local talent, one church (the Presbyterian) in esse, another (the Episcopalian) in course of erection, and a third in posse (the Wesleyan), and last and decidedly least an Athenaeum, though the exact local habitation of the latter institution is at present, is more than I know.

At our Mutual Improvement Society, which shows signs of vigour though hardly out of its swaddling clothes, some original papers of much merit have been read, and at last meeting of that body on the 12th inst., a telephone was exhibited by the President (Mr Kelly) affording much amusement to the members ; and a still moro interesting treat is in store for the members, viz. , the exhibition of a phonograph which a member (Mr J. M'Farlane) has just completed. An other flour mill is spoken of to be floated by a company; The principals are in treaty for the acquisition of a central site for same in Tapanui town. . Threshing has been left off in parts of the district only a-bout three weeks ago. Indeed some settlers would be threshing now if thoughts of ploughing .= did, not ab r sorb all their; attention? Talking of ploughing, the roads seem to be tlie -imost ploughed-up part of the . country 7hereabouts. ; But what with, the coming .'rail-, way -work, and the increase of Settlement in tho district during the pastyear,:Tapanui anticipates a brisk time of it when the good weather comes, if it ever doeß cdino again to cheer the denizens beneat^thV Blue Mountains. . y-y-y Ayyjfyyy