TAPANUI.

Clutha Leader, Volume XX, Issue 1039, 22 June 1894, Page 5

TAPANUI.

[From Our Own Correspondent.]

The weather for winter ha,s been very mild and open of late, although Sunday last was bitterly cold, with bleak winds off the Blue •Mountains.

On Saturday last a special meeting of shareholders in the dairy factory was called, when a large number of gentlemen attended. Mr Poynter took tbe chair, and explained that the business was to deal with offers to lease or buy the factory. Only one tender was in, which was from the few milk suppliers, who offered L 25 a year for three years to lease the factory. As this rent barely pays expenses and leaves nothing for a dividend to the shareholders, it was thought advisable to try to get a higher rent, so the tender was not accepted.

Our cricket and recreation ground is being improved by the addition of belts of evergreen trees around its boundaries. Already the ground is pretty, and it will soon be well sheltered from -winds. As the trees and labour are contributed, the cricket club is at no expense in getting its ground improved. A very laudable attempt is being made by the Oddfellows' Lodge to amuse and instruct the people by the holding of monthly concerts to which ail are admitted free of charge. The first was held on Monday evening last when the Central Hall was well filled, and a good programme gone through. The chief item was a paper on the " History of Printing " contributed by the manager of the local newspaper.

An agitation is being worked up by those interested to Ret the line from Kelso to Gore opened for which the track has been laid off for some years past. An influential meeting was held at Waikaika the other evening, when sisps were taken to urge the necessity of the railway on those in power.

Meetings of creditors euphemistically called smoke concerts " are unhappily too numerous round here, but I suppose they are common to the whole country at present. Whooping cough is' prevalent to a great extent among the children and has been severe on the younger ones.