OPOTIKI. (FROM THE CORRESPONDENT OF THE "TAURANGA ARGUS.") December 25.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXIII, Issue 2962, 22 January 1867, Page 4

OPOTIKI. (FROM THE CORRESPONDENT OF THE " TAURANGA ARGUS.") December 25.

Tma ha? beea a grett day in our settlement. Shortly after the witching hour last night the quacking of duoks and the squealing of pigs gave token that preparation was being made for a spread. In frontt of many of the huts and whares large tires were kindled, and camp ovens, billies, and saucepans, containing cakes and puddings of which Soyer and Francatelli might be proud, were sending forth the most delicious perfumes. In my opinion, neither Piesse nor Rimmel has yet given to the world a perfume equal to that exhaled from * plum-duff. The aroma is superlative, and you may rest assured, the man who says "No, thank you," when a slice of pudding is sent round to him at the dinner table, is fit for treasons and stratagems ; he must, in fact, be either more or less (probably the latter) than human. »- k Messrs. Smith and Black, the proprietors of the Opotiki Hotel, gave beer gratis to all comers, and perhaps it was owing to their liberality that the sounds of musio, vocal and instrumental, were heard throughout the camp till the "cock did craw and the day did daw " on the morning of December 26. The body of the unfortunate man Simpson, who, as you are already aware, was drowned in the river a few days ago, having been recovered last evening, the remains were interred this forenoon. Although a civilian, he having been struck off pay some time back, a considerable number of men belonging to the regiment attended the funeral. Major St. John read the service. Two o'clock was the hour at which the races were to commence ; but long before that the grand stand was filled with the. fair of Opotiki, Amongst the fair were several Maori ladies who "shone in beauty quite their own." Major St. John, our commanding officer, proved himself a genuine patron of the turf. He has, both by bis pretence on the course, and by making the duties of the men as light as possible, given every encouragement to the promoters of the Opotiki Summer Meeting. All the other officers in the camp were in attendance, and the orderly manner in which the crowd conducted itself must convince them they can join the men in their sports — that they oan play at cricket with private X, contest a race with corporal V, or pull* gig against sergeant Z — without perilling their dignity. The ' S+urt' has just come to the bar ; she proceeds to Tauranga. . - , December 31. A few hour 3 and we shall have to say, .Farewell to 1866. Speaking for myself, Ido not bear any illfeeling towards you, Old Year ; and I think the colonists of New Zealand will speak well of you when you are no more, if for no other reason than this, — during your life-time a long, costly, and inglorious war was brought to a termination.