WAIPAWA.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3172, 29 August 1881, Page 2

WAIPAWA.

(fkom oue own coehesposdbnt)

August 29, 1881. Mr A. Arrow's lay services, about which so much curiosity has been excited, are announced by him to take place on Sunday next, at the Oddfellow's Hall. By Mr Arrow's showing we must be very poor church-going community, as out of 500 Protestants resident in the township only 30 to 50 attend morning service. I don't know upon what system Mr Arrow will lecture, but he intends to make the services " interesting, entertaining, and instructive," " but not the leas devotional, nor as 'cold as charity.'" His introductory subject will be taken from Matthew, 9-11, " Why eateth your mae-. ter with publicans and sinners;" and invites all such to attend. Music will also form an important portion of the service, a splendid American organ being provided for that purpose, to be maniDUlated. I suppose, by Mr Arrow himself, who is a fair performer. Curiosity, no doubt, will attract a large congregation at the first service, and after that the attendance will depend, in a measure, upon the persuasive eloquence of the lecturer.

Great preparations are being mide by the committee for the coming Oddfellows' anniversary, and, from what I hear, it will be one of the most successful and best-conducted affairs we have had in Waipawa for some years. I'm told, however, that the procession will be beaded again this year by the " Waipawa Drum and Fife Band," a company which is only formed a few weeks before the anniversary takes place, and breaks up immediately afterwards, and which, at its best, can only play two or three whole (and very ancient) tunes, and the chorus of another. This year, however, I learn that two new pieces will be added to the band's repertoire, viz., " The Low-backed Car," and « The Girl I left behind me." If the committee were to hire a couple of niggers (burnt cork ones would do), with, say, a trombone and a jew's-harp, instead of the band, they would cause more fun and pleasure to the spectators, and also secure a leas costly luxury to themselves. Will the committee kindly act on the suggestion.

Waipawa, for some years past, has had its cricket and football clubs, but never any game for the ladies. With this end in view a Lawn Tennis Club is now in course of formation, and several gentlemen have lately been spending much time preparing a piece of ground, next to Mr Baker's garden, to make it a spot suitable to play the game. A painful accident happened on Friday morning last to a man named Robert Barr, an employee dt Messrs "Wilding and Bull's sawmill, Waipukurau. It appears that Barr was at work feeding the circular saw, whe his right hand come into contact with it, the consequence being that the top forefinger joint was almost severed, and another finger cut and the bone splintered. Dr. Reed was soon ia attendance on the. sufferer, and dressed the wounds, which are healing rapidly. Another scratch match at football took place at Waipukurau on Saturday, on the same ground as used on a previous occasion. About twenty players put ia an appearance, a number of whom were from Waipawa, and an excellent game was the result. Sides were chosen by Messrs T. Bostock and Gr. Potte. The latter's side was too strong for their opponents, and succeeded in securing no less than four tries, no goals from which, however, were obtained. These matches will be the means of getting the county team into good form for their next match with Napier, which takes place, I hear, at Waipawa in about a fortnight. A pea-hen, the property of Mr H. Baker, has lately given him much trouble, in consequence of its destructive abilities. A morning or two ago, therefore, the owner decided to kill it. Going into his yard a few minutes afterwards he saw the bird in question at roost on the stable attached to the hotel, some forty yards away. It was only the work of a moment to get his gun, which was loaded with a bullet, on firing which, so good a shot was made, that the head of the pea-hen was taken clean off, Harry facetiously remarking at the time that he would be well pleased if he could dispose of all his P.N.'e in so easy and satisfactory a manner.