WAIPAWA.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 4734, 8 October 1886, Page 3

WAIPAWA.

Town cobekspondknt.J This day. The sensation of the hour here is the very interesting intellectual lecture by Professor WoodrofFo, illustrated by himself assisted by the Misses Ander.-on, on glass and its manufacture. Such it truly was, and every promise on the bills announcing , the clever exhibition was carried out to the letter. The hall was comfortably full of visiters, whoe attention was kept employed for three hours. At une side the Professor wan busy making a small decanter as I entered, in which ho inserted a baskot of flowers which never could bo got out again without breaking, wino glasses apparently full of raby wine, not a drop of which could be spilled, philosophical instruments, Prince Rupert's drops, toys, ornaments, &c, all the time discoursing pleasantly on his subject, thro win ir in jokirs and puns incessantly. bnthe opposite side of the hall the Misses Anderson were turning out ingeniously produced ornaments in various shapes. On tho stage was a working steam engine, every part of which was made of glass, showing the ebullition of water in the boiler generating steam, and its re-condensation to water. The engine worked an ordinary pump, a force pump, and an hydraulic ram, in which the valves could be at work, tho latter forcing up the water in a long jet which fell again into the reservoir. This engine was the old-fashioned low pressure beam engine. At th« other end of the stage was a horizontal high pressure engine working a stamping battery, and tho difference between the two was very lucidly explained, as also somo philosophical instruments,. Tho exhibition clospd by the presentation to the audienco of the articles manufactured during the evening. As I said before, the good folka present kept their places and wero thoroughly satisfied, and the Professor's visit willbemado a remunerative one. It is 17 years since he visiterl here before, and no better proof could be necessary to show how well the old identities were amused, than tho way one after another went up to shake hands with him. By the way that wonderful bonnet with its trimmings all made up of plaited spun glass was not on view last night, but I saw it at the stution, and several onlookers declined altogether to believe that such was the fact. By the way I nearly forgot to mention the glass spining which -was very pretty, a quantity of this beautiful product was formed into knots and handed to the audience. Tho party remain here till Sunday, whence they proceed to Hastings where they will also give three evenings, on 13th, 14th, and 16th Octobor. I forgot to say above that Harding's Band discoursed eweet music at intervals.

There was a gathering of the clans at tho Waipawa pah yesterday, including representatives from Porangahau and Takapau. Captain Preeco presided, and I am authentically informed, that the object was to consider the desirability of .selling to the Government the Porangahau block of 40,000 acres, the Waikopiro 27,000 (behind Ormondville), and Ngapaeruru (near Takapau), 12,000. As regards the first, nothing was done, but as regards the two latter it was decided that they should be put through the Court as early as possible with the view of— selling. Yes, that is the plain English of it, although it will noi prove an easy task I know. I had an interview last night with Poni Pimi, who confirmed the above down to the word. Helling, which he declared he never would do ; nothing should induce him to part with his inheritance. His unclos (tho Ropihas) another of his ancestry had sold too much land in tho past; " now," he .said, smiting his breast, " the land left is mine, mine !" Ho then went into a story in which I could not follow him, for although when calm he can talk excellent English, as soon as he gets excited with his subject he throws in sadly too many native words and I lose the cream of his discourse. Well, he told how Nopera ■went to the Government, got £200 on account of some land, and then when iv came to be talked over by the Government with the whole body, Nopera was denounced as having obtained the money under falao pretences, since he had no share in the blookat all. Any way, what I told you abovo is reliable, and the matter is now done and the natives dispersed again.

Mr Donnelly also was hereyesterda)', and there was a distribution of cheques among the natives, said to be for railway fares. This I believe had some connection with, the settling of £he transfer of the Takapau country to Messrs Nelson Bros.

It has been decided to hear. th,e Maori horso-stealing case at Napier instead at Waipawa on Monday next,