Life at Waerenga-a-kuri.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume II, Issue 236, 18 December 1888, Page 3

Life at Waerenga-a-kuri.

(from oub own correspondent.) This little district has been busily engaged during the past two years in forging links wherewith to connect itself with civilisation, and its efforts have resulted in establishing successively, a Post Office and weekly mail service, a commodious hotel, where tourists to the Lakes may meet with good accommoda tion and every attention ; and last, but not least, a school house, which has rendered possible the further advantages of regular divine service and Sunday school for the little ones, The service is conducted by Mr McLennan, one of our settlers, who has studied for the church, and we are favored with occasional

visits from other clergymen. Last Sunday we were pleased to observe that Mr McLennan had the gratification of seeing every seat occupied. The Sunday school, which is under the joint management of Mr and Mrs W. Moriee and Mr McLennan, is much appreciated boih by the little ones and their parents. Thursday, the 14th instant, was a red letter day for young Waerenga-a-kuri, it being the occasion of a picnic given by the teachers of the day and Sunday schools, assisted by the other residents in the district, to celebrate their first breaking up for the Christmas holidays. Though the clerk of the weather hardly acquitted himself in a way worthy of the occasion, —a heavy shower compelling one trapload to turn back—it was probably the largest gathering yet seen in the district, that mustered in the Gorge. There the youngsters were duly regaled with the good things liberally provided, after which the elders of the party devoted themselves to their amusement with such success that all returned to their homes with a strong sense of the value of picnics as a factor in contributing to the aum of human happiness. From these remarks you will judge we are not standing still—in fact, we consider ourselves a go-ahead community—and it occasionally we go too far, or allow aur imagine, tion rather loose reins, as evidenced by our recent law case and by one or two other little instances which have brought the name of Waerenga-a-kuri somewhat prominently before the public—well, we suppose it supplies that element of excitement without which lite might appear somewhat tame to ardent natures.