OTAKEHO.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XX, Issue 2462, 24 June 1893, Page 2

OTAKEHO.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) There is not much to surprise or enlighten your readers from Otakeho this trip. We keep jogging along in the even tenor of our ways, op to our knees in mud, getting an occasional glimpse of the Bun now and then, and getting the few necessary jobs done under the shelter of our oilskins. By way of variations in the way of damp weather we bad a fall of snow since I last wrote, but rain, hail and snow are all one to as now, for the trials we have passed through have made us so indifferent that if the " clerk" sent along a mild shower of briok bats for a change be would not astonish as much. We may simply reflect that be ought to mind his own business and leave that kind of thing to the party at the head of the earthquake department. The recently organised mutnal improvement society is becoming a very popular institution. There were nearly forty persons, including a few ladies, present at the meeting on Friday last, when that very interesting subject the female franchise was debated. Some very instructive and amusing arguments were advanced on both sides as to why women ought or ought not to have the vote. At the close of the debate a show of hands gave a considerable majority against the proposal of femal franchise. The Yen. Arohdeacon Pancourt held service m the Anglican Church here Sunday before last, The church was crowded, several people having come a considerable distance to attend. The sermon was a very impressive one. The Otakebo and Batanui schools are closed for a two weeks' winter holiday. The latter sobool was visited and examined by Mr Spencer, one of the board's inspectors, on Thursday, 14tb. The results of the examination, not at present available, " will appear in our next." Make roomfor a pan, p lease. Mob of

fat cattle being driven slowly towards Manaia. Mr Vile cornea along with bil coach, and scatters them. Owner swears. Friend (bit of a wag) riding up at tbe time, " What's up, old man ?•• Owner— 11 Ob, darn the coachdrivera— knocking people's oatde about," ko. Friend—" A ' Vile ' proceeding, surely 1" The bachelors' ranks Bre being gradually thinned out here. There have been two secessions lately : Mr J. Rowell, of Skeet road, is one of the happy men ; Mr A. Mortleman, ot Oeo road, is tbe other benedict. Both brides, I understand, are Canterbury ladies. Our fair ones of tbe north will have to look to their laurels, or the pretty southerners will keep cutting them out ; for the above are not the only ladies from tbat quarter by a great many that are helping to transform our bußh baobelors' dens into tbe pretty paradisei we see growing up around us day by day. June 22nd.