LAKE WANAKA NOTES.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 2643, 28 August 1906, Page 4

LAKE WANAKA NOTES.

— —«. IROM OCR OWM OOHRBSrONDBNT. Weather —We are now experiencing the first days of spring and a nice change they are after the gloomy, cold days of winter. Trees, flowers, animals and mankind respond with awakened life to the first days of spring. Social—Our annual school entertainment took place last week and the gathering was good in all respects. We generally have had a concert and ball but this year we had the ball only. Mr Thomson, our local teacher, besides holding a high record as a consistent teacher, also holds, from a musical standpoint, an exceptionally good record in training the children for their annual concert. This year, owing to an amount of irregularity in the attendance and on account of Mr Thompson's health not being satisfactory, the concert part was dispensed with. In catering for the public amusement here we have two classes to consider —the elderly people who come for the purpose of seeing the children only, and the younger members of the community who come chiefly for the dance. This year the elderly people were deprived of their annual enjoyment in not seeing the children, and consequently they did not turn up. The ball was held in the Olympic Hall and proved to be very enjoyable and well - conducted. The gross takings amounted to about £l6. Thanks are due to the ladies of the district who responded so liberally in providing the most of the eatables. As a sequel to the ball, I understand that one of our local ministers found cause to speak strongly in the pulpit on the questionable propriety of attending these social functions. I hope the rev. gentlemen will not judge the community at large by one or two who may be so devoid of the ballast of common respectability as to act in a manner not reflecting credit on themselves or others of our little town. We have always carried ourselves well at all our past little gatherings and should be sorry to see our well-established reputation spoiled by one or two stupids. Progress—The gradual approach of the Otago Central Railway is even now reflecting the rays of benefit on us, and once it gets to Clyde we will consider ourselves within measurable distance of the conveniences of a railway. We have a very energetic league here, consisting principally of Mr R. McDougall, as our chairman, ably assisted by the Rev A. D. Mitchell j and in Mr Thomson we have an up-to-date secretary, so that nothing is left undone which should be done. A good coach service through from Clyde will greatly; increase the number of our pleasure seekers during the next year or two, and during, that time we hope the construction of the railway will still be continuing on to Cromwell. Among our neighboring leagues we have, in Mr James Horn of Bannockburn, a most energetic and powerful help in urging on the Otago Contral. He is a most hopeful one too, thinking that his desires will be realised. Men of this stamp do have a power and influence to which the betwixt and between, lime juice individual is a stranger.