OWN CORRESPONDENTS.

Mataura Ensign, Issue 14, 1 August 1895, Page 3

OWN CORRESPONDENTS.

WAIKAIA. The psesent weather is truly seasonable ; at the time of writing the snow is' falling, and the whole landscape is enveloped in the white mantle. The present foil ia the fifth this ""rioter, and it; apparently going tq be the heaviest. Snow began to fall on Satarday evening, and. has been . "coming down." frequently ever sinoe, Previous' to the snow we have bad severe fosts, and taking things altogether tbis winter has been the worst one experienced for many a long year. The snow is exceptionally deep npon the higher hill-top., and there aro rumors that the mortality among sheep on the ranges is very great. Mr Gillanders is likely to be a very heavy loser in this respect. May the rosea bloom and fade many a timo ere we have tuch another winter. It is very hard on the stock. •} ■ Thp 'of tnigtyly mectipg of the JSand of Hope "~ras held on Friday evening. There ~jj"as an excellent attendance,' _$r Taylor in the phair,' Thp following is a copy of the programme ;— .Oast, pisses Taylor ; readiap, Master $c Laurie \ violin solo, Mr ji. Grail] reading, fyifiss Winnie Ifardrflanj dialogue, Misses Nellie Watson and Ethel Sproat j readinp, Miss Stirling j song, Mr A. Gall ; violin solo, Mr B, Bea ; dialogue, Misses Stirling and Matheson ; an?, Miss Hunter j reading, Mastor A- W'HlßmsThe dialogues were o»-: ! -;.;dutvery vr.ll! for_ beginners, and if the improvement which has taken place in their delivery is continued, we may cspect great things froni thp pcrfornftep in" tho jS^is to come. The fland of Hope is far and away tho most popular winter entertainment held here for yrars t and both in attendance and programmes surpasses the c^ef^npt Mulua} Improvement Society aod the short lived Temperance i^soeiation. All success to it- There is no member's subscription, but a .mall admission charge is made, and financially the Band of Hope is in a flourishing condition. This evening (Monday) a congregational meeting was hold in the Presbyterian Chureb, the moderator for the parish, the Bey. J. M. Davidson, presiding. Among other things, it was proposed by Mr S. Currie, and seconded by Mr C. Stirling, that we apply to become a Church Intension Charge. This motion was carried unanimously. It Was agreed that, f_. t_e'presenf, the sWvicesof laymen would be aeoepted, the weather being ao boisterous at this period that we coull hardly expect different o'ergymen to come long distances for perhaps only a short time. When spring passes and summer draws nigh, a ohange, suitable to all, will probably take place.