COUNTRY NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 8987, 19 September 1892, Page 6

COUNTRY NEWS.

« WEST TAMAKI. A most successful entertainment was held in the Tamaki West Public School on Friday evening, September 9, when the New Zealand Panorama Company gave a grand limelight exhibition in aid of the fund for establishing a school library, when views were shown of the Wonderland of New Zealand and of the principal cities, etc ; life-like portraits of Lord and Lady Onslow and family, Sir George Grey, and other celebrities : views of the Abyssinian war, emigrant ship on fire, Niagara Falls, along with a large number of other views, comic and otherwise. During the time the exhibition was given members of the company played appropriate music on the piano and violin, all of the views, description of them, and music being very good, which reflects great credit on all the members. The whole concluded with a dance, for which the company provided the music, and to which the most of those present waited to hear the music and to see the young people enjoy themselves, the last of them going away home shortly after twelve o'clock, all being thoroughly satisfied with their evening's amusement, and hoping that the company would give another entertainment at some future time. The school committee are indebted to them for coming and giving the entertainment, which was a treat to both old and young.—[A Correspondent.! MAUKU. Spring has again burst forth on us in all its glorious loveliness. Peach trees are a mass of grand bloom, and all other trees are full of life and activity. The ewes have their lambs full of play and frolic by their sides, the cows may. be seen coming home with calves toddling after them, and soon the buckets will be filled with the delicious beverage for young ' and old, *nd the creameries have steam up. to convert the surplus into butter to be aent to all parts of the world, and we in return getting back the golden coin. The picture should gladden the heart of man, woman, and child, though they may have to work and toil, but if they have health to do it, may be thankful. Farmers and their teams have been hard at work cultivating the soil and putting in the crops daring the late fine weather, and everything is in a pretty forward state in the surrounding districts. The roads are dry, though rather rough, but with a little carting they will improve. The fine weather is a better road maker than the Road Board, who have a way at times of making a deal of mud.—|Own Correspondent.] WAIUKU. The ordinary meeting of the Waiuku Mutual Improvement Society was held on the sth instant at the usual time and places. The president was in the chair. Mr. Alfred M. Barriball was duly elected a member of the Society. The business of the evening was "Elocution." The following pieces were given :—Reading by Mr. Perkins, " The Fate of Burns ;" reading by Mr. Lambert, " A First-class Snake Story;" dialogue by Messrs. Large and Campbell, " Falstaff and Prince Henry;" reading by Mr. O'Reilly, ''An Italian's View of a New England Winter;" recitation by Mr. C. Hosking, " The Death of Napoleon;" recitation by Mr. Large, " The Active Boy ;" recitation by Mr. Perkins, " How It Was Done;" reading by Mr. O'Reilly, "Minnesota Wheat;" reading by Mr. A. M. Barriball, "Mrs. Caudle's Curtain Lecture." Most of the pieces especially the comic ones were capitally done. The business for the next meeting is the reading of the Society's Magaziue by the editor.—[A Correspondent.] HEREKINO. Since last I wrote the weather has been steadily though very slowly improving. We are now having beautitul weather again, but it is not likely to last long. The roads are still very bad, and in one place almost imEassable. This place is a swamp, about a undred feet across, in which the fascines have rotted away." The state of this road is highly discreditable, and I can only wonder that the Government has allowed it to remain in this highly dangerous state for so many months. In another place, a comparatively small fall of rain will leave from one to five feet of water on the road, and yet, for want of the comparatively small sum requisite to raise the road to the necessary level, year after year we have to put up with it as best we can. , . . A few weeks ago a dancing class was formed here under the direction of Mr. Lawrence, and a series of pleasant evenings have been spent. On Friday the session was wound up by a ball. There were between thirty and forty present, and a highly enjoyable evening was spent. Dancing was continued up till daylight, and all departed, saying it was the most pleasant evening they had had for a long time. Refreshments were brought round at intervals, having been provided by the married people present. Among so many charming young ladies it would be invidious to pick out the belle as well as difficult, so I will leave that to these who are better judges than myself.—[Own Correspondent.]

MOTUKARAKA (HOKIANGA), After a vacation enforced by the late rainy season, the Motukaraka; Band of Hope I resumed, its monthly meeting on Friday evening, the 9th September. The attendance was not largo/ on account of the state of the roads, but a good programme was presented, and sol appeared to feei; at the close, that it was''worth while to ; have been present. Among recitations given, the following were deserving of special commendation :—" The Voice of Spring," by Miss Mary Kelsey; " How Noble Harry Kept his Word," by Miss Priscilla Stephens; "John Roseman," by Master Fred. Kelsey; " Not One to Spare,' by Miss Minnie Stephens; and a dialogue entitled, "The Wife's Mistake," very creditably rendered by Miss Priscilla Stephens, Minnie Stephens, Beryl Beazley and Mr. James Black, and Master Maxwell Beazley. Mr. Meiklejohn, in his address as chairman, pointed out that alcohol was not provided in nature for the support of plants or animals ; that all animals appeared to be affected by alcohol "'similarly: that the amount needed to "produce intoxication bore a certain proportion to the weight of an animal; that the taste of fermented and spirituous drinks if often, if not always, at first felt to be Unpalatable, being unlike in that respect to water and milk; that the craving for food and water ceases when hunger and thirst are appeased, but the craving for strong drink increases in the case of those who indulge in it. A number of the young people intimated their intention to prepare for the forthcoming temperance competition fixed for November. The need for temperance work in Hokianga received another illustration near this ten days ago. A man named Taplin, who was fond of drink, left Kohukohu in. an intoxicated state, and was found next day drowned near his own house His foot had got stuck in his boat as he tried to come out, and stumbling over the side, his head dropped into the water, and there he remained. Only a few months ago another man, Mallea, was drowned when entering his boat under the influence of drink. The wonder is that more do not make a similar ignominious exit from life when going home more or less intoxicated over the water. Mr. Olive, of Kohukohu, has got the contract for repairing the school building, and hopes to make a commencement of the work soon now. The attendance at school has been a good deal affected by the wet weather and muddy roads. Now, preparing the land for crops is acting in the same direction, while two boys have gone to the Taheke gumfield with their father. Settlers declare it is very hard to get money tor work obtainable in the district.—[Own Correspondent.] MANGONUI. Our monthly Band of Hope meeting was held in Prosser's Hall on the 31st August, and although the weather was very rough the attendance was good. The meeting was opened with prayer, and then the following programme was gone through :— Hymn, No. 115; recitation, "My Thought," Miss Houston, was given in ?ood style; chorus, " Babylon," the choir; song, " Meet Me by Moonlight Alone," Miss Ella Rosieur : hymn, No. 99; duet, "Nobody's Darling," Mis3es Daisy and Letty Ballance, was very nicely sung; recitation, " Huntsman's Chorus," Letitia Irvine; chorus, "Hark, the Lark," the choir; song, "Steering Home," Mr. George Gar ton ; hymn, No. 107 recitation, " Candour," Miss Prosser, was loudly applauded; chorus, " Happy Home," the choir ; song, " The Meeting of the Waters," Miss Ettie Rothall, fairly rendered ; recitation, Master J. Irvine ; chorus, " Tra-la-la," the choir; hymn No. 10 brought the meeting to a close. As tar as good attendance is concerned our Band of Hope is a success, but I am rather sorry to say that there are very few names added monthly to the temperance list.—[Own Correspondent.] MANGAPAI. This has been a particularly favourable season for the lambs, very few so far having been lost. The roads also, owing to the mildness of the past winter, are remarkably good foi this time of the year, though there are some choice spots on them which it takes very little rain to make almost impassable. The Maoris about here are prophesying a very early spring, and there seems every probability of their prophecy corning true. Our new hall is to be formally opened on Friday, September 30, by a grand soiree, concert and dance, to make preparations for which an energetic committee was chosen some time ago. It is to be hoped that the function will bo favoured with fine weather. The young men of the district are discussing the desirability of forming a cricket club. Football during the past season has for some reason or other been in a very languishing state.—[A Correspondent.]