HELENSVILLE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 10132, 15 May 1896, Page 6

HELENSVILLE.

Helensville was favoured 011 May 7 and 8 by a visit from Mr. George Perry, the celebrated temperance lecturer. Tlw Thursday uight meeting was nob go welt patronised as was desired owing to the bad weather. On Friday evening Mr. Perry gave a splendid address to a large and appreciative audience. The Good Templars appeared in their regalia, —{A Correspondent.]

WHAREORA. The moat successful half-yearly meeting of the Christian Endeavour "Society was held on April 29 in the Public Hall, Whangarei. Representatives from the outlying districts attended. The hall was tastefully decorated with palm leaves and flowery monograms. The programme was varied and well rendered.

On May 3 the Christian Endeavour Society held a meeting in the church, which was conducted by Mr. Owens, the musical and vocal portion by Misses Rust and Scott.

The shooting season (for imported birds) opened with showery weather, and only the locals ventured out, Small bags ruled the first day, and resulted m S. Donaldson being the best man with the gun. >

"Put not your trust in princes* was illustrated by the Government to the burned-up settlers, who made sure of an assortment of_ seed. The grass.seed arrived at Whangarei by the s.s. Wellington on April 29, and turned out to be only cocksfoot and ryegrass, with the exception of about 201b white clover, 101b birdsfoot trefoil, 61b poa Brownii, and; 41b poa pratpnsis. These small lots should have been divided among about 100 applicants, but those disgusted with the affair would not look at them. There was not an ounce of the drought-resisting grass-seed rattail, the best grass for the hilly North. Those that had made sure, and waited patiently for two m»nths for the latter seed, returned home sad but wiser men, for there was no seed to be had in Whangarci for love or money. The Manukau County has a good number of Road Boards, and those RaaiTßoards have a good number of public men who are not ashamed of their opinion, as anyone will eee who like to read the account of their combined meeting at Papakura on April 23. Their unanimous opinion was in favour of Road Boards doing the work cheaper and better than County Councils. The voice of these Boards will be re-echoed by all who understand the difference between County Council and Road Board work.— Correspondent.]

DAIRY FLAT. A meeting of the Horseshoe Bush Social Society was held on the Ist May. Mr. E, A. Frost in the chair. There was a large and appreciative audience, and the programme was Jong aud varied. The chairman, in his opening remarks, dwelt on the benefits to be derived from these social gatherings, and lU'ged upon all the necessity of each adding to the evening's amusement, by contributing songs, recitations, etc. The programme Was as follows Song, "I'm Lonely Since my Mother Died," Mr. Finlay; stump speech, Mr. Taylor (very amusing); recitation, " Bingen on the Rhine," Mrs. Frost; sonz, " Jockey flat and Feather," Mr. Fellow; duet, "Convent Bells," Messrs. Frost and Patersoa; song, "Tar's Farewell," Mr. WhUtingham; song, "The English, man," Mr. Guy Frost (encored); recitation, "Ask Momma," Miss Ada Hardy; -song, "Gipsy King," Mr. Stvyer; soug, Have No Home, Mr. Fmlay; recitation, " Discontented Margaret," Miss Una Frost*, song, "Joey Braves the Storm (encored), Mr. Buckley? song, "Red, White, and Blue," Mr. Whittiiwliam; £ recitation, "My First Bawbee, Mr. Finlay; recitation, " Little Vulgar Boy,' Mr. Green ; song.v" Molly and I and tne Baby/* Mr. Paterson; song, Mathtr Kissed Me in my Dreams," Mrs.

Frost: song, VWilkiia anclhis Dinah,' Mr. Siwer* sone, "Napoleons March, Mr. FiXy ; recitation, "The Wreck,; Mr. Whittioeham; song, -" Sweet Home, Mr. Frost The meeting closed by singing of the National Anthem.-tO*ra Correspond^!.},

;" " • ARAPOHUE.'.' ■' A TRIP to the district on the .other Bide of the river is always looked forward to, and 'enjoyed by the young people 1 of Arijtapu and te liopnrn, and -in spite of the boisterous we'atheron May 5 about thirfcy-fiveiourneyed over by steamer, ' A waggon, kindly placed at the disposal of the performers by Mr. Geo. 1 Bradley, 1 met the ' steamer, and the ladies hid a comfortable trip oat to the halL Mr. F. Bradley occupied the chair. He programme presented was an excellent one. Mrs. Weighill contributed a pianoforte solo, and was followed by Mr. S. Edmonds, who sang " Mona'' in excellent style, and for » well-deserved encore gave'"Queen of the Earth." Miss Smith sang: "I Was Dreaming." Mr. J. Elliott recited "Poor Jack in his usual finished style. Mr. Forsdick sang "The Tar's Farewell" with ranch taste ana expression. Miss Mason excelled herself in "An Revoir." Mr, F.Phillips sang "True to the Last" in a very, pleasing manner. Miss Usher recited "Jealousy" in a way that quite captivated the audience. Miss Scully's pianoforte solo and Mr. Masefield's " Under the British Flag" were well received. "My Own Beloved Harp," by uiiss Allen was without doubt the gem of the evening. Mr. Webster sang '"The Desert-," and in response to an imperative encore, gave " Queen of My Heart."' Mr. Penwarden's song and dance quite hit the taste of the audience, and brought the first part of the entertainment to a close. A dance followed, and was kept going with great vigour until 2 a.m. The takings amounted to £510s 6d. [Aratapu Correspondent.]

ARATAPU. S£ l 8 A meeting of those interested in the resuscitation ot the Mutual Improvement Class in Aratapu was held in the Band of Hope room the other evening. The meeting had been called in response to a requisition bearing the names of twelve persons, but only three of the twelve turned up. Other persons, however, made up the attendance to eleven, and Mr. Nield was voted to the chair. It was decided to reform the old Aratapu Mutual Improvement Class, and the old rules, with slight alterations of dates, etc., were adopted. The meetings are to be held on alternate Fridays, from seven to half-past nine, in the Aratapu reading-room, if procurable. The subscription was fixed at one shilling per quarter. # The following officers were elected President, T. Webb; vicepresident, T. Nield; secretary and treasurer, Wilfrid Chadwick; trustee,T. Webb; committee, J, Parsons, P. Nield, S. Barker, A. Sowter, and A. Stallworthy. The cash balance to credit of the old society is £2 15s 4d, and is available for present purposes. Several members handed in their names and fees.—[Aratapu Correspondent.]

POLLOI. Shooting seems to be one of the lost arts in Pollok at present, judging from the interest that seems to be taken in it. The season here was opened with only two or three local shootists, who made good bags, as the result ot a short day's work, of pheasants, hares, and rabbits. The birds are shy, and not so plentiful as they were long ago; but they are too numerous to the hard struggling farmer, who knows to his sorrow the harm that they are doing him in destroying crops that have oost him so much to grow in time, work, and money.—[Own Correspondent.]

DANEVIRKE. We have had very pleasant weather in this district lately. Duck-shooting is greatly indulged in at present, the banks of the Manawatu being the most favoured resort for sportsmen, aud I have heard of some very good " bats" since the season gpened. The local lodge of Foresters pave their first annual social on Wednesday, and thanks to the committee and their energetic secretary, Mr. G. Harvey, it passed off most successfully. There were about forty couples present, amongst whom I noticed Mrs. Macphee (Mayoress) in a stylish costume of black lace; Mrs. Wrats, a handsome black silk; Mrs. Allardice, M.A., tasteful combination of black lace and cardinal satin; Mrs. P. Hayward, black aud heliotrope; Mrs. Hunter, black silk ; Mrs. Campbell Thomson, a neat blue costume; Mrs. G. H. Campbell wore her wedding dress of cream cashmere and silk; Mrs. Mat Henderson, black relieved with maroon; Miss Wratt, a stylish pink dress; Miss Henderson, tweed skirt and amber silk evening blouse; Miss Allardice, a very becoming pink silk bodice with white net skirt over pink silk; Miss Rose Allardice, a pretty frock of gold and cream; Miss Sutherland, a very becoming frock of white cashmere trimmed with forget-me-nots; Miss Scrimgeour looked nice in cream serge with silk trimmings; Miss Morse wore a very pretty and stylish dress of cream brocaded silk with trimmings of cream tulle and rosea ; Miss Raynor, a pretty silk delaine; Miss Uollounhy looked her best in black and pink; Miss L. Guy and Miss Mary Guy, pretty white frocks; Miss Blanch Tansley, cream trimmed with luce; Miss N. Mollounby, a stylish costume of black and crimson silk ; Miss Martin, a very becoming black trimmed with pretty pale green silk; Miss Hagenson, a pile blue dress. The invitations are issued for a leap year ball, and the committee, which, consists of Misses Tansley, Allardice, crophy,and Wratt, seem to be doing their best toward making it a success.

Football is quite the rage. The Waipawa team is coming to play the Danevirke Pirates to-morrow, and we are looking forward to an exciting game.— [Own Correspondent.]

HAKAPIRAU.

A start has been made at the new school building. After two years of persistent agitation the efforts of the settlers were crowned with success on the 28th April, by the arrival of Mr. J. Davis, the contractor for the erection of the lonc-looked-for buildings. Mr. Davis lost no time in getting to business, and hopes, weather permitting, to have the new school finished witiiin the specified time. The tine.Eliza Firth, Captain Murray, arrived in the river on the 28th ultimo, from Southern ports. After discharging general cargo for local merchants, she proceeded to the Northern > Wairos, where she loads timber for Australian ports. What might have resulted in a serious accident occurred to Mr. H. Chadwick's yacht Trixie, on the 30th April, While Mr. Chadwick, accompanied by a couple of friends (Messrs. M. Gallagher and J. Symes), were cruising off Uattley Bluff, by some means the running gear of the head sails got fouled, which caused the yacht to swamp, and sink in about three fathoms of water. Mr. Gallagher struck out for the shore, and was fortunate enough to laud, although in a somewhat exhausted condition. Messrs. Chadwick and Symes managed to hang on to the masthead of the yacht until picKed up by one of the Battley fishing boats, the crew of which had observed the accident. The yacht was alterwards raised at low water, men and veasei being little the worse for their immersion.

Owing to the large and increasing business in the gum and general trade as Mr. Jackman's stores, it hus been found necessary to construct & branch tramway to connect them with the wharf. The new line, which has just been completed by the contractor, Mr. P. Webber, should prove a great convenience to Mr. Jjcfcman and his employees. A most enjoyable evening was spent in the Palii Hall, ,qu the Ist May, the occasion being the annual bachelors' ball. About 70 couples responded co the invitation of the local bachelors, The hall was prettily decorated with evergreens and bunting; also, transparencies, bearing mottoes, such as" Welcome," etc., were quite a feature in the adornment of the walls. The catering was in the hands of Mr. and Mrs. F. Rowsell.'and was all that could be desired. First-class music was supplied by eight instruments, from the Karakanui Native Brass Band. Mr. Q. A. Moll wraith, in a few appropriate word?, thanked the energetic committee, consisting of Messrs. R. Johnson, R. Boyd, jun., J. Thompson, W. J. Allen, and T. New (secretary), on behalf of the assembled guests, _ for the pleasant evening they were all enjoying, and for the pains they had taken to make the ball a success.—Correspondent.]