TAPANUI. (FROM A CORRESPONDENT.)

Otago Witness, Issue 1476, 28 February 1880, Page 13

TAPANUI. (FROM A CORRESPONDENT.)

February 23rd.

As then is not muoh in the way of news to communlotte this week, I will substitute » short aooount of the m*in buildings of which this thriving up-coun-try town is composed. First on the list I will mention the Presbyterian ohuroh, whioh, Although not a very ornamental building, ia- commodious and well ventilated, being OApable of seating between three and four hundred persons. Owing greatly to the eaeray displayed by the worthy pastor, Mr Bett, and the Church missionary, Mr Anderson, the Presbyterians are a very KtroDg body in Tapanui. The Church of England is a very handsome building, both inside and out, and is * credit to jthe Episcopalian body, considering Its numerical Btrength, which is not great, The Bishop of Dnnedin, on hla reoent visit to Tapann!, expresitd fall faith in Tapanui as a oburqh centre, and exhorted the members not to relax their efforts in the future. The Rer. H. J. 0. Gilbert, minister of this church, has resigned his charge, and is leaving at Easter. We have also a Wesleyan church, which has just recently been ereoted, and as far as design is concerned is a very neat though it i* not a very commodious building. Going from religion to education, we have tho Tapaaui main school, which is anything but a creditable building to the town, and I think it is vory poor policy on the part of the School Committee putting up additions to an old and ill-ventilated room such an the original Structure in. There are at'prosent nearly 200 children attending the school, and the energetic teacher, Mr Horiot, has found <it necessary to apply for an assistant male teacher. The next public building on the list is the courthouse, a very oanamental building outwardly, though the District Judge expressed himself n bains dissatisfied with the internal arrangement of it. This building Is very b*dly situated, and I think tho Government officials made a great mistake in selecting the site, as a much better one could have been obtained for a good deal less money. Wo have also an Athecseum, which consists of ahall4sft. by 30ft, areadlog room 16ft by 16ft, aud a library 16ft by 14ft. Owing to the financial difficulties of the Committee at the time the building w*9 ia course of erection, the main hall was not lined, but I understand they are now about to call tenders for that necessary work. Ab it would occupy too much space hero to particularise all the numerous buildings in Tapanui, I will only say that there aro three hotels, threo general atorep, two butchers, three bakers, and several other smaller establishments, and from this the readers of the Otago Witness will tee that Tapanui will com. mra favourably with most of the up-country towns in Otago.