WAIKAIA.

Otago Witness, Issue 1555, 27 August 1881, Page 14

WAIKAIA.

(l'EO'4 OUR OWN CORHKSi'ONDENT.) August 23rd. There is but little of note occurring hereaway. Our cockatoos ar busy ploughing, or rather scratching, their holdings. The bxjuattcrs are pretty well dormant, and the ralibiters ate reaping their annual harvest of well-furred pelts. Bunny will undoubtedly got a shake in this district this winter, but 1 observe that successors in the form of iinches and linnetd are already getting numerous A kind of uthletic mawia has ovei run the place for the past few dajs. It has manifested itself in a variety of waj s, from pugilism to foot-racing. '1 here is no doubt that tho rising generation would benefit lioth morally and physically by being a little more on their muscle. Judging from our fine climate and the absence of all deteriorating influences, W.iikaia ou^ht very easily t j hold her own in the cricket or football tt.ld.

The new electoral districts have slightly deranged our political antioipatio s. Waikaia > roper is tacked on to agricultural Southland, and, as far as I have heard, no one bCems to object. Mr M'Caughan has consented to btand, and will be certain of the almo^r, unanimous Bupport of this portion of the electorate. Woi.ppearto have grace enough to be grateful for pa>-t tavours, and certainly Mr M'Caughan's good deeds in regard to roads and bridges ai c worthy of being celebrated in immortal verse, as the Irishman devoted to the Highland tracks of a century ago— "Hud you seen but these roads before they were made, You would hold up your hand and bless General Wade."

Everything is abominably quiet hereabouts, there is no possibility of raisinar a bit of "divarshuu" anyhow. The kind friend who used to furnish us with food for laughter, refuses to be drawn from his shell ; in fact "nobody does nothing," and persists in it; so how on eaith am 1 to write elaborate letters while so melancholy a vacuity prevails? Intense excitement did reign for a few hours t'other night— no less an addition than four to our female population having been promised. Alas 1 the coach arrived empty, and all the expenditure gone into in the way of paper oollars was useless.

We are to have a ploughing match shortly. These contests are not, as a vile, intensely exciting, but in the absence of aught else we make some capital out of them. Our hardy sons of toil mullock over a bit of ground in the day-time, and then there is a sound of revelry by night, as tho aribtocratic and dignified rabbiter comes in to blow his cheque at the ball. This prospect gives some hope of my having material for a letter in a week ov two.