PATEAROA.

Otago Witness, Issue 2676, 28 June 1905, Page 49

PATEAROA.

June 23. — The weather has beNi so very

Hi.ild for a week back that a stranger mighl

be deluded into the belief that balmy spring had arrived. But we know better: wo have

"been there before," so to speak, and we can S'&e a good stretch of wintry weather between us and the young leaves. School Committee. — The seven volunteers elected for thoa work' were Messrs A. G. Crerar (chaiiman), D. C. Stewart (secretary), JR. M'Skimmiiig, O. R. Cambridge, John Biakeley, Thomas Duffy, and R. Crosbie. Pigeon Slaughter. — Our Gun Club has heH two meetings tins season. Mr James Schrick won tiie first match with eight birds (clay ones) out oi 12, and Mr F. Blakeley the other with nine, Mr J. Keeley coming second with eight. Debating Society. — This institution is fiourt ishing like the green bay tree — a very appropriate .tree, too. Orator 3 must be born with the flexible lip ; but they must as certainly be mad« by a hard' apprenticeship, and it is quite possible that our humb-ie hall may be tne oratorical cradle of some future laurel- wear ing

politician (rather Micawberis-h that). The membership is large, and much interest is taken in the various debate®. Our speakers are rapidly gaining confidtenoe, and before this (our second) session is over, they will doubtleas reach that stage where the action is suited to the word and the helpful or killing gesture is effectively used. Those of us who wtre under th? impression that we knew more about most things than the other fellow are finding out that the positions are oiton reversed. Another Pioneer Gone. — Mr William Richardson, one of out oldest diggers, ha® just gene into the unknown. Although the deceased was over 80 years of age, he was active and hale until within a month or two of his death. He "followed the diggings" dn Australia and New Zealand since the first discovery of gold, but was understood not to have been one of the lucky ones. He was one of ths first to sink a shaft here, and for over 40 years the smoka curled regularly from his hut on the crown of a spur at the upper end of our township. Mr Richardson was a steady and methodical worker, an excellent and unwearied cook and! trencherman, and a thorough believer in the virtues of brooms and. sriap and water. I»iko many diggers of the olden time, ho was tenacious and vehement in debate, and his forcdbly-woided arguments were, as a rule, backed up by blazing bate eyes and forward-thrust chin. He was a very soßer man, an Englishman from somewhere about'' Cambridgeshire way, and is understood to have been married many years ago in Australia, and to. have left a married daughter there. The funeral took place on the 20th inst., the Rev. Mr Williams conducting thi9 service. Progressive. — For some tini>e the necessity for a roomy hall has been apparent here. At th© last meeting of our Debating Society the ' matter was brought forward by Mr O. R. Cambridge. The meeting was unanimous as to the urgent need of the hall, and a. strong committee was formed to push the matter ahead. Mr S. C. Greer was appointed secretary. The project is in the right hands, end- we are pretty certain to have it realised before we are many months older.