AKITIO COUNTY CARNIVAL.

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 5358, 16 February 1916, Page 2

AKITIO COUNTY CARNIVAL.

RAKAUNUI NOTES.

Someone remarked to the writer on Saturday (or did he remark it to somebody else. We forget, but anyway he remarked it) that the Pongaroa Committee are thorough gentlemen. They are. thorough' gentlemen without a doubt. Those in favour- say “aye.” Those against signify “no” The ayes have it unanimously. That just about describes our worthy friends. " They are all eyes and no nose. That the Committee under discussion are thorough gentlemen we ungrudgingly adirijt. The point is whether they are more thorough in being gentlemanly than they are gentlemanly n being thorough, or w hether they are thoroughly—oh, bother, were getting mixed. All the same, we are under the painful necessity of making an oblate .spheroid of them next Tuesday. For the benefit of the animated an oblate spheroid is something that is flattened at both ends.

On Saturday the weather prevented the married men whollopping in the remnants of the single men’s cricket team, but in the evening the dance was very well attended; the absence of young men at the War compelling many Indies to find partners of their own sex. Rakaunul ladies are genuine sports to patronise Carnival functions in the way they do. knowing tin l shortage of dancing men. Two royal portraits, presented by Mr Hans Hansen, were responsible for many dummy bids, and were knocked down to Mr C. 11. Burling, while Mr Payne’s pennant, returned by Rifieman C. Burling, realised a good price and became the property of Secretary Coe, who lias reserved the place of honour for it in his ban-quetting-elianiber. Mr G. Solomon’s bedspread was also the means of catching several pounds, and we are now ahead of Puketoi in sale of tickets for this indispensable commodity. It will be remembered that this donation was made jointly to both districts, but we have so many irons in the fire that hitherto we have not had an opportunity of pushing this article forward. , This week we have our final Carnival assembly on Friday, a plain and fancy dress full ‘night ball, during which all gifts in hand will Ik l sold for “keeps.” Copies with the warpoem “The Day” and the •“ Mm of “Ate” alngside it. specially printed ior Rakaunui, and presented by Mr S. M.(j< ullough, a patriot of .the deepest dye. wen* all sold out on Saturday. The day following our final dance is set down tor an important general committee meeting. Throughout last week and this private canvassing is receiving due attention.

A vote of our principal subscribers was taken •hi the question ol withdrawing our candidate, and has been negatived by a small majority. While acknowledging the soundness of the grounds for taking such a step, it is thought that any action of this nature would be prejudicial to the best interests of the cause.

Tbe draw for the Central and banners’ Art Union at Pongnroa last Friday was most fairly eonducted and treat credit is duo to the officials concerned. Rakaunni scored three wins. Mr W .Thomas, the hornless duloephotie, Mrs F. Robbie an overniantle, and Mr S. McCullough is now on the free list of a contemporary tri-weekly. Tlr.it is not a hat he calls his win, though. The I’ongaioa candidate and her ltimily won ■some of the plums, hut that was only reasonable, considering the large per eentago of tickets purchased hi them. I lie function was advertised in the “Herald*' columns and elsewhere as being in aid of till candidates . never, theless, during the evening an auction was held of a. flag and other articles resulting in a gain to Pongnroa. candidate of Cl 10 los. We mcnt'on this more in sorrow than in anger. By tlie way, our rivals, no doubt in inadvertence, omitted to announce outside (lag bids we know they have received not to include these in the totti.l made public tit the coneltision ol proceedings. However; that’s their funeral, not ours. aii(| it is a hlay.’ng indisoret ion tin the writers part to have da red to notice stteh it trifling oversight. That they life concealing figures is unthinkable.

I knowing the rooted objection Pon-gai-oa have to our own pig-headed narrow-minded policy of hiding our stray coppers up the kitchen chimney instead of paying in every week as a thorough gentleman should do. Considering the newspaper campaign that is being conducted against our much harrassed Finance Committee in the columns of a very local periodical, it would be unbelievable that our opponents could adopt similar tactics to that hotbed of financa! depravity in which the writer resides. Perish the thought. Meanwhile an atmosphere of almost unnatural calm, prevails in the rival .camps, and no outsider 'visiting here and listening to the pleasant tinkling of the slieepbVlls, the sonorous melody of tlie milch-ki lie, or gazing on the undulating pasture-land off which everything lias been swept .except the moitgages, by the summer gales heavily laden with the beautiful Scotch thistle-down so beloved of farmers, would ever dream that a deadly and inexorable combat a- la mort is timed to take place, on Tuesday next on these peaceful pastures. Tf Rakaunui lose the day, Air Editor, towards the

end of tlie week when we have somewhat recovered, we propose to .send, wou a string of valid excuses why we did not win, not necessary for publication hut as a. guarantee a!' go< kl faith. If we win—and we undoubtedly deserve to—we will forward you a a column of- eulogy, when we have somewhat recovered, on the magnificent efforts of our honourable op]K>n. ents and their committee of thorough gentlemen. It is proposed, either way, to invite our Pongaroa friends to a korero after the result i s known, when the pipe of infinite peace, the wassail-bowl of good-fellowship and many laudatory speeches will figure on the bill of fare. We are indignantly repudiating the unfriondlv in-

sinuation that our brothers-in-army have a B (capital letter, please. Mr Compel in their bonnets. They are a committee . f pure, high-souled, noble-minded, thorough gentlemen, whose only desire in life is to assist the wounded soldiers. Tame doves hover over Pongaroa. and sprigs cy olive are jauntily stuck in the headgear of the local nobility. The hlue-and-white fighting flag of the Raks. flutters from the castle rampants and the mansions of our neighbours, bedside their- own jn'oud banner of blood and Eno s. One of the aforesaid nobility was observed recently to dance a fandango on the steps of the Bank of New Zealand a whiles he joyously chortled th ( . following phantasmagoria : “Rakaunui’s « nuisance I vow. But I’ll settle their hash with a ‘thou’. 5 Four figures of stuff Are surely enough, But are they?—l'm wondering now!” And bear in mind, Horsifers of the Thirsty-thirsts, that the cakes n charge of the late King Alfred mi|. fered incendiarism while His Majesty was a wonder-tnongering. F.H.