AND UPPER THAMES ADVOCATE.

Te Aroha News, Volume III, Issue 133, 19 December 1885, Page 2

AND UPPER THAMES ADVOCATE.

' Thre &We all— to thine own Sell be true, And it must follow ss the night the day, Thou canst not then be false to any toan. 1 — Shakespeare.

SATTJRDAY, DECEMBER 19, 1885.

Christmas Da* as a great national holiday will ever be kept up. Saints' days now possess little beyond a sectarian ralue ; and by a large majority of people, are forgotten or relegated to the limbo of effete ecclesiasticisra j Yet as each year it becomes our pleasant task to tender to our ttiany readers the tinreworn greeting, we find no signs whatever that Christmas is held in less aflfectbn and regard than hitherto. "To many of us the well- known greeting will bring vividly to memory dear familiar faces and scenes, in other and distant lands. Christmas Day has its distinct and special mean'ng as associated with the greatest event the world ever saw ; and surely now peace and goodwill Bhould reign supreme amongst all. We sincerely trust that each and all of our readers will enjoy the season in full measure^ and once again wish them a MERRY CHRISTMAS-

The liberality displayed in former years in contributions to the fund for providing the children's school feast during the holidayB» has on this occasion" beeti surpassed* T?He subscriptions amount to noarly £10, and this sum wili give ample scope for a liberal provision o£ everything thut will tend to the delectation of the juveniles, outwardly and inyrdrdly. Representatives from the day and Snndaj achool committees met on Tuesday even-

ing and made preliminary arrangements for carrying out the programme of day's » proceedings* Sub-cntumittees, on wh { eh the ladies have been invited to assist) were appointed to see to the various matters requiring attention, and; as every one is going to work with a will, a f day of real enjoyment (if the weathei 1 be, propitious) may be looked forward to by both young and old. The place for the gather* ing has not yet been selected, but it will be somewhere within easy reach of the ' township ; and due notice will also ,be given of the place aud time for the assembling of the children. The concert and dance at Waiorongomai on Monday evening last in \\A of the Band of Hope was one of the most pleasing and enjoyable entertainments that has been given in this district for a length of time past. The hall was comfortably filled with an appreciative audience, by whom the various item in the programme were well received. We regret that prea* sure on our space prevents us from giving a detailed account of the performance, which was certainly of a high order of merit. Nearly all of our leading musicians, vocal and instrumental, tendered willing assistance, and with such an array of talent the affair could not fail to prove a success musically* We have not heard what the flnarcial result was, but we trust the object for which the entertainment was got up will receive frafesfoatial benefit from it. The hopes that were entertained by the' , residents here of having excursion trains ' run through during the holidays to the station reserve on the west aide of the river, have been doomed to disappointment. The reply received from the Minister of Public Works to the telegram referring to the subject, sent to him ,by the Chairman of the Improvement Committee, precludes any hope of the line being opened even for occasional traffic until it has beea taken over from the contractor by Government, which will not be for some weeks yet. While regretting his inability to accede to the wishes of our townspeople on the oooasion named, the Minister promises to muke amends as fur as lies in his power "os' causing cheap excursion trains to be run to and from Auckland as soon as the line is declared open. At the Police Court, Te Aroha, on Wednesday last, before Messrs H. Munro and J. Aitcheson, J?sP<, James O'Connor, charged with being drunk, was fined 5s and 2s costs, or 24 hoars' imprisonment. The same individual, for disorderly ccnduct, was mulcted in the sum of £1 with 26 -cents, {or 48 hours' imprisonment. A proMbitory order was granted against Edwin Hall, forbidding all persons in the licensing districts of Te Aroha and Waitoa supplying him with intoxicating HquoTs for a period of twelve months months from the l6t"h day of December. We learn that Mr H. Buttle, who is abont to leave this district, and will consequently be unable to attend to his dutieß as a member of the Domain Board, has tendered his resignature. Mr Warden Kenrick has been nominated to reprosent Te Aroha on the School *of Mines Committee. As will be seen by advertisement in another column Messrs Whitehouse and Bates have on view a first class assort* meat'of boots and shoes «f English, and Colonial mffeafscture* The annual treat of the Waiorongomai school children comes of to-day in Mr Baskett'B paddock, commencing at 1 p.m. Sports will be held in connection therewith The parents and guardians ,of { children are cordially invited to be present on the occasion, and the committee ' have made great preparations for the ■event. At a meeting of the directof s of the M«y Queen G.M. Co., held -on Thursday, tiho 17th inst., & call <of Id per share was made. As most of the forfeited shares ■ have been applied for, this call will place the company in a position to resume operations in th<3 mine, which will be done immediately after the holidays*