WAIKATO WHISPERINGS

Observer, Volume 2, Issue 46, 30 July 1881, Page 523

WAIKATO WHISPERINGS

— Rumour hath it that Miss K. H. has engaged herself to a young gentleman from Opofciki. — The new banker, Mr E,, having lost a considerable portion of his luggage on his trip up from Auckland, has been compelled to appear in a suit of hand-me-downs, pending the construction of a new fashionable outfit. Consequently he has not yet begun to go into society. — The friends of Mr W. H. Pearce, of the Commercial Hotel, gave him a dinner at Gwynne's Hotel, the other day, on the occasion of his leaving the district. Everything passed off with the utmost satisfaction. The health of the guest was duly proposed and responded to, and, after a few other toasts, there followed two which, while they were unexpected, were, nevertheless, proof of the existence of a changed and more harmonious state of things. The first Mayor proposed the health of the reigning dignitary who gracefully returned the compliment. Is the millenium at hand, I wonder ? — The ladies of Hamilton gave a very enjoyable ball, on Tuesday week, in the Oddfellows' Hall. There were about forty couples present ; the music being furnished by the ladies themselves. The refreshments were rare in quality, and so abundant that an impromptu children's party was got up on the following night to clear the decks. The little ones, to the rain- ! her of about sixty, entered into the spirit of the thing j with gusto, and, from five o'clock till past ten, never showed the slightest symptoms of weariness. A number of ladies ministered to the happiness of the juveniles very successfully; but the pivot upon which their delight turned was, without doubt, Mr William Tonks, and he has earned their eternal gratitude. He was unceasing in his efforts to amuse, and improvised no end of round games in which the toddles revelled. The ball and its sequel were under the management of a very competent committee of ladies of which Mrs Northcrof t and Mrs Cussen were the honourary secretaries, and to them the grateful thanks of the eligibles of both sexes are due. — The reception of his Maori majesty at Cambridge was on a magnificent scale. The appeax-ance of of the procession as it wended its way was (as the newspapers graphically put it) of a most impressive character. This was. on Thursday, the previous night having been passed by the party under the hospitable roof — as many as it would cover — of Messrs Grice and Parker, of Rotorangi. Arriving at Cambridge, the King was conducted to the Public Hall where he was received by the

embers of the Eecption Committee, consisting of gthe financial and legal twins and a few others, and had the teheity of hearing an address of welcome read to him. lnen the followers dispersed and enjoyed a feed, iawhiao taking up his quarters at the .Farmers' Club, ihe people of Cambridge seemed honestly glad to welcome their dark brothers, and during the whole time over which the visit lasted, the best understanding existed between the two races, At the banquet, which took place at the National Hotel, there were probably seventy guests. A considerable amount of eating and some drinking was gone through in obedience to this tune-honoured English custom, and to this followed the usual amount of speechmaking. The Europeans were very gushing, and the natives were very "dark" as they would say, or extremely foggy as it seemed to me, and everybody was delighted. One of the chiefs, to show his respect for Major Mair, drank that gallant and diplomatic gentleman's health in a mixture of bulldog beer, champagne, hock, and claret, with just a dash of port and sherry to give it a tone. It was very entertaining to hear the venerable chairman gassing about Tawhiao when one thinks of Horahora and how the knowing old chief can render Every very great assistance ; and to listen to the mild, innocent, little allegory about the opening of the book (by which it may be supposed is meant the Pukekura lands) and the unfolding of its leaves. But of course these little episodes were only imported to heighten the general effect, and did not spoil anybody's digestion. After dinner, several pounds' worth of fireworks were shot off into chaos, much to the amusement of several of the natives who had never seen the devil in this particular shape before. On Friday and Saturday a select assortment of wardances and hakas took place by wav of a return for the kindness of the Europeans. On Sunday, Bewi was driven out to Fen Court where he was treated with the utmost courtesy by tho hospitable host, and spetn, I presume, a very pleasant day.