WALKATO WHISPERINGS

Observer, Volume 3, Issue 58, 22 October 1881, Page 86

WALKATO WHISPERINGS

— Our Hamilton correspondent "writes : — " I regret exceedingly that tlie untruthful and altogether uncalled for attack on the postmaster at Te Awainutu ' should have been sent you through niy hands. As a matter of fact, I never read the letter at all. On the , morning of posting my correspondence P. called on me ,' just as I was sealing-ray letter, and asked me, as lie had done before on several- occasions, to forward a paragraph to your papev. As I hacbnot previously had occasion to refuse anything he sent me, I put the letter in niy envelope with an introductory line, and, being in a hurry, fastened it up and forwarded it to you. I was as much surprised ana annoyed when I saw it in print as Clough could possibly have been, because I know of my own knowledge that the postmaster is a most courteous and obliging fellow. The charges are, as far as I know, and I have been at some pains to enquire into the affair, utterly without foundation. I repeat that I very lnucVi regret the occurrence, and trust that what I have said will be sufficient to exonerate me." — The V. 8., for family reasons, is not going to the ball. He has offered, however, to lend his costume to anyone. — Frederick will address the free and independent at HamUton on Saturday, when tie is sure to meet with a good reception. — The Major has not yet given any indication of the time wden he will hold forth. I presume he will make a start at Kihikihi, and travel northwards. Nothing like a good beginning, you know. — "We are having a complete surfeit of concerts and soirees and social gatherings, and other abominations of that sort. No wonder that half the people one meets are bilious, or dyspeptic, or dying, or something of that sort. — Munseer Calon, the great musician, is offended because the Cambridge Band dared to propose to take him oil trial. Dear, dear, how provokingly stupid some people are. Have not the band a right to look in the poke before they buy the pig ? Jimmy has thrown himself into the breach, and, like Dollinger, if the band will only put their trust in him he will pull 'em through. — Cricket has taken a firm hold upon the affections of the youth of Waikato this season, and if no Te Aroha rush breaks out to take away the bone and sinew of the place, as it did last summer, all will go well. There have already been matches at Hamilton and Alexandra, and Cambridge will shortly follow. The establishment of the Association will prove of great se-xvice in arranging matches between the district clubs, and in paying the expenses of any representative team which may be selected to do battle for the "Waikato in foreign ground. — The chief topic of conversation, not only in classic Cambridge, but in other parts of the district, has been, and is at the time I write, the Fancy Dress Ball. There was never anything half so gorgeous as this ball is going to be, according to Harry, who, with the painstaking secretary, is "doing" the arrangements. The girls are to be selected from amongst the most beautiful in the Waikato, and the gentlemen — well, the fact that I am one of those invited will at once convince you that in quality they will be quite up to the mark. But what the Committee prides itself upon is the supper, which Eaynes promises, or gasses about, and which will be quite too much beyond anything of the kind hitherto attempted by anyone, save Gnnter and the late lamented Delmonico. There is to be special tap of Kilmarnock, but the fire brigade officer will be requested to " move on." Dresses ! ah, you should have seen the gauzy fluttering little bundles of wonder, little cloudlets of fairyland, at Miss Doran's ! Let out on hire at at a price made up of mere guineas. While you are going to press, we shall be in the thick of the fight. May we be happy. — We are consumed just now by election business. How many of us will survive the dreadful battles, the deadly ambuscades.and the fever and ague of watching and anxiety, I do not know. The campaign may be said to have fairly begun, and the respective generals arc marshalling their forces in earnest. The first shot was fired at Te Awamutu by Fred 11, and though the engagement could not be called a victory, it was certainly not such a repulse as his best friends had expected. The ground was unfavourable for an attack, but it was clear that the defenders of the stronghold are not whole hearted m any direction ; find had the assault been pushed, many of the garrison would have joined the invader. They owe allegiance to no one, and certainly distrust the noble commander who has assumed the office of their leader ; they are a free people, and will fight on whatsoever side suiteth them, Ido not know to a certainty what the result of the election will be in (it would take a Philadelphia lawyer to calculate the chances to a nicety), but I imagine that a genuine Liberal would have a chance between the three (for MoMinn is out) to get in, only he must be a local man.