WAITAHUNA.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XIX, Issue 27, 3 April 1891, Page 15

WAITAHUNA.

(From an occasional Correspondent.)

St. Patrick's Day, 1891, should be a red letter day in the annals of our Lawrence neighbours. In addition to the usual sports there was the foundation stone of the new church to be laid, a description of w'.wch bas already appeared in your columns. Tbe presence of tbe Bishop alone is always buHiuient to attract large numbers, but when in addition to this, the presence of so many visitors coming specially from your city to witness the ceremonies, and last, but not least, the expected arrival of tbe altar boys' choir, of whose musical culture so much has been said, lent an attraction, that, notwithstanding tbe busy time, drew people from all Bides. The procession, needless to say, waß a very imposing one. The collection amounted to the handsome sum of £350. The Very Rev. Father O'Leary contributed the generous amount of £150 (in addition to which the Wai tahuna people have to thank him for tbe large amount of £10 he contributed to the improvements to the church at Waitahuna so recently completed). The Bishop also very generously contributed, as indeed did all the clergy and people present. The day was a most lovely one, and everything seemed to combine to render the proceedings an unqualified success. Too much praise cannot be awarded Mr. Byrne for his untiring exertions, nor to the Committee who so ably assisted him. The sport 3 held in the afternoon were much enjoyed, but the expectations formed of the concert to be held in the evening were of the highest, warranted by the names of the performers. Therefore it was no surprise to find the hall filled to tbe doors, nor, as item after item was rendered, the expressions of pleasure heard on every side. High as were the expectations formed thpy were fairly surpassed by the result. At the close of the concert Mr. Byrne gracefully acknowledged tbe compliment they were under to the ladies and gentlemen who bad so kindly given their services, and thanked the audience for their patronage, after which the hall was cleared for the usual dance.

Much sympathy is felt for Mr and Mis Dath, who have lost their eldest boy, a child of seven years, who died after a brief illness from an affection of the throat ; another boy of the same age dying almost in the panne way some years ago. The little fellow attended regularly on the weekly afternoon devoted to the religious instruction of the children by Father O'Leary, who was unremitting in his attendance on the child during his illness.

Last evening some insane individual amused himself by firing promiscuously over the township jast about dusk. The bullets came whistling ominously in the neighbourhood of the railway station, causing those who were in the vicinity ti tike flight. Those who doubted their speed wisely took refuge on mother earth. One bullet struck the tank at tbe station, in close vicinity to the house occupied by Mr Barrett, railway surfaceman ; while another lodged in the house itself, splitting a weatherboard in the room where the family were at tea. Yet another fell at the feet of two little boys sitting outside. The policeman, Mr West, has been communicated with, and tie sooner the offender is brought to book the better for the peace oE the community. There should be no trouble in rinding out tbe perpetrator, as the shots were neither few nor far between, and had the bullet penetrated Mr Barrett's house instead of splitting the woodwork, something approaching a tragedy would surely have occurred.

The weather is very wet and cold, and harvesting operations have been arrested at th^ most critical time. Carting in had only just begun, and should the weather continue bad much longer, the damage done can be easily conjectured.