WAIPAWA.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3069, 28 April 1881, Page 3

WAIPAWA.

(FROM OUE OWN CORRESPONDENT.) . April 27, 1881. The local Rechabite Tent celebrated its anniversary on Tuesday evening last by a soiree, public meeting, and dance. As a whole the affair was a success, but taking it in detail I think there was some room left for adverse criticism. At least one of the addresses might have been curtailed with advantage, and the addition of a little decorative art would have been a r decided improvement in tbe appearance of the room. .The latter feature was conspicuously absent, However, a really good tea, with really good ''trimmings," compensated to a considerable extent for minor defects, and I cannot but congratulate the,committee and secretary upon the energy and tact displayed by them in thek, .endeavors' to conduce to the comfort and amusement of all present. Shortly after 7 b'clock, Mr R. Harding was vots<L to ; the chair, aud opened the proceedings of the public meeting by a __■ few suitable remarks. This was followed by a song by Mr Shanly, " The Arab Steed," which he rendered in excellent style. .■ Miss Boyle then gave '' Killarney" .in a manner which elicited a raptujfpus iikcbre. An address by Mr William Price, of life assurance fame, came next. ! This speaker, after covering the usual ground adopted by orthodox temperance orators, went into statistics and (igure9, by.which he attempted to demonstrate the deaiH-rate, and rarity of sickness, ihja Redhabite Tent at Coloe, England, as compared with a Wesleyan Friendly Society, composed of what Mr Price r termed " moderate drinkers," situated in the same town. Rather rough on the Wesleyans, if Mr Price's figures are strictly accurate. But then we must remember that not one word was said touching the relative membership of the two branches chosen for illustration. A reference to. that fact would, in all probability, have proved suicidal to the speaker's argument, so perhaps it was wisdom on bis part to keep dark. It must, at the same time, be admitted that there was a large percentage of solid truth in what he said ca many points, and every rational man will readily agree with Mr Price that drunkenness is ''a great curse." After this address, MfSj: Strudwick rendered "The Blue " in a very pleasing aiyte{*tftyexsfsg-' well-merited applause. "Mrs Bfittdob"ia*rti Miss English also gave a song e9cb, both of which were duly appre,ciaieft.*r Addresses suitable to the j occasion were delivered by Mr Troy *\ (from' Napier), and tbe Rev. J. 0. Eccies, after)which came acomicduet (in (character) by.r Mr Fraser and Mrs Robinson, and the public meeting terminated. The floor was then " swept and garnished " for dancing, and exercise waß kept up till about 4 a.m. on Wednesday. Business is very dull about Waipawa. The only man who really seems to be forging ahead now is our enterprising (ahem !) watchmaker, Mr Chicken, and i* that gentleman finds, even in the face ot depressed trade, that he can rush into extravagant expenditure to the extent of supplying Waipawa with a big public clock.

So the Herald's Waipawa corespondent bas actually discovered that there is room for improvement in St. Peter's church choir. Wonderful! Extraordinary 1 I wonder whether the appearance of our art critic himself among the singists of St. Peter's on _ Easter Sunday Md anything to do with it. I expect so, although he puts it down primarily to Mrs Flood's performance on the harmonium. Very bad taste, I think, to refect (for it is tantamount to a reflection) on the lady who so kindly presides at the instrument week after week, and who may be fairly said to be the mainstay of the choir. The County Ploughing Match Association, is already begininat to show signs of life tbls season, and I expect soon to

be in a position to report the date of its coming meeting. Great things are expected of the Association this year, there is reason to believe that the most sanguine expectations will be realised.