WAIPAWA.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3763, 7 August 1883, Page 2

WAIPAWA.

[feojt our own coeeespondent.J August 6, 1883. Our now library building is completed at last, and will be opened with some eclat tomorrow (Tuesday) afternoon. Thebuildhig is certainly a creditable addition to the town, and has been erected at a cost of £300. I learn that the leading- people id the district have been invited to attend at the opening, so probably we shall hear a few speeches, and perhaps collect at tho same time a few pounds to swell the funds. A concert in **• honor of the opening , will take place in tho" , * Oddfellows' Hall in the evening. A very attractive programme has been drawn up, and most of those who intend to take part are new to a Waipawa audience. I anticipate a crowded house. The Amateur Dramatic Club will be represented on this occasion, three of its members making their first appearance before a Waipawa public in the well-known farce of " Box and Cox."

Some considerable excitement was caused here on Friday morniug between 10 and 11 o'clock. At that time about a dozen horsemen were seen galloping- across the riverbed towards the town, and they did not draw in until they entered the Empire Hotel yard. On enquiring I found that the causo of the commotion was a trotting match against time, Mr Denis Ryan having backed himself to trot Mr R. Scott's niaro Polly from the Tavistock Hotel, Waipnkurau, to the Empire Hotel, Waipawa, in loss than 22 minutes, the distance being about four miles and a' half. Old Father Time was, however, well beaten, as the distance was covered in 1G minutes. There was only one incident happened worth chronicling in the race. On arrival at the Waipawa river the wrong ford was takeu, and before the "jock" could say "knife" (that wasn't the word he used, though) the horse got beyond his depth, and treated the rider to an involuntary bath, which latter, however, did not cool his ardor. The steed quickly floundered out, and continued tho journey, at the end of which his rider indulged in anothor wet, this time internally, and with much more relish.

Writing of horses reminds me that Professor Lichtwark visited us last week, and first delivered a lecture on the management of horses, and next day instructed a class on his method of taming them. I learn from one of the pupils that it took the professor over four hours to subdue tho first horse he manipulated, but completely subdued a second one in about an hour and a half. During the taming I had a peep through the key hole of tho Repository gate just to see if I could pick up a wrinkle, but all I saw was the professor tickling the horse with a long pole, evidently to make him kick. Perhaps it was only done to drive mo away from the gate, as the horse i certainly gave the gate a tremendous kick while I was peeping, which quickly caused me to "make tracks." Other inquisitive outsiders were not so easily driven away, and repeatedly came the cry from the inside, "Getaway from that sanguinaiy gate." One outsider pertinently wanted to know " How much more the class wanted, and couldn't one side of the gate satisfy them." Most of the pupils, I learn, consider they got their guinea's worth of instruction. One often hears the inquiry, "What has become of tho Road Board ?'' lam almost tempted to ask the same question myself. After the late rains tho roads are all in a dreadful state, but nothing is done to put them in passable order. Some time ago a rate of f d in the £ was struck, but as yet I have had no demand made for my nor have I hoard that anyone else has. Occasionally I have business in Waipawa Bush, and a day or so ago attempted to get down one of the roads there. Tho feat was impossible, the mud being so soft and deep that a mosquito would bog, and a giraffe be in danger of drowning, if cither ajfcfcoinptcd tour down the road. Owiiftf to changes in the boundaries of the PataugatarWaipawa districts it is likely that the present hoard will shortly b,o dissolved, and afresh election take place. 'If so fortunate an event happens perhaps a Board will bo elected that will promptly collect the rates, and attend to the roads, especially those in the Bush. It is to be hoped so. The contractor for the footways on the railway bridge is pushing on with his work, and will complete it in about threo weeks.