THE KARA.MEA.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XI, Issue 269, 11 December 1876, Page 4

THE KARA.MEA.

Saturday, the 25 th November, was observed as a general holiday at Karamea in celebration of the second anniversary of the special settlement. The inhabitants, to the number of 250, including 60 children, the latter marshalled by Mr Naylor the indefatigable schoolmaster, assembled ou the green opposite the Government store, which was gaily decorated with flowers, flags, and evergreens, and aa a protection to the sun two large awnings had been spread. The proceedings commenced with some songs capitally sung by the school children, after which Mr O'Conor briefly addressed those present, congratulating them on the progress the settlement had made, and expressing the hope that the show and exhibits which were to be seen that day would prove but a very small instalment of what would be seen there in future years. He concluded by pointing out the advantages of such gatherings as being calculated to promote good feeling and to cement friendship. Judges of the exhibits at the show were then elected, and after inspecting the various articles they gave their awards as follows:— For the best baked loaf of bread (20 exhibits), Mrs Simpson; best cake (10 exhibits), Mrs Henry; fresh butter (15 exhibits), Mrs Simpson; best basket of vegetables, Mr Hopley; best new potatoes, Mr Dolphin. After this there were a number of children's sports, followed by the distribution of school prizes. This was followed by sports for adults, including foot racing, jumping, throwing the heavy stone, &c, and concluding with a well contested and most exciting canoe race of two-mile heats, which was won by Dolphin, who came in first iu the second and third heats, the first being won by Matthews. Then came the event of the day — the baby show, for which there were no less than twenty entries, and the judges, including Mr O'Conor, had a most difficult and thankless task to perform in awarding the prizes, as each mother insisted in the strongest terms that her little duck was a swan of the first magnitude. The difficulty was partially got over by the judges asserting that four were worthy of prizes, while to the remainder they accorded honorable mention. A bar of soap and a bottle of castor oil were offered as a prize for the dirtiest baby, but to the honor of Karamean mothers be it said that there were no competitors. It is a fact worthy of mention that so popular was this department in the day's show, and so determined were several ladies to compete on the next occasion, that within three days time no less than four of them presented their husbands with pledges of affection, the proud and happy father in oue instance being compelled to bear with stoical fortitude the information cautiously conveyed to him that he was the parent of a bouncing pair of twins. During the day there were sports of every description in which all could take part ; there was plenty of tea and coffee, cakes, and bread and butter, &c, and it may be mentioned that a hogshead of beer which was ordered by a few of the settlers for the occasion was, at the request of the majority, left untapped. The weather was beautiful, and all concurred in stating that it was one of the pleasantest days iu their lives.