OUR WAIRARAPA LETTER.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4460, 6 July 1875, Page 2

OUR WAIRARAPA LETTER.

(from our own corbispondent.) Grjsytowx, July 3. The Local Board embroglio has advanced a step towards a settlement, in so far as it has arrived, at a riper state of confusion by the action of the recent meeting. That meeting--was purely an opposition meeting, or, at least, a distinctivelyantagonist Board was nominated. The largest party now is the middle party, and will, I think, insist upon being represented. It is not believed that the Superintendent will form the new Board of Commissioners from those nominated at the recent meeting. Certainly, though one or two of them would very probably be chosen at a regular election, all of them would not. Meanwhile, pedestrians have to wade through mud or roll over gravel somewhat desperately at night by the uncertain guide of a distant hotel lamp. Balls have been immensely fashionable of late. Last Tuesday the Foresters inaugurated the use of their new hall by s. public ball. The hall, though handsome outside, is handsomer inside, and is much admired. It is, I think, the best finished building of its kind in the"\ Wairarapa, though of course not the largest. lif wants some large side rooms to make it complete, however. The contractors were Messrs Bishop and Hawkins, and have done their work well, apparently. The ball, as was expected, was very numerously attended, and was verysuccessfulin this andamoaetary sense. The hall was not decorated, and—it may be a useful hint to ladies—black dresses appeared to greatest advantage. Perhaps if the hall had been turned into a vast green bower, white dresses, as they generally have done, would have showii to greatest advantage. White certainly " paled " before the black, though several were very elegant and pretty. One lady dressed in black velvet, trimmed- with brilliant colored ribbon—(oh for a milliner in my hour of need) —well trimmed ornaments, decorated, embellished somehow in faultless taste and with superb judgment, led the "dark" group, and drew upon her the encomiums of all present, from my experience at this ball, lam of opinion that cards of the programme are dangerous weapons in the handa of imprudent or unskilful ladies, and by the use made of them draw upon the users the deep censure of the last-come-last-served. Some programmes had their "engagement" lines filled up in a fe»**lj minutes. There being no rooms, supper was laid on tables temporarily put up in the hall. It was not well laid for the same reason, and because there was no time allowed. The ball given by the Odd Fellows took place at Mr. Shirley s large and well provided hotel. The company was much less in number than was anticipated. It was a most agreeable ball, everything being handy, and the matter under the able and most attentive management of Mr. and Mrs. Shirley. A rich supper was placed on the table in the best style. From dancing and feasting to road construction—how dismal! The Featherston Road Board met last Saturday. It heard objections—there were only four—and admitted only one. The road through Mr. Pharazyn's private property would have to be made over to the Superintendent. The balance at the bank was £333, and accounts were paid to the amount of £3OO, reducing bank balanco to about £3O. A meeting at Gladstone, a new township—. quite new—near Tu Puru Puru, decided to petition for separation. Since the Masterton Highway District was first defined, there hs.ve been two new divisions, and the old district ia thus divided into three. The Gladstone slice will make a fourth. The 4-lb. loaf has been raised to lOd. Butter, however, still remains at Is. Sd. At a sale this week Mr. Lucas, auctioneer, sold some cows at £6 12s. 6d., and some young stock at £3 per head. The Standard states that Mr. Maunsell, a gentleman much engaged to negotiate between Europeans and natives, has been for some time arranging for the purchase of Maori fishing interests at Wairarapa Lake, so that a channel can be cut to let out the waters at flood. The

water brought down by rivers raises at times the lake, so as to cover some thousands of acres of feeding ground. The arrangements have not reached a final point as yet. Mr. W. Abbott, jun., -who has taken contracts for road making from the Featherston Highway Board, had his thigh broken by a falf of earth in the Lower "Valley yesterday. There were six persons in attendance at the examination of teachers at the schoolhouse, Greytown, on Thursday and Friday last. The Rev. A. Knell was supervisor. The master thought proper to hang blankets on the drawhty side of the room, and even then complaints were made of the cold. The new schoolroom, however, is being finished off, and there is not much likelihood of any serious complaints again being made on the score of utter discomfort, such as has been experienced for a year or two by the scholars of the Greytown school. ' .