NGAPARA.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1172, 19 January 1880, Page 2

NGAPARA.

(from our own correspondent.) I noticed in your issue of Friday last that a resident had kindly forwarded you a report of the school children's picnio that took place on the preceding day, t>ufc entirely omitted the daqqe that was given in the evening, whigh was, I believe, the best that has ever been given hese, one of_ our oldest and much-esteemed residents coming out in a style that far surpassed even our most ardent followers of the Terpsichorean art, to the evident astonishment and delight of everyone present, _ By-the-bye, we came very near losing our dancing room altogether by fire on Friday evening, Jt appears that Mr, Campbell had kindly given permission to some swaggers to make up a shake-down for themselves in there for the night, and in return for his kindness, it seems they went to sleep in a semi-intoxicated state, leaving a candle burning. One of the regular occupants was aroused about 11 o'clock by the cry of " fire !" and jumping up, found the place so full of smoke that it was with difficulty the door could be found. But, having aroused Mr. Campbell, they with a few buckets of water managed to extinguish what might have been a most serious conflagration. There was no damage done beyond the burning of a few sacks of straw that had been used for shakedowns, and the charring' of