OHINEMURI. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 208, 25 June 1887, Page 2

OHINEMURI. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT. )

Paeroa, Friday. In commemoration of the Queen's Jubilee and to obtain funds to form the nucleus of a school library, Mr Sullivan, head teacher of the Paeroa school and his assistants, Misses Akers, Skudder, and Blakely, organised a concert which came off in the Public Hall on Tuesday last, when the weather was simply at its worst, but in spite of this there was a very good audience, and it is not too much to say that those present got full value for their

money. Mr C. F. Mitchell was called to the chair, and after a few remarks suitable to the occasion, called upon Mrs Cassrel s to open the concert with the overture, (piano) "La Sonarabnln," which that lady played in such a, mnrnYer as to evoke a, perfect round of applause. Following this camo tha "Vacation Song," which the school choir rendered in excellent style. Mias Dulrio Nicks recited a piece entitled the " Foolish Maiden" very nicely, and was heaitily applaudoil For her first attempt ; Master James Coote tendered some very good advice to bis compeers, by singing that well Known song, " Boys keep aivny from the girls," and in response to a pronounced encore, repeated the last few lines. Miss Sk adder rendered the song " Remember or Forget," very swei-ily, and was rewarded by a fair slmre of approbation. Mr Edwards wr.s quite at home in that comic song, the "Alu-ddle-Puddle Porter," wluVh create*? a considerable amount of laughter, and tin* pianoforte solo " La Flenr Da Soloro," was- splendidly executed by Miss J. F. Coote, who gives great promise of becoming a first class pianist, Miss Cock an established favourite with local audiences, sang the " Reign of the Roses," in her usual taking style and then followed the duet, "Gentle \Vord9" by Misses Coote and M. Robson ; Mrs Caasrells' tendered of the fine old song, " Will O' the Wisp," was received with well merited applause ; Master H. Nicholls recited the " Frenchman and the Flea Powder," with all the sang froid of an old stager, and a duet by the MisEes Rohson and Coote with a chorus by the school choir brought the first part of ihe entertainment to a close. The second part of the programme was opened by another excellent overture entitled "Martha," by Mrs Cftsrells, who is a highly accomplished pianist. Mr Edwards was again roundly applauded for his rendering of tha nautical song, " Sailing" ; and Miss Skudder though suffering from nervousness, acquitted herself very well, in the song called " Yesterday" ; Miss Cock scored another point with the song, " When you and I were young" ; and Miss Robbon?' singing of the old song '* You and I," was very much admired. Mrs Cassrels' favoured the audience with a pianofortesolo, entitled, the 4t Pilgrims Prayer" and Mr Edwards gave the recit-uion, " Eugene Aram," go feelingly that you could hear a pin drop in the Hull The chorus " Away we go,*' by <he school choir with sleigh bell accompaniment was well received ; Master Mahoney sang " Killarney," in S'lch good form that he was accor.lcd an emphatic encoie which -peaks for itself : and Mi^s Vughir p Lived " Waves of the Oc j au,'' which was the last item on the piogramme, very swcei'y, for wlrch she was accorded a fair meed of pi.iir-e. The singing God Save i\m Queen, by the company biouqln the concert to a close, iv.x I the hall was then cleared For dancing, which was ki'pt up till 2 a m. List Sunday morning (ho Ohinemwii river rose to ngrenthcight o\erfl<>vwng its iunks, and imuidaiing &ev<ia' pi aces m this township. The iloor of Mr iSnodgrass' stoic and duelling house, — winch is located near tlio liver bank, but fully twenty feet above the oidinnry river level — was covered with water to a depth of two feet 6 inches, and if it had not been for the timely help afforded by Messrs Shaw, .Brady, Lllis, Law, and others the loss on flour and sugar alone would have been a very liravy item ; as the case now stands the proprietor will be considerably out of pocket through damage done to some of the goods. The water was right up to the rails of Firth's store, and about £150 worth of goods stored therein were completely destroyed. Amongst the articles that came to grief here was a package comprising 54 volumes of the now book, entitled " Heroes and Defenders of New Zealand," which it appears had been shipped by mistake to. Paeroa ami were to be returned to Thames per n?xt tffp of the Kotulcu. Toe wash of the water inside the store broke open the case in which the books were packed and when the agent managed to gain access to to the building they were all littered about the floor and so thoroughly saturated with water as to be almost valueless. Everything portable on either bank of the river in this locality was washed away, timber, firewood, empty casks,, drays, boats large and small, canoes, sheep, and a few head of cattle might all have been seen floating down stream about 2 am. on the morning in question^, and the flood was the highest that has been experienced in the district for many yea«*s.

KARANGAHAKE. The heaviest fresh erer seen hore in the Ohinemuri liver occurred on Sunday morning last, and ns usual ia all such cases it, has left its mark the place. About one chain of the Woodstock water race was carried away, and the whole of the outbuildings belonging to Shepherds hotel went down stream. The Waitawheta river was also in flood and the Ivanhoe water race was damaged in several placos but the dam and water race at Railey's mill both escaped injury. There is nothing of moment to report from any of the different mines nor indeed is there likely to bo while the present inclement weather continues.

WAIHI The Uhinemnri river rose here to a height which surpasses all previous flood records, and at one time, when the water was at its highest, it was thought that the Martha battery and all its attendant paraphernalia was doomed to dcsIruction. In fact, if it had not heen for the care exercised by the manager and some of his employees^ the water

race and a considerable amount of timber belonging thereto would certainly have come to grief, as it was two leys supporting the water race in mid-strewn, were snapped off by the force of the current, but not before the malinger had secured both by making them fust to ropes prepared for. the pni;puse. A number of the wooden bridged on the : main road between here ami Tftiironga junction were carried away and travelling is now attended by a considerable amount of difficulty in consequence. Owing to the bad state of the roads tine work of carting quartz from tlie Union mine to Piteron lias been suspended and it is not likely t« be vesumed during the winter season. The Martha^ battery is running full time in the induction of quart/ from the company's mine, and ilvj Miow on the plates is equiyalei^fc to aa average return.

-owriAROA. When the Ohinenauri. river vras up or> Wun iay l.i»t flier whole of the road frdn» In* re to the lialtu crossing was under water, being fully 8 feet- deep in . (»hu:o8 ami several heavy landslips occurred, otherwise no oxUnaive djvmago; was dorm.

WAITE KAURI. Tim owly (Innnt^c done here as tho re* Stilt of ihf );ito h^nvy flood wr-s to the Waitek.nm water race, which vraa filled np with 'Jr'ft wood at the dam end where of the fluming wa3 algo considerably knocked abcufc, but fchis has be. 1 u rep.u-cd nnd the battery is again in full opernlion.