WAIPORI.

Tuapeka Times, Volume II, Issue 62, 17 April 1869, Page 5

W A I PO RI .

(Btoub owjt Penitt-a-Linee). 1 -iWere my opinion asked - regarding the road from Xawrence to "Waipori, I should reply, It is assuredly within the bounds of reasonable probability to find a better, and extremely difficult, to imagine a worse. I could submit, however, to the physical difficulties of the roao^,- formidable though they be, ;were it. .not -for the ever- vary ing climate of the higher portion of the country which it extends. I have started from Lawrence so frequently under the most pleasant auspicea of > fine weather, and so often has a wet skin been the reward of my misplaced' confidence, that at last I am reluctantly compelled to conclude that,- to ? auticipate. a pleasant trip to Waipori is hoping against hope — a delusion and a snare. ! The morning of the day. of my last journey thither was ushered into being with all the tokens and promises of a* merry existence. The sim burst forth with unusual splendour, and sipped the early dew from Nature's" pouting lips ; while the pleasant morning air had just sufficient" mptiQn.. to produce that gentle laughter;" which is so peculiarly Nature's own.- ■ On such a morning, then, I rode along the "Wetherstdnes road in ths direction . of. Waipori.' . Nothing transpired,, to tlie reverie into which I had fallen, until-I passed Mr. O'Neil's farm, when I overtook a •man' driving'^ mob of cattle. As that part of the road is narrow, with a high bank on one side and ,a ravine' on the other,- 1 Bad no alternative but to ride through the herd. I was proceeding to do so, when the man, in excessively unparliamentary arid unpoetical language, demanded to know what I was about, declaring that I should not drive his cattle into the gully, but should wait until we reached a wider part' of the road, when I could go round them. I explained, in milder terms, that I could not possibly lose so much time- as would be involved in complying- with his demand ; that it was consistent only with the mental aberations of a lunatic, and rode on, but not in peace." " .Seeing, that I did not' collapse -at'hisangiy words and threatening looks, he expressed aii uncharitabie 'wish that I would descend to certain unexplored regions* the climate,, of vsrhtch is said to be some.thing -more than tropical 1 need .scarcely- add'- that I refused to obey his mandate^ preferring, the milder temperature 'df New Zealand. It afterwards struck me that this man Vacs' not pursuing the avocation for which, by .nature, he was so peculiarly adapted. He would make a sublime stage villain; Ms whole appearance was in excellent keeping with the character; and the glare of his eye was superbly melodramatic* After leaving my friend the drover, and the other animals r with horns, I pushed on and soon^ reached Mr. O'teary's farm. Turning to the left and leaving the main track, I ascended the nearest spui- — designated the "near cut" — which leads to the well-known "old chimney," where it rejoins the broader but more circuitous track. 'Arrived at tile chimney, I turned in the saddle to look at my old acquaintances, the Blue Mountains. Imagine my chagrine on discovering that, instead of being gartjed in all the grandeur of their primdgenial tints, they were enshrouded in. vapour — an omen of foul weather-p- while the wind blew in fitful gusts. ''I felt I was doomed to a gra- ! tuitous shower-bath. Nor was I mistaken ; down came the sleet, borne swiftly onward oh the wings of the ! wind, and thickening so rapidly that in a few moments I was entombed in a sepulchre of fog. Large detached masses of mist floated past in silent quick succession,, like a legion of restless spirits', assuming most goblin-like shapes,' and chilling me with their icy touch, while the very time-worn tussock I wept tears of— anything but brandy. 'Tins state of.. things continued until I ! arrived within a.short distance of Mr. | Dickson'-s Diggers' Rest Hotel, which ! loomed tbrdugh the misty air like an lorfsiiii ifi a 'wilderness of gloom. Arjrived'afMr/JDicyon's, I was intro■duced^tjo, ari article, .the, material of ;\jrhieh' .wasjglas's, .and the» contents hereof appealed directly to the heart 'of ..yours truly*-- Mr.-Dickson- has reicently made; extensive alterations and jadditi^s.to^his premises, which, for ;a£comtaodaftbn and comfort, could, jhardly be surpassed. " Combined with jhis busineSs M K6telkeeping are those ]ojps Btdrekeepkig, butchery, and stock iraising ; and judging .from appearjances, IJshouW/ imagine, he.. has_ no

.|cavis9.^fo, complain of want of patronage; 1 I otoserw ne is engaged in fencing" H« a la^g9jpiect>r ofnlanjl, adjoining his i premises j and We may ere long ex-pec^rtdftSe^sa.-'blusidng field of . com Relieving the monotony of the prospect^. &feo&t^fcjeerlailes'- furtfher on fies the town of Waipori^^itruated s at I jfte^tet^of the* LammeTiaVs'. '- J l)e- ! ifeom.'?th i e i vhfllß,' ; atfdj passing ft£r, Cartior-'s^and-tteverabiious;^ iff tk3Sfif>u*bs 6i rr J r €hfe '46wn] '• Ye arriYe'-'at ] Vfessrs. . CjottonCincbßEfenTy-tf "Waiporr' $9tes, fliear jtp if&iclris Mr., Lewis' i itew£ fe&Kr^esep <|b^'9;o\ f tKe 'very : ie'fflnA l s^bVt^fal^Got r i3nd&e, which i pj^|jfe 4yej^. J -^re§r i spr.diQg- above 1 tbje-.heai# of the Ihnvingtownof Waipori, the erite'r- ] >#feing*fflft»^tan«sr bf r v ' seem ]fe> fabn 'fea a name in the pages of the future history of Otago. To enume_r,ate a tithe of ,the business and other

portions of the community, and to dilate upon their prospects and advantages, would be a work of too great a magnitude to attempt in the present letter; so, until a future occasion, I must limit my observations to a cursory glance at tlie principal buildings and business places. Messrs. Cable and Drummond's large wholesale and retail store is situated in about the centre of the main thoroughfare. The building is of modern architecture, and is eminently adapted for the transaction of a large business. Messrs. Cable and Co. are also owners of the run through which the road from Lawrence extends. On the opposite side of the street is tlie store of Messrs. H. and J. M'Cay, storekeepers, &C-— a commodious and substantial building, quite capable of resisting thejfury df the elements, to whose anger "Waipori is frequently subjected. On the same side of the street, and nearer to the bridge, is the agency of the Bank of New South Wales — Mr. Beresford Cairnssj agent. The resident medical gentleman is Dr. M'liaueLlan. The hotels are — Mr. M'Ledowney's Bridge Hotel; Mr. Johnston's Commercial; Mr; Vial's Provincial; Mr. "Wylie's Imperial; Messrs. Ford and Philip's Prince of Wales; and Mr. G-ormley's Hotel: The butchery establishments are — Messrs. "Wright a^d Co., near the bridge ; and Mr". Butler's, at the other end of the township: Messrs. Cox Brothers, linen drapers, occupy a position next Messrs. Wright; and further up the street, on . the opposite side, is the millinery establishment of Mr. Lees. There are two bootmakers, who occupy frontages in the main street. Mr. Farrant, who is an old resident on Waiporiy and widely and favourably known; and Mr. Lockie, who^ also appears to be liberally patronised. The other trades are also fairly represented. The Oddfellows' Hall, a large aud elegant building, is situated at the rear of the Commercial Hotel. In this are held the various public meetings, entertainments, &c, and it is used for tlie transaction of the business connected with the Order of Oddfellows aud Foresters. Passing through the township, we observe the Camp, on an cmiueuce to the left, which is under the control of Mr. Constable Dunne, whose indefatigable exertions in the prosecution of the duties of his office are well known aud appreciated. Further along the road is the school, iv charge of Mr. Baker, which, I understand, is well attended by the little cherubs — for 'the blooming health of whom, by-the-bye, Waipori is < becoming celebrated.