TAPANUI.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 122, 9 June 1870, Page 6

TAPANUI.

It is so long since anything appeared in your columns from this district that I am afraid the representative of the Tuapeka Times, in the person of your own correspondent, must have retired into private life ; or, to hazard another opinion, finds it more congenial to his tastes to minister to the corporeal requirements of the community than by furnishing material for mental digestion. Be that as it may, it is certainly humiliating in the extreme to know that Tapanui is unrepresented in the columns of any journal, Avhile districts of infinitely less importance and extent have their weekly budget of local items duly chronicled. Such a state of things is injudicious for the district itself — nay more, it is palpably hurtful ; inasmuch as its wants are not made known, its grievances become chronic, and its prosperity assumes a stationary attitude. The want of a local correspondent also renders a newspaper extremely uninteresting to outlying districts. I could scarcely have believed this possible to any great extent until I missed the Tapanui letters, insignificant as they may have appeared to many. That there is sufficient material to work upon in this locality, I am perfectly satisfied, and in the absence of any other interfering, spontaneously I have undertaken the duties of a correspondent. But remember, I have no desire to be styled your "Own." In fact, it is only on condition of being allowed to retain the soubriquet I have attached to this communication that they will be continued in future.

And now, by way of preface, I may say that although we form but a small community quantitatively, yet my vanity urges me to state that qualitatively we assume a considerably greater importance. At the same time lam quite willing to admit that this latter peculiarity may, to a certain extent, exist only in our own imaginations. But since the beginning of time, people of the most saintly reputation have been in the habit of flatering themselves occasionally, and have experienced a harmless pleasure from so doing ; and after all, I dare say it is a weakness of human nature to overrate ones own importance, — a weakness from which we have not been exempted, and the indulgence in which is perhaps pardonable. In most townships, or wherever there is a number of the human species settled together, generally speaking, there is always some celebrity notorious for some odd peculiarity or eccentricity of character. As a community we have none. Although differing widely in habits and nationality we are pretty evenly balanced in temperament. The life of one day is very much the same as another. From the first of January to the thirty-first of December very seldom anything stirring or unusual occurs to change the monotony of our semi-somnolent condition. Therefore, to spend one day in our midst would give you the keynote of our life for the whole year. It does not follow from what I have said that we are either remarkably dull or strikingly inanimate — some people, and their name is legion — rather prefer this uniform kind of existence, although it is decidedly slow and flat to others. The most deplorable feature in connection with Tapanui is that each one is so much built up in himself, and quite content to continue so, scarcely an effort is made to get up any recreation or social gathering. True, we have had two or three very successful sixpenny readings, the credit of which is due to our worthy dominie, but this is about the sum total of our amusements, and even these have been discontinued for the want of co-operation. This is much to be regretted, as gatherings of this nature, and a prudent amount of social intercourse have a tendency to produce a healthy tone of mental growth. It almost makes me envious to read of the sources of amusements which are provided for other places, while no effort is made to secure anything of the kind for Tapanui. Now that the long nights of winter have set in in right earnest, I should very much like to see some energetic steps taken to inaugurate a series of entertainments, so that we might pass our evenings for the next two months with some degree of profit, combined with a seasonable intermixture of pleasure. If even a dancing class could be formed — which is an excellent accomplishment greatly required — much innocent amusement might be afforded for a number of weeks. A singing class, a course of lectures, or anything of that kind would prove the means of spending the long evenings pleasantly and profitably ; and whoever has nerve and perseverance sufficient to get them up, would assuredly be entitled to the thanks of the community. I have no doubt that one or two on reading this will be ready to exclaim that that at present predominating apparition, impecuniosity, sheds a retarding influence on the successful working up of any of the beforementioned schemes ; still, the cost would be so very trifling, compared with the benefits to be derived, that I think something ought to be done at once. Before concluding, I append one or two items of. recent occurrence. The man, William Black, who met with a severe fracture of the leg, is now, 1 am happy to say, in a fair way of recovery. A.t one time the poor fellow suffered intense pain, and it was thought amputation might have to be resorted to. But with praiseworthy attention at the hands of Dr. M'Lauchlan, this painful operation has been avoided. Every one vies with another in proving to the sufferer the largeness of their hearts, and in a variety of ways display real tangible sympathy. When it became known that the unfortunate man, who has a wife and three children depending upon him for support, would be unable for several months to resume his usual occupation, a subscription sheet was taken round, and, to the credit of the place be it spoken, in a few hours a very handsome sum was collected. I am perfectly aware that charitable deeds ought not to be too much noised about ; at the same time I only mention this one injustice to the district. And, by the way, speaking about justice reminds me that that commodity, as dispensed by Warden Wood, 'is now lavishly administered in the bar-parlour of Noble's hotel. A most protracted sitting took place there last week. I must say it is bordering on the unseemly to hear two sentences like the following uttered within thirty seconds of each other : — Warden : "You are fined forty shillings, or three days' imprison-

ment." Man at the bar (in an excited tone) : " Three brandies and a sherry and bitters !w! w Of course, if there was no remedy this would be submitted to, and nothing said about it ; but there is a good hall at the disposal of the Government, at a nominal rent — in fact the Warden took a lease of it sometime ago, at £10 per annum ; but fourteen months having elapsed without any payments being made, the Hall Committee thought the miserable penuriousness of the Government, or the unaccountable dilatorines3 of the Warden in securing it ought to be exposed. Consequently, they shut the hall door last Court day, and refused to give the key to the constable. This independent step of the Committee is much admired. The Court fees last day alone amounted to nearly £20. A frequent visitor to Tapanni, who considers himself an oracle, aud who has rendered himself conspicuous for the number of his bets, offered to lay odds that the Hall Committee would be compelled to give the use of the hall, and forfeit arrears. I think i his odds might have been taken with safety, as the building is private property. The Queen's Birthday passed off very quietly, as usual. One solitary individual imbued with a greater amount of loyalty than his neighbours, gave vent to it about midday in half an hours's shooting with an old rusty rifle. He was much disgusted because he elicited no response from anyone. In the course of the afternoon our local lodge of Oddfellows made their debut to the public gaze in a short procession. They were evidently ' ' done up " for the occasion, being gaily attired in the beautiful regalia of the order. In the evening a most successful ball took place, none being admitted but the Brotherhood and the members of their families. Dancing was kept up with great spirit until nearly six o'clock in the morning. The utmost harmony prevailed during the whole time, and the happy company broke up by singing the National Anthem. Hitherto Tapanui has obtained an unenviable notoriety in the conducting of its balls ; but this one proves a brilliant exception. The refreshments, which were ample and of the best quality, were provided by Bro. Kilgour. Pro Grege.