TAPANUI.

Tuapeka Times, Volume VI, Issue 293, 11 September 1873, Page 6

TAPANUI.

(From our oxau Correspondent.) Tt is not much satisfaction to a perpon holding on to a feuce or horse-post (we have no " white elephants "' yet, pv they would answer the purpose admirably), and coughing until one <an hardly stand, to be told by any sympathising individual who may happen to witness the performance that "That's it; yes, that's it, there's no doubt about it." This is a peculiar pympathy, you must admit : but it is all you will got for whooping cough. I am happy to say, and I speak feelingly, that whooping cough has almost disappeared from the district ; it only requires a week or two of weather such as we have' been enjoying lately to completely stamp it out. One death regulted from it, or was\accelerated by it, that of a child of Mr. A. Allan's, aged about — months. Another death occurred last week, under very sad circumstances — a child of Constable Youngson's, from the effects of eating wax matches. Much sympathy is felt for the parents. The contractors for the erection of the Presbyterian Church are making good progress, and the buiMine; promises to be, if not an ornritneut to the town, aa you prpdirt. at least a very conspicuous and imposing edifice, from its size and elevated position completely putting our town hall — which was considered rather a ueat thing in the line of architecture in the old times — in the shade. The timber for Messrs. M'Kellar and M'Gregor's store is on the: ground, and I believe the building is to be finished and opened by the end of ntext month ; so the good people of Tapanui will soon have an opportunity of reaping the benefits of a little healthy opposition in that line also— a luxury hitherto unknown. Mr. P. M'Gill is about to supply a want long experienced — a flour mill, which cannot fail to be a good investment, as the land in this district grows splendid wheat, and there is also a lartre consumption. When we get a bank and a telegraph office, people will begin to realise that we are within the pale of civilisation — a position denied us at present, judging from the opinions one hea^s expressed when travelling. It is true we are not yet imbued with the true spirit of progress — -though we have a Progress Committee — or we should have bounced or r-ajoled the Government into making pur roads passable for winter traffic. As it is, with an unlimited demand for timber, orders cannot be supplied if not done in the middle of summer. This is not as it should be, for it keeps a lot of people idle who might be niakiug good wages, besides the losses that miners and others up country suffer sometimes through having to wait for timber. I believe the Progress Committee have -been straining every nerve to get a telegraph line to Tapanui, and find plenty of other matters to keep their talents from TURtmg. The school, under Mr. Souths charge, seems to have got into working order againj and the attendance is rapidly approaching its old number, and is expected to increase to such an extent that the committee are contemplating extensivo additions and ' improvements to the school buildings. If the population increase as quickly in all parts of New Zealand aa it does in Tapanui, the failure or success of the immigration scheme would not be a matter of such serious consideration. Births are so numerous that I think a baby show would be a success. I hear that the members of the Oddfellows' Lodge, M.TJ.1.0.0.y., purpose celebrating their fourth anniversary by a soiree and ball, and from the success that has attended their other sprees, a Capital night's enjoyment may be anticipated.