PIRONGIA.

Waikato Argus, Volume II, Issue 98, 23 February 1897, Page 3

PIRONGIA.

School Picnic. The Kopua annual school children's picnic toon place on Friday last, in the school and mUsi n grounds. Mr Young's an I the Kopua residents' invitation was a genera' i.ue, and of course largely tiviilo I of li -th by natives and Europeans from the districts around. There we o soim t«o bundled present, who were all most heartily and cordially welcomed, and their slightest wish anticipated. Mrs Young, ass-tut by her four daughters, Mr- an i Miss Onnsby, and other young ladies had a busy time indeed, waiting on their numerous cuests, and appeared to thorougiy enjoy themscl.es in so doing. The food prepared was somewhat astonishing, both in quality and quantity ; evidently the cmiinittee hail been as s.ngnino as the Ng.ruawahii folks ore in estimating their vi.-itms to the Kegatta, viz., that some .'?()()() will be present. Such a lot of goo 1 things were provided that the difficulty was what, to choose ; at least this was the troub'e of the numerous and happy youngsters. Talk of the native nice dying out, eh ! Not a bit of it, at least it is not so in the Kopua district ; young children by the scores were present enjoying themselves, with an energy that is quite unknown among&t our own folks. Mr William Scarancke, as general conductor, juilue, etc., of the sports, was quite as much at home as on the various racecourses, ot which he is the Secretary. No sooner was one race o*er for boys, than airfither was ready to start for the girl*, without intermission the whole afternoon. The prizes being useful small articles, knives, drawing materials, etc., for the boys ; handkerchiefs, <tc, for the girls. Mr Keri Katipa, as hand.capper, was equal to the occasion, in sizina and placing the youngsters, not an eisy thing to do, with in'crested manias, cousms, and their auuts jealously watching that their little ones had fair play. Mr Aitliur Orni'sby and others of the committee were also busy the whole time in waiting on and amusing the children. Another of the commute:-, Mr Wm. Hughes, was engaged in superintending the cooking of some hundreds of eels i i the native style, by having some caitloads of firewood in full blaze. The eels, tied to sticks, wrapped in flax, stuck in the ground surrounding the tire, were roasted. As the fire required constant attention his was a warm job indeed. A'l passed riff happily, dinner was served out under the shade of the acasias, and t<a followed in the evening. Three of the native clergy were present, the Revs. Horei Wareua, Nikora, and S. King, who had a short service before breaking up, in which all joined. This concluded one of the most enjoyable picuics 1 have attended for years. CoKDOLKSCE.—Deep sympathy is felt in the Upper Waipa district with Mr Archibald Ferguson, at the late bereavement he and h s young children have sustained in the painful death of Mrs Fergusson, which was quite unexpected here. Mr Ferguson is well-known and respected os m old settler, and kceu regret is felt at his sad Joss. ATTACKED »y Hawks.—An extraordinary incident occurred at Hauturu a few days since. A native woman, named liirikino, was engaged at the edge of a swamp preparing flax, and while so engaged was suddenly attacked by three large hawks in a most ferocious and determined manner. She fought them for some time, h?r arms, face and neck being much lacerated. Two other natives, heating her cries, at last went to her assistance. She had succeeded in killing two of the birds, and the other, on the arrival of the two natives, flew away. This story for me had a stiong Munchausen flavour, and I had no intention of giving it publicity in The Waikato Akgus, as my informant requested, but I have made full inquiry aud the event, bus been fitly autntnticitcd by other Hauturu natives present.

Road RBFATRS. Our Government have remembered this out-of-the-way coiner nt "last. We are getting the Pirongia Te Rau-a*Mr.a road repaired from Whatiwhatthoe to that settlement. Seven men are engager! on the work, under the direction of the District Engioee" (Mr Hurstlmuse). A sum of £7O has also heeu granted for the erection of a wiic suspension bridge at Kopua. For all of which we are grateful. "Bert" CastCeton.—The sudden death of young Casileton, of Hamilton, must have been a great shock to his parents. That others, to whom he was a comparative stranger, all spoke well of him may, perhaps, be tome little comfort in their aflliction. In a letter I received from a well-known gentleman, a resident at hllerslie, he writes :—" Young Castleton.'s (the jooKey) death caused much gloom here, as he was a good boy, ' with enough of bad surroundings to make his Haht shine all the brighter.' There was a deal of talk about him at the burial and a large attendance., ATHLETIC Cluij.—The annual meeting of the Waipa Amateur Athletic Club was held at the Alexandra Hotel on •Saturday evening last, at 8 o'clock. There was * good attendance of members, the lute President, Mr F. W. Lang, M.H.R., in the chair. TheSeotreary, Mr Isaac Hodgson, junr., read the balancesheet, which showed receipts, £47 10s 3d; expenditure, £3O 17s (id; leaving a balance of i'l6 13s 2d to the credit of the Clnb. Mr C. Bowden proposed that the balance-sheet be passed. Seconded by Mr Chappell, and carried unanimously. Mr Charles Bowden proposed that the President, Mr F. W. Lang, be re-elected. Seconded by Mr G. Kerry, and ca-1 icd with, acclamation. Mr Lang thanked the members of the club for the honour they had douc him. and assured them he would always do h's utmost to forward the interests of the club. Mr P. Bowden proposed that Messrs W. S. Rutherford, I. Hodgson, .sent-., G. Edgecumbe, J. H. Sooit, F. C. Germauu, Rev. W. B. Wilson, Robt. Hall, and W. Grant be elected as Vice-President?. Seconded by Mr S. Roid, and carrieil item eon. Mr (J. Bowden proposed that Mr Isaac Hodgson, junr., be re-elected secretary. Seconded by Mr J. Kyburn and carried unanimously, with acclamation. The following names were then submitted lo the meeting and passed as tho committee for the ensuing ytiar : Messrs VV, H. James, C. Bowden. 11. Ryder, G. Miles, S. C. Mackey, E. H. Aubin, S. Keid, F. Bowden, J. J. Ryburn, C. 11. Reynold*, G. Berry, W. G. Mackey, J. Hodgson and R. Kay. Mr G. Horry proposed that the thanks of the meeting be given t> Mr Kobert Hall for the use and winking of his roller and other benefits 1 e had conferred on tho club. Seconded by Mr C. Bowden and carried witli acclamation. Mr C. Bowden proposed that Mr Ernest Wickham be appointed auditor and that a vote of thanks be accorded for his past services. Seconded by Mr Miles', and carried with acclamation. Proposed by Mr S. Keid, seconded by F. Boivden, that the necessary tracks be fenced in with four barbed wires and laid down in glass.—Canied. Piopised by Mr J. Ryburn that Messrs Grant, Berry, W. G. Mackey, Miles, Kay and I. Hodgson be elected as a ground committee for carrying out the work. Seconded by Mr Chappell and carried, MrPiince, the lessee of tho public reserve, was then called in and acquainted with the club's decision, with which he acquiesced. Mr Prince was also elected a member of the club and one of tho committee. A vote of lhar.k3to the President for presiding concluded the general meeting, A committee meeting was held subsequent'y.

A Shin ok the Timhs.—Judging from the fact that several weddings are very shorclv expected to eventuate here, there is every reason to hope that better times arc in store. Our young pe pic, at any rate, have evidently filth in this future prospects of Kihikihi. Tu f Abgit-. Many of your subsoribi rs in this district have made mention of the la*c arrival for the last week or two of the newspaper " boy." Allowing for the lather unfa-, nuribl ■ weather and roads, and the excessive I cat on some days, which render traveling on horseback som-what slow, the time of nrriv.il lure has been very much later; and on one occasion, of the Tlmr-day half holiday, Tin: Annus was eagerly looked out for, but was no-, to hand until alter the stores had closed.

Farming, ktc—The splendid growing weather of lite has qu t-. Iransf rinc I the look of the farms in this district. Most of the turnip crops hate got a capital start and grass is plentiful everywhere, liven tho potato crops, which were a mouth or so ago looked upon as a hopeless faihue, have received great benefit. School Committee.—A special meeting of the Kihikihi School Committee was held on Friday night last, for the purpose of rccordiui! their vote re the coming election of three new members of the Auckland Education Board. There was a good attendance, only one member of the committee being absent. It was unanimously decided to vote for Messrs Bagnall, Rcid and Hobbs, and a strong expression of opinion was made in favour of " new blood" on the Board by most of those present. Reference was also made to the f.icb that some school re quisites which have been lepeatedly applied for during the last ten or twelve months and which were supposed to have been granted many months ago, have not yet been received. The chairman (Mr A. Armstrong), who is leaving very shortly to take up his new duties at I'acroa, tendeicd his resignation as chairman and secretary, and a vote of thanks tcr the manner in which Mr Armstrong had worked with the Committee and his assiduous attention to the dut cs of tho position was unanimously accorded to him. Mr Tristram was elected to the chair for the short remainder of this committee's term, and Mr Ogle as secretary and treasurer. — (Own Correspondent).