FEATHERSTON.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 3, Issue 711, 8 March 1881, Page 2

FEATHERSTON.

JFROM AN OOOAStONAL;;CQSRE3P6IfDENrI .•'.': MarchTth, 1881. • Matters political have latterly, assumed unwonted tranguility iu : Feathereton. Whether people have; at last acquired unlimited confidence in their local :ing bodies,! or are 'concentracting their energies for; the important struggle that: ;*iU take place after the close- of tlie next session, I know, not, but there lis every prospect of Fuatheratpn b/eooming a powerful rival to Nelson, in respect to its somnolent characteristic. ". ! , , Your contemporary the Evening Post Btr'ongly supports the ;olaims : of Featherston,as a fit place for a Volunteei l meeting at.Easter/arid urges that as:there cannot be a muster of theColoriial force's, let the Volunteers jnthe'pr'ovinciaidistriot'of 'Wellington) meet on that occasion. That the not brought together sufficiently often/ftafact patent

to any expert in military ..matters,' battal- ; lion drill for instance, being almost to many corps, more especially those in,, country districts, therefore a'meeting of \ this kind would be, of incalculable benefit | to our* military defenders, and astos i Feath'erstoh, it would be". aconauaraatuw j devoutly to be desired", as it would have. f a tendenoy to, temporarily, relieve the / b'hronio state of impeouniosity which our | town is suffering from; and afford settlers throughout the Wairarapa>n opportunity (■ of witnessing a display of : our-military jl /forces.;..'■•'■'■'; ,;■[■' )'/':."•• . ;) . A number pf tho inhabitants of the . small but flourishing -townffiptof <Wai- ; henga, have of late devoted their spare ; time and superfluous energies to the noble ■■ game of; cricket, ' and ; iwith i constant / practice have acquired no'mean 1 skill. A I, report received' circulation that they had I. a desire to'meet, auddo battle withy the / F. 0.0., who hearing the report,- at once/ i forwarded a challenge,, thinking no doubu J they, would add to their laurels, by scorind /-' | an easy victory, but. in order to give th( country men a---chance'l informed theu they would play fifteen, Waihenga accept e'd the challenge, but indignantly refuset - to play with more'than eleven men, atthi same tiraV reminding'' Ihe F. 0.0., thai they had not of late years great celebrity in the cricketing wl.. J and advising them to • strengthen thei team by making the'number fifteen. An'< our correspondent, having in his mind's ■."■■ eye a certain ignominious defeat sustainet .;-■- by the F. 0.0., when the.con'stituent.parl of the opposing team"'were schoolboys would join issue with Waihenga, (and say *■« 'by all means play fifteen men, on Satur to day-next, if you wish to win,F.O.OV ' . Speaking of Waihenga.. Tia. a pity . churchmen there do not interest themselves more in matters spiritual. ■ Theirl:. complaint is, they only receive one service ■• per month, and that is a shert one, yet at. ■ the same time, no. person can be found who will; render the smallest assistance, - .thus-the minister, who' haß previously given nneservicejn Featherston, and has to officiate at another in Greytown—has ■ to unlock the church, ring the bell, and prepare the church before-he can hold service, At- one time a resident would preside at the harmonium, and a small choir of ohildren were in constant practice —now musio has to be excluded from the service, surely this can not be laid to the charge of the clergyman.. : \ • A meeting will shortly be held for the consideration of the whole matter, but if more interest is not manifested, there is a probability of the service being discontinued.