Christmas Cheer.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume IX, Issue 2783, 24 December 1887, Page 2

Christmas Cheer.

Chbistjus with its 'festivity, its holiday'making, and its accompanying sentiments of peace andgoodwill to all men; is once more upon us. We are made to recognise too, tliat this is also the season of feasting and good-fare, .and were. anything needed to give prominence to this we could have no. better amino more familiar reminder than that of our local Christmas display of meat. Last night lrom an early hour the streets were well filled with an interested throng of sightseers, and it was evident .to the most casual observer that the centres of attraction were the butchers' shops, aud as a matter of fact these tradesmen had the evening to themselves. It was only this morniugthat the general run of our townspeople are taking, the steps which will convert Queen-street from its hard business appearance to a scene of almost' rural ; beauty, evergreens, cabbage palms, kouinis, holly, flowers; and ferns, all being in requisition by the active decorators. Last syening there was an especially rich and well assorted arrangement' of meats on yiew at the .various,shops, 'and were one thing more thau another needed to prove the excellence of local pasturage aiid the skill of ourbreeders tins was provided at the hands of Mr iW.•'■Perry, who, owning as.he does ithree shops and a large staff of men, had'things very.much his. own way, and he certainly made the most of it. Starting at his No. 1 shop, the spectator is :at once struck by the very tasteful arrangement of the windows, which was a sightin itself worth seeing. It formed a perfect bower, seen as it was with a front draped with evergreens, ferns, liikau palms, and endless other picturesque • adornments. In the centre of the window, by a most ingenious arrangement, a miniature fountain had been made to play, and this, bordered by many-lmed flowers, imparted, a most cool and refreshing toiie to the surroundings. Prominent on the outside rail was a semi-circle of splendid lambs, and these we soon saw, were Mr Perry's special pride, and well they might be, as rarely, if ever, have we seen a better collection of lamb. The meat was of first-class -quality, and the dressing was such that it would be hard to equal either for cleanliness or perfection of detail and finish. Mr Perry, we believe, has all through the season been killing his own lambs, and these, therefore, were of his breeding. • There were also hung here two very heavy sheep, plainly but well dressed. These were bred by Mr Farquhar Gray, and the heaviest weighed about 14'01bs. ' Another •feature noticeable fronuthe outside, was the splendid collection of small goods. Inside, the most interesting subject was the beef, and on the railing was to be seen some very fine meat from animals bred by Messrs Williams aud Beetham, These, we were told, took first prizes as heifers at both the Carterton and Masterton Shows. The heaviest carcase Weighed about 1000 lbs. ; Further along the railing was some very serviceable beef of good quality, bred by Dr. Hosking which was of more than average weight. In the centre of the rack, webbserved a particularly good calf, showing some beautiful fat, an uncommon thing in veal. This was reared by Mr Guild, of Te Ore Ore. Distributed about the shop was also some attractive-looking dairy-fed pork, from .Mr Pike, of Te Whiti, '.Two; heavy sheep were also shown herb, bred by Mr Campbell, of Opaki, the largest weighing about > lOOlbs. The show at No. 1 shop was got up under the supervision of Messrs G. Foy and 0. Worth. ' In No. 2 shop, at the' corner of Queen and Church Streets, which is under the able management of Mr C. Holloway, we first observed some very large mutton from Mr G.Drumnioud's estate, each sheep weighing about HOlbs. There was also in the windows a fine array of small goods, and a nice collection of sucking pigs. Some locally reared pork" also looked well. The beef here, which was of undeniable quality, was supplied from, I).r, Hoskiug's farm In the centra was suspended a splendid calf of Mr Guild'sjreeding. T/jiisv/as beautifully and artistically dressed. The windows and the outsides of both No. 1 and 2 shops were gajly and tastefully adorned with festoons of many-hued flowers, tissue rosettes, nikau palms, and various shrubs, and a well-arranged and tastefully designed coloured tissue flycatcher adorned the ceiling in each case. ■ The inspection of No. 3 shop at Kuripuni well repaid one for the walk, verandah and shop being nicely decorated, and there being- a first-class selection of heavy beef; fine mutton, and other meats all nicely dressed. Mr. W. Morris is the manager here. Altogether Mr Perry is to be congratulated upon the great success of his'show of meat, and although there is a lot of work in the' propagation of the premisesajid stool,'there is tho ajtcr, pari! of I 'well-deserved praise, and'of what'oannot fail to be thecase—large and rapid sales of the various commodities.

Mr Hockley's shop in Perry-street, too, has an imposing appearance, and a superior selection of meat of all kinds, beef, inuttou, veal, pork, lamb, and small'goods of every description being well represented. The decorations of the shop are neat and, effective, and serve to show oil' the stock to the greatest advantage. Returning again to Queen-street we come to Mr A. Phillips, who enjoya the distinction of 'bei.ng % first to star]. |i separate pork butchery business in Masterton oii any thing, like a large 'scale. The window shows i fine lot of pork pies, cooked hams, andan appetising selection of small goods, made, no doubt, mainly for consumption at the numerous picnics that are now being organised. Hanging to the window railing, and round the shop, are numerous dairy-fed, Pliwftcraj hams, sides and cheeks of bacon, arid some' nice young porkers, while in the rear a lot of splendid ybnn'g. geese are, suspended. In. walking down Queen-stvoat this fflq'rning, we ugtlcetl the following busu)e|'s premises In various stages of seasonable transformations—Mrs Preston., Jfts. Barabov, •. pi |Jws I N, :

Bruntou,. Farmer, Leahy, cJ Minifie PresswM HVPitercon, F. T, Bedißan, .E. Taylor, and J, Williams. ■■■:■'■'"

: Sevoral of the churches hold special Services to-morrow in commemoration of Christmas Day.'. Inthe.Church of England" there will be • Holy munion.at 8 a.m. and.Choral Servic{|£ at 11 aim. and,7p.m. '.The Church is being nicely decorated, antUn anthem., and carols will be sung boHMorning ;' and evening, .. < ; There will lie special ■ masses celebrated on Sunday at the Eoman : : Catholic Church, and; in. the Presby- ■ terian and Wesleyan>Churc& there, will be the ordinary CbfistmtfS'-Ser-

vices. ~; For the pleasure • goiug' public a'" variety of recreative amusements^are,..,, provided oil'both Mouday and Tuesday' j On each day there are the Races at '' Opaki; while on Monday, the, following outings have been arranged:—Eaces at Maryborough, Sports at Mauriceville,.Picnic'in BacOn's Mill ; . Grounds, Eketahuna, and a Wesleyan Picnic at MrElkins' Farm, Makora Eoad, Masterton.