TE AROHA. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

Waikato Times, Volume XVI, Issue 1388, 26 May 1881, Page 2

TE AROHA. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

The Public Health. It is rather satisfactory to know that the dazzling brilliancy of Te Aroha life is not to be suddenly darkened by a desolating sickness. Dr Edgelow, of Hamilton, who was sent for to attend the case's that I reported in my last, arrived on Sunday night and pronounced them to be scarlet fever. There is, however, a great improvement in the health of the patients, and tiiere does not appear to be any fear of a further spread of the sickness at present.

Mr McGuire. On Monday morning, after my letter was closed, the inhabitants met and presented a testimonial to our well-known local Jehu, McG-uire, on his leaving this road for Auckland. He well deserved all the compliments and good wishes of the friends he h»3 made in this place by his invariable punctuality and civility, and if; is to be hoped that the meerschaum pipe and other trifles that accompanied the written assurance o£ goodwill may pleasantly recall his Te Aroba days.

The Battery. , The battery is literally ' pegging away again since Monday morning, with an amount; of industry and clatter highly suggestive of prosperous results. The Morning Star stuff is being crushed at present, and according to present appearances is pronounced likely to : turn out at least 15 dwta. to the ton. The Prince of Wales is still keeping up its, supply and returniug about 5 dwfcs. There are 10 tons more coming in from this claim with the 40 tons contracted for by the Morning Star, and. a lot sent in by the "Little Jessie," there will be work enough for a few weeks at all events, and some of the other promising claims will have time to get down, their, lots, ,the want of roads being a great hindrance to some of them. The Shotover gave loz. 15dwts. of melted gold to 5 tons,, or an average of rather less than' 7<Wts., /to the ton', the value being 57s per <iuiic«. . This claim has been rather overrated by some perhaps who have made the common mistake even witti old and experienced diggers , of taking some rather deceiving grains of sulphide of iron, for instance,, for gold. Bfoweverj- if it' is not all < gold <• that glitters, thereimay bo a good dealof gold Jthafc does riot-glitter so much as the false •mdtaij'iarid it is to be hoped that the JShotoyer will prove after all better' than first impressions iriay Mead > some •• to imagine. 1 ' • "/' > \ *',

«■'* " / T&q* River Traffic. The Vivid havingiat length got off the sandbank on which Bhe%truc^ c*m©inon

Monday morning. The river is very low just now, and the pasfeage up it is a work of considerable difficulty.

I. Tito Queen's Birthday. Te Aroha being naturally anxious to celebrate, the birthday of our beloved Majesty <Qiueeh' Victoria in fitting style, indulged yesterday in a cricket match and a sothtedwwntc of unexampled brilliancy. The erTdiit match was played on a piece of ground kindly leni by Mr Lipsey, and the two sides, captained by Mr Fraser and Mr Peace, exhibited some very tidy and spirited play. Unfortunately, that unaccommodating fellow the sun would not hold out longer than he had strictly engaged to do, and the game was not decided. The dancing was held in the boarding-house of Mr Lawrence, which was very tastefully decorated for the occasion with branches of the fern-tree and the charming evergreen shrubs of the neighboring bush. About sixty visitors attended ; the band was better than those of many places of more pretensions than Te Aroha, and kept excellent time in the dance music, and the refreshments were tasty and plentiful. The belles were, of course, adorable, and the young exquisites were eneigetically adoring, and the manner in which they strictly executed their steps backward and forward and round, and gracefully curved their lower extremities, while conscientiously turning their heads from the right shoulder to the left in the schottische or the varsoviana, was impressive. All, however, enjoyed the fascinating exercise so well that it was kept up till daylight, and MiLawrence obtained all praise for his manner of conducting the affair, which it is to be hoped will be repeated, for it is a poor heart that never rejoice?. — [May 25th.]