KIHIKIHI.

Waikato Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2049, 25 August 1885, Page 3

KIHIKIHI.

Some timo ago the cemetery trustees discovered that some graves instead of being within the cemeteiy hunt*, were on a public ro,wl, but before exhuming tho bodies foi re interment within the pi oper hunts, the sanction of the Colonial Secietary li td to be obtained. This has been done, and steps will be taken to have the bodies iemoved from the road. A good deal of unfavourable comment wan excited by the fact that a survey w.i>. being made from the Porotorau hill to a tributary of tho Wangamu liver, with tlie object of having a road tmde foi the com evaneo of goods to the tunnel from Wanganui, while no mention was made of any mten tii m to facilitate the tian-^poit of goods from this side. The whole of tho material and plant will be caited fiom the Te Aw a mutu railway station, and the contractor must construct his own road. This distitct 13 quite as much entitled to consideration as the other, but then we have not a Minister of the Crown as a representative, and as far as Mr li.ill.mcc is concerned, his woild is bounded by the limits of the district he represents. Of course, such woiks aie outside hit department, but he represents Wanganui, and these little matters are easily arranged between Mwisteis. The chairman of this town board, and I beliove the chairman of the Te Awamnlu Town Board, have Ulegraphed to Mr Lake asking him to try and get a mm put on the estimates for forming a road from this place to tho tunnel. The present track is impassable for anything but pack horses, and from what F can lenrn, in tome places is not e\en suitable for that means of transpoit. Sixteen of Te Whiti's followers and six young native girls belonging to this distuct performed a "haka" in the Town Hall on Saturday evening. There was a pretty good attendance of pakehas as well as Maoris to witness it. The "management" charged two shillings for adults and halfprice for childicn The *i\ young damsel-, were dressed in white with pirti coloured rosettes on tho breasts of their dresses, the young men being dressed in ordinary European costume, and wuaring rosettes alh<>. They were mir-halled on to the stage by a master of ceremonies, who conducted the proceeding". The pei foi m nice began with the "poi," a bill of laupo attached to the belt with a string. As a sample of the extraordinmy ability of the natives in keeping perfect time it was well worth seeing. The " poi " was tossed fiom the light to the left hand, over the shoulder and back again, bodies and hmb.s keeping as perfect tune a* if moved by machinery. At mteivals tho whole twenty two performers made a left turn, the "poi" still keeping perfect time ; then someone at the back of the stage wth two drum sticks beat a perfect " roll " on an empty bo\ in lieu of a drum. I have seen a well drilled cotrpany of soldiers going through the bayonet exercise, taking time from a bugleman, but in precision they did not come up to the Maoris in the "haka." An old fellow came to the front of the -.tago and announced that there would be an inteiv.U of ten minutes, after which the " haka " was resumed. The tambourine perform ance on a " tin dish " was loudly npphuded. The singing of tho waiatas was about as unmusical as could be imagined, the merit of the whole thing lay in the peif.-ct rnison of motion. The old fellow at the close said they carefully avoided anything that could shock the refined sensibilities of the jukeha. They purpose, I believe, travelling in the show business ; they have made a practical application of the lessons learned from the European in the direction of making money in that way.— (Own Coireipondent )