OUR WAIRARAPA LETTER.

Manawatu Times, Volume V, Issue 105, 5 January 1881, Page 2

OUR WAIRARAPA LETTER.

L*BOM OTJB O Y*N COBBBSPONDBNT] GbBYEOWNj; JANTTABT I^lßßo. Christmas has come and' gone' like a. dream,, the time we all 'looked 'forward to. with feelings of pleauure^-thetinM (when, all hearts aroalike.gkfldened.,^ The. season has been a m#rry and enjoyable one to thepeople of this town aa»'ruW;.B'por|9»'picnics fc races, A:c., have been' the brd°r of the day,, and the variety ?s6 n«aierous. that people of every taste .< could enjoy themselves. On, Christmas Day we were treated to a noveltj m the shape oo r * .football- matcii . betweenthe Grey town Club, of thirteen, and an opposing team 0f... twenty-seven' Maoris of Papawai, a native near Q-reytowa. The team's met at about 4 p.m., and at once took up their respective: positions 1 at eitherend of the ground. ,- Thee Maoris were m reality a really "me set of men, and when thetwo parties stood m their respoctive- . positions, one could not help remarking the rapid strides civilisation hat -made during, the past few yean— but a few years since we were m arms against our dusky brethern. — and now, to see .themengagingin friendly games of football and' others, the^pntrast ia marked. Throughout the^game the greatest order and good" feeling 'were maintained* Tbe Maoris, played well, displaying at times both tact' and skill. The Gtreytown, ?team -^ notwithstanding \ their P opponents, over whelming numbers'— 9id all the scoring. At the conclusion o.f the game the Maoris. entertainecHtheir visitors t'oagran^ banquet, got up m first-class, style, the whole then, finished up' with' a daricep m which a good number took part. The company broke up. about' l2 o'clock, full of 7 praise3 for their-brown-skinned • entertainers. Boxing Day was, of course, kept strictly as a holiday,, the many places, of a,musem.ent gave one and. all every ckance of enjoying themselves.. . The Waihenga Race meeting-took place x and being well attended, weiW unqualified success^ .: „., o '*•-■* A deputation of influential gentlemen wiU to-morrow wait upon the Colonial-Treasurer-in Featherston, to ask that the services of a policeman might be retained m this town i we are anxiously awaiting the result. The. Government intend .making'aji alteration m, the Railway service to _ the Wairarapa on, and after the Ist of January. ' It is intended to run^the trains through quicker, and leaveWellington laterih'the day.' * Whether this, alteration will, proves of. any benefit or notta the travelling public remains' to be seen, onething seems pretty clear, it willlallow that, unprincipled Mi.iisteVial 'organ, the' Post, ta circulate iii -the valley each day of publica-. • tion. This fact has already presented itself to numbers of watchful periona, and thequestion is freely asked,-^ can this be theirreason for altering; /the time-table?" The . matter -will. anon be .solved ._. r Of course weall know our' present* Gtovernment's policy is. to strengthen themselves, m order to meet the olashof ;' th» opposing .p'arty^^flnd tlieirutter annihilatlon^in' the- Session^ hand. We shall see! : w- *-