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Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXIII, Issue 8741, 15 December 1913, Page 5

The tide of immigration from the United States to Canada has turned,, according to Governor Alva. Adams, of Colorado, who is the United States Commissioner-General to Australia and New Zealand in connection with the Panama-Pacific "Exposition of 1915. Mr Adams said that during the past 10 years the United States had lost 300,- ---- good farmers, who had crossed the border in; search of ..new. land, but a 1 • good "many had returned during the last 18 months, repelled by the Canadian winter. ' ' ' ' . , . A peculiar surprise fell" to the lot of Mr J. 'C.' TTield and some others at Hbmebush, Waiqhika, last week. An. artesian w.elli; eight inches in diameter,, was being sunk in accordance with indications given by a water diviner, and as a"'depth of 20ft was reached a his--" sing noise was heard. Mr Field ap-, proached, and | as he did so one of ■ the', men engaged 'in the boring operation threw a match. carelessly down, with the result*^hat a terrific 1 explosion followed, the three men being thrown flat on the ground. Mr Pritchard"and hi* brother-in-law had their eye-brows burned off, and Mr Field escaped with, a slight singeing. All day-there was an outlet of strong-smelling gas and the sound of bubbling water. The borers have possibly " struck oil."- ■,-