A PROSPEROUS YEAR.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 49, Issue 67, 29 December 1928, Page 4

A PROSPEROUS YEAR.

THE METHVEN DISTRICT. CONDITIONS IN THE TOWNSHIP. The Methven district, in common with other parts of the Ashburton County, has enjoyed a year of prosperity, and from present appearances the new year will also be a prosperous one. Business people of the township report good business during the year, while the Christmas trade was better than anything previously recorded. As far as the township of Methven is concerned, no big building programme has been carried out, but carpenters and’builders and allied trades have been kept particularly busy with work in the country, where a fair amount of new building and alterations has been carried out. Further improvements are contemplated, including a new swimming-batn, ana new buildings for the Methven A. and P. Association, while it is also “in the air” that a picture theatre on up-to-date lines is to be erected shortly. The Methven stock sale, held fortnightly, has always been looked upon as one of the leading country markets, and the 'year just drawing to a close has been no exception, the yarding of stock having kept up well, and the prices obtained being always well up to the standard of Metropolitan sales. With the completion of the highpressure water supply and the installation of the Lake Coleridge power a year or two ago, Methven 'came to a standstill as far as local body l'-im-provements are concerned, and little has been done in the way of improving the appearance of the town. The County Council’s stone-crushing plant has recently been installed, and the main highways of the \ strict are being wonderfully improved, the crushed metal being a great improvement oh the old style material. Ten years ago a war memorial was mooted and a goocl sum of monev collected. However, owing principally to the difficulty of obtaining a unanimous decision as to what form the memorial should take, the project had been delayed, 'and Methven is one of the few places in New Zealand without a memorial. The Methven Trotting Club held its second annual meeting, which was even more successful than the inaugural meeting, showing that the change over from racing was a wise one, With the improved state of the club s finances it can he expected that necessary new buildings will he erected on the racecourse, the present accommodation being inadequate for the largo numbers attending the meetings. Sports bodies generally have had a successful time, with the exception of the Cricket Club, which has become defunct. This was due largely to the increased popularity of tennis, which club has had a particularly successful season, with increased membership.