LOOKING BACK.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 54, Issue 95, 1 February 1934, Page 4

LOOKING BACK.

FIFTY YEARS SYNE, (From the "Guardian," Feb. 1, 1884). Ashburton Insolvencies. During 1883 oO persons took advantage of the provision's of the Bankruptcy.':<. Act within the Ashburton County, or oh an* average of almost one a week. These included 14 labourers, 7 farmers, ..5 blacksmiths, 2 hoteliceepers, 4 commission agents, 2 storekeepers, 2 contractors, 2 saddlers, 1 accountant, 1 schoolmaster, 1 tailor, 1 builder, i, solicitor, 1 boardinghouse-keeper ; 1 candle manufacturer, 1 tinsmith, 1 milkman, 1 gentleman, 1 stablekeeper, and 1 greengrocer. There shouid be a marked difference at the end of the present year. Chertsey School Committee.. A meeting of the householders of the Chertsey district-took place on Monday evening last for the purpose of electing a School Committee. There was only a small attendance and Messrs Childs, Downie, Campbell, McDowell, Doig, Russell, and Scarlett were appointed. Mr H. Childs was afterwards chosen Chairman of Committee. '-••. ', ;.

Pedestrianism.—A match was run off. between Messrs C. Physick and Baber on the Wakanui Road on Thursday evening. The race was decided in three heats of 100 yards, 120 yards and 150 yards., The former won the first heat, Baber the second and. the third-was secured by Physick: .

TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO. (From the "Guardian," Feh. 1,1909). . Vital Statistics.—The vital statistics for Ashburton for the .month of January, 1909, are as follow:—Births, male 12, female 9—total 21; deaths, male 8, female 4 —total 12; marriages 4. The figures for the corresponding month in 1908 we're: Births 38,' deaths 7, marriages 6. ' Swimming Instruction. '' — Mr R. Meechan has for the last week been i giving swimming lessons to boys in the. Domain baths. Many boys have attended at the baths during the hours fixed for instruction' and as a result of the lessons, kindly and gratuitously , given by Mr Meechan, a number have learned to swim. Fruit Plentiful.—Despite the ravages of small birds, and the destruction wrought by the recent hailstorm, fruit is very plentiful in the Maronan 'and Lismore districts this season. In many of the orchards the trees are oyer- • laden, this being particularly noticeable in respect to apples. Drying Grass-seed. Considerable difficulty is being experienced in drying grass-seed in many parts of the County. In the Hinds, Lismore, and Maronan districts every effort is being made to facilitate the disappearance of the moisture aiid the seed is being laid out in barns, shearing-sheds and outhouses generally and laboriously turned at frequent intervals, so that the desired dryness may be attained, whether the clerk of the weather wills ; it or no.