LOOKING BACK.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 54, Issue 256, 10 August 1934, Page 4

LOOKING BACK.

FIFTY YEARS SYNE. , • '■■•/. (From the "Guardian," Aug. 10, 1884.) Tinwald Gospel Temperance Society. —A meeting of the linwald Gospel Temperance Society and .band of jfctope was nelu in tne Temperance Hall last Tuesday, nearly. 100 persons being present. The Rev. A. liiake, who occupied the chair, introduced to the meeting the Kev. W. West, of Southbridge. This gentleman . riveted the attention of his audience for more than an hour, when he illustrated, in a manner sometimes humorous, at other times pathetic, the effects of intemperance. He brougin> ioiward convincing arguments in ravour of abstinence, and spoke with hope for the future of improved legislation and advancing public opinion. Several names wert adaed to tne roll, which shows 28 adults and 31 juniors. The meeting then proceeded to elect officers, when the Rev. A. Blake was chosen president; Mr Joseph Smith, secretary; Mr James Gudsell, treasurer. Messrs Wallace and Jones, in. appropriate terms, moved and seconded a hearty vote of thanks to Mr West for his convincing and eloquent speech, which was unanimously carried. Several of Sankey's hymns were pleasingly rendered by a choir led by Mr Shearer. A few friends present, from Flemington contributed an appropriate song, "The Ribbon of Blue." TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO. (From the "Guardian," Aug. 10, 1909.) English Wren.—ln regard to the letter read at the last meeting of the Ashburton County Council from the secretary of the Canterbury Acclimatisation Society complaining that the. eggs of the English wren had been collected by boys and subsequently purchased by the Mount Hutt Road Board, 'it appears that information bearing on the matter was supplied to the Acclimatisation Society by one of the professors from Canterbury College, who happened to be spending a holiday recently in the Methven district. If the English wren, had acclimatised itself in the districts in the immediate vicinity of the hills, the.bird s very rare, and. Mr Morgan, who has lived in the district for many years, says that, although he is conversant with the wren and its habits, he has not seen one of the birds in the Methven district, or as a matter of fact, in New Zealand. ; , • Methven Anglican Church.-r-Bishop Julius is paying his annual visit to the Methven Anglican parish, «and arrived by motor-car on Saturday.moroinp-. On Sunday he held a confirmation service in All Saints Church, Methven, When the vicar (the Rev. H York) presented 29 adult candidates (23 males and 6 females) to his Lordship. The spectacle of so, many grown-up people being presented is almost unique—at least in a country parish. The fact speaks volumes for the good work that is being done by the vicar.