LOOKING BACK.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 58, Issue 194, 18 May 1938, Page 4

LOOKING BACK.

FIFTY YEARS SYNE. (From the “Guardian,” Alay 18, 1888.) Fire at Hampstead—An empty fourroomed house at Hampstead was destroyed by fire about 2-o’clock this morning. The house, which was the property of Air J. Ward, has been unoccupied for several months, and there was no elite to the origin of the fire. The Brigade turned out, but the hold which the fire had, obtained, and the absence of water, rendered their services of no avail. The house was insured in the South British office for £BO. The alarm was first given by the railway whistle, and it was some time before it was taken up by the bell. Pamphlet on Dairy Factories —Air J. G. Restell, secretary of the Ashburton Agricultural and Pastoral Association, has received from Air Murphy, secretary of the Canterbury Society, a number of pamphlets on the subject ot Dairy Factories, which he will distribute among the farmers interested in this question. We will shortly notice the most salient points in the pamphlet, which is a valuable addition to the knowledge farmers should possess on this important industry. TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO. (From the “Guardian,” Alay 18, 1913.) Duck Shooting—Very poor bags of game have been obtained ,by Ashburton shootists since the opening of the season. Some of those who have little of the true sporting spirit visited the most favoured localities before the season opened, and the affrighted ducks , fled to one of the many sanctuaries within the County. It was noticed that before the season had opened numbers of wild ducks landed at the Domain, and from this only one inference could be drawn. Happily, this is not the only sanctuary and on many other places there are private ponds or lakes, where the ducks enjoy immunity from danger. Those who have gone out looking for legitimate sport have had to be content with one or two ducks to their tally, and very often none at all. Of sport worth mentioning, there has .so far been scarcely any. Demand for Labour —There has been a gpod demand for labour in Ashburton for some time past, and at present there is no need for any man to be out of employment. Men are continually drifting to Ashburton in quest of work, and all, with the exception of those who are a little particular about the class of work they do, have been placed without difficulty. A good deal of work is offering to potato-diggers just now, and, as is usual at this time of year, a fair amount of road work is obtainable. It is not very easy to obtain ploughmen, and frequently men will follow the plough only when they can find no other occupation. A labour agent expressed the opinion this morning that Ashburton is one of the best places in New Zealand for the labouring man.