LOOKING BACK.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 59, Issue 129, 14 March 1939, Page 4

LOOKING BACK.

FIFTY YEARS SYNE. (From the 1 'Guardian’ March 14, 1889) Threshing Machine Return—One of our local threshing machines made a large return a few days ago, threshing out 5120 bushels of sparrowbill oats in 22 hours. The crop Avas groAvn at Wakanui, and the farmer to whom it belonged had, Avhen giving in _ liis return tor tlie agricultural statistics, estimated it to turn out from '3O to 35 bushels per acre, Avhile the actual reresult as shoAvn by the thresher proA'ed to be 70 bushels, or more than double the estimated yield. If there are many such instances, the official statistics must be of little'use. , “ ' r Z'~~' Cancer Prevalent—During the year 1888, cancer, AA'hich is becoming very common in the colony caused 63 deaths being an increase of 7 on the number in I*BB7. The mortality Avas greatest in Dunedin, 27 deaths, and next Wellington, 20 deaths. Auckland took next place Avith 14 deaths, and in Christchurch there were only two deaths from cancer. ■ ■' 1 , / . f . : . ; , . TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO :r.|: ■ ' ' flj. . (Fji’om the “Guardian” March 14 1914) The Pipe Band—The Ashburton Pipe Band has been re-organised, and fresh arrangements Avith,the Scottish Society have been made. For the future the band aaill haA'e the management;.of its own funds. At a meeting held , PipeMajor Mclntyre and Drum-Major McKay wtere . re-elected, ’ and; .Mr Robert Frizzell© Avas appointed honor- • ary secretary and treasurer. Numerous admirers of the hand lm r e offered to assist by becoming honorary members and the prospects of the “Kilties” are now decidedly bright. Gift of Sledge Dog—One of the sledge-dogs AA'hich went--with Captain Scott’s last expedition, anjjL-,which a feAV months aga -was presented to Mr A. R. C. Killion, of Mt Somers*- by Lieutenant .Bruce, one of the Terra Nova’s officers,, was brought down to Ashburton this morning. It is stutea that the dogmas been completely ouj of its element and has had to be kept on a chain the Avhole .time, whilst it has 'worried most aiiimals that lia ve been near it. It is Mr Killion’s intention to have the dog, which is a cross betAveen a Siberian dog and a Avolf, and is therefore half-wolf, shot an<L r > stuffed. The a. huge' powerful - brute, attracted a good deal of attention on the Ashburton ’ railway station this morning. ■ ./ .