AROUND MILTON.

Bruce Herald, Volume XII, Issue 1137, 5 September 1879, Page 33 (Supplement)

AROUND MILTON.

(By our Special Reporter.) THE HOTELS. The old proverb says, " the nearer the Church, the further from God ;" so let us turn from tho Churches to the consideration of Milton's powers of business. None of a modern town's institutions approach { the importance of its railwaj 1 - line and station. As the heart is indispensable to the animal organization, so is the railway station the vital artery of a busy and growing modern town ; and in this way Milton has nothing to complain of, the station being furnished with a platform of 1(30 feet in length, with offices, waiting-rooms, and all other requirements adjoining ; conveniently near stands a fine goodsehed of 100 feet long by 50 in width, with a platform fittea with, a powerful crane along the centre, by the side of which five trucks can be loaded or discharged at a time. Here there is room for several hundred bales of wool, or a corresponding quantity of grain or produce. By the side of this shed stands the engine-shed, with room for two loco, motives. In the bodily refreshment department Milton is provided with some hotels that would bear favourable comparison, as regards comfort, with those of any other town in New Zealand ; and the country cannot be accused of thinking more of bodilj than spiritual matters, for it takes equal care of both. The sweet old English country inn, with the good ale, the buxom landlady and the pretty chambermaid, U to some extent reproduced in the essentially comfortable country-like inns of Milton. Nearest the station stands the Royal, kept by Mrs Stanbrooke, and this being the newest, is perhaps the most conspicuous one amongst the Milton houses. Tho private rooms and bed-rooms are fcrst-class ; amongst the latter that known as the bridal-room, with its inviting feather bed and rose coloured hangings would tempt a very Diogenes to commit matrimony just for the sake of sleeping in it. A capitally fitted kitchen, sparkling with comforts, the commercial-room mid a fine dining room in which 40 can sit at table and enjoy the good dinner set before them, are all something that a tired-out traveller would think special blessings, if they came aero is his way after a huudred and fifty miles journey. Mr F. Grant is the owner of one of the most comfortable and best fitted of the Milton hotels, but a3 he is one of the Milton identities, and his inn is, like himself, pretty well known to it friends, it is needless to describe ib more minutely here. The Commercial Hotel at Milton v just one of those places that I should be happy to live at, free of expense, for any unlimited time. And whenever its proprietor, Mr Coombe, should wish to command my services 1 beg him to do .so freely. This house contains about '3c rooms Hm l the bar is supplied with the best of beer, wine, and spirits, together with all the other sweet additions to the original sin of drinking water. The barparlour, the .sample room for travellers, with the suuggery adjoining, the billiardroom, with a splendid table that originally cost the sum of £2-40, and was first made for one of the greyt exhibitions of the world, are conspicuous for their comfort. The dining-room, capable of seating 50 guests, is nieeiy fitted, and made parti cularly pleasing to visitors of musical tastes by >i fine Erard piano. The handsome bedrooms,, with their different tinted hangings find clem soft beds, the drawingroom, with its tasteful decorations, the bath-room, with its hot and cold water supply, and the legions devoted to the lovely goddess of " tucker " are all deserving of remark. In f,»c L , the whole house is as comfortable, clean, and redolent iv every department of the good things of life, as any in New Zea'and. But it is in the stable department that Mr Coombe's little pet weakness lies, and without which, in some form or other, a man was never created, finding therein relief for his supeifluous cash, and a pastime for his leisure moments. And what with the stables and carriage-houses, and some remarkably showy and well-bred specimens of racing stock, of whcli he is the owner. Mr Coombe has a good deal with which to indulge his pet weakness

to his full bent. Amongst the horses we find the "Flying Dutchman," by Peter Wilkins, out of Resistance, and a grandson of the celebrated old Derby winner. He is a dark bay sire, 13 years old, wonderfully well supplied with fine points, and who has been a noble looking animal in his day, though a fore leg broken four years ago, and just a little shakiness on his other pins, may somewhat detract from his former attractions. He ran two dead heats for the Australian Cup against one of the best known Colonial racers. " Boiardo," a four-year-old by the celebrated horse " Barwon," and an equine beauty of the name of "Swindle." are both superior animals. The former has all the looks of a flyer about him, and was entered for the last Dunedin Cup, though illness prevented him from running. A four-year-old bay by Barwon is another horse, and as handsome a specimen as will be seen in any stable in the Colony. A five-year-old by " Stormbird " and Mrs Swindle, is a fourth of the beauties pointed out to rap, together ■with tiro colts by " Fiying Dutchman " and " Barwon,'' and that prolific lady " Swindle." " Taffy," a fine heavy builfc entire, looks as if he would keep up the reputation of the Taffies for good breeding ut all events. Three fine lookiug greyhounds by "Onego" and " Henrietta," are also included in Mr Coombe's pats. The White Horse, Mr F Bastings pro* prietor, is the other principal Milton house of entertainment, and anyone so inclined might have an hour with the muse?, or revive the spirit of Milton in a paradise regained, under the quiet sober shadow of the White Horse. Any gentleman peacefully moved by rural felicity to shomt something apropos to the subject, can here indulge himself to his entire satisfaction at the low>at peisible prices ; and any wearied traveller on the toilsome deserts of life, if he is only fortunate enough to have tho wherewithal to grease his whee', may stay aud rest till the other White Horse of the millenium issues his posters in New Zealand. Here we find eighteen bedrooms, and four sitting-rooms, and there is a ctioiog-room in which one can be piovided with a highly superior class of sacrifices to the wolf at the door, three times a day. There is also a capital billiard-room, with a first-class Alcock's table, and provided with comfortable seats. A convenient bath-room in which, as Faddy would say, a man cau " lave the dirty part of himself," ia amoogsb the comforts of the house ; while the bar is every, thing that could be desired, as regards genuine liquors supplied thereat. There are capital stables and loose-boxe? attached to this house, which was formerly the old coaching station of the town i» the days before men had sold themselves to st«ana. And for such, as may still think it desirable to devote an occasional summer's afternoon, or svening, to a quiet old English game afier the manner of our forefathers, there is a capital bowling green of 100 ft. by 85ft. on the level close sward of which a game of billiards might be pUysd. Jfc is intended to creet summer houses round the green, in which visitors may, after the German fashion, enjoy the looking-on part at a game of bowls or quoits, and the wetting of their whistles at the same time. The Milton Bowling Club, which is still in its germ stage, has, 1 urn told, hired the ground for three years, and this h'juse will be the Milton head-quarters of the good old game Talking of the White Horse by the rule of contrary, as the old ladies say, suggests the Black Horse ; and talking of bear, suggests a brewery, and this brings us at once to the door of the Black HorSe Brewery, M ilton. This is one of the revivinsr industries of the active little town, and require* mention. It is only a small four- quarter plant affair, and was formerly carried on by a Mr Duncan, though it has been shut for the past few months. The Messrs Kofoed Bros, have now reopened it with a considerable infusion of fresh energy and experience, acquired in the conduct of this business in other parts of New Zealand and Australia. That a good brewery in a town like this is a boon for which to be grateful, cannot be denied. Th« Milton brewery may not bo quite eqiuil to Bill-clay and Perkins's or Bass and Cos. establishments just at pivsent, but Kofoed Bros, arc l.ot MnalUr than the fiiSb B;ircl.iy was. There is a nics little malt house connected with the concern, j and a comfortable dwelling house, with a I six-stalled stable But should the; spirited proprietors establish a good name for quality in tins aud surrounding- districts, the present modest proportions t.f tho con cum will doubtless be much en'arged before the world comes to its end in 1882.