STARBOROUGH NOTES.

Marlborough Express, Volume XXXIV, Issue 294, 15 December 1899, Page 3

STARBOROUGH NOTES.

» (ffBOH OWN 00BBHSPONDBNT ] I \7HiZi fcegin my notes Wlth * be ™ather, which is <be moat important sabjeot with qb just now. Unfortunately, wa have bean having too much of tbe Starborongb kindwindy and dry ; consequently the oroja as a whole are looking very siokly. Some are turning out fairly well. Perhaps another year when toe farmers oanget their crops m earlier and work their ground better, results will be different. It will be a poor look out for tbe agricultural seotion if they are opt. The sheep farmers are all right. The Wesleyans held divine service here for the first time last Sunday, when Mr Penny preached an excellent sermon from the text, " God himself is with us for our ■aaptairi." Our spiritual wants are now well provided lor as the Presbyterian bold eervioe on the first Sndday m eaob month, the Weeleyans on the second, tbe Church of England on the third, and the Roman Gatholio on the last. If the olergy will give us what I might oall "wwk-a-day sermons," to distinguish them from learned discourses, whioh go out of our beads almost as soon ts we go out of ohuroh, and we do our part by putting them into practice, then tbe standard of morality of Starborougb will be high. „. . Preparations for tbe sports on Boxing Day an well m band) tbe committee working energetically to make them a great cnocess. A ball his been added to the programme, and the committee will see that Everything possible is done for tbe comfort «nd pleasure of patrons. I shall have more to say about tbe sports later on. We are pleased to notice that the Board has applied for £350 for a new sohool. Such a building is required not only for school purpose?, but religious purposes, meetings, etc. Improvements are gradually being made, and several buildings are showing the prosperity of their owners by receiving Christmaa boxes m tbe shape of new ooats. Tbe (Mblio bouse has been painted, wbioh looks as if it bad oome to stay, *nd several of tbe business premieee also. Very little exoitement took plape over the election, and Beddon did not belie its name «t the ballot box. Thanks to the literal response, of the enblio and the Blenheim Institute, Sur« horooab has laid tbe foundation of a library »nd the men are well supplied with leading tatter of ill kinds. The benefits ol mob jSinaWution an simply ip«aioulabl«.