ALFORD FOREST.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 2119, 26 April 1889, Page 2

ALFORD FOREST.

(from our own correspondent.} With the exoeption of etrong winds lately experienced the autumn has been ao far most favorable for farmers and a fair amount of grass and clover still exists. With a good demand for oaten sheaf ohaft at, £3 10a, Messrs Oooper and A. McNeil! are having a good Beason with their Bteam chaff cutter, having appointments for some time to oome. A Hna of lambs Bold by Mr A. MoParlano made 10a 6.4, m the open market. Nearly every oookatoo is going m for a few sheep and generally the tone of things is more hopeful than for some years past. _ For the Easter holidays scores of people visited the bußh, fern gathering, pig hunting, and duck shooting. Several well known gentlemen of the neighborhood went up the gorge of the north Ashburton on Good Friday. The stream was pretty strong, but to show the stuff New Zealanderß are made of they forded and orossed the river up to their armpits ninety-two times ; one unfortqnate but pluoky individual being washed down onoe or twice, but, like Major Atkinson, he kept his powder dry and pegged away merrily at the duoks. A fair bag was made, inoluding four pigs. Rabbits are remarkably soaroe, hares abound. A slight aooidont ooourred some few days ago when a party of youths were out hunting on horseback. One of them reoeived a nasty kiok on the shin bone and the fleßh was out, but happily no bones broken. Mr T. E. Tomlinson, of Springburn, is leaving the masternhip of that sohool where he has earned golden opinions from all Borts and oonditions of men by his genial manners, kindness of heart, and attention to his duties. General good wishes will follow him, go where he. will. The Springburn manse is finished, but Eev W. Finlayson has not moved from Mount Somers yet. A soiree was held last week to oolebrate the ereotion of tho mango, and whoever has attended those Presbyterian arrangements will know something of of tho profuse display of tempting delioaoies supplied by Mesdames Moßae, and Morrison, Mibsos A. MoFarlane and A. Muirhead, and those unfortunate, vague, undeoided " bachelors." Abundant store remained to form an important addition for the children's annnal treat held yesterday. The piles, eta., of the new railway bridge are now ready for the rails, and rapid progress is being made with the line.