A TRIP SOUTH.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume 2, Issue 171, 8 March 1878, Page 2

A TRIP SOUTH.

written for the akaroa mail. A few days since, I received a rather sudden summons to proceed at once to Temuka. I had only about twenty minutes to make the necessary preparations, but you know it does not take persons in my profession long to prepare, so in a veryshort time I was in a cab, bowling along to the railway station, and thence speeding: by train to my destination. Some time ago I wrote to you, giving a sketchy account of the scenery on this route. To repeat that would be wearisome, so that now, what I : propose is lo notice what is fresh, and to give such news and gossip as I think will interest your readers. Nothing particular took place until we reached Ashburton, and there;, indeed, I found that many changes had taken place since my last visit. On the train drawing up, the platform was crowded, and foremost amongst the throng I recognised our friend Joseph Ivess, proprietor of the Ashburton Mail, and starter of that, and I don't know how many more papers, in New Zealand. But Joseph was busy, and sowas I, so, after a friendly greeting, we parted—he, I suppose, to look after his paper ; and I, after hastily swallowing some refreshment, to glance around me. I found Ashburton marvellously improved; buildings had gone up, and were still going up in every direction, and Ido not doubt but that in a short time there will be a sufficient number of resident householders to have the place proclaimed a borough under the " Municipal Corporations Act" and then, from what I can hear, the first Mayor will be a Bullock—not a quadruped, but Mr Thomas Bullock, of the firm of Bullock and Co. Well will he deserve the honor, for he has worked most energetically to advance the prosperity of the place ; true, he has prospered with it, .bathe deserves his prosperity, for, although a keen man of business, he is kind hearted, and does not adopt as his motto " Charitybegins at home, and ends there." The Somerset Hotel, kept by Mr R. W. Shearman, has been greatly enlarged, and is now replete with every accommodation for visitors. A new hotel, " the Commercial," erected near the railway station, has been opened-by Mr T. Quill, and is also a firstclass establishment. Numerous new stores, most of them bearing the names of Cbristchurch firms, have been run up ; indeed. the whole township bears such an air of business bustle that I venture to predict that Ashburton ten years hence will be a very important inland town. But the bell is ringing, and so I jump into the train, and ive are off again. As we journey on I learn that, despite the weather, the crops have turned out much better than was antipated, and that there is every prospect of a busy grain season. I was glad to hear this, for when I visited the district in the spring, everything appeared so bright and beautiful, and gave promise of such an abundant harvest, that it would have been sad had the expectations then excited been doomed to disappointment. And so we sped on, but by degrees conversation flagged, one by one the occupants of the carriage dropped asleep, and as a dernigr resort I took to my pipe and until, shortly before six o'clock,, 4h4 train stopped at Temuka, and I got out, heartily glad that my journey was lit aa end.

I had been recbmmejided to go to tha Royal Hotel, and thither accordingly I wended my way. I found it a most clean and comfortable hostelry with every civility and attention and a good table. Having refreshed the inner man I sallied forth in quest of adventures. I soon learned that the member for the district, Mr Wakefield, was that evening, in the Crown Hotel Assembly-rooms, to give his constituents an account of his stewardship in the General Assembly, and I determined to hear him. When I got there, I found the place full and the honorable member just risen to commence his address, his countenance was all sunshine

for ne had been well received, but there "was a lurking devil in his eye and an expression about his firmly cut mouth, •which told me that, if he were roused he could be cuttingly severe and bitterly sarcastic, Mr Wakefield spoke clearly and pleasantly for an hour and a half, and then came the questions. Commend to me the Temukaites for questioning. They questioned their member for a full mortal hour on things possible, and impossible no things in " the heavens above, in the earth beneath, and in the waters under the, earth." However, he bore all good humouredly replied without equivocation or evasion, and received as his reward, a hearty vote of thanks, passed unanimously amidst loud cheering. And then the curtain fell.

I am sorry to tell you that some cases of scarlet fever have occurred in Temuka. rendering it necessary to close the public school for a time. In a place like Temuka, through which the winds of Heaven have free sweep, I cannot help thinking that this fever has its origin in the want of domestic cleanliness.

You know the Temuka Leader, Joseph Ivess' latest bantling in the newspaper line ;it has changed hands; Joseph has sold his latest little love. Setting joking apart, Mr Ivess has done great good in New Zealand by establishing these newspapers, he has awakened the people to their rights and done much to break up that clique! sh spirit which has permeated throughout New Zealand Socieiy. The present proprietors of the Leader aie Messrs J. J. TJtting and Co. Mr Utting is well known in Christchurch as having been connected with the Lyttelton Times, and still further afield, as a playwright, whose highly flavoured dramas are full of blood, thunder, fire, and smoke, and as the author of a sensational novel, which appeared in the columns of the Dunedin Saturday Advertiser, and in which " smashing, crashing, and cutting" are the distinctive marks. He is, however, a right good little fellow, and I heartily wish him success in his new venture.

Good-bye. lam going north to morrow so that I shall probably send you another screed ere long.