Ashurst Notes

Feilding Star, Volume IX, Issue 139, 23 June 1888, Page 3

Ashurst Notes

I FROM OUR OWN COBBESPONDeNT.I Ashurst advances by " leaps and bounds." "Weddings are rife all over the district, and population increases. First the old, who ought to know better, go and get married; then the young, who ought not to know enough to marry, do likewise. The Licensing Committee had but little to do — they met at noon, and in less than a quarter of an hour were sampling a bottle of whiskey generously supplied by Mr "Watt, to whom they had granted a renewal of his license, and who showed his appreciation of their action by shouting for them— a supposed teetotal bench. We boast a Public Hall in Ashurst, the property of Mr T. Nelson, where frequent 2/6 hops are held by Terpsichorean disciples. A second Hall is «poken of, to be built by a Friendly Society, and then a Reading Room and Library. Your correspondent has been a bit of a vagrant in his time, but has had a new experience in roads through visiting Ashurst. Meeting an old friend he persuaded me to accompany him to his home, and have a look up the Pohangina liver. We travelled about four miles from Ashurst along a newly formed, or newly metalled road, rather cut up by heavy traffic, till we came to a saw mill owned by an old Feilding resident, Mr Warney who has placed his mill in the midst of a totara forest sufficient to give good cutting for a dozen years or more. At the mill we struck into the bush along the tram, and in about half an hour reached our destination. Being fond of sport, I suggested eeling as a mild excitement, and it was decided that we should have an evening " bobbing" for eels. Most of your readers will know what that is, but for the sake of any who do not, I may say it is trying to catch eels with a "bob," or bunch of worms threaded on a string, and tied to the end of a long rod. The eels take hold of it, and hanging on, are thrown out of the water before they let go. The bobs being made, we travelled a short distance through the bush to what I supposed was a broad and rather straight creek, and soon had our bobs in the water. Before long I swung one out, arid it "dropped into my companion's lapj and a battle royal took place to get the eel into the bag. He was bagged; however; then another, and others, till Several fair specimens of water snakes were safely bagged when "splash, splash" at no great distance announced the presence of other game. My friend jumped up, -seized his gun, and left me to my fobbing, and soon the report of a gun announced -he had sighted the birds. When he came back I found he had shot a pair of ducktf; so satisfied with our nights work, -we packed up, and tuade tracks for iome. Next day Jl? took a further trip up the Pohangina, and found signs of .progress and jcivilisation on every side. What was dense bush three years ago "being now grassed arid stocked, and dotted with settlers' homesteads. A school has been started in a small building erected by the settlers on a river reserve, and I was agreeably surprised to find an old College cLum teacher there. About thirty children are in attendance, which will probably increase to fifty before another winter, and the Wanganui Education Board has wisely resolved to build a school to accommodate forty children. Across the river the Foxton Small Farm Association are making an impression oh the bush, quite a number of clearings being visible, and houses have bees built, four miles further up the river than the school. I wished to reach the diggings, as from samples of stone I have seen, I shall not be surprised if something good is dropped on yet, but could not afford the time. On my return my friend accompanied me, and immediately on reaching the Manchester Block boundary we plunged into mud and water girth deep. After travelling in it for about a qnarter of a mile he said : "Do you see that log over there ?" " Yes," I replied. "Well," he said, "that is where you sat eeling the other night, and here is where I shot the ducks." '«* Goodness," I exclaimed, "do you use your rivers for roads?" "Not much," he replied, it is the river that uses the road." " But this is not a road surely," I said. "It is then, this and about a mile more of the same quality is the road a liberal Road Board makes to encourage and help settlement. It is our only road to Ashurst, and is a* you see for eight months out of the twelve is stuck all through with horse shoes pulled off when we travel through, and in every hole or track of hoof might be found a prayer for the Manchester Road Board." I got through safely, though heavier by a good many' pounds than when I started, and it wilt be a Strong inducement that takes me through that road again. -' '''"."