Ashurst Notes

Feilding Star, Volume X, Issue 61, 20 November 1888, Page 3

Ashurst Notes

{from our oto correspondent.]

The Prince of Wales' birthday was loyally kept by the Ashurst people, and the entertainment given by the Foresters in the new hall was very fairly patronised. The entertainment was of a mixed nature : first, a tea ; then the entertainment, songs, stump speeches and recitations by various members of tue order, concluding with a farce " Hunting the Slipper." A recitation by Mr Sexton was deservedly applauded. Mr Dooley brought down the house by a stump speech in the character of a German, who had had some experience of German and American women, and considered them different kind of creatures. Mr Anderson was obliged to re-appear after singing " The Yorkshire Lass," ren dered wall ; and Mrs Clark sang the " Merry Zingari" very nicely. DurI ing her song, standing too near the footlights, her dress, a light muslin, took fire. Very little disconcerted she stooped down and put it out with her hands, and continued her song : a feat of coolness and presence of mind nut easily surpassed. After tea came the inevitable dance, which was kept up till daylight did appear. Next day we had about the heaviest and most destructive flood that has been in this district for some years. The rain fell incessantly until Sunday morning, the whole country being under water. A great deal of damage was done, many settlers losing sheep or cattle, and many being sufferers by the numerous slips. I hear that Holly and Durling have suffered much damage in their contract on the Pohangina road, A large culvert, which they had put in a creek, and covered with some ten feet of earth, was washed away and smashed up, and a gap in the filling up made about forty feet wide. So the Pohangina road and others have been let at last. I have not heard yet of the work being started, but the sooner it is the better now, to get it in order for metalling before winter. The metal to be put on, however, is not enough. Six inches will not last long on such a road with anything like traffic. With that quantity it will be only half done, and will soon want doing again. The Board or the Engineer surely forgot, " Well done, twice done," when six inches was agreed on, a foot would not have been too much. The season has brought all produce on very rapidly. The garden looks beautiful, giving promise of grand crops. Grass is abundant, cattle fattening rapidly, and a large number of very fine forward lambs are to be seen through the district preparatory for Xmas I suppose. The Education Board moves very slowly. Some eight or ten months ago the money was voted and a school promised to the settlers up the Pohangina, but, I presume, they have forgotten it, as nothing seems to have been done beyond that, not even a site secured. Yet I understand there are 30 children in attendance at the little whare at present used as a sohool, and

more will attend as the Foxton'Block 8 settled, and settlers take their families on to their selections. Mr Sinclair, wife of Mr Thomas ■Sinclair, late of Bulls, died about midnight on Wednesday, the 14th. She had boon ill for about four weeks, but waa apparently recovering when she died quite suddenly of heart disease. She was buried on Friday at Mr Sinclair's place, followed to the grave by nearly all the settlers in the district.