ASHBURTON.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1590, 25 March 1879, Page 4

ASHBURTON.

[PBOM oua OWN CORBE3PONDKNT.] During the past week considerable business has been done by purchasers of grain, and a good deal has been delivered both at Ashburton and the neighbouring stations. Much more grain would have been on the road, had it not been for the wet, which rendered the highway too heavy for cartage. The town was busier on Saturday than for sometime past, quite a number of farmers being in, and Messrs Bullock and Go’s and Harrison’s auction marts were well filled, and in many cases very good prices were realised. Mr and Mrs Hart, assisted by La Petite Louise and Professor G-eyger, gave their « Happy Hours” on Friday and Saturday nights at the Town Hali. They had excellent houses, and as usual gained golden opinions. On Friday night Mr J. Harding, of Hawke s Bay, delivered a temperance lecture at the Primitive Methodist Chapel, which was also well attended. Father Hennebery has been holding three services daily during the week, and the attendance has been exceedingly largo. Yesterday a procession of his disciples was to take place, and no doubt it was numerously attended. The mission at Ashburton ended last night. The Rev. Mr Burnett, Presbyterian Minister, is about leaving the district, and on Thursday last a meeting was held at the Scotch Church to get up a testimonial to him. It was larg dy attended, and ns all present subscribed, and many others had promised to do so, it is thought that a very respectable sum will be collected. Mr Burnett preached his farewell sermon yesterday, and on Tuesday he goes to take farewell of the Presbyterians of Wakanui, Waterton, and Ashton, who intend holding a tea meeting in his honor at the Ashton schoolroom, and presenting him with a purse of sovereigns, independently of the Ashburton present. A meeting of those interested in forming a Caledonian Society was held fat the Somerset Hotel on Saturday evening, and was well attended. The immense success of the kindred society in Dunedin being quoted in proof of the benefit of establishing such a society. Mr Morita Bowron, the travelling agent ot the Mutual Provident Society, has been lecturing in all the little centres of population in the neighborhood of Ashburton during the week, and has done excellent business, a largo number of his hearers having insured. A strange accident happened to a horse of Mr Lake’s at South Rakaia, on Thursday. A match had been run over a two and a half mile course between Mr Lake’s horse, which was a bay gelding named Larrikin, and a pony called Te Kooti, belonging to Mr Cox. Te Kooti won and Larrikin was sent home in charge of a boy, who led him by a rope. Something startled him and he broke loose, and whilst galloping abng trod on the rope, threw himself, and broke his leg. The poor brute hud to be snot. Ohertsey has got its telegraph station, and should be well pleased. This township seems to bo daily growing in importance, and when its big well is finished will, no doubt, go ahead faster. There is much discontent about the present position of the Mugistrate’s Court. It it now held at the Good Templars’ Hall, some distance from business centres, instead of at the R ,ad Board offices us formerly. The clerk of the Court being also clerk to the Road Board, and not possessing übiquity, can only be found at one ot these places at a time, greatly to the inconvenience of many. A new Magistrate’s Court and a new Magistrate are amongst the things most needed at Ashburton.