FIFTY YEARS AGO.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXV, Issue 16487, 28 February 1914, Page 14

FIFTY YEARS AGO.

(From the “Lyttelton Times” of Saturday, February 27, 1864.)

Last autumn Mr George Rhodes, of Purau, liberated a pair of fine blackbirds. Soon after they took to the bush, and nothing further was seen of them till a few days ago, when they returned to the neighbourhood of the house with a brood of young ones, quite strong on the wing. It is something to know that this little success gives a hope that it is possible to adapt some of the English songsters to our climate.

On Monday, February 24, we started down to Timaru, in order to be present at the races. As three years had elapsed since we last travelled down the Great South Road, you may imagine the difference wo found. Instead of the old rackety conveyance, with sore-shouldered horses, we start from Christchurch in a roomy comfortable coach, admirably horsed and driven, which is exchanged at Rakaia for ono equally comfortable, though perhaps less showy than the town conveyance, this coach taking us all on to Timaru; and as an instance of Messrs Cole and Co.’s energy in obliging tho public we may state that, leaving Christchurch on Monday morning at 8 a.m., we arrived at Timaru at 11 p.m. the next day, the distance having thus been completed in seven hours less than the usual time, so that we arrived in time to witness the first race of the meeting.