Methven () is a small town in the Canterbury region of the South Island of New Zealand. It is located near the western edge of the Canterbury Plains, 35 kilometres north of Ashburton and 95 kilometres west of Christchurch, and at an elevation of 320m. The town is a service centre for agriculture in the surrounding area, and is a base for skiing at the nearby Mount Hutt skifield. The town slogan is "Amazing Space". History In 1869, Robert Patton purchased a farm property and called it Methven, after the name of his old home town in Perthshire, Scotland. The name of the farm subsequently became the name of the town and surrounding district. Sections in the township were offered for sale by public auction on 24 June 1878 at South Rakaia, and sold for between 20 and 95 pounds. In 1879, Robert Patton applied to the Ashburton Licensing Court for a license to operate a new house at Methven to be called the Methven Hotel. A hotel was built in 1880. In 1882, Patton applied to the Licensing District of Mount Hutt for a publican's license for the 24 room Methven hotel. The Methven Branch railway line from Rakaia to Methven was completed in 1880. The terminus of the railway line was at the junction of six roads, in the centre of the town as it stands today. By 1882–83, further sections of land were sold around the area that would subsequently become the town of Methven. By the time that Robert Patton died on 20 October 1889, Methven had a butcher, baker, grocer, draper and a blacksmiths, in addition to the hotel. The Methven School was opened on 7 February 1882, with an opening school roll of 41. The Chairman of the School Committee was Robert Patton. The school remained as a Primary school, until secondary schooling was established in Methven in 1925. A notable early farmer in the Methven district was Duncan Cameron. He was initially the manager of a large property called Springfield, employing 100 men through the year, and 200 during harvesting. Cameron became the owner of the Springfield property in 1890. He had in crops most years, and in one year had 5,500 acres in wheat. He was an early pioneer of irrigation in the district. By 1876, he had constructed of water races at Springfield, and this grew to by 1880. His use