CHRISTCHURCH.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume 2, Issue 201, 21 June 1878, Page 2

CHRISTCHURCH.

(EROM OUli OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

At the present time there is in Christchurch a moat intense excitement, amounting almost to a mania, for land, and sections that nobody dreamt of investing theiV money in a short time since are now eagerly competed for by crowds of buyers, and command high prices. Every day the papers are crowded with advertisements describing in glowing terms the beauties of Papanui, liiccarton, the South Town Belt, or any other locality where: a block of sections is to be sold. Incredible prices have been given lately for sections, and as many Peninsula folk are acquainted with Christchurch I will quote a few of the sales recently made—Quarter-acre sections at Papanui, about one and a half miles from the centre of Christchurch. brought £350. In Lichfield street a site was purchased for £50 per foot frontage, the section -in. question being, situated directly at the rear of W. Strange and Co., the well-known drapers, and was sold by Mr M. B. Hart. Another site nearly oppo- • site, and next to the Oddfellows' Hall, having a frontage of about 35 feet, was bought for £2500. High prices have been paid, too, for property along the railway, for building grain warehouses, depots, &c, and I vouch for the following :—A laboring man some years back bought ft section for £180, and erected a cottage, in which he resided _ with his family. A merchant, requiring a section for a store, and this piece appearing the moat suitable, he resolved to purchase at. a good price, as it- was almost indispensable to him.

The man asked about £1800 for>hvs pro', perty, and an agent was to purchase. When he made his appearance and told the old man he came to conclude the bargain, the latter , shook his Ketod, and \ said he would not take less than £2000...', Arguments were of no avail, and the agent reported his ill success. " We 11 ,,, said-the .;* merchant, " give him £2000." The agent # again made his'appearance, and wished to close the bargain, but now the old man would not part under £3000. In vain the * agent remonstrated with him on the enormous sum, and wished him to hold to his word, the man was inflexible, and would not bo persuaded; Again the agent retraced his steps, and reported the exorbitant demand. The merchant eaid he must have the site oven at £3000, ar.d the agent ; again interviewed the owner, and told him. *•* he had come to close. "Well," said the old Irian, "I don't care about selling'at all, but I'll let it go for £4000; yes, i'U sell it at that." Again the agsnt remonstrated with _ , him on not adhering to his bargain, and on the enormous demand. It .w.a3 o£ no avail. He did not care, he said, to sell, but he would take £4000. The baffled agent had "again to report his failure,' and the additional sum demanded. • Again he received his instructions to give even that and obtain the site. For the last time, af he hoped, he sought the old man to" conclude the bargain at £4000. " To Wdismay the .man refused to at all—would ** not part with it at any price. -The agent showed him he* was aioser.'everyTdtiy' he .retained the property for. lining on, but his reasonings, remonstrances,, and ,j»ersuadings werefutile, the man' would not part-with his section,' and did not Incredible as this may seem,- I&now it to bo a fact, and no one 'who'.linow,s tljgfj enormous prices paid for,Bifea alorjg the liiie when eid ings can be got "on t or them, and the difficulty of obtaining 'them'at pr% sent, will 1 be 'surprised at the suni offered; . . • . *. ". 5 ...

'- Sparrows promise to be a : great "noisance in Ohristchurchy and, indeed 1 , iri Canterbury generally. If yousho'tiid hajipen to take a trip as., far. as tiram'ypa will see them rise in cloud a from every hedge as the train" approaches^: In k few years, if not checked, r I venture to predict they will be the greatest curse. New Zealand has, as they, destroy grain, fruit, &c.; indeed nothing seems to coiue amiss to the ravenous chirpers. ,The farmers .already are commencing to feel the plague, and are beginning the war of extermination by poisoning them wholesale. The GSty Council j-ec'ently passed a law prohibiting driving quickly round Btreet corners, and innumerable "Jehus " in consequence have been interviewing the Resident Magistrate,* and been*mulcted in fines and costs.- The result is rather startling to a stranger who is 4 dfiving in a cab. Cabby rattles off at a spanking rate, and, suddenly coming to a cross street, pulls up and gently walks hie horse acfoea, then dashes away full speed, repeating this}>er-. formance at every cross street he comes to* leading the passenger inside to the pleasant conviction that his driver is a lunatic, and is indulging in sundry insane tricks. Our new public offices are rapidly .agr:. proaehing completion, and the building is certainly tasteful for Christchurch, and ft Paradise Compared Hp the ancient box that does duty at- present for. a postoffice. The best thing that could be. with this Yenesable building, in tny opinion _ would be tofence it round, employ a few; Maoris to decorate it, and then if would pass for an ancient Maori Pah.df the time of Captain Cobk. '' . • ■'•'.'' ■"■

Hail way management ia now the theme of public comment, arid letter after letter has appeared in the papere from inastere of vessels who cannot get trucks sufficient to discharge cargo, and are conseqnently-de-tained about three or four times as long as they should be. Whether it is the fault of the manager of the Department,, or an explanation >i 3to be ■ sought" in the fact that the traffic -has* ■ grown far beyond the capabilities of our'port,-! , cannot say, but it certainly is a fact that the traffic" is increasing-to an extent that was scarcely dreamt of a few years back, aud if Lyttelton. can scarely now, dp the work necessary, what will be" the state of things next season ? There is always one way "out of the difficulty, viz.. to have another port to take part of the "immense traffic from Lyifteltqn, and thus ease the lines there. Where will this -port be? -Certainly Akaroa harbor is perfection in this respect, and the time must come when these natural advantages will be taken advantage of, and how much-better would it be to "do tin's at once instead of watting till Timara has sunk half a million in attempting what so many men consider impossibilities. It is to be Hoped no stone will b&'. left linturned to. secure so desirable an object— one which would benefit Canterbury generally, and revivify Akaroa, "' * ;