CHRISTCHURH.

Auckland Star, Volume VI, Issue 1684, 12 July 1875, Page 3

CHRISTCHURH.

(Per Press Telegram Agency.) Saturday. Railway Casualty. . The locomotive ran off the line at Oxford through the points being out of place. Fortunately this was observed by the engine driver, ■who shut off steam, so that the carriages were not drawn off, and a serious accident was prevented. The Correspondence between Sir Geo. Grey and Dr. Pollen. The Lyttelton Times this morning publishes correspondence between the Provincial and General Governments about capitation, &c , and the Ohinemuri business. In a leader referring to Dr. Pollen's conduct, he is said to have displayed an astonishing amount of ignorance for a Colonial Secretary. In summing up, the Times says of the General Government ;— "We find a lamentable want of punctuality in the despatch of public busine-s, and ignorance without parallel, and a negligence without the shadow of justification. On the other hand we have a Superintendent well acquainted with the wants of the people over whom he presides, anxious to serve their iuterests, and thwarted in his endeavours by the gross incapacity of the central authorities, and this is the central authority which purposes to take over the management of these very affairs in all the provinces of New Zealand." This day. Stones on the Railway. The practice of placing stones on the rails of ths Oxford branch railway has been very prevalent of late. On Saturday the engine driver saw a boy about 12 years old deliberately place a large stone on the rails as the train was approaching. The driver stopped the train in time chased the boy, caught him, and gave him into custody. The entries for the midwinter agricultural show on Thursday next are 166 against 170 last year.