CANTERBURY.

Evening Post, Issue 1, 8 February 1865, Page 3

CANTERBURY.

Captain Thomas Gat.—The jiumerous friends in Canterbury of Captain Gay, formerly of Pigeon Bay, who was some time ago imprisoned an Auckland on an exaggerated charge of assault on the high seas, will be glad to learn that he was released ab the beginning of this month, upon a petition being presented to his Excellency in his favour, signed, by many gentlemen from the South, who had known Captain Gay, and were brought together at the sitting of the Assembly in December, The release from confinement will be not more an indulgence to the man himself than to his family, -who are living at the Sandwich Islands, and have been, unable to' communicate with him* The Provincial Government, among other measures for stimulating and supporting the Volunteer movement, obtained a vote from the Council last session of a small sum of money, to be expended in the importation of 250 stand of Lancaster rifles, with suitable accoutrements. These, we believe, are on their way. In addition, j a small number of breech-loading rifles were sent for, and samples of these have j been received by one of the ships lately arrived. They consist of seven 'rifles and carbines of separate patterns, all made by Westly and Richards, "with that maker's patent breech loading arrangement, and Whitworth's barrel. There is, a long xifle corresponding to the long Enfield, or regulation weapon, fitted with bayonet, one somewhat shorter, of an intermediate size; three about the length of the medium Enfield, one fitted with the common bayonet, the other two with different patterns of the sword bayonet; and the other two are carbines, of much the same pattern, but short, and without bayonet sword. All these weapons are beautifully made, as may be inferred from the name of the maker. The breech loading apparatus is exceedingly simple, and in that respect excels the principle adopted- by Calisher and Terry, whose breech loading carbines are well known in New Zealand* In point of efficiency, with this exception, the two are about equal. The rifles now received aro sighted to 1600 yards. The weight of the longest is lOlbsj of the medium, 7£lbs; and of the carbines, 6£lbs, including the slings. Altogether, they are exceedingly pretty weapons for a marksman, to handle,—. Lyttelton Time?. The Canterbury "Press*' publishes tno following extract from a letter from Mr. Marshmatt; the agent in England for the Province of Canterbury:—."The next ship will be.the Greyhound, on the 18th January, The emigrants by her will b,e^ chiefly, bill holders. Tho* applications originating here are now absolutely nil. You will bo prepared for this announce' menfe. Nothing else can be looked for while *T,ho New/ Zealand Government Emigration Board/ as those gentlemen style themselves, who are conducting the emigration which ia to people Auckland at the expense) of the colony, continue to give in a wholesale form free passages, free transport into the interior, a freehold, a loan of money to the emigrant to work it, and employment at the public expense. So tempting a programme advertised in 'newspapers, pamphlets, everything that circulates,,ana placarded in every market place in the country, is absolutely prohibitory of emigration on such conditions as those oii which passage; to o*nfc«r-hu?vi-3r *:< offered. The-Government cannot afford to squander money in this insane manner, and if they could afford it ever so well, would not, I am sure, dream of doing it. Add to these surprisingly liberal conditions the announcement to which equal publicity is given, that bricklayers, stonemasons, &c, can get 14s a day in Auckland, and other classes of labor at proportionate rates. The Government -will bo perhaps surprised presently, and the people may compjain, that no emigrants are sent to them. This is the explanation, and 1 wish to put the point very clearly, I hear that the province of Auckland will receive in about three months from 2200 to 2600 people (statute adults) in this way, and by the tune all the expenses incident to them have been paid, I should expect they will cost the colony as much as the first cost to Canterbury of the 8000 and odd people who have been landed there within the last six years, without taking jnto account the deduction due in. respect of sums repayable by emigrants on their promissory notes. If any consideration can aggravate this disgraceful mismanagement and extravagance, it is, that it is being done with money borrowed at 20 pep cent, discount."

The value tit land fa London is rising to an almost fabulous standard. It was recently given in evidence before Mr-. Commissioner Ken? that for property in the City as much as £2,000,000 an acre hud be*a obtained, To stem wood reef, tafce one pound of Brazil wood to one gallon of water, boil three hours with one ounce of pearlash, brush it bob on the wood, and while hot brush the wood with a solution made with two ounces of alum in one gusrt of w»tcr>