CANTERBURY TEN YEARS AGO.

Evening Star, Volume IX, Issue 2621, 12 July 1871, Page 3

CANTERBURY TEN YEARS AGO.

Rather leas than ten years ago, Canterbury unfortunately became drunk with prosperity. Money was flowing into the Province in what appeared to be a never-ending stream. Labor was scarce and high, and the price of stock was perfectly fabulous. A fat bullock was worth from twenty to live and twenty pounds ; and ewes, which would not fetch half-a-crown a-piece, sold readily for thirty shillings. This was owing partly lo the discovery of gold in Otago, and partly to the fact that sheep-farming had just been discovered to be a royal road to fortune. Those who could not raise forty or fifty thousand pounds to buy a station, thought themselves lucky if they could invest their few odd thoii'auds in old ewes, “on terms,” at thirty shillings a head. At the same time, the Province Avas raising loans for public Avorks and immigration, aud the propect of a tunnel through the hill gave an additional rosy tint to the picture. Altogether, it was a pleasant state of things Avbite it lasted, which, unfortunately, Avas not very long. The capital city of Christchurch may be said to have been created in those foAv years, and to have stood still ever since. Indeed, it is no exaggeration to say that it has taken six years to recover from that temporary fit of insanity, so severely did it afflict the community. Of course Canterbury led a very jolly life at that time. The SAvella, it is said, enjoyed themselves at the Club, had excellent 'dimers, a first-rate cook, and plenty of champagne. More moderate folks followed suit, each making himself happy in his own way. Warehouses, stores, and villas sprang up like mushrooms, aud carriages and pairs Avere as plentiful as buggies at the present day. But it must not be supposed that Canterbury thought only of pleasure Like fashionable ladie.s elsewhere, who distract their attention from the opera and ballroom by a rigid attendance at the last neAV High Church performance, the people of Canterbury varied their amusements by plunging into an act of devotion. But even this was tinctured with the prevailing epidemic. Nothing avouUl satisfy the public but the idea of building a grand cathcdr.d in the very centre of the city, Avhere a full choral service might be performed twice every day. A subscrip-tion-list was opened for the purpose, and about five-and-twenty thousand pounds wore promised in a few weeks. Strange to say, though people in England were perfectly astounded at the gigantic subscriptions appearing on the list, everybody in Canterbury looked upon it as a matter of course. For a year or two the annual amounts were paid with more or less difficulty, and then the income totally collaps-d after live thousand pounds had been sunk in very elaborate and substantial foundations.