THE DOMAIN.

Globe, Volume I, Issue 39, 15 July 1874, Page 3

THE DOMAIN.

PUBLIC MEETING. A public meeting, convened by his Worship the Mayor, in accordance with the following requisition received by Him, was held last evening, in the Oddfellows’ Hall:—“To his Worship the Mayor of Christchurch. —We, the undersigned Ratepayers and others of the City of Christchurch, respectfully request that your Worship will kindly call a public meeting, at an early date, to consider the question of erecting the College within the Domain. Signed, W, H, Wynn Williams, and 33 other gentlemen.” About •!()() persons were present, and amongst those on the platform were his Honor the Superintendent, Messrs T. W. Maude, J. S. Williams, A. C. Knight, S. P. Andrews, Rev. C. Eraser, and other gentlemen.

Hia Worship the Mayor occupied the chair,

His Worship said before commencing the business he would ask the town clerk to read a letter received from Dr Turnbull apologising for his non-attendance that evening. Mr Geo. Gordon read the following letter from Dr Turnbull :

“ Cambridge Terrace, July 14, 1874. —To his Worship the Mayor of Christchurch. — ,Sir, — I regret that a severe sore throat will prevent me attending the meeting to-night. This enforeed absence is to me exceedingly painful, because I hoped to be able to state my reasons for recommending the occupation of a portion of the Domain for College purposes. Under the circumstances I can only ask you to offer any apologies to the meeting for my unavoidable absence. Yours truly, J. S. Tuhnbull.”

The Chairman said he desired to ask the meeting to accord a fair hearing to all the speakers, on whatever side of the question before the meeting they might speak. [Hear, hear.] He would now call upon Mr Wynn Williams to move the first resolution.

Mr Wynn Williams, who on rising was warmly greeted, said that he had been under the impression that the citizens of Christchurch would have attended in larger numbers at the opening of the meeting, as this was a most important question. He (rusted (hat the meeting would give him a fair hearing on the subject, as he always had received whenever ho addressed them. Before going into the matter he might allude to a letter appearing in the “ Star” of last evening, the concluding paragraph of which was as follows:—“Mr Wynn Williams is a capital hand at defending a job, but he cannot always prevent justice from being done.” Now he would at once say he had never spoken to the College authorities on the subject, but had simply looked at it from a public point of view, as he had done with other questions. [Hear, hear.] The poiut raised by the projectors of the scheme of placing a College on the Domain, was that it was a people’s College, and he must say he was surprised that so astute a man as Mr Jebson, the member for the Rakaia, should have been taken in by this transparent cry. But he contended that it was not a question of a People’s College or any other College, but simply whether a College or any building at all should be built on the Domain. (“ No, no.”) Well, he would now ask the meeting to bear with him for a few moments while he referred to the article of Saturday last in the “Lyttelton Times.” In that article, written he believed by a gentleman who had taken a prominent part in this matter, a sneer was cast at public meetings. The article said : —‘The ‘ Press’ has bcou made to understand that 1 a requisition is being now signed in the city asking his Worship the Mayor to call a public meeting for the purpose of discussing the matter.’ Our contemporary has a great veneration for, or a wholesome dread of—the terms are synonymous in his case—such phrases as ‘ his Worship the Mayor,’ “ a requisition,’ and ‘ a public meeting.’ These appear to be at once the straws by which he judges the ‘ set’ of the wind and measures the current of opinion on every subject. lu the game of ‘follow my leader,’ the ‘ Press ’ has many rivals but few equals ; and we cannot, therefore, congratulate Mr Wynn Williams on his success in enlisting the co operation of those who are as easily led by the nose as asses are.” Well, if this was the argument of the other side it seemed to him they were very weak. [A Voice—" We are all asses according to that.”] But the fact of it was this, that the very persons who affected to sneer at the holding of public meetings were the very persons when anything came forward that did not quite accord with their views, to say that no public expression of opinion had been obtained. Dr Haast, Mr Fraser, and Dr Turnbull, who were concerned in this job, were the persons who took up a position in favor of it, but Dr Turnbull on the occasion of a motion for the Sunday opening of the museum coming before the Provincial Council, had said that no expression of public feeling had been obtained on the subject; but on the very last day of the session, without a word being said on the subject, Dr Turnbull came down with this resolution to erect a college on the Domain. [Plear, hear.] Now the article went on to say that because this ground had been reserved for a Superintendent’s residence for ever it could not be altered ; but he turned this argument upon them and said that if this was true they had no right to take out five acres for a College. [Hear, hear.] He would point out also that the Cathedral Square had been reserved for recreation for ever, but yet they had erected a Cathedral upon it, and proposed to erect public buildings there. It seemed to him that it was only right that this should be so, as the representatives of . the people had a right to alter their decision if circumstances made it desirable. They were going to close up a recreation ground when at home the great wish was to have these preserved; but while they were doing this at home, here they were proposing to destroy the park and garden devoted to the public use. But this was not all. He understood that the trustees of the College had met some days ago, and .instead of selecting the site proposed by Dr Turnbull, they had taken a site in the middle of (he Domain where the croquet parties and tixopholites met. [Laughter]. This was a nice spot. They thus proposed to erect the buildings right before the main entrance, thus shutting practically the Domain to the public. [Hear, hear]. They had now a park and gardens farjiu advance of anythingin New Zealand, and quite equallo any in Australia, and yet they now proposed to destroy it by means of building this College there. He challenged Mr Fraser or any other of those on the other side to say that this College would be a People’s College. He contended that it would not. [Hear, hear]. The people’s College he took it was one where the working man, the lawyer, and tradesmen of all kinds could send their sons, and that it would be within their power to maintain them there for the three or four years necessary for them to remain there. But this would never he ; it would simply be for the wealthy and those who could afford to keep their sous there for the term required without their having to work for their living. [Applause]. Did any one there that evening seriously entertain the belief that this College ever would bo such as this ? Ho thought not; no one would for one moment expect that they would ever arrive at such an utopian state of things. [Hear. hear]. The proinotcis of this violation of the rights of the people said now that all that was wanted was live acres of the ground there for the erection of a College. That, surely could do no harm at all. But what would bo the result some .years hence? They were pouring in persons from England every day; they were increasing as a population and what would be

the result? Why, that some 1500 students would require to be accommodated if this was to bo a people’s College, and then the inevitable result would come that the principal of the College—and he would like to see his friend Mr Fraser as the principal—would go to the authorities and represent that there was not room for the students unless a larger building were erected and the .ground was kept distinct from the public portion of the Domain. Would they say then that there was room for the public to enjoy their recreation in the Domain ? He said no ! [Hear, hear.] The fact was that it was not persons in the position of his Houor the Superintendent, Mr Fraser, and others, who went to that Domain. They had their gardens to go to after their day's business. It was the working people, the toiling masses out of the 50,000 population estimated by Mr Montgomery, who were living in the close streets of Christchurch, who wanted to use this Domain, who required to get what his friend Dr Haast, as a scientific man, would call a bellyful of ozone. (Laughter.) But now he came to the more serious part of the question. If they erected the College, and it was, as he hoped, such a College as would be a credit to Canterbury, would they be contented to remain with five acres of ground ? Certainly not. Let ten years expire, and then the population would have increased to such an extent that a large addition would require to be made; and then would they go outside the Domain and erect a second portion of the College in another part of the city ? Certainly not; they would again ask for a further grant of land from the Domain, and thus it would go on until all the Domain would be absorbed for the College alone. [Cheers']. The writer in the“ Lyttelton Times" said “The ‘talk’ about professors houses and other official residences dotted all over the Domain is very well in its way, but it is not entitled to any consideration. Through their representatives in the Provincial Council, the people can, at any time, say—- ‘ Thus far and no farther." ” But this was not so, it was an utter impossibility, and, if the College was commenced, the Domain would pass away from the public altogether, and would be absorbed in the College grounds alone, and would bo closed to the public. He wanted to point out that they could get a site for their College at the end of Cashel street; they could get a hundred acres for it at a moderate rate, and let them there establish their college, and keep the ground in the Domain for the citizens of Christchurch. [Cheers.] Now he know who it was were looking forward to snug residences and professorships, and ho asked them to test their sincerity in a way he would point out. They had allowed the Museum to bo erected there, which should never have been done —[hear, hear ] —and he now asked those patriotic gentlemen to start a subscription list, and ho pledged his honor there that night to put down his name for £IOO, to supplement a grant from the Provincial Council to purchase a site for the College elsewhere, and spare the people’s Domain. [Loud cheers.] There was, ho believed, a gentleman —though he had not spoken to him on the subject—who would put his name down for £IOOO. [Cheers.] He had given £SOO to an agricultural society, and he believed lie would do what he had said to save the Domain from utter ruin. [Cheers.] He put it to those patriotic gentlemen to prove their patriotism by bringing forward the subscription list he had proposed. It had been said that this would be the “People’s College in the People’s Park;” but it seemed to him that there was nothing in Dickens’ works, or in any comic book he had read, half so satirically ridiculous as this statement. [Hear.] It might be said that these gentlemen who were working to get this college erected on the Domain looked forward to posterity, and to the handing down of their names some hundreds of years hence as providing education for the people. If they desired to do this, it would be a much better way to adopt the suggestion of a medical member of the Provincial Council on Mr Andrews’ motion for the enjoyment of cremation, and allow themselves to be petrified and set up as statues in the Domain. If this were done, he asked them to place him (Mr Williams) at the entrance gate with an inscription, “This is the man who saved the Domain from being taken from the public.” (Laughter and cheers.) There was, however, a paragraph in the article in the “ Lyttelton Times ” which let some light in upon the matter, and to which he would call their attention as showing the necessity for action on their part. There was a Bill gone up to the General Assembly, which had passed its first reading without the public being acquainted with its provisions in the slightest degree. He was glad to see his Honor the Superintendent there that evening, and trusted that he had nothing to do with this Bill. The writer said —« it may be as well to remind those who arc moving in this matter that prompt action is necessary. A Bill for the Amendment of the Canterbury Domains Act is already before the General Assembly, and it should be stated for the information of those who have no inclination, or no opportunity, ho make themselves acquainted with such matters, that this Bill, if passed, will authorise the erection of the Canterbury College in the Domain.” Now, he looked upon it as cheek and impudence for any one to say this. Of course they had not had an opportunity of seeing this Bill —a Bill, by the way. by which the recreation ground of the people was to be alienated from them for ever. He, however, believed be was right in saying this much about it ; that it was altogether different from the ordinary Bills of this character, which contained the provision leaving it to the Superintendent and Provincial Council to pass the Bill if they thought it right and proper. The fact was, that in the Assembly no one would trouble themselves at all about the matter, and the result would be that this Bill would pass, alienating the Domain from the people of Christchurch for ever, and this, too, without the people having an opportunity of expressing their opinion upon it. [Hear, hear.] He appealed to his Houor the Superintendent as the representative of Canterbury. not to allow this Bill to pass unless it contained a provis’on empowering the Superintendent and the Provincial Council to pass it if they thought proper; and he must express his extreme sorrow that Mr Montgomery, for whom he had the sincerest respect, should have got up in the Provincial Council and supported Mr Turnbull s resolution for the alienation of the Domain from the public. [Cheers.] He might say that he had that day received a telegram from Lyttelton which be would read: —“Mr Montgomery has gone up to Wellington today with a petition signed numerously.”

That was that Mr Montgomery had gone up that day knowing that a public meeting was being held, taking with him a petition in favor of the Bill he had spoken of before they had had an opportunity of making their sentiments known. [Cheers and hisses.] All he could say was that by this course Mr Montgomery had done that which he (Mr Williams) regretted extremely, and one which he thought was a course which they as the public had a right to condemn. [Hear, hear.] He hoped that after this the meeting would rise as one man and support the resolution which he would now propose, viz. : “ This meeting is of opinion that no further encroachments should be made on the Domain grounds by commencing the erection of the buildings for the Canterbury College. [Loud cheers.] Mr Maskell said he seconded the resolution with very great pleasure. [Hear, hear.] But in doing so, he must take exception to what Mr Williams had said, viz :—That this Question affected Christchurch alone, and not the outlying districts. This was not the fact; and for this reason, because, if the reserves in Christchurch were interfered with in this unwarrantable manner, they in the country had no guarantee that the reserves made for them in the country for a variety of purposes would be left untouched. [Hear, heai.J He supported the resolution a so on the ground that the College was allowed to be erected, they would most certainly be ousted from the use of that Domain, as they would be having professors’ houses and all sorts of buildings put upon it, and the result would be that the public would only be allowed to go into the Domain and use their own recreation ground on certain conditions. [Hear, hear.] Now with regard to thetelegram read by Mr Williams, He must say he was taken by surprise when that telegram was read ; and he had now no hesitation in saying that if Mr Montgomery had gone up to the Assembly with a petition in his pocket against the resolution, got up perhaps that day, knowing that a public meeting was to be held that night to consider the matter, he said that he was no longer worthy to receive the confidence of the elcclois. [Cheers.] In fact he might say that no public act had given him so much pain as this. [Cheers.] There was another point upon which he should like to say a few words. They were doubtless aware that the management of this Domain had been, by an Ordinance of the Provincial Council, placed in the hands of the Park and Domain Board, as the representatives of the public. Now when this matter was before Ihe Council, the Provincial Secretary—Mr Jolhe—was asked by one hon member whether the Park and Domain Board had been consulted on the subject, and his reply was that they had not. [Cheers]. Now it seemed to him that on so important a subject connected with the public trust confided to them these gentlemen ought to have been consulted and their opinion ascertained by the Government. But no, they had been treated he affirmed with discourtesy in tbe matter, and as had been the case with the public, no information had been afforded to them on the matter. 1 Cheers]. He might tell them what he believed was a fact, though of course, he had no official knowledge of it, that the members of the Domain Board had sent in their resignations not approving of the course taken in the matter. [Loud cheers.] He would not longer detain them, but would second the resolution proposed by Mr Wynn Williams with a great deal of pleasure. [Loud cheers,] His Honor the Superintendent said he had attended there that evening as a listener, and had not intended to have spoken on the subject, rather wishing to hear what was mi id on bolli sides of the quest ion and to bear the public, as they had a perfect right to do, express their opinion. But ho felt he could not sit still after what had fallen from Mr Williams and Mr Maskell. IJe wished to refer to one or two points in the speeches of these two gentlemen. He might say that Mr Montgomery had gone up to Wellington, and it was owing to public business that he (the Superintendent) had been detained here, and he was very <dad that it was so. Very severe reflections°had been cast on Mr Montgomery by both Mr Williams and Mr Maskell, and it had been implied, if not expressly stated, that he (Mr Montgomery) had drawn the Bill which had passed its first reading in the House of Representatives. Now he might say in a very few words that he (the Superintendent) had been instrumental in getting that Bill drawn—[hisses]—and he was not ashamed of having done so, [Renewed hisses.] The representatives of the people in the Provincial Council had passed the resolution on the subject which referred to the College being erected in the Domain. A resolution which of course they had a perfect right to pass, and that resolution had been forwarded to him. There was no reason adduced to the contrary; the Provincial Council had every opportunity of fully considering the question, as it had been twice before them, and he saw no reason why he should exercise his right of veto on it. The General Assembly was now in session, and as the icsolution had been passed by the Provincial Council for the erection of the College on the site named, and they had had ample opportunity of considering it, he did not, as he had said, feel called upon to exercise his veto upon it. [A voice: “Why did you not do so?”] Well, he would tell them why. It was because he agreed with the resolution. [Hisses.] He had, therefore, as carrying out the wishes of their representatives in the Provincial Council, caused the Bill now before the House to be drawn. [Hisses and cheers.J The Council had previously passed a resolution to put the College on a site not at all desirable, and a second resolution was forwarded to him affirming the desirability of another site. The site selected was one which from a very early period of the province had been set apart as a site for a residence for the Superintendent; but he might say that he did not think it necessary at all that such a reserve should be made. [Hear, hear.] Under these circumstances it was not for him to interpose to prevent this College being erected on a site set apart for a residence for the office which he had the honor to hold, the more so as be considered he was carrying out the expressed wish of the people. [A voice—- “ It was not the will of the people at all.’ ] Well, those gentlemen who had been sent to represent the people in a deliberative Assembly had voted for it, and he had therefore carried out their wish. He must say, however, that he thought they would agree with him that this was a more appropriate site for the College than for a Snpcrintcndent’s residence. He had gut. up because lie had felt it his duty to defend Mr Montgomery from the aspeisiuus which were being Cftßt ou biDQ| and to take the retpousibility

of the drawing of the Bill upon himself. The resolution had come to him, and in deference to the express wishes of the representatives of the people he had deemed it his duty to send the Bill forward as soon as possible He had come there to listen and not to speak, but he did not wish for one moment to influence the free discussion of the whole question by that meeting. lie trusted, however, that the meeting would not bn led away by ad cajrfandnm arguments and expressions such as respecting the People’s College. The people in the province had the fullest share and participation in the matters relating to education, and this College would be what the people chose to make it. He would not insult the meeting by saying that this would not be only accessible to rank or riches. Thank God they lived in times when education was free and open to all. [Cheers.] He could not sit still when he heard gentlemen get up and say that this college, an institution established by money voted by the people’s representatives, would not be open to all, and would not be what the people themselves chose to make it. They lived under institutions when merit, and not rank or riches, would rise. The highest honors in science were now being taken by storm by the people, and it was folly to say that cither rank or riches could hold a higher position than merit. He was ambitious to see that city and the province looked up to as the centre of education, and this was the end he had in view in the course he had taken in this matter. [ Cheers ]. The Rev C. Fraser said that he was only anxious to make an explanation. He might say at the outset that he was not at all in accord with the writer of the article in the “ Lyttelton Times.” He was in favor of public meetings, but he was sorry that Dr Turnbull had not been able to be, present that evening, as he did not feel himself capable to encounter and cope with so wary a speaker, and so detcrmin , 'd a champion for public rights as Mr Wynn Williams. However, he must say that he was surprised Mr Williams could have sat in the Council and allowed this resolution to pass without raising his voice against it. [Mr Williams voted against it.”] Then again their champion had sat quiet while the resolution respecting the grant to the municipalities of the province had been thrown out. [Hear,] This did not look like a champion of the public rights. Then again there was another Domain called the Racecourse, When that friend of the public, Sir Cracroft Wilson, had brought forward the resolution imposing a toll of one shilling upon the people for going into their own domain, the Racecourse, Mr Wynn Williams had supported it, [Cheers and hisses.] [Mr Williams —If Mr Fraser was not a clergyman I would bet him £5 that I did not.] [Loud Cheers.] Well, if it was not so he had been much misled. He was not sorry, as Mr Masked had expressed himself that the Domain Board had resigned, because now he thought they would have a Board who would look after the interests of the public. Was it to the interest of the public that 440 acres of the Park had been let on long leases, so obstructing the clear passage of the people in the Domain. Some people had said that it would not be a bad thing for Christchurch if the Governor came down hero for three months, but what was the fact, why that there was twenty acres left in natural grass, while they were fighting for five acres in one corner. The Domain Board had kept 440 acres away from the public and there was not anything said about this. It had been said that if they allowed this College to bo built the public would not be allowed to come into the grounds ; but he had some experience in the mutter of Colleges, and he might say that the grounds of Colleges were always open to the public. He would read an extract to show that the grounds of the Melbourne University were open to the public. [Read.] If they had a University on one side and a Museum on the other, they would thus offer an additional inducement to people to visit the Domain. [Hear, hear.] Now with regard to the words “ People’s College,” he might say that this was a College where it was intended to teach the uses of the telegraph ; the quality of the soil, so as to allow of the farmer taking advantage of the best soils for his seed ; where they could get their minerals and their ores analysed ; where while they were doing the best for their bodies, they at the same time were endeavoring to cultivate the mental faculties to the highest, in the discharge of the common duties of life. [Hear, hear.] He had been the mover of the resolution sending home for the Professor of Chemistry, and he might say that they intended to establish a classroom capable of containing 250 pupils. Would they say that these would only be the sons of gentlemen ? He said not; what they intended to do, whatever might be the opinion of their conduct as to the Domain site, was to establish a People’s College. All their actions had been guided by the one view, viz: That they should do the best they could for the people. He asked Mr Williams to withdraw the resolution—[No, no] —and then he would go as far as he could in aiding in obtaining the free use of the 640 acres of the Domain. He wished them to be unanimous on this question, and they would be right. Mr Williams had said if they gave the College this site they would soon find that five acres was not sufficient. He would desire, however, to point out that the Glasgow College, situate in a city containing 500,000 inhabitants, stood on an acre of ground; so that he thought this was a very good answer to that argument. Mr Knight said that the Rev Mr Fraser had told them that the largest college'.]’n the world had been built upon one acre of land ; but he would desire to point out that £I7OO had been voted by the Provincial Council for the acquisition of a site of one acre which had been purchased, so that Mr Fraser had failed to make out his case. He thought Mr Wynn Williams had made out a very good case, and therefore he should heartily support the resolution. [Cheers.] He thought it was high time that an end should be put to the robbery of the public in this manner. [Cheers.] The first attempt made was to alienate the west side of the Cathedral square—a recreation ground of the public —but this had failed so long as the Hon John Hall, who persistently opposed it, had remained in the province. He, however, had gone away, and then it was that this site was handed over to the General Government fur public buildings. At the time this was under discussion in the Provincial Council ho (Mr Knight; had said that the result would be before long that their public schools would be built in their public squares ; but he had no idea that his 1 redictions would come true so soon, The

next attempt, also successful, was to allow the Jockey Club. who had paid a rental of £ls for a portion of the public estate, and underlet it for £IOO, to charge the public for coming on to their own domain, and now it was proposed to take a portion of their Domain for the erection of a College. It was now time to put a stop to this continued pilfering of the lands of the public. [Cheers.l He asked them, were they prepared to see Latimer square turned into a site for a central railway station, and Cranmer square as a site for a female refuge and hospital, because they did not know where, having once begun, these appropriations would stop. [Hear.] Gentlemen were very fond of talking of posterity, but he contended that if they did not at once put their foot down upon these continued attempts to rob the people of their rights, posterity would regard them as traitors to the best interests of their country. [Loud cheers.] Mr Wynn Williams said that he wished to take the opportunity of saying that Mr Fraser’s remark as to the 640 acres in the domain had nothing to do with the question before the meeting, which was, whether it was desirable to erect the college on the site site in the Domain, and thus spoil what was now one of the most magnificent public grounds in New Zealand. The Government had let that portion of the Domain referred to by Mr Fraser, and not as was now proposed, alienated it altogether If the acre of land spoken of by Mr Fraser was sufficient for the large college of Glasgow, it was surely enough for the Canterbury College. Mr Fraser had told them of the arrangements proposed to be made for the education of 250 pupils, but he had not told them the price that was to be paid by them for that education ; that was the true test of the college being a people’s college. Neither his Honor nor Mr Fraser had answered this question [Cheers] nor bad either of them stated any reason why the college should be placed in the Domain. Referring to his Honor’s speech, he might say it was the first time he had heard that it was the duty of the Superintendent to prepare a Bill to carry out the motion of a private member. | Cheers.] If it had been a Government measure it would have been the duty of the Provincial Solicitor to prepare the Bill. He had been charged by his Honor with having spoken of Mr Montgomery in a way which he (the Superintendent) could not sit and hear, but he (Mr Williams) had asked the question publicly in the newspapers before Mr Montgomery’s departure, whether he had anything to do with the Bill. He contended that there was no reason why Mr Montgomery should not have remained and heard what that public meeting had to say on the subject, instead of taking a hole and corner petition against the resolution which he had proposed. (Cheers.) The chairman then put the resolution, when it was carried by a very large majority, only about twelve hands being held up against it. The result was received with loud cheers.

Mr Wynn Williams moved that his Worship the Mayor sign the following petition on behalf of the majority of this meeting ; “ To the Honorable the Speaker and the Honorable Members of the House of Representatives of New Zealand, — “ The humble petition of the undersigned sheweth, —

“ 1. That a Bill for the purpose of amending the Public Domains Act of Canterbury has been introduced into your Honorable House.

“2. That the Domain or public gardens of Canterbury were set apart for a residence for the Superintendent, and grounds for public gardens. “ 3. That no residence has ever been erected, and the whole, with the exception of the Hospital site, Christ’s College site, and Acclimatisation Gardens, has been formed into a public garden, with broad walks, which the public have now enjoyed as such for nearly twenty years. “ 4. That to commence building a College now will result in a very serious loss to the public, by shutting out and depriving them of a recreation ground almost in the centre of the town; and that the beautiful entrance to the Gardens fronting Hereford street, will be entirely shut out. “ 5. That if a College is once commenced it may inevitably lead to larger encroachments; and eventually, as the College is enlarged from time to time, that part of the Domain will most certainly have to be taken exclusively for such College, and consequently the public will lo?e for ever the great advantage to be derived by a large population from having such splendid grounds, forming as they do not only a great resort for the present population, but a much more important element in the future sanitary prospects of what must become the centre of a very large population.

“ That your petitioners humbly beg to remind your Honorable House that no such public grounds can ever be purchased again, being as they are almost in the town of Christchurch, and eventually will no doubt be surrounded by it, and that there have already been several encroachments allowed, which have caused a serious curtailment of what would have been a magnificent public park,|by nine acres for Christ’s College, a large portion for the Hospital, and a site for the Museum. “ Your petitioners, therefore, humbly pray that your Honorable House will not pass a Bill for the purpose of authorising any encroachment upon the Canterbury Domain. “ And your petitioners will ever pray, &c.” Mr Andrews seconded the motion. He might say that though the division list was not given in the papers on Dr Turnbull’s motion, he had obtained a copy of it in which his name appeared with the noes. [Cheers.] Ho had also spoken against it though not reported. The fact was that the question had not been brought forward in a straightforward manner, it came on at a very late period of the session ivhen members were anxious to get home. He contended that it was quite time, in the interests of the people, that they should set their faces against these encroachments on their rights, dim petition had already gone up to Wellington in favor of the change of site, and it was necessary that a counter-petition should be forwarded as soon as possible. With all the respect he had for Mr Montgomery, and though he was a supporter of his, he felt bound to say that the action taken by him in this matter had lowered him considerably in his estimation, and also he believed in that of the peopl; of Christchurch, [Loud cheers.] The motion wa,s then put and carried, only two hands being held up against it.

A vote of thanks to the Mayor terminated the proceedings,