The Globe. TUESDAY, APRIL 18, 1876.

Globe, Volume V, Issue 571, 18 April 1876, Page 2

The Globe. TUESDAY, APRIL 18, 1876.

It is not many days since we suggested to the inhabitants of this city, the advisability of taking some steps toward the establishment of a School of Design ; and we have no doubt that at some future time we may have the pleasure of. announcing that such an institution lias become an established fact. Canterbury is unquestionably very English, very slow to move, and very straight-laced. All ideas for the progress of the district, for the advancement of learning or for the cultivation of social benefits, must eminate from the upper ten, or no notice is vouchsafed to the project. Believing this to be the case, we trust that for the fostering of the intelligence of the youth of the community, and for the instruction of full-grown man as well as for the amusement of all; that some gentleman of position will kindly disseminate a proposal for the addition of an Aquarium to the Christchurch Domain. We know of no other branch of knowledge so interesting both to youth and age as that of Natural History, and the natural history of aquatic animal existence can be studied by the means of the large-sized aquariums more readily than can be the natural propensities of land animals, for the reason that in an aquarium every requirement necessary for their support is easily \uS, in tuai of wild annuals which have to be confined to the limits of the cage, it is the mere animals that can bo observed aud not their natural habits. We are sanguine enough to believe that there are many influential persons in Canterbury, who will very willingly contribute funds and time towards the addition of an aquarium to the Domain. Now that Christchurch can with pardonable pride point to the collection of natural objects displayed in the Canterbury Museum, and also to the beauty of the Botanical Gardens, and the careful manner in which the selections are made and arranged in each of these places of public resort, it is, we think, not too soon to inaugurate the proposition for so interesting an addition, and we think that seeing how much money can be forthcoming for the furtherance of improvement in the breeding of stock and the cultivation of serials, and the great disposition that exists to encourage learning in all its branches amongst the mass of the population, that a very little exertion on the part of two or three gentlemen who would lend their assistance to a movement for this purpose would meet with a cordial welcome, and be an undoubted success. We can but add that we shall be but too pleased to place the columns of this journal at the disposal of all persons desirous of advocating the establishment of an institution which we believe would constitute a very great additional attraction to the City of Christchurch.