NOTES FROM LYTTELTON.

Globe, Volume VII, Issue 799, 13 January 1877, Page 3

NOTES FROM LYTTELTON.

I have fallen into a scrape since I last met you about the flag ship, but I don't mind it much, for, as Dr Donald says, it's far better to be abused by the newspapers than not mentioned at all, as it shows you are of some little importance an>how, and besides that, I am proud of being such a bloated aristocrat and looking down with such supreme contempt on reporters and editors, and that sort of people, ride A. H. W.'s letter. All I can say is, that if Mr A. H. W. or W. H. A. knows as much about the arrangement aboard the Rangitikei as I do, I am astonished, and that if Mr Aynsley meant to compliment the Times on the correctness of its report, when he made that speech at the Mitre, he took a most extraordinary way of doing it. Although, thanks to having been born with a silver spoon in my mouth, I have not to labor, I do trust that I tolerate those poor creatures whom necessity compels to write for newspapers, and if there is one man whom I envy in New Zealand it is he to whose fertile imagination we owe that exquisite " Legend of the Langstone," which on Monday morning thrilled through the hearts of Canterbury; ah ! if that compiler had only done what my antagonist wished me to do, tried to find out the truth instead of rushing frantically into print on the shadow of a foundation, that beautiful Idyll would never have delighted an astonished world. If it is true, as I hear it is, that W. H. A. was the author of the paragraph in question, I forgive him, for he caused me to, laugh so heartily that I have no venom left.

The last glories of the regatta have faded away. The Secret has gone, taking her jolly owners to Nelson, where we wish her the same success that has attended her here. It was a happy thought to present the silken flag, but Lyttolfcm's happiest thought ought to be that she has managed to send her visitors, both winners and losers, to their respective homes pleased with our regatta and our people. I only hope we shall be able to say as much next year. The regatta committee have much before them next season. All sorts of changes will have to be made in the rules : there will be the exclusion of the centre-board yachts ; regulations regarding fins or false keels ; preventing small yachts from competing with large, except upon certain conditions ; and last, but not least, the consideration as to whether there should be outrigger races. By the next new year the breakwaters will have been completed, and within their sheltering arms the water is always smooth, except when a sou'-wester is blowing very hard, and even then only a small portion of the basin is ruffled. The question then arises, is the enclosure large enough for outrigger races 1 Many Christ church men inform me that a course from the Gladstone Pier to Dampier's Bay and back would be quite long enough ; but the difficulty arises, how are the small craft that cluster under the shelter of the Naval Point breakwater to be moored out of the way ? All the coastal skippers, who can manage it, make a point of coming to Lyttelton just before New Year's Day, if possible, and this year no less than sixty or seventy sail arrived during the week preceding the regatta, so that, taking hulks and local crafts into consideration, at least ninety vessels were moored in that part of the bay which is sheltered by the Naval Point breakwater on New Year's morning ; the consequence was that, at the last moment, it was found necessary to alter the course for some of the rowing events, and send the boats round a buoy outside the breakwater. Owing to the day being so calm this did very well, but, if it had been rough, it iB a great question if those races would ever have come off at all. It therefore becomes the duty of the regatta committee for 1878 to arrange (at their earliest meeting) about this: either let them say at once, "we cannot manage to give you a course," and so set the matter at rest, or else announce outrigger races to take place within the breakwaters, and make arrangements for a course to be cleared the day before the regatta. There is no doubt that both Christchurch and Kaiapoi were anxious to compete this time, and that if suffi ient notice were given next year there would be at least two good outrigger races, one for men and one for boys, and that the visitors, always taking most interest in the rowing events because they can see them from start to finish, would be delighted at the change. This puts me in mind of another thing which is, that this year the Champion Yacht and Sailing races were too far away for the general public! In 1876 when the course was twice round the buoy off Kipa Island the vessels were nearly all the time in sight, and the spectators were in a state of excitement from the begining of the races to the end. This year the public saw the start it is true, but as to the finish, why they were at home long before it come off. All interest was lost in the two big races owing to their length. Sweeps were undecided, and there was a certain amount of dissatisfaction. Of course it is argued in favor of a long course that it is the truest test of a vessel's sailing qualities, and that a fluke is less likely to land an inferior boat a winner, and no doubt there is much truth in the argument, but " Portonian" thinks that the regatta is intended for the amusement of the general public, and that it is the dear duty of the committee to make it as interesting as possible to the uninitiated. The public are appealed to to find the money, and right noblviuCV respond, and the least thing the regatta committee caS 0 n » to give them as much fun as they possibly can. au . Y or the competitors q>rc dissatisfied let them (to as Geordie Clarke and the Auckland schooner did—fight it out another day.

A very sensible letter appeared in the Press during the week regarding the unprotected state of that part of Lyttelton not included in the block. It is quite true thab, without on special business, you hardly e\ r cr see a constable in Lyttleton away from the block. There is no doubt that policemen are more required where the people are thickest, and in the neighborhood of the principal public houses, and all of us can testify that at the very least complaint our Sergeant-Major is willing to turn out with his men at any hour of the day or night to protect us. At the same time it must be a bad thing for evil doers to know that they are certain of not encountering a policeman if they go to the more unfrequented parts of the town. If there are only constables enough in Lyttelton to guard the block, others should be stationed here, so that the outskirts of the town could be visited from time to time. The very knowledge that a policeman was sometimes seen after dark in these more remote parts, would tend greatly to restrain any ruffian from insulting women or children. Remember, lam not grumbling at the police; they do their duty admirably, but if there are only enough to guard the block, another should be stationed here.

The Wesleyan Sunday School treat took place last week, and in another day or two we shall have the Church of England Sunday School treat, and so on. Would it not be better to join resources, as used to be the case, and have one great picnic for all the Lyttelton children. Surely we Christians love one another well enough to occasionally jump over the little dogmatic creeks that separates us, and have a happy holid;y together. Many poor little darlings who used to have a jolly day once a year are now left out in the cold, because they don't attend one of the particular Sunday Schools that give a treat, or more shocking still, don't attend a Sunday School at all. At the Borough School thank goodness they all meet together, and get rid of a lot of prejudice. Why not have an annual Borough School treat, and let all the Lyttelton children come, as we used to ? I know it's a great bother; I know it falls on a few; I know there is always a lot of grumbling ; but what of that. Everyone must take a lot of trouble to do a little good, and I think the few who undertook the work would be amply repaid by the happiness and gratitude, not of one denomination, but of the children of Lyttelton.

The upper end of Oxford street baa been called the Heavenly road, but the ladies residing in that part of the town do not seem to be blessed with peculiarly heavenly tempers ; they appear to spend their spare time in making sarcastic remarks regarding each other's dress, personal appearance,, and cleanliness, varying the monotony _ by throwing an occasional stone. This of course results in a Court case, where the most astonishing volubility, not to say eloquence, is displayed. The remarkable thing, in all these cases, is the intense enjoyment shown by the witnesses, who are LiHually neighbouring matrons —who are partiaana of one of the belligerents—the relish with which they take the oath, and, after long deliberation, state that by their clock it was 27 minutss to 3, and not 29 minutes to 3, when Mrs Jones called Mrs Buowa's child a dirty little blackguard ; or relate some equally terrible fact. I never hear one of these cases without regretting that the pillory iB gone out of fashion. One woman, however, did receive fearful provocation, and I pity her. She was called the ugliest woman in Lyttelton ! The other day a boy was asked in the Court whether he understood the nature of an oath, and replied, "Yes, that if he did not tell the truth after kissing the book he should be hung." A good many people that you and 1 have seen, reader, would come to an untimely end if this were the case, wouldn't they?

Cricket is going ahead again : there is to be a good practice to-day, and on Thursday we are to have a match with the Sunnyside people. I hope it will be a jolly one, and that we shall be luckier than the literary gentleman were. It is to be hoped that .the Sunnysidians will not turn out in fancy ball costumes or the effect might be too dazzling. Portonian.