CANTERBURY.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume II, Issue 77, 18 December 1862, Page 5 (Supplement)

CANTERBURY.

Another Crmous Fact tor Xattjuaiists.— As the miners were going to their work at midnight on Thursday last they were astonished to find a monstrous fish near the face of the Lyttelton end of the tunnel which seemed to be an enormous shark about eight feet long. They at once attacked the monster with their picks and boring tools, without success, as from the position it occupied there was no possibility of getting a fair blow without encountering certain death from its fearful jaws. After some time one of tho men contrived to get along the roof of the tunnel, and succeeded in boring a hole in the creature’s head, in which he rammed a charge of powder, and having applied a fuse speedily settled tho dil'.ieulty. It is still a matter of extreme surprise how this monster of the deep found his way into the tunnel, 'the Provincial Engine; l , who happened to he on the snot, is of opinion that there must he a subterraneous communication with the Y 0.-t coast, and feels sanguine that before long he will be able to turn this discovery to such account that Lyttelton will be suplied in less than a year with coal direct from the Grey river. If this should prove to be the case, the future of the port is assured, and Lyttelton uiml become the centra! coaling depot for all the mail steamers. A fact has since been discovered which bears out the inference that there is a passage from the West Coast. In the belly of the shark were found some surveying instruments belonging to A 1 r. Eochfort, known to have been lost while taking soundings at the mouth of the (trey. Wo have since hoard some details which give further interest to this curious story. The skeleton of the shark has been forwarded to the Philosophical Institute. On examination it turns out to belong to a hitherto unknown species. We believe the learned chairman entertains the idea, owing to the peculiar formation of tho lower fins—the bones of which are like those of fingers and toes—that it may prove to bo a specimen of the long-talked of “ Land ■Shark” (saurian yams.) Further light will no doubt be thrown on tills interesting discovery before long .—Lyildlon Times, Dec. G. P.vxama,— Wo understand that everything prospers with the proposed Panama steam service up to tho present time. Tho Government of New South V\ ales have decided upon co-operating with this colony to the fullest extent, and have coinmmissioned their agent in England to do everything necessary for forwarding tho scheme with the Home Government. —Lyttelton Times, Oct. 3. Straw. —ln consequence of the loss of the City of Sydney tho Itanyatim will cease to run to New Zealand. As if happens, wo shall not suffer to any extent, the Postmaster General having recently made arrangements by which the Sydney and Cook’s Straits boats will come on to Lyttelton.— Uhl.