CHRISTCHURCH.

Lyttelton Times, Volume VI, Issue 369, 17 May 1856, Page 7

CHRISTCHURCH.

On Tuesday evening- last, a public meeting was held at the White Hart, to take into consideration the proposed amendment in the Waste Lands' Bill to be introduced this session ; especially as regards the proposal to grant compensation to the holders of pre-emptive rights. The Speakers were, Messrs. Wilkinson, Ollivier, Thumsoii, Fooks, Westby Perceval, Shand, &c. No arrangements were made for reporting the proceedings.

The following resolutions were carried by the meeting after discussion.

1. That this meeting is of opinion that the preemptive rights as at present claimed to be exercised under the regulations of the Canterbury Association, are seriously detrimental to the interests of the province, in as much as they are a great impediment to the sale of land, and, asa'necessaryjconsequencei to the promotion of our provincial prosperity.

2. That this meeting having also bad under its consideration tbe propositions made by Mr. Bray, to introduce a system of compensation to the extent of one-tenth of tbe land covered by the pre-emptive right ; is of opinion that as no right of property in the soil was conveyed through tbe rights in question, the claim to compensation is unjust and extortionate.

3- That this meeting considers the government proposition to be just and equitable, but desires to record its opinion that pre-emptive rights should not hereafter be transferable, but when they have been challenged by a land purchaser, that they shall be deemed to be extinguished.

4. That the forgoing resolutions be embodied in a memorial to the Provincial Council to be signed by the public of Canterbury, in and about tbe neigbbournood of Christchurch, and presented to the Council at its approaching sitting, on the 21st instant.

Thanks were unanimously voted to the chairman, for the able and efficient manner in which he had performed the duties of the evening-, when the meeting' separated. It may he as well, while on the subject, to express a regret that there is no room accessible in Cluistchurch, iv which public meetings can he held. Mr. Hart, who liberally places his largest room at the disposal of the"public, cannot he expected to furnish an apartment sufficiently large for a public demonstration. On Wednesday evening last, the room was crowded, and had the accommodation been increased, no doubt but that the meeting would have been much larger. Seve nil persons went away, unable to obtain ailirsisMi>n. We hope thai the Commercial PI ail, the prospectus of which continues to be advertised, will shortly remedy this evil, <tnd will place at the disposal of our Christchurch townsmen, a room suitable for all public purposes.

The Cattle show of the Agricultural society took place at Christeburch on Thursday the Sth instant. The show was considered by those conversant with the former ones as not being as pood as might have been expected, but a good deal of the disappointment was attributed to the present crisis in the agricultural, and the tightness in the money markets. The show in pigs was excellent, some weie pevtect giants

in stature, and monsters in fat. The show perfectly establishes the claim of Canterbury to be a pork-producing country.

The Flower show was held the same day on the Cricket Ground. It was considered to be very successful. We understood that there was some little dissatisfaction expressed by unsuccessful candidates at the awards of the judges, but we entertain no doubl that a little reflection •will restore good humour, when, in an affair of this kind, to be beaten is no disgrace, but should rather act as a stimulus to tiy for " better luck next time.'"

On Wednesday last, Mr. Packer was reelected without opposition one of the representatives for the town of Christcburch, having resigned his seat in consequence of his acceptation of the office of a Lami Commissioner under the new Land Regulations. Disappointments appear to have surrounded even to the last this election ; for vre understand that the gentleman to whom the honor of proposing JVIr. Packer was assigned, not alive to the importance of the charge entrusted to him, absolutely forgot all about the election, and was non est when called for. We hope there is no significance in these alleged acts of forgetfulness.