Local Intelligence.

Lyttelton Times, Volume X, Issue 636, 11 December 1858, Page 4

Local Intelligence.

An inquest was held at Christchurch, on Tuesday evening, before Dr. Donald, coroner, and a respectable jury, of whom Mr. Daniel Inwood was foreman, to investigate the causes which led toj,ho late fire at Taylor's brewery. After full enquiry a verdict was returned, exhibiting the fact of the kiln furnaces havhv been over-heated as the origin of the fire. The jury also presented the following expression of opinion : —■

_ " That it is eminently necessary that provision be made in Christchurch" for the extinction of fire, by procuring ladders, buckets, and a fire-engine, to be at the disposal of the police authorities.

"That arrangements be made for alarming the inhabitants iii case of fire at night. " That a sufficiently numerous police'force be maintained, to allow for a constable on duty at all hours.".

A movement, which we expect to be attended with the best results,- has arisen from the late fire. A meeting has been .held, of which our miserably cramped space prevents us from giving the details. It was, held on Wednesday evening, Mr. E. Sutcliffe in the chair. Resolutions were passed, asserting the desirability of forming a " Fire Brigade," and appointing a strong committee to collect subscriptions, and arrange preliminaries; another public meeting to be called at a future day. The meeting was numerously attended, and the serious nature of the business in hand lent a marked earnestness to the proceedings. It is intended to have a regatta in Lyttelton harbour on the coming New Year's Day, as usual. A public meeting on the subject was held on Thursday evening, which was well attended, Mr. E. Davis in the chair. A committee was appointed to collect a race fund, and to arrange the'programme of sports. • The Indiana on Thursday took away several of our hard-labour gang, who, having been seamen of the ship, and refusing to work on her arrival, had been placed in charge of the shore authorities during her stay. They were conducted to the ship in charge of constables. Captain McKirdy will be fortunate if he gets them further than Wellington. In the Resident Magistrate's Court at Christchurch, on the. Ist instant, Mr. Adams, Inspector of sheep for the northern division, brought two actions, under tho Scab Ordinance, against Mr. G. H. Moore; one for having a diseased flock of 1,000 sheep in his possession when his flocks were inspected on the 12th ult., the other for allowing a sheep to stray, which had been found mixed with Mr. Douglas's sheep. Defendant admitted both charges, and was fined £50 for the first, and £25 for the second, y

In the same Court, on Wednesday, an action under the same ordinance was brought by Mr. Boulton, southern Inspector, against Sir Wm. Congreve, for having in his possession 900 sheep, some of which were scabby. Defendant admitted the charge/ and was fined £75.