CANTERBURY.

North Otago Times, Volume II, Issue 34, 13 October 1864, Page 2

CANTERBURY.

(From our own Correspondent.) ChristchuTcb, October 5.

In making my first essay in the character of your correspondent, I cannot promise your readers any exciting details, or the smallest scrap of the sensational yvriting which has become an essential ingredient in the perfection of modern narrative. All the incidents I shall have to write about in this and subsequent communications will be of the most ordinary, every-day description. Canterbury is indeed—and perhaps as a patriotic citizen I ought not to wish it otherwise —a most unfortunate post for a newspaper correspondent. Here yve have no yvars or rumors of wars; no Maoris, whose proyvess either as armed rebels or fugitive prisoners affords a field wherein the graphic pen may expatiate at large; nor swarms of diggers, yvhose success or ill fortune may be detailed in strains of alternate exultation and despair. When therefore you find, as you certainly will, that a letter from Canterbury fails to excite any remarkable enthusiasm in the minds of your readers, you must not in justice throw the entire blame upon your correspondent, but allow some portion of it to fall where it must justly be laid—upon the unfortunate circumstances in which it is his lot to be placed. Having said thus much by way of exculpatory preface, I will proceed at once to the main business of my letter. In the way of politics, to which I allot the first place, I have not much to tell you. Our Provincial Council was prorogued on Friday last, after an unusually short session, but one in which not less real yvork yvas got through than its predeces* sors. The Government was very strong, and carried nearly all their measures by large majorities though not yvithout strenuous opposition from the party lately in power. They showed themselves also good men of business, and kept a decided lead in the Council throughout—a great contrast to the last administration, who always appeared to be rather waiting to see what other members had to propose, than able to take any line of their oyvn. The most important debates yvere on financial affairs, but as these were fully reported, and became a subject of much discussion in the local papers, there is no need for mc to al'iide to them further. A remarkable feature yvas the extensive introduction of the principle of rating, yvhich, considering what a bugbear the yvord taxation has always been here, yvas submitted to yvith surprising equanimity. Unless any unforseen stoim should occur, I suppose we shall noyv go on quietly enough till the next session looses the tongues of hon. members, and arouses the political forces to fresh action.

Of local events the most noteworthy is a fire, yvhich happened in Christchurch on Saturday night, and which might, had circumstances been a little different from what they fortunately were, have done a frightful amount of mischief. The fire broke out in a store in Cashel street, and was not discovered till the flames had reached a great height. When once the alarm was given the Fire Brigade was quickly on the spot, and with the assistance of the Volunteers, who turned out at the bugle-call and did good service in keeping the ground clear, were successful in preventing the fire from spreading beyond two houses. The damage clone was not very considerable, and the loss is principally covered by insurance; but had the wind been in another direction it yvould have been almost impossible to have saved the "Press" office and buildings from the flames, which must then have involved a large portion of the street : in fact, it would have been impossible to say yvhere it yvould have ended. Nothing has yet, so far as I know been discovered as to the origin of tbe fire. Among its other measures, the Council has passed a Bill which, yvhen brought into operation yvill have a most beneficial effect, for the organization of fire brigades and placing them on a more definite footing, and especially for giving poyver to certain individuals to order houses to be pulled doyvn yvhen necessary to check the progress of fire. This it seems at present no one has any legal authority to do. Racing matters have lately occupied a large share of public attention. Of our steeplechases you have no doubt seen accounts in the local papers, and may have noticed that they have hitherto not been very fortunate. The first ended in a dispute; in the second the sport was good, but the yveather so much the reverse that the public had little advantage from it; while in the third, though everything else was as prosperous as could be desired, the sport was simply nil. However, the amusement has become popular, and we are not to be disappointed at a few failures so a fourth event has been advertised for next week, yvhich will, I hope, be more successful. The Jockey Club have published the entries received for the Champion Race, to come off at the meeting in January next, and that at all events promises to be as great a success as the spirited exertions of the Club deserve. Fourteen horses have already been entered, and other entries are known to be forthcoming from Nelson and Melbourne, and I believe from Auckland, so that we may hope to see a large field contesting the liberal prize offered. Of course, too, many of these horses will be entered for the other events, so that the meeting is likely to be a most brilliant one, and I hope Canterbury will come in for a fair share of the luck. The cricket season has just begun, and three clubs have already entered the field in Christchurch alone, which looks promising. The Council have authorised the setting apart of another portion of Hagley Park for a cricket ground, yvhich yvill remove a difficulty that has been much felt in former seasons, aud do much to encourage the game. The musical portion of the community are on the gui vive for the arrival of the Lyster Opera Troupe, who are expected here to-morrow. The theatre has been enlarped and newly fitted up for the occasion, and Mr Hall, the lessee, is very sanguine as to the results of his speculation. It remains to be seen whether the-opinion expressed by some that he has fixed his prices at too high a scale, is yvell founded. While on the subject of music I must not omit to mention, though rather stale as a piece of news, the performances of our Musical Society. After very painstaking practice and rehearsals, they lately gave us the " Messiah," performed in a style, both in the vocal and instrumental parts, which for colonial amateurs, was more than satisfactory. They are now at yvork upon the " Creation," but intend to diversify their severer labors by an occasional miscellaneous concert, one of which is to take place to-morrow evening. The notice that the Militia are to be called out has clone yvonders in stimulating the energies of our Volunteers. Christchurch has long nominally had two companies of Volunteers, but one of tlicm is practically extinct and the other had dwindled down to something infinitesimal. Noyv, however, not only have both these companies been reinforced to their full extent, but another has been formed in which about 60 men are already enrolled, and a fourth, an engineering

corps, which is in process of formation has obtained a very respectable number of recruits. Drilling is being carried on yvith assiduous perseverance, and every now and then of an evening the town has been enlivened by the sound of the drums and fifes, and the appearance of the Volunteers marching in military array along the principal streets. The manner in which companies 1 and 2 turned out yesterday certainly did them great credit, and showed how well both drill-masters and recruits had attended to their work. They presented a most soldier-like appearance. 250 stand of arms purchased by the Provincial Government have just arrived, to the great gratification of the Volunteers, as all the rifles sent down from Auckland were demanded back again to arm the military settlers in the noi*th. A vote of £7500 was also passed by the Council for the purchase of rifles and six heavy guns ; these have been ordered from England and when they arrive I suppose we shall hear of an Artillery Company being got up. A Cavalry corps is being talked of, but I don't know how far that is likely to become a reality. I am glad to say that the Gas Company are at length beginning active operations in Christchurch. The mains are now being laid down along the principal streets, to the distance of about 3£ miles, yvith provision for branches along the other parts of the tovrn as fast as the demand appears to warrant the outlay. The work will be completed m about a fortnight and will be an amazing improvement, and one that has long been needed. The streets have hitherto presented a most dreary aspect after nightfall, only lighted as they are by a few kerosene lamps dimly flickering at remote intervals. A supposed case of poisoning has just occurred at a station near Leithfield, to the north of Christchurch. Three persons, resideut on the station, yvho had partaken of some dumplings at dinner, were seized with sudden and violent illness, the symptoms of which gave rise to the suspicion that poison had been mixed in the food. The life of one was for some time in great danger The case is under investigation.