CANTERBURY.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 21, 17 June 1871, Page 3

CANTERBURY.

_—j» [Lyttbkton Times.]

The Captain of the Ousuri, on his arrival at Boston, expressed himself highly pleased and satisfied with the rope he bought in Christchurch, of Mr Lennon's manufacture. It seemed to him as good and serviceable as Manilla.

The Trustees of the British Museum have presented a complete set of their natural history catalogues, many of them illustrated, to the Canterbury Museum. The set consists of 175 volumes, and is of course a very valuable contribution. According to the Census return of its population, Canterbury will this year receive from the General Government £88,921 18s* under the "Payment to Provinces Act."

His Honor the Superintendent was a passenger by the s.s. Phoebe, which left Lyttelton yesterday for Dunedin, whither he has gone to attend the first meeting of the New Zealand University Council. The public will regret to learn that news has been received by the San Francisco mail of the death of Mr Charles Bowen. The deceased was a "Pilgrim," and was one of the very first to commence the work of settlement on his farm at Fendall Town. As it is well known to our readers, he was for many years the justly esteemed Speaker of the Provincial Council, and the deservedly high character which it gained was in no small degree owing to the impartiality, tact, sound judgment, and dignity with which he presided over its debates. An accident of a very dangerous kind occurred to a son of Mr Christian Ditfort, in Manchester street. The boy was riding a horse bare back, when it shied, and threw him violently to the ground, when he alighted on his head. The roadway is now in course of repair with Broken metal, and a worse falling place could scarcely be imagined. The boy was taken up almost insensible and carried to the Borough Hotel, where Dr Prins was early in attendance. Happily, nothing more than a few slight cuts had been sustained, and though severely stunned, the boy quickly recovered under the careful attention of Mrs Priston, and in about two hours was able to return home.

The silver cup mentioned last week as being given by a number of sporting gentlemen, with a view to securing a contest between Austin and Bird, is to be run for on the Plough Inn grounds within three weeks. Bird has expressed his willingness to compete for it on the same terms as the match between him and Austin was made a short time back, that is, Austin to receive one mile start in twelve. It is not yet decided whether the cup will be thrown open to all comers, but most probably it will be confined to the two professionals. Both men will commence training to-day, Austin at the Plough Inn, and Bird at the Race-course Hotel, near Ricarton. Seeing that there has been so much talk about Bird's capabilities as a pedestrian, and no opportunity having been afforded to test them, it is to be hoped this match will be carried to a satisfactory issue.

An accident of a serious nature occurred on the night of May 30 to a son of Mr M'Clure, schoolmaster at Moereki Downs. It appears that he was returning from Rangiora on a neighbor's dray, and that after crossing the Cust bridge a resident on the Downs rode up on horseback. After talking for some time with the driver of the foremost team, he gallopped away at full speed, causing the horses in the dray to take fright. The lad, who was in the first dray became alarmed and jumped off. The wheel of the second dray passed over his thigh, causing a fracture. He was conveyed home, and Dr Downes, of Rangiora was sent for. On his arrival the same night he reduced the fracture, and the patient was progressing favorably. On Monday night the police were on the alert, looking out for the arrival of a barque named the Queen of the South, from Swan River, (Western Australia) information having been given them that there were a number of released convicts on board. At daylight the harbor boat left the wharf, and went down to a vessel which had been signalled the night before, and proved to be the vessel looked for. Captain Adair, of the barque came up in the s.s. Gazelle. He states there are ten released convicts on board, some of whom were concerned in the Fenian disturbances in Great Britian. Captain Adair also states that he holds an authority from the Governor of Western Australia (Mr F. A. Weld) for what he has done. The men were not allowed to. land, and remain under surveillance of the police.