CANTERBURY.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 22, 24 June 1871, Page 3

CANTERBURY.

[Times and Press.]

We are informed that something more than 400 tons of preserved meats and tallow have been forwarded for shipment from the Meat Preserving Factory since the commencement of the present season. Some few days ago, the ornamental fountain near the Bank of New Zealand had a very narrow escape of serious damage, a horse and dray having bolted between it and the Bank of New Zealand and shook it somewhat. The damage done, however, was slight, and has been repaired. To-day Mr Stock, the contractor for the railway bridge over the south branch of the Waimakariri, intends driving the first pile. Twenty-five or thirty of the piles, which are from thirty-six to forty feet in length, have already been deposited at the site of the bridge, and everything-is in readiness for the work to proceed. The average depth of the river at this point is about fourteen feet.

Great damage has been done to some o f the property in Lyttelton by the late rains. At the orphanage we hear that the storm-water has completely spoilt the boys’ garden. In Sumner Road, there has been a heavy landslip. The crown of the road in Oxford street is being destroyed, owing to the gutters being choked up by stones and clay. The new gullies are standing their work well, and are a credit to the surveyor and contractors. A few days more will see the work completed.

We (“Press”) recently inspected a specimen of colonial manufacture in the shape of a Masonic jewel, which reflects very great credit on the firm of Messrs Coates & Co, who have just completed it to order. The jewel is that of the Red Cross Knights, and is a sevenpoiated star in gold, with a green enamel centre, upon which is displayed the badge of the degree,—two cross swords colored red. Hitherto any of these jewels have had to be procured from home at a great cost and loss of time, but the present one has been executed at a far cheaper rate than it could have been imported, while the workmanship is fully equal to that of those sent out from England. A further meeting of Germans favorable to the formation of a National Society for the relief of the sick and needy, was held at Barrett’s Hotel last night. Mr J. G. Ruddenklau presided, and there were over twenty others present. The establishment of the society having been resolved upon, it was agreed that the monthly subscription should date from that evening, and that the officers afterwards to be appointed should act as a committee to revise the rules of the original society—formed in 1864—for the guidance of the present society. The election of officers then succeeded, and resulted in Mr Ruddenklau being appointed President, Mr P. Tisch, VicePresident ; Mr Zinckgraff, Secretary ; Mr Schmidt, Treasurer; and Messrs Vogel, Nashelski, and Kissel, Committee. All those present enrolled themselves as members of the society, and it was agreed that the monthly meetings should be held on the first Monday in each month. The committee were requested to meet for the revision of rules on Monday next, and a resolution in favor of holding an inaugural dinner during next month was unanimously agreed to. A vote of thanks to the chairman terminated the proceedings. The Lincoln Township Fair came off on Tuesday, and in spile of the threat* ening weather there was a very large attendance. The number of cattle entered was not large (about fifty), but this is easily accounted for by the heavy roads, dreary morning, and low price of beef. For the first tkne, too, an auctioneer (Mr J. Bennett) attended for the purpose of disposing of all lots unsold by one p.m. Besides the cattle, about 150 sheep and six horses were yarded. Beef fetched from 17s 6d to 30s per cwt. After the Fair the members of the Springs Road Board met in the Lincoln schoolroom for the purpose of electing a new surveyor (the gentleman at present holding that office, Mr S. D. Glyde, being about to

depart to Adelaide). There were about a dozen applicants, the successful one being Mr John Stanley Bruce, C.E., late of Nelson.

It is with pleasure that we notice a step in the direction of harbor improvement is being taken. Messrs Sinclair Brothers, of Lyttelton, have commenced the construction of a slip on the southern side of Dampier’s Bay, which is, in the opinion of most persons, the most suitable site for such a work. It may not be known by the public generally that on the completion of the viaduct connecting the Lyttelton Railway station and the sea moul (for which, we learn, the contract is taken) the present slips owned by Messrs Grubb and Allen, and Messrs Louttit and Flett, will be cut off from the water frontages. From personal inspection, we gather that Messrs Sinclair’s slip will be about 180 feet in length, with a small rise of about ten feet. At low water a depth of eight feet will be obtainable, and at high water fifteen feet. The windlass and lifting power will be equal to raise a vessel of 250 tons register ; 15 feet of rock has been excavated upon which to place the windlass ; 100 feet of sea wall facing has to be completed, 70 feet of which is already done. The timber required for the slip is being brought from Pigeon Bay, and it is contemplated that the slip will be finished in about three months.

It would appear that good grounds exist for believing that poaching has for some time been carried on in the gar dens of the Acclimatisation Society, and the assistance of the public is requested in aiding to detect the offenders. The curator has been informed by a reliable informant from the country that a man, whilst under the influence of liquor at an outlying hotel, stated that he was an old poacher, and had tried his hand at the old trade since he had been in the province. He even went so far as to say that he had caught several pheasants and three haves, in the gardens of the society, and what else he may have captured is of course unknown. The curator has every reason to believe this statement to be perfectly true, for he has missed both hares and pheasants of late, and also some fish Some clue has already been obtained, and the public are requested to give all the assistance they can in the matter. We learn that the trout are expected to commence spawning during the present month, and that preparations ln?ve been made for a large increase of fish. We also observe that a pure bred Angora female goat has been imported from Australia. It is the first purebred one brought into the province, and was purchased from the Melbourne Acclimatisation Society. On Friday week a numerous muster of admirers of fast-trotting ponies assembled on the Lincoln road to witness a match for £lO a side between Mr Joseph Heywood’s grey pony Dotts, from Wellington, and Mr Alfred Lewis’s bay pony, from Nelson, for four miles. The grey carried 13st, the bay 16st. They are both well made ponies, but neither of them in condition. The grey hacl never been matched before ; not so the Nelson pony, who came with a high reputation, and is said to have done its nine miles within the half hour five years ago, and has been the winner of several matches. There was not much speculation on the event, but the bay pony was freely backed at 4 and 5 to 1. The rendezvous was Craythorne’s Junction Hotel. The principals metpunctually at the appointed time, three o’clock, and shortly afterwards the horses were sent away to an excellent start, the lamppost at Feather’s Hotel being marked out as the winning post. The grey took the lead from the beginning, and went steadily along, and never was headed. The hay pony broke shortly after starting, and did so no less than eight times in the distance, and according to the conditions had to pull and wheel round, thus giving the grey a great advantage, who was landed an easy winner by four hundred yards. We should advise the partisans of the contending ponies to give them a wider berth in future, or the referee might have an unpleasant duty to fulfil. There was a match made with the grey against another, but we hear it is off. The grey, we are led to believe, is open to make a match with anything in the country, and take weight for inches. It can be heard of at the White Hart stables.