CANTERBURY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 186, 20 June 1862, Page 6

CANTERBURY.

THE DAILY TIMES 'CORRESPONDENT.)

Christchurch, June 4th, ISG2.

I'he weather still continues very wet and disagreeable, witli driving mists and rain from the seaward, diversified'by an occasional sou'-\restcr. Many of the roads about Christehurch, including of co'ursc those along which the greatest part of the traffic is carried on, arc fast getting into an almost impassable condition ; and, unless something turns up, we shall shortly have a, repetition of those scenes—the description of which afforded so much amusement to the Lite Provincial Council. As member after member rose to press upon the Council the claims of his ou n particular district to the lion's share of the public money, each in turn' emlea-vored to enlist the sympathy of the House in Jiis favor by a pathetic account of drays half buried in the slough, the undaunted but hopeless exertions of the drivers, and the painful struggles of the long teams of oxen, by ■which the unhappy vehicle was at length rescued from its miry bed. The Council, then sitting in summer time, seemrd disposed to adopt the -Virgilian maxim, that past hardships form very amusing recollection ; now, however, they will have to sit in mid-whiter, when the'trouble will be at its height, and it is to be hoped that an appeal to the positive senses of tlie members ..will, have moreeffect than; those addressed to their imagination only. The Londoners owe the drainage of their city to the lucky chance which kept Parliament assembled till late in the season, and until their forced proximity to the Thames became so insufferable an evil," that Lords and Commons were ready to pass, by acclamation, any bill which promised to relieve them in future from the peculiar miseries of such a position ; and so, to compare great things with small, we may expect that a winter sitting will have a similarly beneficial effect upon the minds and votes of our legislators. The efforts of the Municipal Council of Christchurch have been so far successful that the streets of the town have not, I think, been reduced to such a deplorable condition as on some former occasions ; but there is a great deal to be done before they assume that appearance which we have a right to expect in a city that aspires to the name, of a. metropolis. Our Town Council, however, are not idle ; they seem to have formed a very tolerable notion of what is wanted to bo done;* and, which is better still, are inclined to set to work and do it. This wet weather must have bothered them immensely. In two or three places improvements had been begun where they were much wanted, and now this incessant rain has not only stopped the work, but acting on tlie broken ground, has converted tlie whole into a bog—worse than the original would have been if left without any attempt at its amendment. I hope the Sanitary Commissioners are equally industrious, but thej' have not yet published any report, and I have had no information as to what they have been about. That some decisive mcaeures are needed towards the sanitary improvement of Chiistclmrch, hist summer made painfully apparent. No one could walk through an}' ol"the bye sheets of the town—and notice the utter neglect of all the natural laws of health: —the undrained ditches, uncovered cess pools, and heaps of decaying refuse matter, and fail to see that, unless "the inhabitants bestirred themselves, Christohiuvh would become a very hot-bed of disease, and that the Superintendent spoke nothing but the plain truth, when he stated in his opening address to the Council that the choice lay between taxation and typhus.

Christehurch is suffering at present from a periodical attack of it* winter's malady, and the symptoms nre unusually alarming. Instead of fever, liowever, the prevalent disorder is a bad cold, though accompanied by one of the characteristics of the former —violent shivering fits. In plain terms; Christchurch is almost entirely destitute of fuel. The gold of Ophiror O.tago would' fail to procure a load of firewood, while, as for coal, that is indeed " a sight to dream of, not to see." Those happy individuals who had the sense, or money, to lay up a stock during the summer, must warmly congratulate themselves on their foresight, as -they behold their less fortunate fellow-citizens besieging tho empty coal yards, with eager demands for the precious fuel which has long been turned to ashes, and forced, after all their efforts, to return empty-handed, and only in a metaphorical,sense to he able to say. that they have got the Back. . A similar scene may be witnessed nt the ■wharves on the rivers, which are constantly visited by excited applicants for firing, who generally find that the only source of warmth these journeys has procured is the exercise afforded by the ■walk or ride from town, or perhaps, in hot-tem-pered subjects, tho irritation caused by disappointed jiopc», though this is a kind of heat which cannot well bo carried home, or if it'is, instead of spreading genial warmth through the family circle, it only gives rise to an additional coldness.

This has been the state of things every winter sjnee the fonndation of the settlement, and as a niattcr of course, the inconvenience has each year become greater in proportion to the increase of the population. Yet the people have borne with an apathy quite,unaccountable this privation ot one of the necessaries of life, and no steps have been taken by Government o" private enterprise to prevent its periodical , occurrence. Why this should be, is more than I can explain or understand. It certainly- seems that by a vevy small outlay, (comparatively speaking,) any amount of firewood .might be brought into* the market, or coal migiit be importeiVat a good profit on prices much below those now paid, but our capitalists and .merchants prefer to jog steadily along the regular roads of business, and are seldom tempted to .turn into a new path, to whatever golden region it may^appear to load.

It must not be supposed that Canterbury is destitute of timber. So f.ir is ibis f.-um i,>i:i{i::.» case,that there is abundance utsx] -ply all the Province withfuel for years toi-urne, while the coal fields already discovered,-and others, the existence of which has been proved by.,'geological research, only require, Vthe development oftheir resources .by capital and, energy to put all difficulties in that score for ever at an end. The .scarcity of, this .winter.being.bo much greater than has ever" yet been experienced, and: that too in so inclement- tf season, has at last -brought matters to a crisis, and .the public mind is serio'isly bent on at oitce'settingto-ivork'to dispose" of this difficulty/ Various schemes have been: propounded to effect the desired, objiect,; requiring mpre or less capital and pfjOjnisujj*'moreor, less results.. The Jatest of these'is'a; plan,for, establishing a company to supply the, Province'; . coal direct from Newcastle, iriorder.to.: procure a, ready supply at a moderate'price j ibut whether this will be carried intoenect-isdoubtful. A project for forminga tramway from LittlcEivertoChristchurch, which would open ,iip a^large^r extent of well timbered country, is furilier.AdTancfid, jiii'dwill be brought before "the Frtivmcial Pouncir next session for the necessary sanction. '" But all these proposals', /however j cheering1 a prospect they-may afford for next j •winter,!wiliLnot do much for pur present comfort, I and*we must.bear our troubles as,best wo. may, ] in-the hope thatifcwill.be the last year we shall' evef experience the like. • ; -

It appears that Sir George Grey's visit to the Southern 'Provinces is likely'to be postponed indefinitely, fbr the White Swan has brought down news, that his Excellency, while at Wellington, received despatches from the Colonial Secretary,'and'"iip.tnediately started for Auckland in the Harrier..., is a great disappointment to our rifltt volunteers,. who have been most assiduous1 in theirattention^to drill and practice, with the intention of welcoming hia Excellency to Canterbury' 'with something very imposing in the way .'of military display. , The Kaiapoi rompany took their tnrn to give a ball last week, which,was well attended, and went off successfully J though those gullant members of the corps whose, partiality, for this particular kind of ball-practice.-ind.UQed them to undertake the journey to,Kaiapoi, failed to present to distinguished, an appearance as their strenuous efforts deserved. No orie/brfHci, could possibly travelfrom Christchurch to Kainpoi just now, without bearing a, strong iiJcenessTto the pilgrims emerging from the Slough or l?espond._ ~' Mr. Ilaast,' the "government geologist, has reIWJ|J?riMtpi<>lJtii J oSipf«ftiS Mount Cook district,in,whiplvhlp:ha<s.t>£cn Qnga^ed fqrjtha ljist four months^ tJ|[ejfepprtß,thnt therfr fs-no^jprobability at gold oboipg., discovered in.this.paj-fcofjthp province, but that he has ascertained the existence of several valuable beds of coal at various points in .the front of the great mountain range which

bounds the plains. The report will shortly be published, and if it contains anything likely to be interesting to your readers, I will send you some extracts. .

Christelmrch, June 12, 18G2. I had intended to scud my last letter by. the Omeo, but unluckily mistook the day'of sailing, and was too late. Since I wrote, the "weather has wonderfully improved—in fact, the last two <or three, days have been 'worthy of spring, and we are a little drier than we were, and a good-deal warmer, which last in the present dearth of firing is an important particular. . The only other matter which I have to mention is the three elections for the General Assembly -which have taken place this week, and resulted in the return of his Honor the Superintendent, Mr. J. E. '.Fitzgerald, and Mr. W. Thomson. There was no opposition in any case.

As I have so little in the way of news to write of, perhaps it may be interesting to some of your readers if I fill up my letter this week with some commercial intelligence, the correctness of which may be relied on, as not being myself very accurately informed on such subjects, I have. availed myself of the assistance of a friend, a partner in o!ie of the first firms in Christchurch, to procure the best and latest information.

At the Land OJtice, uotwitstanding that the late severe weather prevented many of the country settlers from coming into Christchurch to make purchases, the receipts have been considerable. The following were the amounts received during the month of May, as obtained from official sources':—May Ist, £5012; sth, .£3294; Bth, £1947; 12th, £5734; 15th, 208G; 19th, £2870; 22nd, £122; 23th, £4722; .'making a total for the month of £25,787. The same liveliness is observable in commercial affairs generally. Business done is increasing daily, and, judging from the quantity or stock imported, and the large sales of private property taking place every week, our market must be very healthy. Thoweekly shies of stock arc increasing in number and impo.itanee, the prices realized for first-rate horses, cattle, &c, being such as to amply remunerate importers, indeed they have in nearly every, instance made a considerable profit. In some cases this large profit has resulted from their consignments being well purchased. Horses arc .fetching the following prices : heavy draught marcs will t realize LSO to Li2o ; horses, L6O to' LSO; hacks and light draught, L 35 to L6O; well-bred hacks, thoroughly broken, may be quoted at from L6O to L9O. Cattle in the mob have bpen sold at LO all round, and single milch cows from LIS to L 25, "quality being of course the usual guide for price, and much in demand ; steers for butchering, from LlO to Llo, and for working, in average condition, about Ll2; other cattle not worth mentioning.

Private properties are frequently changing hands at large prices, aud it is now a matter of public comment that the prices. realised for town property, though very high, as a few of the following instances will show, are freed from the taint of passing through the hands of speculators, who. have no interest in their bargains, beyond the increase of their capital. Few properties change hands without receiving from the different owners substantial improvement. To\yn sections in approved localities without improvement, have been sold by the original purchasers for the sum of £1500 per quarter acre; other sales have been effected at prices ranging from £600 to £1200 per quarter acre. Land in any part of our immense township, even in its worst and very wet localities, is worth A'4oo per acre; of course when I say " our immense township," I include that portion hitherto known as Town Reserves. As is usual in most colonial towns, the sites most in demand are in disagreeable proximity to public houses. Round the ""White Heart" Jami is letting at high rentals. Ko proprietor dreams of selling such a nest egg.

Timber is realising good prices*- Sawn boards may "bo quoted- at 265. to 305,; tougued and grooved, in fair condition, at from 30s. to 40s. I say " in fair condition " advisedly, some consignments being guiltless of tongues arid grooves, either through bad stowage or from imperfect machinery being used in the manufacture. Scantling, 225. to 255. Planking at a slight advance. The trade is brisk, and buyers at short dates plenty. A safe business may be done in this trade, at reasonable rates. For the benefit of those ignorant of the geographical features of Canterbury, it will be well to add that no consignment will pay well unless sent in vessels capable of navigating the ITeathcote, and delivering their cargoes at the wharves in that river. Seventy tons burden is the extreme limit for this navigation.

General merchandise, of all kinds is disposed of at good rates, and on. good term?. Beer and porter in hhds., we are entirely out of, but a few weeks may see the market glutted. Business premises are rapidly rising in our city, and with the ii creased accommodation afforded by our three blinking cstal;iishn.eils. the New Zealand, Union Bank of Australia, and Bunk of New South Wales, there is every prospect of a rapid extension of our commercial operations*, and a cpntin-' iiance of a sound and active trade. On a future occasion I will endeavor to give a report of the states'of the wool and other produce markets.