From Gisborne to Melbourne.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume X, Issue 1069, 4 May 1882, Page 2

From Gisborne to Melbourne.

[Written for the Poverty Bay Standard.] No. IV. (Continued from our Last). The Honorable John Martin holds his own, but not with so firm a grip as formerly ; and I was told that he looks forward with dread expectation to the Legislative Council being abolished and scattered to the winds of popular franchise and election. One of my informants said “ Johnny is up a tree,” but, before I could obtain an explanation of those purely Colonial, but—as I am told—highly suggestive words, the train came to a stand, and my friend waved “adieu.” Amongst other pieces of information I was told that poor “ old Barney Rhodes ” was dead. Considering that I had the pleasure (?) of the said Barney Rhodes’ acquaintance since the year 1853, and was intimately acquainted with the circumstances of his later life, and his still later death, 1 did not consider myself much enlightened ; but when my friend began to descant in what 1 thought too liberal a tone on the short-comings and smaller faults of the Mr Rhodes aforesaid, I held reproof to be necessary. “ Oh,” said my informant, “ then you know him ?” “Slightly,” I replied, “at least 1 knew him when he was alive.” “ You are sarcastic,” was the retort; to which I replied, “ Not at all, but one does not like to put his personal acquaintance with the dead, in the present tense.” LYTTELTON.

We arrived at this port on one of New Zealand’s most lovely mornings, about 6 o’clock. We approached the land cautiously before daylight, about which time we entered the heads, the water being like glass in smoothness. Up tu the head of the Bay forming the harbor of Lyttelton, the river, or sheet of water is about half-a-mile in width, at, which point it widens considerably, and is skirted towards the right by a lofty basin-like formation of hills, amongst which is the one so prominently associated with the name of Mr W. S. Moorhouse, formerly Superintendent of the Province of Canterbury, and promoter of the tunnel, which connecting as it does, the port of town with Christchurch, has proved a blessing to the whole community. On approaching the wharf, under the genial influence and aspect of fine weather, the beholder gazes on one of the prettiest scenes it is almost possible to witness. Were I to say it is gram I, I should not be wide of the mark. There was an air of comfortable business-like activity al o it the place, even at that early hour, which bore a strong contrast to other places, except Auckland, I had seen ; while the “ forest of shipping,” at anchor and at the wharf, bore testimony to the cause, and to the extent of maritime commerce carried on between Port Lyti •Iton and the outer world. Besides a large fleet of smaller craft, there were about, a dozen large vessels —shipsand barques—and three or four steamers, including the Hawea—of course the largest of them all. It was in this port that I saw the Asteroid schooner yacht, one of the prettiest pieces of marine build I have ever seen, and that many others, better judges than I, ever saw. She was owned by some

private gentlemen, who were taking a pleasure trip round the w >rld, visiting the principal of the New Zealand ports, en route. Before I leave the shipping gossip of my letter. I would note, that large and extensive as the wharf and storage accommodation of Port. Lyttelton undoubtedly is, it is found at times to be insufficient. Tiie granaries were all full, and it was estimated that there were about 140,000 eacks* of grain covered up outside the warehouses and awaiting shipment. This being the case a large iron building was in course of erection, to make better provision for the future. I was also informed in answer to enquiry, that last year —that is the season of 1881—100 ships, averaging 1000 tons each, were dispatched from Lyttelton alone, grain laden. These figures will convoy an idea of what the farming interest is worth in the Provincial District of Canterbury, and what the value of the shipping trade to the inhabitants of the port. Dock accommodation would appear to be as sore a point with the Lyttoltonians as with the residents at other ]»orti, and they have set themselves to work in right earnest to emulate, if not surpass, their neighbors. A large concrete dry dock was in course of formation, and should be about finished by this time. It is 460 feet long, 80 feet wide, and 30 feet deep, not a bit too big if the largest and longest vessels are expected to require its issue. Its cost, and attendant expenses will tot up to near £lOO,OOO. I could not see where such a heap of money would go in the work, but one of the contractors — a genial, communicative Irishman, whose name I have forgotten, not unknown in your parts —informed me that such was the case. The hills of which I have already spoken, and on which portions of the town are built, have afforded splendid material for reclamation, the consequence is that large areas of water have been replaced by those of land, which, when the contracts are completed, will prove a valuable source of revenue to the Harbor Board’s exchequer. Beyond the existence of two or three short, streets in the immediate vicinity of the railway station, and Government buildings, there is not much to be said in favor of the thoroughfares. The paths, or bridle tracks, leading to the residences above, zig-zag in a rough, untended fashion, but would appear to answer their purpose. The business portion of the town is reached from the wharf by traversing the net-work of railway lines that intersect for the purges of traffic and shunting to a bewildering extent. There is no escape. Over t hese rails you must go, with the pie sing possibility of being run over, —and, indeed, “ run in,” if you disregard the signals—or stay where you are. Of course this might have been obviated by building the wharves somewhere else, placing the railway station nearer to the tunnel, which would not have done, or by erecting a platform bridge for pedestrians over the line of rails, so as to communicate with the shipping in safety, the same as in other places 1 have seen since. Compared with other stations, both that at Lyttelton and Christchurch will bear favorable mention. They are commodious, and wellappointed for the large traffic ; and the officer! are, or were, remarkably civil and obliging, a fact not everywhere observable. Of course there is no attempt at elaborate architecture at the port, the buildings—other than the private dwellings of employ<*s, etc., —being chiefly of that class requiring least, if any, ornamentation. There are, as usual in Colonial towns, a goodly number of hotels in Lyttelton, some of which are of a very superior character, notably the “ British ” and “ Mitre.” The former is kept by a MrHaxwell (1 think) with whom I got into conversation, and found him to be a man of exceedingly genial, host-like manners. He made our party very comfortable, and gave us to understand that the suavitur in modo was more his maxim than the fortiler in re. While at the British I tried all my powers of eloquence to induce the landlord to become a subscriber to your interesting journal, which he promised to do; and I doubt nut. that, you will find it immensely to the advantage of the Standard proprietory if it is circulated and filed in these distant ports. At 3 p.m., I had promised to start, for Christchurch to meet my friends who had preceded me ; therefore, I s all leave you now until I have been able to see a little of the Cathedral City. “So long,” as we say in the classics.