From Gisborne to Melbourne.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume X, Issue 1072, 11 May 1882, Page 2

From Gisborne to Melbourne.

[Written for tho Poverty Bay Standard. ] No. VI. from our LastJ. I dark say you would like to have a full description of Christchurch, but that would bo too long winded a story ; for, however much I may dislike some of your colonial towns, as places of residence or business, I am free to confess there is something in each to admire, and in most, to like. In the city itself, looked at without considering its surroundings, there is little or nothing to cause special remark. Forty years ago, or even less, I dare say many a speculator has ridden over the then barren waste of the now high Protestant class church of New Zealand, and contemned it as useless and unprofitable. I have heard it said, and I expected to find that. Christchurch was one of the “most beautiful” cities in the Colony; but I can’t see it. Nature has imparted nothing to it to make it worthy that distinct ion, and neither science nor art have been able to make up the deficiency. The land is too utterly flat to give beauty to a landscape; although there are some portions of the city that are really pretty, if not picturesque. The presence of the “ Avon,” which some delight to, or at any rate do, call a river, and which has been considerably widened and improved out of its primitiveness, has had a lot to do with the improvement of those portions through which it runs. Willows and other trees have been planted on its banks for some considerable distance ; and the umbrageous foliage caused thereby, affords a grateful shelter from the sun. The Avon is a fresh water creek—nothing more—but it supplies the aquatic portion of the community with a truly delightful enjoyment. A boat-house supplies rowing boats at a remarkably cheap rate by tho hour, and in one of these our party disported ourselves, for an hour or two, in true English fashion, and we enjoyed ourselves in a way I, at least, have not done before, since I came to the Colony, Trout and salmon abound there, but the necessary conservation affords but little present sport. I dare say a bird's eye view of Christchurch would reveal to the eye of the beholder more of the beautiful than is apparent to one standing on a dead level, and with so insny intervening objects ; but one has to travel considerably, and put the different parts together, after a kind of topographi* cal plan, of which he is the designer, so as to present the whole in a pleasing picture. In the foreground of my word-painting I shall place the streets. Possibly there is no surer test of the importance and status of a place than its thoroughfares. As you may judge of a family by its servants, so you may judge of a city by its avenues of public resort. Good streets denote good rulers, and these latter come from good citizens. Good citizens, in turn make a good city, and in this sequence I infer that Christchurch has some good men and true within its borders. Considering the flatness of the land, great credit is due to the

local government fur tl.ealin«»st perfect system of diainage adopted. A friend did tell me what amount had been expended in that lin< but I forgot what the sum was; at any rate I I know it was somet ing fabulous. The streets are cleanly kept, but they are too narrow, either for traffic or for displaying architectural beauty, of which Christchurch does not largely boast. There are no “principal” streets or thoroughfares in Christchurch. No “blocks” where beauty and fashion lore best to “ do ” in the afternoon, as in other towns ; consequently there is little or no distinctive bustle or business energy in one part over the other. Where ' this kind uf generalism prevails, there is noth- , ing to lift the community out of the category I of n quiet, plodding people, not moved by the mainsprings of energy at home, for which they I obtain credit abroad. T’ ere seems to b<* what 1 a phrenological friend of mine would call “ no vitality” in the place, i.e.. as compared with . other Colonial towns enjoying the reputation | that Christchurch does. The inhabitants | want shaking up, and I dare say the new sensation of a smart earthquake or two would rouse them from a seeming torpor. As a rule , ♦he buildings are of an inferior description, . except some uf the public edifices. T e pathways are narrow : and a good deal of the sire t . lighting by night is done by the various hotel lamps. Christchurch, however, is not ahead | of other places in tin’s respect. Auckland, I notably, being very sparing in the item of gas, . where hotels are numerous. One thing I noticed with some surprise, and that was the entire absence of well dressed women, and, indeed, women of fon, and the well-to-do classes in the public thoroughfares. Hobart was the only other place that vied with Christchurch in t is unenviable respect; but. being there J only a few hours, I could not form a correct opinion. Certainly m no other New Zea a d town did I notice it. ./Esthetic Nelson. emu ; Jous Napior, ami even primitive Gisborne nut j forth some of their feminine beauty on a due uay, but none in Christchurch. Neither are private equipages prevalent there except on Sundays, when they appear with the usual h igh-chureh ostentation at t lie severa 1 churches. Public thoroughfares without reputable, goud- ; lucking women in them, arc dismal in tl e ex- I treme, and from what I saw, or did nut -ee i there are many such in the Cathedra! < ity <d ; Christchurch. With these drawbacks Christ- j church presents to th visitor’s view, a p ace | whose description answers to tnat of being “ half country, a little town, and no city. ’ Still there are many evidences uf wealth there ; while education is libera'ly cared for in ns many instances —of which I shall speak more bv-and-bye—besides a college and university, at once the pride and hope of the community. 1 noticed also in Christchurch, an improvement in laying out the streets, and one which I i ave seen since in other towns, and that is a kind of triangular space retained for public convenience at the terminal j ointe, or apexes, uf intersection of the various streets. This space is largely increased by the extreme, wedge like formation of the abut tin.: land nut bring built on, or er.cl- sed • and in cases where three or four streets thus meet the gain to the pubic is great. In Dunciu and Melbourne, especially the latter, extremely large arras are thus secured, and generally, as in Christchurch, have a drinking f untain, statue, or obeiisk erected in the centre, which relieves the eye, and is of large public utility. Street tree planting docs not appear to be in favor, but 1 did not learn if any attempt had been made to start, it. Christchurch is one of the few places wlmre trees do not, more or less, appear in the Street • and, i if on the score of healt h and comfort alone, to ; sty nothing of ornamentation, I hope the day | will soon arrive when there will be but one , opinion as to the presence of trees in streets, ! and that ih the universal adoption of street, or j thorougl fare, tree planting. To go to Christchurch wiihmt seeing and i saving something about its cathedral, would . be as great a sin as going t-> Rome and not seeing the P<»pe. I was fold that this budding | —destined to be a cathedral in about 10 years, j firn-—is one of the wonders of v i-ristcliur.-i; ; ; as it is row the pride and glory of all c ur<*h ■ going Protestants. Weil, I shall not question the right of every one to hit- own gratification i and enjoyment, i arti.-uhrly if he provides them himself. But, whatever the cathedra! | may be when it is a rat lieural. it will assuredly be very different to wl at it is now while it is not a cathedral—at any rate not in the generally accepted order of the word. Neither do 1 run frantic ever tl.e fact, that it is a source *»f unmixed joy tu the people, at least to those who live in its vicinity, fur, even so early as the first evening of my arrival, 1 heard anatheujas, loud and deep, against “ those d bells” for the row thev were constantly making, and on the heads of the fellows Ita'iiing how to ring them. “ Yes,” said one, “they take a lot of larrikins who ring the changes on the street to go up there and ring the changes on the bells.’’ As I approached the square where the cathedra! stands, I heard a sound I of bells certainly ; and, although it was plain i that mere prentice hands were practising 1 I did nut notice what was supposed to be the tune ; and I enquired, therefore, if they were getting ready for the next day (Sunday). A general titter preluding a reply in t! e negative I discovered that “ Home Sweet Home” and “ Annie Laurie ” were being murdered in that orthodox manner, known only to, and ac' ieved most successfully by, amateurs and learners. I thought these were funny kinds of tunes to learn in order to play church-bell music, but I also thought it was possible that, in keeping time with the march of modern church service improvement, a new order of music might be contemplated ; and as all good things are said to come from above, the church steeple would be the best place in which to present it to the people. (To be Continued.)