From Gisborne to Melbourne.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume X, Issue 1075, 18 May 1882, Page 2

From Gisborne to Melbourne.

[Written for the Poykbtt Bay Standabd.] No. VII. Before leaving Christchurch I should like to say a word or twoof other points of interest. I noticed that, according to the published pi ice*, the cost, of living must be very cheap there. Like most other towns in your Colony, hotels —including all and sundry kinds of publichouse drinking-shops—are very plentiful. They are, also, as a rule, well conducted, and a credit, to the place. House rent is moderate, although well-conditioned houses, both private and business, command good nites. Fruit and vegetables were abundant at the time of my visit, and appeared to be cheap. At. the approach of autumn a good many fears were expf’ssed for throat, chest, and pulmonary diseases, as complaints appear to be prevalent at that time of year. As the summer months recede, the fogs lie dismally o’er the land, and at times it is difficult even to descry the city, lying, as it does, extremely low, in a kind of valley, the air of which is extremely damp and ague-ridden. The public buildings in Christchurch are amongst, its chief attractions. On approaching the museum from the river Avon, the scenery is very pretty. A long avenue, formed of gigantic English trees, shelters one most comfortably, both from the dust which fell upon us rather thickly, and from the scorching rays of the sun. The gardens, also, are prettily arranged, but, it. would seem that the gardeners themselves have the best, of t he enjoyment, for at every turn one to a notice, principally in bold characters, warning visitors not to touch the flowers and plants, which was quite proper, nor to walk on the green sward, but. to keep on the gravel walks, which was equally improper. I notice the same restriction here in Melbourne, in our in. st frequented places of public resort, and its observance is painful to a degree. I dare say the notice is rendered necessary from the fact that if the public generally— cauai'le included—are admitted to these parts where damage is most likely to occur, but least, likely to detect, there would be many causes of complaint ; but it does seem like abnegating authority and control—to debar the responsible and respectable portions of society from fully enjoying recreation in the public grounds —to a lot of ragamuffins and larrikins. The fact is that this element of blackguard mob law rules in both Colonies to a large extent, with this general consequence, that as the law is next to powerless to punish and protect, society is in a chronic warfare—the upper and middle portions of it suffering according to their interest in peace and order. The museum in Christchurch is undoubtedly spoken of as the best in New Zealand—the Reading-room *• being a perfect, picture to a man of culture and literary taste. Then there are the colleges, which, with the foregoing, place the educational institutions of the Cathedral city in the front rank of the Colony. In the museum I saw some capital specimen* of the marble and other product* of New Zealand, but I failed to see either the COAL, PARAFFIN, OR OIL DEPOSITS OF POVERTY BAY THERE. I think this is a mistake—their absence I mean 1 for it would serve you immensely to have your locale known more intimately than it is, and samples of tho native products of the soil, or bosom of the earth, would do much to advantage you. Christchurch ha* great (reason to be proud of her museum, for—hardly excepting the magnificent institution at Melbourne—it is the best in the Colonies. It is imjxrssible and unnecessary to particularize all I saw' and I did no mor* than make a cursory glance at the exhibits, but there were many wonderful thing* there. v (To be Continued.)