CANTERBURY.

Southland Times, Volume 2, Issue 88, 8 September 1863, Page 2

CANTERBURY.

(from our own correspondent.) i Christchurch, Sept. Ist, 1863. ; j The budget of political intelligence which formed solargeapart of my last letter, has been this time shorn, of its fair proportions by the adjournment of the Provincial Council for a { week, in consequence of the illness of the Provincial Secretary. It will meet again this evening. Before its adjournment, the new Public-House Bill, was read a third time and passed, which has given rise to a discussion; , between two of our papers, the Press and the Standard, upon a legal point raised by the former, and which, as stated in the columns of that journal, involves some rather awkward though in some respects amusing consequences. It seems that the new Bill sets out by repealing the old one in toio ; and then proceeds to enactthat licences shall be granted on certain terms, and at certain meetings of tho magistrates, the first of which is to b^ held some time in May next, but makes no provision whatever for continuing the present licenses in force up till the time of such meeting. Then", says the Press, as the old.law is repealed, the licenses granted under that law expire with it, and as no new ones can be granted till May, it follows that all the public* houses must shut up shop; or else tho moment; tho Bill has recolvod tho assent of his nonot and become la xv, tho police can ontor all that remain open, soisto thowholoatockof spirits, wine.", «nd beor, exposed for sale, and keep one half of tho samb as a reward/lor their smnrtnoss. : , .. ■ ■ . s .*■ . Tho Stmvtnrd, which is supposed to owe some of ita inspiration to a gentleman, of tho

ge^nterbm^demui* to thislriew^ ngtjviftstandingllh| i3t the '■■ putdicansi-aT^quiteit ll^ug^^^kepSr^of . themie^es^nof 4hey ; ha^ejbee^fairly warned of the : brej ahead. Buil^Jleems^to me to be rather; on those half dozen unfortunates whose the".tippiing clauses " n of' the PqldOr^inj I presume, that if the licenses j aretb'hold^good; . irs ? probibitiohs will^ *g^ll^«Ud^s6^he?e^el;cb(^being sides enduring all. ? the horrpra; of enfa sobriety? *wili ? have 5 their misery 4 aggri^ by the spectacle of their lucky comrades | Trom : the>Bpejtb^:%hich'tb«ms^lyes are bound, ;and %etting drunk/ to their I*, content with, impunity. \ ' ; y We liaye tbtre^jyacartcies iu/^he hum^ members ' C^ l GeS! Assembly, resigning members, being 1 A{|| C^jcs'o^ny/iyihijte, andMoorhoiise. Sir (M son has gone; to Englah<df:and Mr Moorhlj retires according to the-address he'issue^ weektb his constituents, in cbnsequenfij the resol^tipn v carried at the late pj| meeting^ *whiph. proves ;tMt, he : does' notSj rectly .represent the feeling of the peopM Conterbtiry. Imagine, however,/ that he private reasons" of 'sufficient urgency, to g him ratK|r 'glad than otherwise 'of a/satt toryexcuse'Jfor declining a protracted vii Auckland. Considerable curiosity hag expressed to know whether Mr ; 'Fitzgfc to whom^ the- d^riy^d ' f rqni action taken at the late meeting, apply greater f orqe than to ; Mr Moorhouse, think it} necessary to adopt the: same: ctf From a notice in the Press, I observe tl is Mr Fitzgerald's intention* to:, request constituents tos meet- him 1 ' on Monday jB when,*: after, explaining his views as till state of the colony, he will 'resign his K unless it is their distinct and unanimous MI that he should retain it. r As* I can. hJI imagine that any district 'of Cantei&S woula not ., willingly "be . represented^ Mr Fitzgerald, I have little doubt H he' will be met With such an ' expressio^ opinion as will render his -resigning oJaj ground of want of confidence- oa the pjn the electors quite unnecessary. The eSs dates for the three vacant seats areM*! Wilkin, Cox, and Walker. Mr WilkjH Chairman of Executive Council, and wS quested but. declined to allow, himself H put in nomination for the Superintends Air Cox is member of the Provincial CoH for one of the southern districts ; Mir WaH as far as I am aware, has not yet taketM share in politics.^ The two former of gentlemen, I believe will meet with no opjH tion ; Mr Walker, who goes in for Ahaflfl is said will- meet a rival in the pefeJß Captain Greaves of that town, but I barVß no counter address issued yet on ( his behfl The first batch of immigrants froniH cotton districts who arrived here per Sin Crown on thei 17th, to the number ofgH children included, appear to have beenJlj as successful in obtaining -ready employe as any ship's load that havd been seni^ before from other parts of the country. HS single women in particular went off mm great rapidity, indeed so great is the vj|| female servants -here, that she must iow| be a very ineligible specimen of her kindS[ altogether failed in obtaining a situJH The ship itself deserves -thore notice asuH by far the best, fitted as regards intSfl arrangements and accommodation for pau| gers that' has ever come to this Pnußfl She. was .sent out under the superintend of the Emigration .Commissioners, aHK which has been strongly recommended mm Government, and which it is in f utureint«| to adopt, thus saving bur own agent am labor, and leaving him full scope to d§g hie entire energies to his especial bulßl of lookingiup emigrants. gll A fatal accident happened in LytHi harbor on the 22nd, in connection within vessel. Three of her crew were endearflj! to escape from the ship, and had lovr^ffl down one of. the boats for the • purposj||| on getting into it, it somehow capsize^Hg two of the men who could not swhnw|l! drowned. ; „ . . ..";. |||| The barque Kirkland, from London, aftgm the day , after the 'British Crown, brifi|| among other .cargo a good dealt of pla||||j the Christchurqh and Lyttleton.rauwayJ||j next immigrant vessel is the Captain Wjz which .is -.overdue, haying left Portsmou|l|| May iftn.. -'There are reports about th^^ has followed- the example of the Hdji||| and been obligied to. put into port on ha |jj| out- in a ieaky^condition, but I don't 1 [|j| what ground there may be for such am ®m The agricultural portion of the comra g| have) -been >bestirring themselves late i|| getting , up ploughing matches,- and sue! M bucolical sports, yerjr heartily. This, ||g ever, is a sort of ; thing* Canterbury has ai Ws gone- iii for. The Tcolonyv'was very jlaj| indeed \jjhen it witnessed' its' first plou^jgj match, and ever since they have beemeHfi institutions.: Last' year a' very decisivflK was taken, which -has turned/ "out veij^S cesslul as .well, the establisbmeht ofanJEß cultural',- andr Pastoral ; Association^ mSS whose auspices,' on the 20th, ;one.o(Hp largest, and best-contested of these ma^^ came off/ On the Jfirst day there v«| competitors;;;onjthej|eTOndeigh"t the champion^ prize,'fw;bich)w,ag &naUy^^| a man named Bennie.- r The great exlii^B of the ; Association, thia i year-is fixed foißft ber 22nd, and includes sheep, cattle, hßfr pigs,, p^ult^. ;?ih3 ., implemen^t; The^K again' sub(WyidM, 7 jnto;;;classes^ *for e^R^^ which prizes ■ afe\fdffe ! red;" There are |H^ too, for the Jbest* sheep "shearer. an(l BB shoer. ahdfor dairy produce,' and finall^BL aiiy things i o f a prize' should^R^ arrange itself -under' 'any; bf' these have the very miscellaneous itein'of •'' g JHP The prizes offered..are, : .it T iß"true, veryJR 1 rate ; but hist year at the first trial tfaejgfl ceedeji ; in t rbringing e v«ut';a yery : ,gqo3BK particularly o£;hor3es;tand";this y^J^K^ the additional: support - they are ; U'^B:: receive, arid haying plenty of time to^K their arrangements, the Association w^K) bably get ttjp/aa exhibition" '>v6ich H^K worth swing even im the old country. A pood deal of -corresporidence ha^R rgoing on in the papers here lately res^K 5 the peculiar system,; which;' the' City vKi have resolved, fo adopted, in planting '^^K belt which, surrounds.tlie' city; of Chris^Bp That this ibughtr t<?' "be planted in i° l^B.' i or anotlier:wft3 self-evident, but the fj^Hr^ was how it should be done, and the ""H^ Council, has . determined on appears t*Bffi' : the uiaxinlum of ugliness ' in itself jEh maximum of inconvchieiice t» the puW^KV accordingly are lifting up their voice fl^ protest against 'it. It; seems',; tobj^^^^Hp whether they have not committed titfj^Hg in point of "law^ by depriving -the s V^k| landholders of access to tlieir sections J^K at the points -where tlie belt is inten^^K^ roads. Sucli at all events is -tlie op'^^B the press; : and perhaps . «6me '^^^n Hampden'' , may come , forward to j^K|j question. - Tiie, Council have bitliert^^K^ such constant and unanimous praise strenuous exertions in effecting improi^^R in . and about $he town, tliat I -:can !^ lll^HP. rather taken jiback by tlxis sudderi c^Hp the gale ( iof T ppputar applause ; v *iDKfj lawyers no doubt see good reudon fbrj^Kj' in a quiet chaunt of a f^^Kl . coming. bbys.^ '.,'' ! ;-./-y ;; - -«'^ ■■•■->■ Kb ' Thb'Sekaon p(^the Su^reinV Ct)ii<K| tOrd»iy. H ; Tlie 'criminal business asFj^Ha] oil ntßt^an'd u l shoulChnaginb a ■*"^H!|j -never had vsucli a ; black list in C*s^Rs% ,btjfore. ? Ilie^B ia a <xis« 'of ; hiur^»i 'Walhdykfr Creole buaines^j and; two'^KlQ of aggwivited : assaults,' : yritli ft lo _"yHei minor bftences. Tlvb mau^ clvarg^^t murder is expeotedto gel off, thrQ'^H^' mis-manageinont ou tlio part of tho »"|fflKi atThuuru. §r^