CANTERBURY.

Colonist, Volume II, Issue 157, 22 April 1859, Page 3

CANTERBURY.

The Lyttelton Times of the Bth instant furnishes the following ::—" The Wellington Independent'h&B, as we fully expected, given us a fair share of its peculiar attentions, for venturing to remonstrate on the scurrility of its tone and the recklessness of its statements. To attempt to abate a public nuisance is often a duty, although an unpleasant one. But we fear there is little hope for our Wellington contemporary, as it has taken to boasting of the services it.has rendered to the colony ! Where some disreputable Houndsditch 'chicken,' or prize-ring • pet,' a fellow with an eye bandaged up and a mouth knocked out of shape, pauses in his elegant flow of invective to appeal for a recognition of his noble publio career, he perhaps honestly believes in himself—-in his science —and iv public appreciation. But there will be another volley of bad language when he detects a smile on any face in the crowd. Well, let us pass on—'it is not very good company. That gentleman is Sir Oracle to many of the bystanders." . ._'. From the same journal of -the 26th ult. we olip the following :—- Some misapprehension exists, it seems, with respect to the payment of postage on newspapers addressed to places beyond the co • lony of New Zealand. By the new regulations, j all newspapers go free throughout,', ;the colony which have been posted within seven days from the datefof the publication ; after this limit of time they bear a postage of one penny each. But there is no limit of the sort for newspapers from the colony to places beyond the seas, as Australia/India, England, &c. To these and similar places a newspaper of any date is forwarded free of all postage. Of course this rule applies to all post-offices within the colony, whether on the sea-board or inland. In the Bank returns for the quarter ended December 31st, 1858, one of the most noticeable features is the amount of deposits in this province. Even exclusive of the Government balance the amount is greater for Canterbury than for any other province except Auckland, and, including the Government, the amount for these two provinces are nearly equal. This is in spite of the inducement which the allowance of interest on deposits in the north may present ; and that this inducement is not inconsiderable, is evidenced in the fact that every shilling in the two provinces where intere.t is allowed by the banks is so deposited (in accordance with restrictions imposed) as to obtain the advantage. On this subject we must remark that the favor to Auckland and Wellington arises from the presence of the Oriental Bank in those two towns. Now, if the Union Bank here wishes to do a handsome thing, it should not wait till opposition compels it to make a virtue of necessity, and to be liberal for selfpreservation, but should initiate the system which benefits, our neighbors, while there is yet credit to be obtained for it. If the practice is nominally based on the increase of bank business, this province can now fairly put-in. her claim that the advantage shall be extended to her. We omitted to mention in our last the fact of Scrip, the Wellington horse which won so much public money at the Lite races here, having been sold by auction on Saturday last at Christchurch, by Mr. W. D. Barnard, for £230. The Canterbury Jockey Club this day advertises two important items in the programme for next year's race meeting. We are glad to see that the effect of success for the present year has not been to make the club suspend all activity for a time ; but, on the contrary, they have only been stimulated to further exertion. The first announcement is of a novelty—a Challenge Cup, value 100 sovereigns, to be taken by a winning horse in two seasons; the winner of the race the first year holding it until won from him on a challenge the year following. The second announcement is of the time of entries for the Maiden Stakes of 1860, which is to be the first Saturday in December of this year. Considering the expectations which have been entertained of the breeding capabilities of this province, upon which our position as compared with other provinces and colonies must be based, we hope to see the entries in this race full in number, and, as regards quality, presenting something to boast of. Yesterday, the lease of the Lyttelton jetty for one year was put up to public auction by the Provincial Secretary at the Police-office, Lyttelton. The terms were as stated in the advertisement announcing the sale. The upset price was £250, the rent for the last year having been £275. One bid only was made, by the present wharfinger, Mr. Genet, to whom it was accordingly knocked down at £6262 10s. The State of Lyttelton.—ln the Lyttelton Times of the 19th ultimo, a correspondent addresses the subjoined letter to the Editor, under the signature of "Lytteltonian" :—" Sir, —The uncared for state of Lyttelton is now patent to every one at all acquainted with the port, and excites astonishment in almost every visitor from other parts of New Zealand. In many places the town exhibits unmistakable signs of incipient old age and premature decay. For instance, during the heavy rains which fell last winter, a large gap was made in the pathway, by a portion of it slipping into the deep and dirty gully near the corner of Canterbury and London streets; a few pieces of scantling were . placed across it; the summer has now ! nearly passed away, but there the gap and scantling still remain, treated with an apathy worthy of any Turks. The inhabitants, being by this | time fully initiated, quietly walk round, leaving the traps to catch any unlucky individual venturing out after dark by himself who is unacquainted with the locality. The descent from the pathway by the Mitre to cross Canterburystreet is another very nics little place for those who delight in jumping. The principal street in the town, London-street, is in a worse condition than it was left in by the Canterbury Association, and those who have to come from the Jackson-road into London-street can speak pretty plainly as to the climbing they have to do to perform the journey. But it is quite superfluous to point out particular places, when the whole town requires supervision and even enough of public spirit to make known its wants. * * * .'*• When it is remembered what a strong hold a first impression take 3 upon the mind of a new-comer, who for months has been anxious to cast his eyes upon the land of his future home, can it be considered of no importance to the interests of the whole province to make that impression as pleasing and attractive as possible ? The town possesses the greatest natural facilities for drainage, but the olfactories of the inhabitants often inform them too plainly of how little use such advantages are made; and without some immediate steps are taken in this direction there is great reason to fear that it will soon earn for itself the reputation that it is fast acquiring for uuhealthine3S. No place more than this port requires legislative enactment. The material for roofs, the height

and position of houses in the main streets, need to be defined by ordinance. Any such enactment would, there is little doubt, be highly unpopular; but it should be borne in mind that with all the care mortals can take, a fire will one day occur in the block of buildings comprised within Norwich Quay, Canterbury, London, and Oxford streets. It would be folly to speculate as to how much of that block might become a prey to the ravaging element; for should it break out when the weather is fine ani calm, with plenty of assistance at hand, the fire might be confined to a single row or even to a single house; as calms, however, are the exception, worse fortune has to be guarded against. Holding these im» pending dangers-r~disease an<3 fire—steadily ia view, does it become us to continue heedless of the future day when the fruits of apathy and unconcern, shall ripen, until they terminate 14 fearful calamity."