CANTERBURY.

Colonist, Volume IV, Issue 410, 27 September 1861, Page 3

CANTERBURY.

(From the Lyttelton Times.)

A very interesting specimen of the ornithology of New Zealand was forwarded last week from Mount Peel by Mr. Tripp to Mr. J. Haast, at Christchurch. The bird, which is very rare, is a mountain parrot, a dweller in the Alpine heights, and was probably driven down by the unusual inclemency of the weather to Mr. Tripp's station, at Mount Peel, where it was caught. It is about twice the size of the common kaka fnestor meridionalis) to which it has some resemblance. Its plumage is of a rich metallic green, the tips of the feathers being edged with a lighter shade of the same color. Under the wings the plumage is

of a vivid beautiful red. The beak is large and powerful, fitting it to feed on the hardy Alpine plants found above the saow line. There is some resemblance about the head to the kaka-po or night parrot (strigops Jiadroptihis), and it would a;v oar 10 b^ a ink between iha bird and th.3 common kaka. Altogeth-r it is a most interesting specimen o l' the rare birds ol' New Zealand, and has been forwarded by Mr. Haatt to Pofessor Owen, preserved in spirits of wine. For some months past Mr. J. Hadlfiy, engineer, Hereford-street, Christcrurch, has been directing his attention to the manufacture . and introduction of gas made from (allow, and on Tuesday evening the first burner was lighted by his Honor the Superintendent, who evinced a warm interest in the subjecf. The light was exhibited again on Saturday and Monday evenings to a considerable number of persons, who pronounced it of excellent quality, burning steadily, without the slightest offensive odour, the only fault found being a slight smokiness, which it was stated could be I easily removed. The apparatus consists of an iron retort set in brickwork and heated beneath, into which is introduced (allow and a small quantity of resinous gum, the gas evoWed passing through a purifier and into the gasometer, from which the supply for consumption is taken. For \he manufacture of 50 feetjpf gas, Mr. Hadley estimates the consumption of 7 K»s« coal and 5 lbs. tallow, the 50 feet of oil gas being fully equivalent to 150 feet of coal.gas. The burner exhibited, consumed about 2 feet ot gas per hour, and emitted a light fully equal to eight composite candles. The energy and persevering industry disputed in bringing this invention to a piactioal result, will we hope, meet with its just reward in the patronage of the public. (From the Press.) KAIAPOI.-4)n Monday 9th instant an inquest was held before Dr. Dudley, Coroner, at the Kaikainui Hotel, on the body of.William Samuel Smith, son of Mr. S.P. Smith of the Waimakariri Ferry, who died on Saturday last at the house of Messrs. Belcher. From the evidence it appeared that deceased was 17 years of age; that he had for some weeks past been working for Messrs. Belcher, and was in good health on Friday the 6th inst. On Saturday morning he was sleeping soundly, and did not rise with the other men, who left him and went to work. On their return in the middle 'of the day they found him still sleeping, and were unable to arouse him. Being alarmed they sent for Dr. Dudley; but he was dead before Dr. Dudley arrived. A post mortem examination was made by Dr. Beswick. The jury returned a verdict of ' Died from congestion of the brain. 5 ' {From the Standard, June 2.) The Bakers.—We have taken the trouble to weigh articles purchased at various places in this province, and we have found them constantly under weight. We have had complaints without number on the point. In some instances the so-called four-pound loaf has been three, four, five, six and seven ounces short in weight—seldom under three ounces, and very frequently exceeding four. Butter in like manner has been from from one to three ounces short weight in the pound, and so of many other articles of common and ordinary consumption. Now we have little doubt, that were we to tender in payment for a light loaf, a light sovereign, demanding full change in silver, we should be given in charge to the nearest policemen, and the outraged ' Pistor * would be very virtuously indignant at •the attempts to cheat; and yet without a blush, for years past, have ' Pistores' been selling their commodity by fraidule.it weights, to their own enrichment it is true, but to the very great detriment of the consumer. This is a very serious matter when we consider the price of food in this country. We will take ten loaves per week, as the consumption of an ordinary family—and taking four ounces per loaf as the average fraud, we find no less than 2080 ounces or 130 lbs. of bread, as the quantity paid for in excess of receipt in a year—a very searions item to those who have large families and limited means. Let us hope that this will soon be remedied here, as it has already been in other parts of the colony. Whole-' * batches' of bread have from time to time been seized in Auckland and Nelson^ and bakers have become more careful of their leputations. Penalties have been imposed upon grocers, fruiterers and others, and light weights have disappeared.

The Swedish barque Norden, which arrived in Lyttelton on Monday last, after a long passage of 131 days, brings a t-i o oughbred mare, a valuable bull, and eight Merino sheep, the property of Gf. L. Lee Esq. The bull cannot be landed here, in consequence of the provisions of an Ordinance passed by the Provincial Council, entitled 'Ihe Pleuro-phneumonia Prevention Ordinance,' by which all cattle whatsoever are prohibited from being lauded in this province. The Superintendent, however, can, with the consent of his executive, suspend the operation of the Ordinance, which we trust he will do in the present instance. [This has since been done.]

An inquest was held at the police station, on Monday last, before J. W. S. Coward Esq., coroner, and a very respectable jury, on view of the body of Andrew Pepper, who wa« found in the river Avon, near the College bridge, on Sunday last. It appears that deceased was last seen alive on Saturday, the 24th August, (on which day he had been drinking freely); that on the evening of the above day he went up the Papanui Road, in company with another man, who invited him to his house to stay all night. Deceased consented to go, but would not remain there, because the inmates of the house were not Irish. After leaving the house, it is supposed that he missed his way and fell into the river. The jury re« turned a verdict of * Found drowned.' The deceased leaves a. wife and two young children entirely unprovided for.