A VISIT TO CHRISTCHURCH.

Temuka Leader, Volume I, Issue 97, 20 November 1878, Page 3

A VISIT TO CHRISTCHURCH.

Country settlers and others aa-lio had occasion to visit Christchurch during the last week to see the races and the agricultural show must have been struck with tbe rapid progress Avhich tl e city is making, and especially with the great increase in the more substantial buildings. We heard a good many say that Christchurch AA r i'l soon become the capital of New Zealand. One prominent feature is the number of branch commercial houses, chiefly bailing from Dunedin. For a number of years the business men in Christchurch were as different from those in Dunedin as the day laborer is iroin the subtle lawyer, or the common artisan from the accomplished scho'ar- Now, however, the ease is altered, and the new blood infused into the pleasnre-lovmv, ho'iday-makingEnglish by the canny Scot is having a marked effe-1. It only Avants a little more of the Melbourne elemmt which helped so much to push Dunedin ahead to make Christchurch become the leading comraerci .1 city in the colony. There is imich to please a stranger visiting Christchurch for the first time. The gay city was last week in full holid .y attire ; the splendour of the equipaees, the expensively hut ta-tefully-dressed ladies, the bustling, business-like demeanour and activity of the other s‘x, was qu'te a surprise to many avlio had been absent from Christebure i for years. The enormous length of the streets, Avell-aspbaltcd footpaths, the concrete korbing and chnnnel- * ling, but ’above all the beautiful refreshing flow of Avater from the numerous artesian Avells, shaded by the evergreen foliage of the many stately trees and shrubs, makes a stranger Brink be bad come to the Avrong place. The brilliant lighting up of the streets Avith gas is quite a contrast with the reign of dirt and darkness Avlii'-li prevailed Avhen Mr Wynn Williams put his font upon the first step of the ladder. Prominent amongst tbe buildings, in the Avest end, stands St. Paul’s Church, a handsome new building, somewhat in the Grecian style. The interior is most tastefully and expensively fitted up, and having a first-class organ, the first, Ave believe, introduced into any Presbyterian Church in Nerv Zealand. St. Michael’s looks as hideous as ever. There are, liMAvever, many pretty little churches built Avithiu the last £cav years, which, neatly painted and standing in the centre of Avell laid-out grounds, at once demonstrates the fact that in this respect the English far outdo the Scotch, and leads back to the sweet memories of loved spots in the dear old country beyond the seas. Ti.e cathedral draws its weary course along. Shortly, however, it Avill have a pi-rtion roofed in, when worship in something like a respectable building can be conducted. The bad times Avhich immediately followed the first start, coupled Avith the extravagant expenditure of money in laying the foundations, tended much to retard its progress. When the building is completed doubtless it will be an ornament to the toAvn. but avg miss the tall aud spreading trees Avhich formed a sweet retreat to the traveller as he came along the dusty streets. Fronting the Bank of Ncav Z aland (still the same lia'f- ■ finished-looking, low building) is observed the new Post, Telegraph, aud Customhouse Offices. Gn looking at the building one is led to wonder Avheve it imported - its architect from 1 ? A low, dud-looking building, half-sunk in the ground, it reminds us of some of the stable-buildings belonging to gentlemen’s residences in the old country, or a sodawater manufactory with the most of the work carried on underground. Pity the Government could not see their Avay to expend a few pounds-more to have it shot up a few Pet higher, it would make au enormous difference to the appearance, but perhaps it Avas the same architect who delic ti eel it as drew the plans for the Temuka Post Office, if so we can account for the latt r being placed with its ha- - k to the street. Amongst the educational buildings, the Normal School, in our opinion, still tops the list, but on educational matters proper A\ r e will not enter in this arri- le, but avUI content ourselves Avith a look at the museum. Here we in Canterbury have something to be proud of. The collection and arrangements are first-class, and would not easily be blotted out by many much larger towns in older countries. The statuary is a study of itself. The grand collection of highly classical heads is worth a visit Avere there nothing more to be seen. Turning into another department Ave come upon a most interesting group of Maori and European skeletons, side by side, Avith the orang otnng. The receding of the forehead of some of the former is not so striking a contrast as one expects to meet with. Not far from this spot is to he seen a most interesting picture, it is that of an Eg vidian mummy, —the skeleton of an Egyptian lady, embalmed 380 years before the Christian era. Not only the bones but the sine "s, and even the preserved flesh, still remain, showing that the ancients were in some matters ahead of even the present generation. Turning a corner AA r e are confronted with another object trifling in itself, but fraught w'tb serious consequences to many, and leaving impressions on the mind not easily defaced, yet dangerous to entertain, especially to those who have read the fascinating Avorks of Professor Darwin. So puzzling, so conflicting, so destructive to the young man in pursuit for knowledge, especially that class who.are most inc'ined to belieA T e only in what they see. It cannot be denied that striking illustrations of the professor’s theory are met Avith in our streets every day, but Ave are running into more length than A\*e intended, and wi'l uoav take leave of the museum till another visit to the city of tbe plains.