CHRISTCHURCH.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2009, 12 June 1875, Page 2

CHRISTCHURCH.

.'■■''."", Friday.' At the conference of the City Council and tho Chairmen of, the suburban Eoad Boards yesterday, resolutions were passed favorable to the establishment of a Board of Drainage Commissioners for the city and suburbs, with power to borrow money and levy rates. ' i The Provincial Council is expected to be prorogued on Wednesday. ■; A match -.between., young Delanoy and Buchanan, of JXinedui, is on the tapis. Mr Stansell, meteorological observer, reports that the rainfall during the storm jof Saturday last was 387 inches, and the mean velocity of the wind 53 miles per hour. The land sales this week have realised £10,000, which is £1,000 more than the Government estimate. The receipts for the first week of the financial year have amounted to £56,000, and the Government estimate for the whole year was only £110,000. .. . . . : • ?Mv Jobson has given notice of motion ih'the Provincial Council '.' That in the opinion of this Council, it is inexpedient and "'unconstitutional to entertain and carry intoeffect any proposal to abolish the provincial form of government in the province of Canterbury until a majority ■of the people of the province have clearly and unmistakeably expressed a desire for such change." Tho report of the! Royal Commission on the Rakaia Bridge has been published. It reflects strongly On the conduct of both Hie General Government engineers and the Provincial engineers. The whole

conduct of the former is said to have been of the lowest description, but tho Provincial Engineer is pronounced the chief offender. The Commissoners say ho is the man to whom blame attaches all through. It seems that the contractor, White, was permitted to alter the original design in many particulars, and to carry out the work much as ho liked. The Commissioners state the total cost of tho bridge was £36,196, and that of this there has been over-paid or wasted on it £6,937, added to which, the whole bridge has now to be replanked, owing to the timber originally used for planking being worthless. The Press, remarking on the matter this morning, says :—" For all this waste of money the province is indebted to Mr Thornton, Provincial Engineer." The late rains have destroyed a large quantity of potatoes in this districtIn the Provincial Council this afternoon the Education Bill was recommitted, with the view of making alterations in some of the clauses. Considerable discussion took place with respect to the proportion of the cost of school buildings to be contributed by the school districts, but the original proposal of the Government to increase tho proportion from one-sixth to one-half was agreed to.