CANTERBURY.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 6, Issue 318, 20 November 1862, Page 3

CANTERBURY.

Tlie Provincial Council has rejected ;he Education Bill brought in by the provincial secretary, and has appointed a commission to make further enquiries on the subject. A loan Bill has been agreed to authorising a loan of any sum not exceeding £5 00,000 for the construction' of roads, bridges, public buildings and other works.

The “Press” has an article on the Churches in Christchurch in which it contrasts the Wesleyan and Presbyterian buildings for public worship with those of the English Church, and recommends the erection of “ a plain handsome church, which would answer all the purposes of a Parish Church for Christchurch- and of a Cathedral for the diocese” to be made either of -wood or stone.

The ‘Press ’ is now published 'l’wice a week, one of it‘.weekly issues being exclusively devoted to advertisements and commercial news.

The ‘ Press ’ has the following remarks on the Governor’s delay:— We confess we are tumble to sec exactly on what ground the Governor is resting his hope of a favourable issue to his negotiations. He offers nothing to the Natives. The present state of “armed neutrality” is one in which money is pouring in a full and unchecked stream into a gulpb which absorbs it all, and leaves no trace of its presence. It would be cheaper to fight at once : it would be better policyto buy, paying a price which would cost us nothing, and which the Natives have a right to receive. Why tamper with this matter any longer? It is the alternative put by Mr. Fitzgerald in his speech—you must win over or conquer - Delay as we will, tp that issue we must come at last.

The Pastoral and Agricutubal Show. —This event, which has been looked forward to with considerable interest for some time came off’ veiy successfully on Wednesday last. Ample room was afforded for the display of the stock, which were ranged round the four sides of the paddock, with plenty of room for visitors to examine them, both from the front and l-ear of the stalls. The horses, which shewed in great force, and which would have done credit to any show on this side of the line, were ranged along the west and north sides of the paddock, the cattle occupying the east and the sheep the south. Adjoining the sheep, and nearer the entrance, wei’e several pens of pigs, and near them a few nondescript boxes and cages of poultry placed oh the ground so that visitors had to go on their hands and knees if they wished to examine the merits of the inmates, In the centre of the paddock space was left for exhibiiors of agricultural implements, aud here might be noticed some half a dozen ploughs a few harrows, a wheat-dressiug machine and a stand of saddlery and harness. Though far from being perfect, the promoters of tliis exhibition may congratulate themselves on having made a -very good commencement. Considering that we stand first in New Zealand as a pastoral country, the entries of sheep were a total failure as far as they represented the province. During the last four years valuable rams and ewes have been imported from every quarter of the world, and there are few stations where some efforts are not • being made to cull out the bad and improve the best. No stranger would have imagined this from what he saw of the sheep on Wednesday last. Not that the specimens shewn on that occasion were unworthy of the pi’ices obtained, but simply because there was nothing worth calling competition.

Too much praise cannot he bestowed on the display of horses.- The draught stock especially deserved commendation, the show of mares and young stock giving grounds for belief that in a f-.w years the draught stock of this province will be all that the greatest admirer of horses can desire. The show of blood stock did not excite nearly as much attention as the draught horses, though some of the young ones gave signs of great promise. Among the number of animals on the ground it is impossible to particularise, but the most noticeable colts and fillies shown were, of the blood stock by the Peer and Towton ; draught stock by Prince Royal and Criffel. Among the cattle were.some noble hulls and remarkably looking dairy cows. In this department as might be expected the Deans herds came out very strong, Mrs. Deans having carried away no less than six prizes. There were several other exhibitors but not nearly so many as might have been expected, nor did the stock exliibi ed represent the whole power of CaiN terburv in choice cattle breeding. The show of pigs, though small in number was good. Some of the animals exhibited were of unusual size without the coarseness generally found accompanying that quality.

Considered as the commencement of what we trust will not be allowed to drop the present show has been a success, and much of that success has no doubt been due to the zeal displayed by the working secretaries.

Above £3OO was given as prizes of which £67 10s was returned towards next year’s show, £155 was taken at the door. —Lyttelton Times Oct, 25. It is pi-oposed to erect a Town Hall in Lyttelton, the principal room to be 60 by 30 feet, and to have various other rooms, with space on the basement story for the accomodation of the Post-Office A peck of splendid green peas, of the dwarf kind, was brought to Christchurch market on the 22nd ult. They had been sown in May. A new flax dressing machine has been tided ; which, to judge from the description, is not superior to the one tried here some time ago. Messrs. Holmes & Co. are about to erect two powerful saw-mills on Bank’s Penin sula. During the year ending in October, there have been surveyed 752 sections, containing 70,843 acres, besides 286,000 acres surveyed trigonometrically. Laud sold during the year, 97,953 acres. An Episcopalian church is to be erected at Okain’s Bay. Rev. Mr. Grant arrived on the 21st ult. from London, to take charge of the Presbyterian congregation at Akaroa. It is proposed to cut a road across the island so as to open up the west coast. The ‘ Mary Ann ’ from London with 29 passengers arrived on the 21st; and the ‘ Queen of the Mersey ’ with 349 pasengers on the 19th ult. also from London. The Wool-growers are desired to attend to longstaple wool as the most pi 4 ' fitable. Cattle are forbidden to be imported from Otago and Southland, held as infected.

- M A RLBO JEtOTT GH. The political state of this pi’ovince, which no doubt has afforded ■considerable mirth to people in ■other parts of-the colony, remains much the same as when our proceedings were last noticed in the Examiner. We have still our two Kings of Brentford—Superintendents, I mean —with; their respective Executives, each claiming to rule the land, and opinions are divided as to the right to rule of Capt. Buillie, or of Mr. Eyes. The former gentleman has, however, one advantage over his opponent—he has possession of the Government Buildings, and all the records they contain ; while Mr. Eyes, having no access to these, and being also without funds, is unable to perform the functions of the office he "’claims-to hold. As for as drawing the strings of the public purse is concerned, both gentlemen are pretty much in the same position, for, finding two claimants to the dignity of Superintendent of Marlborough, the question of right to office has to be determined before the Bank will advance money to either. ' That portion of the Provincial Council which elected Mr. Eyes Superintendent, and which., -is known as the Blenheim party, met in the Court House, Blenheim, on Friday, the 24th, having adjourned, at their last meeting, neld in the Tasmanian Hotel, Picton, to the day and place named. Only the members ol the party in question attended, who, with the exception of his Honour and one other member, were all present. The speaker, Mr. Go aland, took the chair, and read the minutes of the last meeting. After the minutes had been read, the’ Speaker was asked whether there was any notice on the motion paper ? to which he replied in the negative. A dead silence then ensued for upwards of a quarter of an hour, after which the Sujierin ten dent, being invited into the Council, proceeded to state that he had, since lxis election, visited Wellington, and taken measures, by application to the Supreme Court, to establish his legal claim to office, but stated that he was afraid that some time must of necessity elapse before the Court would dispose of the question. His Honour then withdrew, having no scat in the Council, as, on his election to the office of Superintendent, his seat for Lower...Wairau' had become vacant, and be lias been unable to issue a writ for liis re-election, through the Provincial seal being locked up in Picton. The next discovery made by the Council was, that tlieir StandingjOrders had lapsed, so a committee, appointed to frame new ones, was ordered to report on the following day. Notices of motion for the next day were also given to repeal the Dog act, and to authorise the Superin tendent to expend a sum of not exceeding £SOO, in enlarging the Court Bouse at Blenheim, so as to provide offices for the Government. The Council waj prorogued next day. —Nelson Examiner.

KELSO!?. The ‘ Gipsy ’ arrived from t!>e Buller with. 1000 ounces of gald on the 10th. The diggers, about 150 in number, had been reduced to four potatoes each a day, and the fraction of an eel occasionally, before her arrival on the Ist inst. The ‘ Wonga Wonga ’ touched there on the 2nd, and landed provisions. A new’ gold field had been discovered 35 miles further up the Buller, where the gold is said to be plentiful. The 20 shots to compete with the Auckland riflemen have been chosen. They had five preliminary practices at 100, 200, and 300 yards, 5 shots at each distance, , and the average of the whole (of 5 shots) was 26 points. A gentleman has returned from the Grey fiver overland, and it appears that £IOOO would make a road to allow of cattle being driven overland. Here, as well as at Wellington, the Oddfellows are collecting money for the relief of the Lancashire operatives. OT.iGO. The escort an'ived on the 31st, and brought 15,505 oz., of which 8967 oz. were from the Duns tan, and the rest from the old diggings. At the Dunstan there had been several new ru-hes ; the population is estimated at between 3000 and 4000. Two Germans had brought to the township 50 1i s. of gold from o.ie of the gullies. At Conroy’s, about eight miles from the upper township, the miners are doing well, sinking 4to 6 feet. 'J wo men took out 60 oz. in 8 days. From the Nolcomai a trooper has arrived bringing 247 oz.—the firstfruits. A considerable quantity had been sent to Invercargill, in all it is supposed about 1000 oz. There are about 400 diggers in this locality.