MONTHLY MISCELLANY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XX, Issue 1131, 12 September 1863, Page 2

MONTHLY MISCELLANY.

The Cathedral. —We are informed that the Githedral Commission have finally decided to reject the proposal for the substitution of stone for wood in the interior construction of the nave. Mr. Dobson, having revised his original estimates, reported that such a change would entail an additional cost of not less than £5000. The public must be prepared for some months' delay in the commencement of the work, as the Commission have judged it necessary to make a fresh reference to England on the subject of the appointment of a resident architect. Until such appointment is made, they are advised that they cannot in prudence take any step beyond that of ordering the large timbers for the columns of the nave. It is satisfactory to know that no doubt now remains as to the probability of obtaining these on reasonable terms either from Auckland or in this province. Though the commencement of the work will be delayed, it is expected that it will be brought to a completion as soon as was originally contemplated. Pursuit after Gamble.—lt will be remembered that a prisoner named Gamble escaped while working with the hard labour gang in Lyttelton, on the 30th June last. The story of his pursuit is somewhat interesting. Sergt. Hurse of the police force started in pursuit of him on the 3rd July, and returned on Saturday last, not having been successful. Sergt. Hurse traced the prisoner from place to place, over mountains and across rivers, and arrived at Blenheim only three days after Gamble had left that place in a coaster. A friend of Gamble's, a shepherd on one of the stations, misled Hurse, or he_ would have been sure of capturing him. At Blenheim the chief constable told Hurse that he had actually spoken to Gamble; that he had his description, but was not sufficiently sure of his identity to warrant him in arresting him. Hurse returned with his clothes and boots in tatters, having knocked up several horses, and having travelled over a distance of quite 900 miles.

The Lyttelton Jetty.—We hear that the lesseeship of the Government Jetty for the next twelve months is vested in the firm of J. Peacock and Co. Their tender was £100 in advance of Captain Wycherley's, the lessee last year.

Attempted Robbery from the Person.—A gentleman walking near the Clubhouse was attacked by three men, but, being a powerful man, he succeeded in dealing one of his assailants a backhander, which sent him spinning, and the other rascals receiving a similar salute decamped.

Nationality of our Immigrants.—From a table just published we learn-that, of the 2488 immigrants arrived during theyearending3lstMarchlast,976 were English, 24 Welsh, 773 Scotch, 634 Irish, 2 from the Channel Islands, 56 Germans, and 6 from other countries. Of these 503 were nominated in the colony and 1985 selected in England.

Two Men Drowned.—About one o'clock on the morning of the 22nd August, three men of the ship British Crown lowered one of the boats from the main deck house in order to effect their escape from the ship. It appears that they succeeded in getting the boat in the water over the port gangway, and on getting into her she capsised. The names of the unfortunate men drowned are James Lynden and James M'Pherson. The other one, Antonio Juddans, saved himself by swimming and holding on to the keel of the boat. Juddans, on finding himself on the surface, called out loudly for help; his cries were soon responded to from the ship, and two life buoys thrown over to him, also the starboard lifeboat was lowered, but the others could not be found. Juddans says he felt one of the poor fellows grasp him by the boot, and fortunately for him the boot came off, and thus saved his life. Neither of the others could swim.

Too Quiet.—One of the single women recently arrived by the British Crown was engaged as domestic servant in a respectable family at Kaiapoi. She went by the morning cart to her situation, but on inspecting her proposed home, and the town generally, she declined entering upon her engag&aent, as the place was " too quiet," and returned to Christchurch by the next cart.

The Boats prom Buchanan's Whale Fishery atlkoraki have been fast to a large whale, but lost it through the harpoon breaking. The whaling season has been an unfortunate one, as up to the present time no oil has been taken. Foot-ball Match.—On the 26th August a grand match at foot-ball was played between the Town and College. Through the want of punctuality on the part of the Town, they were obliged to begin the game with sixteen instead of twenty-two men. These, however, were soon after reinforced by three fresh men, who coming, as they did, with unimpaired wind, were equal to nearly double the number of their opponents. The Town having won the toss, chose the windward goal, and the ball was kicked off at 2.40 p.m. "Very soon after the game began, the College, twenty-two lost the services of one of their best players, whose arm was severely injured from a fall. The first game was kept up with spirit on both sides, and after lasting nearly two hours, the gaol was kicked by Mr. Wilson on the Town side. The second game did not last nearly so long, the gaol being kicked by F. Brittan on the College side a little more than twenty minutes after the ball had been kicked off from the centre. We. are glad to hear that a club is to be formed for the promotion of this manly game. No small amount of skill, activity, and courage is required to constitute a first-class foot-ball player, and the youth who possesses these qualities is not likely to turn out badly as a man.

The New Lunatic Asylum, Lincoln Road.— This desirable refuge for the afflicted is rapidly progressing towards completion. Being desirous to inspect the building, and thinking our readers would like to hear about it, we paid it a visit, and the following is the result of our observations:—The main building, when finished according to plan, will be 144 feet in length. At present it is to be only 120 feet long, leaving a wing of 24 feet to be added when required. On entering by the main door, the visitor finds himself standing in a passage 27 feet long. Immediately on the right is the surgery, and directly opposite on the left is the bath-room. Behind these runs a cross passage, the right hand division called the women's lobby, and the left the men's lobby. These divisions open respectively into the visitors' room. Day-room for women, 29 feet by 11 feet 6 inches, and the women's dormitory, 24 feet by il feet 6 inches, all on the right hand; and on the left, the men's day-room and dormitory of similar dimensions, and a sitting-room corresponding to the visitors' room, To the extreme left, at the end of the cross lobby, and parallel with the bath-room, is the infirmary, 24 feet by 11 feet 6 inches, and behind this lies dormitory No. 2, for men, 24 feet by 11 feet 6 inches. A staircase from the main lobby conducts to a space up stairs, of 34 by 16 feet, affording further accommodation when required. For exercise, the men and women have attached to their respective sides of the building two fenced-in yards, each 57 feet by 52 feet. In each yard there are two refractory cells for violent patients, and a urinal. Each refractory cell is 10 feet by 7 feet, of stone and brick, and flagged, and is lighted by a small square window containing a single pane of glass. It will be seen thus, that the main entrance is not exactly in the middle, as the infirmary, 24 feet in length, has at present no corresponding wing at the opposite end of the building, but this wing, as above mentioned, is on the plan, and is to be added as required. Next comes the master's yard, 24 feet x 20. feet, containing a good well, and connecting the main building with a smaller one. This building contains kitchen, 16 feet x 14 feet; laundry, 16 feet x 12 feet; pantry, 18 feet x 7 feet; and coal cellar, 8 feet x 7 feet. In the kitchen is built in an excellent brick oven, 4 feet x 2 feet, and at the back of the oven, outside, is a brick ashpit, 6 feet 9 inches long x 5 feet wide, and about 5 feet deep. The whole has a compact look, and, from its general appearance, seems calculated for comfort, cleanliness, and convenience. The entire buildings are of stone and brick, and where wood is used it is of a strong and substantial character. Although not a handsome building, it seems to the onlooker or visitor, strong, solid, and useful..

The whole of the buildings are roofed with galvanized iron, and all the roofs are well pitched for resisting wet and affording ventilation. The situation is a healthy one, and the site is higher than the average of the land in the neighborhood. Within a month (we are told) the whole will be finished, and we are certain that our readers will coincide with our feelings of satisfaction at the prospect of a comfortable asylum, worthy of the province, being so soon available for the unfortunate class for whom it is erected.

Bricks. —The gratifying prospect of a change in the style of our private and public buildings is now fairly before us. Hitherto timber has been almost the sole material in use, the high price of stone and brick having compelled builders to confine themselves to the more perishable material. Before long we may reasonably hope to see a great change in this. Stone quarries are being opened up in various directions, and brick-making on a large scale is being commenced. In the Heathcote Valley, not far from the mouth of the tunnel, Messrs. Holmes and Co. have set up a brick-making machine combining all the latest improvements. The machine, driven by steam, is capable of turning out from eight to twelve thousand bricks a day, and judging from the specimens already manufactured, of a very superior quality. No doubt the example set by Messrs. Holmes and Co. will be followed, and the public will then be supplied with a durable building material at a lower price than they now have to pay for ordinary and very often inferior timber. As soon as a fair supply is obtainable, we trust that the Municipal Council will pass a very stringent measure against the further erection of wooden buildings in the business parts of the city. With the recent example of Auckland before us, it would be well to be wise in time and do that at once, which the misfortune of a sweeping fire may compel us to do at any moment.

Art. —We are glad to observe that Mr. Hamilton has opened his studio in Hereford street. This gentleman is an artist of high qualifications, his pictures having more than once found a place on the walls of the Royal Academy. It is an unlooked for pleasure to be able to welcome in so small a community a proficient in an art which is seldom cultivated in a young colony.

Accident at the Ferry.—Mr. James Graham of Lyttelton, lost one of his best horses, at the Ferry, on the 3lst August, whilst on the punt. It appears the leading horse took fright and bolted out at the front, and before it could be recovered, was strangled in the collar. Mr. Dale had a narrow escape with his life. In attempting to release the horse by pushing the dray off the punt, he got overboard, and was saved by catching hold of the harness attached to the drowning horse. The horse took fright at the waves dashing over the punt. The animal cost £78 only a few weeks ago. A rail at both ends of the punt would prevent a similar accident in future. Waste Lands Board.—An abstract of the quantity of land sold and granted in the different districts for the month ending the 31st August, 1863: — DISTRICTS. ACREAGE. Ashburton ... 250 o o Ashley 493 0 0 Banks' Peninsula 432 0 12 Christchurch 1465 2 0 Ellesmere 3090 l 20 Lincoln 726 3 0 Lyttelton 55 2 0 Mandeville 462 0 0 Malvern 867 0 0 Oxford 1053 0 29 Timaru 480 0 0 Waipara 100 0 0 Waitangi 155 0 0 Total 9630 1 21 At A Meeting op the Carpenters of Christchurch, held on Thursday evening, September 3, at the City Wine Vaults, to consider the necessity of requesting employers to raise their wages from 10s to 12s per day, to meet the present high rate of living. The following resolution was unanimously carried:— " That carpenters' wages be raised from 10s to 12s per day, consequent on the present high prices of provisions." 4

An Adjourned Meeting of the shareholders in the proposed Town Hall and Library, at Akaroa, was held at Mr. Girders's temporary library, on Saturday, the 29th ult. The meeting was convened to receive the report of a sub-committee, who had been appointed at a previous meeting, to obtain offers of sites which might be eligible for the proposed building, many of the shareholders being of opinion that the site as originally contemplated was far too small for the purpose. Offers of land were received from Mr. J. Watson, Mr. J. Anderson, Dr. Watkins, and Mr. Waeckerlie. It was resolved that Mr. Anderson's land be purchased for the sum of £125, and that 150 additional £\ shares be issued. Messrs. Latter, Watson, and Weston were appointed trustees for the society. About 130 new shares were taken up in the room, all the old shares having been previously taken up. The plans of the proposed building, by Mr. C. M. Igglesden, were laid before the meeting by Mr. Kirton, the secretary, and gave universal satisfaction to the shareholders present. We trust the committee will be enabled to carry out the scheme in its entirety, as not only will the building be an ornament to the town of Akaroa, but it will alscpbe a credit to the province of Canterbury.