CANTERBURY.

Otago Witness, Issue 16, 6 September 1851, Page 3

CANTERBURY.

(From the Corresp~onde7it of the W. Independent.) The " Gazelle " has arrived, bringing a splendid lot of horses, and a general cargo. Flour is selling at 50s. per 100 lbs. ; potatoes at £8 per ton. The authorities have given orders for the whole of the upper portion of that capacious building — the Mitre Hotel — to be fitted up before the 13th of next month, when a monster meeting will beheld, and the Pilgrims are determined that the settlement shall be made a distinct and separate Province. It is said the Custom House coffers are getting full, and they think the stuff they contain is too valuable a commodity to be given to Auckland or Nelson Nominees. The Beading Booms

here are becoming very popular, and several interesting lectures have been delivered. — July 21. The barque "Derwent" arrived yesterday with a cargo of stock, including 40 horses. I fear they have brought them to a bad market. The weather at present is cold and rainy, but the Pilgrims think they may some day be too warm, and have consequently been contributing to a fund to the tune of about £170 for a fire engine, and a corps of firemen to act on an emergency. The engine is to be made here at a cost of about £100 ; and two watchmen are to be kept on the look out for anything like danger to the town from fire. — July 24. A peep at the plains would satisfy you that there are some persevering pilgrims here who will ultimately triumph over the usual difficulties which beset an early colonist's career. Many of the new settlers have succeeded in sowing some wheat; and they may continue to do so with probable success until the end of next month. The Messrs. Deans will very likely have 60 acres of wheat this year. The favorable state of a great portion of the plains for agricultural purposes will most probably render this district capable of exporting to some extent the ensuing year. This is the worst month of the year ; firewood is scarce, and provisions are extremely high. The poor man who is toiling from morn to night, frequently up to his knees in water, digging trenches for enclosing and draining the land, retires at night to his miserable and fireless hut and is glad to partake of cold victuals, and giving him, we should imagine, a very unfavorable opinion of this the promised land. There are many laboring men out of employment, and those used to draining cannot earn more than 3s. 6d. per day, or work more than four days in a week. There has hitherto been imported a far greater quantity of- labor than capital.