Christchurch Notes.

Clutha Leader, Volume XX, Issue 1027, 30 March 1894, Page 6

Christchurch Notes.

♦ [From Our Own Couuespondent.] The licensing elections 1 ? pretty well throughout the province of Canterbury resulted in favour of a reduction of licenses, but the only place coming near total prohibition waa Kaiapoi, °whore something like 50 votes were required. In the city there was a good deal of ex- | citoment, and the polling on both sides ! was fairly good. The official figures are : —As at present 2841; reduction 1635 ; no license 3960. On top of this vote we have returned :i committee composed of publican's candidates with one exception. The leaders of the temperance party issued instructions to their followers not to vote for a committee, but go direct for prohibition ; they have got neither, and it serves them right. Pour candidates enne forward pledged to close as many houses as the law would allow, and had they been supported by the temperance (party their return would have been sure. With four votes on each side in the committee there would have been some chance of getting a dozen of our worst drinking shops shut up, but as we are now placed wo might as well be "as you were." Fifty-two hotels for a population of 20,000 is a bit thick ; though I daresay there are other places much worse. Within 3 minutes wa'k < f the Cathedral we have no fewer than 19 public houses ; so there is lots of room for the pruning knifo in this quarter. The agricultural statistics for Canterbury for 1894 have been published, and show substantial increases under the principal heads. Some surprise was created at the comparatively small increase in the number of dairy cows, considering the increased trade in dairy produce, and the number of dairy factories which have been established. The area under wheat is G4, 292 acres short of last year, and that under oats for various purposes has increased by 39,339 acres. There is an increase of 955 acres und«er potatoes, but turnips are represented by 3069 acres le3s. The area planted in fruit trees has been increased by 59 stores, mukiug a total of 2147 acres. The cultivated lands sown in grasses have been added to the extent of 84,706 acres, and tree planting has been indulged in to the tune of 401 acres. Last years grains are held to the extent of 192,985 bushels. The average yields all through are not what they were expected, this being due, no doubt, to the "wet harvest, and the prevalence of rust, and the thousand and one evils farmers have to cope with. The following table will give some idea of how the different cereal crops have turned out : —

Oui* ex-Mayor and townsman, Mr Eden George, has turned up again, after I

a short absence from view. The latest regarding him' comes from Auckland, from which a telegram tells us he intends contesting the Waitemata Beat against Messrs Jackson, Palmer, "' and . Massey. How's this for pluck. The ram and ewe fair was not such a success as was anticipated from *a sellers point of view. The sheep entered were of first-class quality all round, but buyers with good fat purses were not plentiful, consequently, rather poor prices had to be accepted. The ewe sale was a perfect fiasco, only a few pens changing hands at little better than fat sheep prices.

Acres Sown. Yield in Bushels. Grains. — 1893 1894 1893 1894 Wheat 186,496 122,117 3,587,948 2330/706 Oats for - grain 75,095 94,839 1,778,6012074,952 Barley 8,004 9,239 204,6162220,793 Rye 1,114 736 13,568 11,451 Peas 8,540 4,039 . 91,186 100,506 Beans 3,890 5,050 140,125) 192,306