CHRISTCHURCH.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 145, 13 March 1908, Page 4

CHRISTCHURCH.

March 11. ■■ Until this year tho Board of Governors of Canterbury, Collego has always- submitted its leases for sale by private tender. The Board lias made a new departure,, and on Friday tho first of the leases available , this wero offered at public auction at BaVry's Bay, Akaroa. Mr. G. ,W. Ilussell (chairman; : 'of tho Board) states that .the .results were'very satisfactory. A' reserve, of 84 acresat Robinson's Bay, which 1 ' was ' previously let for 17s. 4d! per .acre, was' leased ,for. .jtt'e tnext fourteen, years, .for 325.. per\ acrb, and a roservo $5700.'acres at :Wainui.,' which'was leased for ; lis. 3d. an acre, will now bring in 395.' an:, acre for fourteen years. The total increase of ■ revenue tfrom tho. leases of, these two reserves .is • nearly. £160 a year. .

Maliatots Viaduct. - With regard-to Mr. Blow's remarks as to tho delay , in the construction of tho Makatoto viaduct,- tho "Press" learns, on making; enquiries of the /contractors, Messrs. Anderson .and Co., that tho reason for tho delay. ; s that they wero not able to got on to the work until nine or ten months after tho contract was let, owing to : ths absonco' of roads, and thoy warned the 'GovenimenC from; tho first that it .would be impossible to finish tho' viaduct in the time specific!.' A further. delay' of soroo months occurred owing to the fact that' the foundations were found to be faulty,-and'tho engineers, . who had to issue fresh instructions in order to get over this difficulty, took some time to consider 'the' matter. 1 '"As avmatteri of fact, the viaduct'has now only been two years in hand, and, considering' that, overj'thing has' had-to bo made for .it, tho'work, has been carried 'on with rema'rkablo expedition. Trorri other sources, it,; : is' stated 'that it is not the Makatoto viaduct which will delay the opening of tho lino, .as other portions : of the construction aro in-a moro backward state. ......