TOWN AND COUNTRY NEWS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XVII, Issue 968, 19 February 1862, Page 4

TOWN AND COUNTRY NEWS.

Wo desire to remind our readers that the bazaar in aid of the Lyttelton Church fund will commence this day at 12 o'clock, in the school room, and will continue open to the public, on the following day, commencing at the same hour. The stalls have' already been erected, -and though tiioro remains a vast deal of work still to be clone, there is little doubt that the energy already displayed to such good purpose by the ladies will finally enable them to surmount all difficulties, and that the time appointed to admit the public will find them thoroughly prepared for the rush of eager purchasers they have a fair right to expect. Yesterday, His Honor the Superintendent and the Provincial Secretary gave audience to a deputation, consisting of Mcsers. IT. E. Alport, E. Bishop, A. T. Bradwell, G. Gould, and J. Oliivier, on the subject of the reserves to-be, made over to the proposed Christchurch Municipality. The deputation were met in a spirit of friendly courtesy, and an assurance was given of a wish on the part of the Executive^ treat the infant corporation with the greatest liberality. It was determined that the Provincial Secretary should state in writing what reserves the Government were prepared to recommend to the Provincial Council, with a view of laying such statements before1 a public-meeting to be held next week. We believe that it is proposed to grant the slaughterhouse reserve, the market-place and post-office, and, subject to certain conditions, the public squares, together with 10,000 acres of rural land. The sales of waste lands still continue satisfactory. At the last two sittings of the Board upwards of .£SOOO was received. Several purchases were made of land on the Selwyn, adjacent to the section in which Mr. M. B. Hart discovered what promises to be a valuable coal-field. - A few days ago, that gentleman returned from the scene of his labours, and brought with him several specimens of the coal. One large block may be seen at the Government Buildings, and several others at the different public offices. Hitherto, we have heard only of Mr. Hart making a drive in an oblique direction downwards from the side of the hill; latterly, a permanent drive from the plain has been made on a slight incline upwards, so as to carry away the water met with, and permit of the coal being carried on a tramway to the surface by its own weight. An extensive plateau is being formed at the foot of the hills by the debris taken from the shaft, on which rails are proposed to be laid, over which coal-laden trucks may travel, and conveniently empty their contents into drays beneath. Besides, iron, plumbago, and manganese, which we previously mentioned as having been met with in Mr Hart's explorations, he has since discovered marble quarries, and a valuable bed of the finest fire-clay. Messrs. Bishop and Jackson, have also proved the. existence of similar deposits, and are amongst the recent purchasers of land in the locality. Should private enterprise succeed in proving unmistakeably the existence of these valuable deposits in the particular locality indicated, the Government may recover from the blunder recently committed by the. Council, and by timely assistance towards the provision of a tramway for the transit of such deposits to the centres of population and the shipping depot, make them subservient to the material greatness of the Province.

The races are over, and settling-day has passed very satisfactorily. No great sums have either been made or lost. Those who had gone in pretty stiff on Wetsail generally recovered themselves, and nothing deserving the name of "default "has marked the wind-up of the meeting,of 1862.

There is an under-current of feeling in Christchurch that his Honor the Superintendent has wilfully ignored the Volunteer movement in this province, and a meeting is about to be held to redress this imaginary wrong. We are not in the confidence of his Honor on this matter, but we have much erred in our estimate of the character of Mr. Moorhouse if he is not in reality heart and soul with the movement, and we trust that, at the meeting about to be held this opinion will be abundantly confirmed. Under some circumstances volunteering is not necessarily any proof. of courage or public spirit; and' it may be said; that the. unseemly conduct and spirit unhappily shewn atjtijn,^ by pur Volunteer corps fully justified overlookers, in supposing that all was not gold that, glistened.' But now that danger looms in the distance, we shall be disappointed if'these mistakesare notveorrected. ;

. The Omeo may. be expected with the English mail any time after to-morrow.

The following letter from the Treasurer of the Relief Committee at Taranaki has been handed us for publication:— ■ ■

New Plymouth, Bth February, 1862

Madam,—l have great pleasure in acknowleding the receipt, from his Honor the Superintendent of this Province, of the sum of one hundred and seventy pounds, (£170), being the proceeds of your stall at the bazaar for the assistance of the sufferers by the war.'-' ' v ' ■"■■■.■■■.■.'

I am- instructed by the Committee to convey to yourself, and through you to the ladies of Canterbury, their sincere, thanks for the mateiial aid afforded' through your exertions, and their appreciation of the kindly feeling which prompted the undertaking.

' ,1 remain, Madam, your very obedient servant, Richard Chilman, Treasurer Taranald Relief Committee^ Mrs. Moorhouse, Christchurch.