TOWN AND COUNTRY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XXIII, Issue 1361, 18 February 1865, Page 4

TOWN AND COUNTRY.

Literary Society.—A meeting of the members of this Association was held on Thursday night, at the Congregational Church, in Manchester-street. Dr. Foster, as president of the society, occupied the chair. The question for discussion was—" Is separation from the mother country by the colonies desirable?" Mr. Guthrie opened the question in the affirmative, reading a paper in favour of this view, and quoting some statistical authorities in support of it. A debate ensued, in which several of those present took part. Ultimately the numbers were taken, when it appeared that those in favour of non-separa-tion were in the majority. Wesleyan Free Church.—Some little time ago, we gave account of the farewell services and of a public tea-meeting given at Chesterfield to the Rev. J. Tyerman, previous to his departure for New Zealand, mentioning at the same time that it was in contemplation that he should be stationed in Canterbury. The reverend gentleman has since arrived here, and Bonnington's Hall has been secured as a temporary place of worship in connection with the Free Methodist Church-. The opening services will be held there on Sunday next, at the usual hour, and the recognition meeting, in which he will be introduced to those who will be under his pastorate, will take place also at Bonnington's Hall on the ensuing Tuesday evening. Open Boat Race.—This event came off on Thursday last. The following boats came to the startingplace, off the Red Buov and Government Wharf: — Vision, Little Mermaid, and Blue Jacket. After a good start, the boats left as follows: Blue Jacket leading, followed by Vision, Little Mermaid third. After rounding Officer's Point, the Blue Jacket felt the N.E. breeze first, making almost a straight course to Rhodes' bay. On going about on the next tack, she was at least 400 yards to windward of the other boats; after rounding the red buoy off Rhodes' Bay, it was clear to the numerous spectators that, barring accidents, she would be an easy winner. After going round the course twice, Bhe passed the buoy off the Government Wharf about 27 minutes before the Little Mermaid; the Vision was 15 minutes after her. Although this match had caused a great deal of excitement, and brought a large number of people together, five minutes after the start the interest appeared to subside, and the people, who anticipated some good epoxt, left the jetty disappointed. It was no race, because neither of the other boats had even the. shadow of a chance to beat the Blue Jacket at fair racing. The match was for a sweepstakes of £5 each, and £1 entrance. We hear another match is to take place, between the Blue Jacket and the Scud, in a few days.

Rifle Match.—The challenge of the Dunedin Volunteer Artillery Regiment to the Volunteers of Christchurch has, we hear, been taken up by No. 1 Company. This company contains in its ranks a few of the marksmen who have done most credit to the Rifles in previous years; but the great majority of the members have only just advanced to target practice. The match is between ten men on a side, and several of the number will have to be chosen from the recruits. It will be shot, we believe, this day three weeks. The Dunedin men use the Lancaster rifle, but our Volunteers have only the common Tower Enfield, a much inferior weapon. Arrangements have been made for practice in the meantime, so far as may be possible, considering the mtt ny difficulties which attend on ball practice near Christchurch. We are glad to learn, as to this, that a safe method of employing the Hagley Park butt and range has been discovered, and will be brought into use forthwith. The range will be on the T incoln Road aide of the butt; and though not quite 400 yards in length, it will be very much prized by the Volunteers for private practice at the shorter distances.

The Museum.--Somebody writing In journal says that a suggestion that the Governmen are about to build a Museum originated in tne Lyttelton Times. If such a report originated anywhere, it was not in this paper. The only no ice given of the Museum was at the time of sen wg in competition designs for the building; and the P a *® r graph on the subject recorded a conviction that e Government was not going to commence the erection in the present state of the Treasury chest.

Chromo-Lithography.—We have been enabled, through the courtesy of Mr. Rayner, to obtain a view of some fine specimens of this art. They comprise views of various scenes in almost every part of the world, being copies chiefly of the works of English artists. Some of these are " beautiful exceedingly. By means of chromo-lithography, the atmospheric effects are beautifully brought out. In this respect, a view of Windsor Castle, as seen through a dim, vapoury mist, and the dazzling sunshine of some of the Italian landscapes, by way of contrast, are most noticeable. There is also a fine view of " Cologne town of old renown," with its unfinished cathedral in the distance, which at once recalls to the mind of the spectator, the famous legend connected with it. Chromo-lithography is a great advance in art. It enables persons, at a very trifling cost, to possess themselves of fac-similes of the best productions of ancient and modern artists. Hitherto the only means of reproducing these has been either by the aid of photography or the burin. Beautiful as these may be, they left something to be desired, and that is colour; Now colour is the chief charm of the English school; the French and Belgian modern schools of painting, and perhaps the Italian may be classed in the same category, excel us in drawing. The outline, especially of the human figure,, is almost always more correct than it is in ours. And the reason is obvious ; in all the foreign schools great attention is paid to sketching from the model figure. Take for instance a French bronze, even in those which are sold at the most reasonable prices, and made in order to find a place in the cheapest market; —works for the million—and you will find the utmost attention paid to the minutest portion of the design; the artist produces them as it were as a labour of love. In colour, however, the British artist reigns supreme, and hence his works suffer when submitted to the spectator if divested of it. By means of chromo-lithography we obtain colour, a quality which appeals directly to the eye, and produces that sense of pleasurable emotion so desirable when contemplating works of art. To return to the subject of this notice, the prints in question are issued from the atelier of Messrs. G. Rowney and Co., London, which is a sufficient guarantee for their excellence. They form pleasant souvenirs of travel, recalling sport and scenes familiar to most of us, and endeared to us by many a pleasant recollection. Mr. Rayner also possesses a collection of some of the largest and finest photographs in the province. Two are especially noteworthy — the celebrated Warwick wase, and a copy of Albert Durer's wellknown pictorial crucifix, as it has been designated, and which bears in the. original the memorable words—" Es ist erfiillt." We would recommend all lovers of art to see the collection.

Sabbath Observance in Timaru.—We are informed from Timaru that the Resident Magistrate, Mr. Woollcombe, has directed boatmen plying their vocation on Sundays to be prosecuted, and has inflicted fines in certain cases. Respect to the Sunday is a distinguishing feature of English communities, and we should be sorry to find it absent in any part of Canterbury. But that passengers should be forbidden to land because the steamer calls on a Sunday, or that ari open roadstead should be subjected to the rules of a London Dock, is not piety, because it is not common sense.

The West Coast.—The cutter Wild Wave arrived from the diggings on the 12th inst. Captain Smith reports that at the Grey, he found great difficulty in unloading his vessel,as all the men had left for the new rush at Okitiki. On the whole the yield of gold seems to be plentiful, the diggers all appearing to be satisfied. A township formed of wood and iron structures is rapidly arising. The bank of New Zealand was robbed of about £1400; this makes the second bank robbery. The inhabitants are loudly exclaiming against the apathy of the Canterbury Government, in not taking steps to organise proper means of protection for life and property; the police are unremitting in their exertions, but through their limited number they are powerless. Wages average 30s a day, and Captain Smith was obliged to pay a large sum to the men who brought back his craft. He disposed of his cargo to great advantage, and proposes returning on the 24th inst., as he is chartered again. We hear that several vessels will be laid on for the diggings immediately. The new rush is an old river bed at Okitiki, about six miles from the river. Captain Smith has brought some samples of very superior coal from the Grey ; it is said to be used by the steamers in preference to Australian coal. There appears to be no lack of provisions, which are retailed at comparatively moderate prices, flour fetching £35 per ton, ham Is 6d,- cheese Is 2d and fresh meat Is. The other articles are sold at proportionate prices. A jetty is in course of erection by the Nelson Government, who are deriving all the benefit from the trade to the West Coast. The steamers Wallaby and Nelson trade regularly ; they bring passengers each time, but as a general rule, on arriving at the gold-fields, they are obliged to make the return trip short handed.

The Horsewhipping Case, —• This fashionable but foolish farce in common life has had a wonderful run and is over. We really cannot discover what has caused the actors in it to become heroes to their respective parties, but heroes they have become. The election excitement has been promoted by the private scandal; but for our part we must decline to mix up one with the other. The police have charge of the horsewhipping; that is their affair. The Bench of Magistrates has given judgment on the merits of that matter, looked at with the eye of the law ; and we acknowledge both the authority and the justice of the decision. But the politics of the two parties belong to the public. We cannot see why Mr. Cowlishaw is less fit to be member for the Avon because Mr. Brooke foolishly thought to help him by attacking the private character of the other candidate; nor will any reasonable man deny forgiveness to Mr. Anderson for his hasty act. Calumnies had been insinuated, if not spoken out, about his private character. Mr. Duncan deposed to the sort of slander which was uttered, by saying that "disgraceful conduct" was imputed to Mr. Anderson by Mr. Brooke, in the course of his canvass. Now, the electors of the Avon have had no cause to look on Mr Anderson as at all inferior to Mr. Cowlishaw, orany other recent settler, in all that becomes a gentleman. Mr, Brooke's insinuations, therefore, bore materially on the election. Now, for all purposes a slander may be insinuated with quite as damaging an effect as if the whole story were written down, and perhaps more so. A court of justice may require that defamatory words shall have been spoken ; .but a character may be ruined, or an election lost without any such words being uttered in plain English. How long may this go on? When an ill-advised partizan in the heat of an election takes to slandering for party purposes, is the calumnious whisper to spread aud fix itself on the minds of a thousand excited electors and their friends, the seat to be lost, and the character of the candidate blasted, while he is setting the tardy law in motion ? The electors now know that any slander which they may have

heard about Mr. Anderson is false; but that they do knowthis istheeffectof the horsewhipping. The same effect might have been produced, perhaps, by better means; but who will undertake to say that under similar circumstances he would have paused to consider what means he might find of acting with equal effect but greater prudence ? The candidates are now as they were before; their chances ought to rest equally on the principles they profess; and the horsewhipping affair ought to influence the election as little as it would a division in the Council. West Coast Diggings.—The news from the goldflelds has caused a movement in the direction of the West Coast amongst our population. Yesterday, Cobb's coach conveyed nineteen passengers northwards, twenty-three applications for the journey being refused. Princess Theatbe.—' There was no performance at the Theatre on Thursday last, owing to the indisposition of Mrs. Hall. However, she came forward last night, in the play of the "Bottle," which was performed on that occasion, followed by "The Porter's Knot." Byron's travestie of "II Trovatore " is announced as being in active preparation. It is spoken of as one of the best productions of that author's facile pen. PAPANUI TOLL-GATE. The following memorial has been got up in the Avon district, and is extensively signed by the inhabitants :— To the Chairman and Members of the Avon District Road Board— Gentlemen, —We, the undersigned inhabitants of Papanui and its neighbourhood, and others interested in the use of the Great Worth Boad, are desirous of making an appeal to your Board, with a view to procure the foial removal of the present toll-gate. It is no doubt known to the Board that a public meeting was recently held at Papanui, which appointed a deputation to wait upon the Superintendent with a numerously signed memorial, expressive of the public discontent on the subject, and requesting him to refuse his sanction to the re-establish-ment of the toll-gate. His Honor's reply was to the effect that his sanction had already been given through the Secretary of Public Works, and that he could not interfere by taking any steps in the premises until the meeting in the Provincial Council. It is superfluous to say that such an answer does not give satisfaction, and the inquiry is general—What is to be done next ?

When the meeting of ratepayers took place at St. Alban's, previously to the erection of the turnpike near the Town Belt, it was explained to them that the measure was not the spontaneous act of the Board, but that the Chairman himself, with a deputation of other gentlemen, had had a conference with the Executive for the express purpose of objecting to it. The Board, for financial reasons, acquiesced in the plan solely at the dictation of the Secretary of Public Works, and consented to try it as an experiment. It appears to us now that the Board, being perfectly competent to deal with the question, isthe proper quarter from which to seek redress. So far as the experiment has been tried, it has certainly not given satisfaction. Some were in favour of tolls, as the readiest means of laying the burthen of maintaining the roads upon those who use them, which seemed quite just; but even such parties only approved of them as tending to save them from the payment of rates. They had no notion of paying both rates and tolls, more especially tolls from which others are exempt. The Board cannot fail to admit that the system of tolls, to be fair, must be general. Those who are subjected to them, when others are not, will inevitably feel themselves unfairly treated. It places them at a disadvantage, and in an inferior position to others—a predicament to which they are nowise inclined to submit. It is needless to say anything of the inconvenience and vexation, or of the unequal tax upon them. The indirect effects are quite as obnoxious in the hindrance to every-day traffic and business, and the depreciation occasioned in the value of property. On all such points we believe the members of the Board and ourselves are perfectly unanimous.

When the Road Boards were instituted, it was understood that one object was to place local affairs under local management, and it might therefore have been expected that our affairs would be conducted in harmony with the wishes of the people most interested. We cannot help expressing some astonishment at finding, in this instance, how contrary the result has been to what was expected. It is not our purpose to extenuate acts of violence, which some persons maj have been tempted to commit; but we feel bound to remark that a deplorable amount of ill-feeling has been engendered, and we hope that nothing further may occur to confirm the belief that it is in vain to apply to the constituted authorities for relief from a grievance. We have hitherto been accustomed to suppose that we lived among people well disposed to maintain the cause of law and order, and we trust the Government will recognize the impolicy of encouraging disaffection to the law, and, on the first introduction of taxation among us, of .rendering it as unpalatable to the sufferers as possible. It would be a subject of regret if anything like a spirit of antagonism or ill-will should prevail between the Board and its constituents. After all which has taken place, we consider that the public opinion has been sufficiently manifested to justify the new Board in revising the former decision in relation to the toll-gate. (A very recent precedent is furnished by the Government abandoning the postage on newspapers.) If the system be a good one, let it be extended and made general. There is but one alternative: either to make it fair and just to all, or to abandon it. We do not imagine that anyone will contend for the principle—that a system admittedly unfair must be continued because it brings in money. The object of our application, then, is, that the Board will move the Government to release them from any engagement to maintain toll-gates; or otherwise act independently, and join in the conclusion, which we now reiterate—that the time has arrived when the toll-gate should be withdrawn. With great respect, we are, gentlemen, Tour obedient servants.