TOWN AND COUNTRY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XXV, Issue 1691, 18 May 1866, Page 2

TOWN AND COUNTRY.

Femam Home,—We understand that the committee of this institution have concluded the purchase of the premises at present occupied by them in Peterborough street, Christchurch, for the purposes of carrying on the home.

Electoral.—Mr. Travers has postponed the meeting called by him at the Town Hall, Lyttelton, to-morrow evening, until Friday next the 25th inst.

Bank Holiday.—Monday next, the 21st inst., being Whit-Monday, the Bank of New Zealand, the Union Bank of Australia, and the Bank of Australasia will be closed. Ratepayers' Protection Societt.—The annual meeting of this association will be held on Monday next, the 21st init., at the Lyttelton Hotel, at 7.30 p.m. St. Paul's Prbshtterian Chorch.—The annual meeting of the members and friends of this church, will be held at the Town Hall on Tuesday evening, May 29. Tea will be provided at 630 p.m. Several ministers of various denominations, and other gentlemen have undertaken to deliver addresses.

West Coast Traffic—By a return from Bealey, we notice that 14 persons have passed that place en route to the gold fields, and 17 persons have returned during the week ending May 12. In the same period 332 cattle have been driven past Mr. E. Blake's camp for the same destination. The Rate Appeal Case.—lt will be seen by our report of the proceedings in banco that his Honor the Judge has again sent back this case to the Resident Magistrate's Court, to be divested of the unnecessary matter in which the real point at issue is still enveloped. The English Mail,— The telegraphic news from the Bluff would seem to indicate that the mail had arrived by the i-outh Australian. As the mail was only telegraphed atAdelaideonthel2th, the day the South Australian left, it is more than probable that she has only brought the telegraphic news received at Melbourne. Should this prove to he the case the letters will be brought by the Otago, which might be expected to arrive at the Bluff within thirty-six hours after the South Australian's arrival there. United Wbsletan Church.—Through the courtesy of Messrs, Fisher and Co., with whom the plan is deposited, we have been favoured with a view of the sketch of the new chapel proposed to be erected in St. Asaph Street by the members of this communion. It is a neat timber building without any pretension to architectural ornamentation. • The interior will he compact and commodious, affording the means of seating a considerable congregation with ease and comfort. As regards the exterior, the roof appears to he rather low-pitched, hut as the funds for defraying th« expense of the building are but limited, the committee have probably exercised a wise discretion in not incurring a large outlay for external elaboration.

The Volunteers.—The general committee of the Canterbury Rifle Volunteers met last night at the Criterion Hotel. Present—Captain Steward, Colour-Sergeant Wallis, Sergt. Allison, Lieuts. Croshie and Ritchie, Private Barnes, and Ensign Tippetts. Capt. Steward occupied the chair. It was resolved that the standing order, which required the minutes of the last meeting to be read, be suspended. It was also decided that the secretary be requested to inform the commanding officers of the different companies that there are great coats in the Government stores at Wellington, which can probably be purchased at the low price of 5s each,, and to ask for their opinions as to what step should be taken in reference to the purchase of some of these coats for, the use of the men. The meeting then adjourned to the first Tuesday in June.

The Steam SoBsiDiES.-The Wellington •correspondent of the Otago Daily Times supplies the following information:—The steam subsidies for the next six months will be very small, there having been some close tendering by the two companies. It will be recollected that the N.Z.S. Company's contracts fell in a few months ago, but that on a representation being made of the injury that must ere long inevitably ensue to the revenue, if the P.N.Z. Company were allowed to obtain a monopoly otherwise than by fair competition, the subsidies of the two companies were arranged to be mutually paid up to June j in the meanwhile, each would have the opportunity of competing on equal terms for the next year's services. As Friday, the 27th of April, drew near (the day fixed for receiving tenders), there were confident rumours that the N.Z. Company would find themselves nowhere, unless they tendered at an absurdly low figure. The P.N.Z, Company, it now appears, had tendered absurdly low, and the N.Z, Company were wise enough to do so also. As a consequence, the four inter-provincial services which we are to have instead of six, as at present; have been equally divided between the two companies) while the Sydney and Auckland contract falls to the P.N.Z. Company, and the Melbourne and Oiago contract to the Otago S.S. Company. [ The following are the extraordinarily low rates of acceptance, viz:— P.N.Z. Co. Total, £12,480 per annum. Auckland to Sydnor £5280 per annum Do to Port Chalmers ... 3600 do Manakau to Bluff 3600 do N.Z.S. Co. Total, £7200 per annum. Auckland to Port Chalmers ... £3BOO per annum Manukau to Bluff 3600 do Otago B.S. Co. Total, £4BOO per annum. Melbourne to Port Chilmers... £4BOO per annum (tWo boats).

The result is that we are to have four Inter-provincial boats running for £14,000, the hitherto six beat service costing say £35,000. The tvfo Intercolonial services being also proportionately reduced from what they were costing only a very little while ago. What their exact cost used to be, I have not the figures at hand precisely to say. Of course, it cannot be expected that the companies will attempt to cut one another's throats many times; they will eventually come to some mutual understanding by whicha f air subsidy may be had by both of them. It will be satisfactory to know that the trade that will have to be bade by the steamers thrown out of subsidy is (so far as the N.Z. Co. is concerned), a most ready to hand; meanwhile the money -saving which will

accrue to the colonial! revenue from the Government having dealt justly to tho N.Z.B. Company during the! past few months will, I suppose, be duly mane a card of. The loss of the Wonga at the Grey is a serious one, because it was a profitable trade, otherwise the insurance of £3OOO \jill in a great measure cover the value of the boat. The company were offered four or nvc thousand pounds for her last year. 7

MR. LANCE AT THE TOWN HALL. L A public meeting, pallod by Mr. Lance, as one of the cundidutealfor the took place last nighj, at half-past seven, ut the Town Hull. Ibovu the plutform there was a large cartoon|repreßenting Mr. Lance as a puppet, of which Mr. FitzGerald was pulling the atringß. | There was a very large number of persons, jlnd as they made much noiae, it was some time before the business of the meeting could be proceeded with. Amidst the confusion, Mr. £. B. Bishop was called to the Chair. 7 The Cuaibman stated the object for which the meeting had been convened, and said at the Bame time that jhe was not pledged to support Mr. Lance or uny other candidate, Mr. Lanok said that he was certain that those who were making so much noise, were not in any way encouraged by their chief, for he would be the first to give him a fair hearing. As the elections were

drawing near, lio had called this meeting _to address the people on some subjects which had become prominent since lie last addressed them. (Interruption,) He had attended the meetinfr called a short tlmoaßoby Mr. Travers, and had intended to speak on that occasion, but there was not time for it. He had experienced mingled feelings of pleasure and pain in listening to Mr. Travors.-pleasure from hearing such an able speech, and pain on account of the views then promulgated. He believed that any essential alteration in the Land Kegulations would be the prelude to the downfall of the province. (Applause.) Those regulations were acknowledged to be the most excellent throughout the Australian colonies. The two main principles of them were a fixed price and no monopoly. It was intended that the land should be occupied pastorally until the agriculturist could take it up profitably. Meanwhile the land so occupied was producing a very large export. At the time the Land Regulations were made the whole question was fully discussed and the conclusion come to was that the fixing of a high price for the waste lands was the only security for the working man. During the last ten years the value of those regulations had been proved, for they had made Canterbury the. first province in New Zealand. (Applause.) The system of deferred payments was rejected, because it would favour the rich man at the expense of the poor man. Other systems were also discussed, but none found favour except the one now in force. (Interruption.) He was surprised that, after the assurance which he had given on behalf of their. chief-Mr. Moorhouse—since confirmed by himself, that there should still be this interruption. (Renewed interruption, in the midst of which Mr. Moorhouse and Mr. Trarers both tried in vain to restore order.) Mr. Lance at length continued: The first thing to take into consideration in discussing Mr. Travers'snew land scheme was the security of the public creditor \ the province had borrowed largely, but if the price of its land were reduced, the security would be depreciated. It had been proposed to reduce the price of the waste lands within a certain boundary to £1 an acre. (A Voice: It can never be done.) That was true; the land in the mountainous tract was some of it most excellent, and wonld' sell readily in a few years at the present price. At the same time, some of it-that on the mountain topß —was not worth five shillings, and it was natural that the purchaser should look to the better land to compensate him. Land which some years ago could not be sold for £2 an acre, was now changing hands at £lO an acre inconsequence of the country becoming more settled. 'The whole policy of Canterbury had been to encourage the settlement of working men and to discourage capitalists, but the present scheme was directly opposed to that policy. It proposed to throw permanently into the hands of a class those lands which it was now objected to that they should occupy temporarily. (Interruption.) Why were they asked to alter those regulations which had worked so well ? They were told there were certain absolutely necessary works to be done, for which money was required, but could not otherwise be obtained. (A Voice—"Are you a supporter of the present Government?") He would be happy to answer that or any other question. He could not approve of everything the present Government had done, but on the whole he did not think they had done badly. (Interruption). Thanks to their kindness he was now allowed to go on again. (Renewed interruption). Mr. TbjLTßbs entreated the meeting to hear Mr. Lance. No one could be more anxious than himself to hear Mr. Lance, a» he was attacking a scheme, which he himself (Mr; Travers) had propounded. They should hear Mr. Lance's views fairly and impartially, and if they did not like them, let them reject him, as he believed they would. (Laughter and interruption.) A disturbance here took place inconsequence of a man named Goodwin pushing his way from the hall on to the platform. A small fight ensued, during which the Chairman, Mr. Lance, and some other gentlemen left the platform. Mr. C. G. Bowbn said that he had never before known of such a disgraceful scene taking place at a public meeting in this province.

Mr. Gabrick and others also tried to put an end to the uproar. With some difficulty order was restored and the Chairman resumed his seat; but Mr. Lance did not return. After a short time it was announced that he had abandoned the idea of addressing the.electors that evening, and the meeting departed without any further disturbance.