CANTERBURY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 69, 4 February 1862, Page 2

CANTERBURY.

We understand from good authority that the New Zealand JSank will open in Cliristehurch, i'l the courso of a few weeks, and that, the Agent of the Hank has purchased the premises belonging to Mr. Kissel, iv Cashel-street, known as the " Crystal Pivlacs t)ipot." We are also informed that the three Banks having tendered for the Government Account, the tender of the Bank of New Zealand has been accepted.— Standard, January US.

Lxsu Sale.—We understand that Messrs. Aikman & Wilson have during the present week sold landed -property contiguous to the town of Christchnrcli and surrounding the Railway Station, for the sum of £8000. We believe this to be the largest private transaction of the kind which has taken place in Canterbury ; the buyer is a gentleman from the North. We have good reason to believe he has made a most lucrative investment. — Ibid.

It is our painful duty to record another death by drowning, namely—that of Mr. John Watts, a sheep farmer in the Province of Nelson, who was drowned on the 14th inst., in attempting to cross the Wairau River. We have not heard that the body has as yet been recovered.— lbid. On Wednesday at noon, the members of the third Provincial Council assembled, for the lust day of the session.— Lyttdlon Times, Jan. 29.

Coai,. —On Monday last an influential meeting of the gentry, merchants, townsmen and others of Christchureh, was held in the rooms of Messrs. John Olivier and Son, to receive a proposition from Mr. Sheath for rendering available to the public the seams of coal lying in the lands recently purchassed by that gentleman. Captain M'Lean was called to the chair. . Amongst those present -were observed His Honor the Superintendent, theJProyincinl Secretary, several members of the Provincial Council, Venerable Arch* deacon of Akaroa, Dr. Hilscm, Messrs, Craerqft, Wilson, G, Gould, C. W, Turner, Travers, mid Bishop. Mr. Travers, after an able speech on behalf of Mr. Sheath, introduced that gentleman's proposals ; they were to this effect: —That to d&velope the coal and bring it to town, boring operatio is should be at once- undertaken, and if the seams turned out well a cheap railway should be laid down from the Kowai to Christchureh. The expense of this and of the necessary working plant was put down at £130,000, which it was proposed to raise in £1 shares —£30,000 in the colony and the remainder in England. For a preliminary! investigation of the coal measures, £3000 would be required, which it was proposed to raise by subscription, Mr. Sheath putting down his name for £500. For each pound so subscribed a preferential share might be claimed, representing two ordinary shares. Mr. Sheath further proposed to lease out the mines to the company for a chief rent of £1000 per annum, but for-iuch rent not more than 10,000 tons of coal per annum should be raised ; if a larger quantity should be desired it might be raised on the payment of a royalty, to the lessor of 2s. per ton. Any gold, iron, or other mineral met with in the working to be the exclusive property of Mr. Sheath, who also reserves to himself the exclusive use of tlie land's surface. These proposals did not appear to be generally satisfactory to those present, and it wo?

agreed that a committee should bo formed from that meeting to confer with Mr. Sheath, with a view of obtaining such modifications in the plan us would permit the leasing to a company of tiie whole estate, on terms lusa one-sided than those proposed. The committee was appointed, and the meeting was adjourned to Monday next, in order that they migiit bring up a report.— llrid.

Ca>"tehih7ky Mcskt'M.—lt will not be uninteresting to our readers to hear that the first contribution to our future museum has arrived, consisting of a fine herbarium of the English Flora, presented by the Rev. T. liutler, l-'.K.G.S., Languo Rectory, Elton, in exchange for an herbarium of our own Flora. Another interesting contribution has also left Europe, consisting of tlie cast of a complete skeleton of Pa-hip {teriz i/ifliw), a huge Kiwi-like Muu, already mounted, which Mr Haast intends to present to the museum. The skeleton of this extinct gigantic bird has been restored by a distinguished German palrcontologist, l)r Jaeger, of Vienna, and the casts have been taken under his directions. Professor llochstetter has also presented a fine collection of Jurassic fossils. We hear that Mr Haast has also been promised extensive collections from Australia as exchanges, and hopas to. be thus enabled, at comparatively little cost, to get together the nucleus of a good museum, which wiil prove an abundant source of intellectual recreation in future years. As the Provincial Council has lately voted £100 for a complete geological and mineralogical collection, and Mr Haast has given his entire New Zealand collection for the same purposa ; these, together with the specimens obtained duriug the geological survey, will be an eicellcut commencement for the museum. We would urge the .inhabitants of the province to assist this undertaking by. contributing at every opportunity the results of any discoveries they may make, and remind, attains of vessels visiting this port that we shall be thankful to them for any services they may render to the same cause, and that in this case there is peculiar force in the old adage—" The smallest donation thankfully received."— Lytteltan Times, Jan. 29. KELSON. The ship Matilda, on her way from Otago to Melbourne, called here yesterday to land a'>out seventy diggers, who intend trying our West Coast Gold Field, and we are'informed that these will shortly be followed by many more, five or six hundred having determined, it is said, on paying our diggings a visit, and that three vessels arc kid on atDuncdin for this port, which are likely to fill with passengers. — Examiner, Jan. 22. At the Nelson Supreme Court, before Judge Johnston, Joseph Ellis was convicted of the manslaughter of his fellow-servant, Esau Russ, nt Mr. Redwood's, and sentenced to 10 years penal servitude. Matilda Eliza Haslcm was found guilty of the manslaughter of her female child, and sentenced to 12 months imprisonment. Pepene, a Maori, was found guilty of the murder of his wife or concubine, a Maori woman of tho Waikato tribe named Pari. He was sentenced to death. AUCKLAND. Since the Provincial Council disposed of His Honor's speech, little has been done. The debate on the appointment of an auditor stands adjourned till this day, and the estimates are not yet before the Council. Considering that the principal business of members is to provide for the proper expenditure of local revenue, it is not to be wondered at if they feel somewhat shy of entering upon it prior to being put into possession of the monetary state of the province—" Southern Cross," January 17. Waikato is not in that state of peaceful tranquility which some- people picture to themselves. Rumours have beon rife, and the real truth has been difficult to arrive at. Those, however, who are behind the scenes are, we believe, as unable to predict with confidence how the road-making experiment will terminate as the most gossiping quidnunc in Auckland. Facts, however, are stubborn tilings, and our advices from Waikato are not of a tenor which should lead us to conclude that the natives have so far made up their minds that it is advisable to allow the Queen's soldiers to make a road on Queen's land without opposition. The question, whether they should do so or not, was under serious discussion in the Upper Waikato at our latest date, and a meeting was being held for the simple purpose of taking the votes of these loyal subjects, as to whether " aye or no," they should attack the soldiers at Maungatawhiri. War or peace may depend on a majority of one in a Maori Ruilanga, and it is well for those who are likely to be misled by false representations to remember this.—lbid.

We find in the columns of a contemporary a statement to the effect that His Excellency and suite met William Thompson and sk/'i'on Jlondajr lust. His Excellency returned on the evening of the day mentioned to Auckland, and we are in a. position to say that no such interview took place. —Ibid.

Gold at "Waxgaxui.—A gentleman of this town \\aa received a letter from Wanpinui by Saturday's overland mail, dated 16th January, in which his correspondent mentions that a native had brought into Wnnganm on the previous day specimens of quartz streaked with fine y;old from the Tunikina district, which . U distant about twelve miles south of Wanganui.— Wellington Independent, Jan. 22.