CANTERBURY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 81, 18 February 1862, Page 2

CANTERBURY.

CANTERBURY.

By the "Geelosig," which arrived on Sunday evening, we are in receipt of Canterbury papers to the 13th insf There is little news of interest. The annual races had passed off with great success. We give below a list of the various events, with the results, as also some extracts from the papers to hand. Telegrcpii between CjiiirsTCHoncH and Lyttbiiton.—" We hear that the Government have accepted Messrs. Holmes and Co.'s tender for the erection of the electric telegraph between Lyttelton and Christchurch. We believe that in accordance with the recommendation of the Provincial Council Committee, the Government have . stipulated for the erection of the somewhat complicated iron posts ssnt out from England, and that they will be used excepting on the upper part of the hill, the contractors having declined to undertake the risk and trouble of .erecting them there. The telegraph may be expected to be available for use in about three months from the present, time." — Lytlilton Times. Native Lands.—At a public meetingjjitNapier, the following resolutions with respect to-the_ disposal of Native Lands, were arrived ut, and laid before Mr. Crosbie Ward :— , . . ' 1.—•" That the Government agent should endeavour to negoeiate with the natives for a portion of the Ahuriri Plains as farms for the working classes." ■ 2. —'" That no farm ought to exceed 100 acres to prevent a land monopoly." 3.—" That each should be leased under the sanction and protection of the Crown;" 4.—" That in the event of the natives wishing to sell during the term of lease, the leaseholder shall have the pre-emptive right properly secured to him." 5. —" That in the event of any one purchasing one of these farms during the occupation of the original leaseholder, on coming into possession of thesame he shall be bound to compensate the holder of the lease for his improvements,according to valuation." 6.—"At the end of the lease the native owners ought to pay the leaseholder for improvements." 7. —" That this meeting do elect a committee to communicate with the Hon. Crosbie Ward,, requesting him to carry into effect the views of this meeting. Such committee to consist of Messrs. Fittal (chairman), Searles, Lindsay, Rose, Steele, Slater, and France." We take from The Press, the following reply of Mr. Crosbie Ward by which it will be seen that subjectto limitation vaguely stated, the natives were to be alloyed the direct disposal of thir lands. " Gentlemen, —I have the honor to acknowledge your letter of the 3rd inst., enclosing a list of resblu-. tions passed at a meeting of the working classes on the previous evening. I have to express my regret that your communication did not reach me till my return from the country, last evening, and has therefore remained jo long unanswered. " In reply,. I have the honor to inform you that the Government do not propose to take into their hands the management of Native Lands, but to leave that privilege to the owners of the laud, that £s. the natives themselves, subject only to such limitations as are imposed by the necessities of the ease. One of those limitations, I need scarcely remind you, must be a -restriction from dealing in any permanent manner with the land prior to the adjustment of all claims of title amongst themselves, and the determination ofall boundaries. A system of purchasing or leasing riot only before survey, but even before the ascertainment of title on the part of the vendors, or lessors, would end very quickly in utter confusion, and would result to the greo.t prejudice of those who might venture so to l;uy or to lease. " The management of their lands being left to the natives themselves, and all steps towards the free disposal of their lands being necessarily to 1)3 taken by themselves, I would recommend that the .substance of the requirements of the working classes of Hawke's Bay should bo embodied in a memorial to be presented to the District Rununga upon its first assembling, praying that body to take steps to attain the end which you desire] and which it must be for the- permanent advantage of both races t> attain as speedily as is consistent with safety. " I have, &c." Canterbury. Races. The Canterbury annual races took place on thellch and 12th instant. The weather was five, the' sport was good and the attendance of visitors very large. Some disappointment was caused by Wetsail being scratched, she w;>.3 unable to lift her hind legs. We give below the names of the winners. The Maiden Stakes was the first event. ; It was won by Mr. lledwix>d'3 Waimea; the following also started, Market Gardener, Prunella, King- of the Gipsies, Moss Rose, Claude Duval, True IHue, Pique, CEronaut, Chloroform. The Lottery Plate was won by Mr. Moneys Rob Roy. Snowdrop, the Nun, and True Blue, also started. The Sleisrht of Hand Cup was won by Emmeline, beating Koh-i-noor, Messrs. Day's n.b.'hy Sleight of Hand out of Alice, Legerdemain, and Starlicrht." The Canterbury Cup fell to Mr. Stafford's Rifleman ; the other] starters were Rcvoko, Itob. Prince Charles, Barbara, Market Gardener, Lady Bird, and Peter Flat. The Hack Stakes wns won by Mr. Harris's horse Scam , beating eight others, but a dispute was raised on the ground that Scam was disqualified. SECOND BAY. . " The Criterion Stakes was won by Mr. Redwood's Waimea, beating Deception and King of the Gipsies. The Derby Stakes fell to Mr. Mallock's Emmeline, Market Gardener, St. Patrick, True Bill, and Koh-i-noor, also started. ' The Grand Stand Stakes were gallantly won by Mr. Moneys Rob Hoy, boating Barbary, Captain Yorke, Pique, Rob, and Market Gardiner. The hist event was for the Ladies Purse, which, after a capital race, was won by Mr. Morse's Revoke, beating Ultima, Deception, Sultan, and Lady Bird.