CANTERBURY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 201, 31 July 1862, Page 5

CANTERBURY.

We are in receipt of Canterbury paper; to July 26. We make the following extracts :— *

Wiiamxo.—We hear that the boats of Mr. James Wright's riVhery at I.s! tnd Bay have succeeded in c itching a right whale, which promises to yield about live tons of oil. This is the first whale eauiiht t!,is season. It v also stated that .Mr. In Cien's beats have caught a humpback whale UilUiy.—L'ttteltun Times, July 20".

Land Sai,e.s.—During the last f.rtnL'ht the hnd ! sales by Government liave sonsiWv (l.ciiiiei, a.i is I usual at thi.s period of the year. As'.<-pmi« aJvau-v.s , we may anticipate an increased derriuid i gave an earnest <,f the future, tiic receipts at the Land j Oiliee on thai day amounting to ,£k7U:'t. — Ibid. \ Want of Fi:ki..—The cy:\\ famine hrv; .spread to j Lyttelton, whore the public from time to time are i charitably lending each other' half a sack of this ! ust-ful article, to keap the " pot a boding. Su'ely j there must, be room for some "enterprising individual | to open up this trade, with advantag.) to 'themselves ami the public. A few months ago Dunedin suffered from a short supply of coal, hut her merchants semi to have set themselves to work at once to remedy the evil, for during the la«t two months the shipping re- I turns of that port show that 3,250 tons of coal have J leen imported. The scarcity alluded to war; felt at j the same time in Lytteilon, an-.l during the la.-it tv.o j months the imports here have barely amounted to 250 tons, if we except the arrival of the Kensington, from London, with about, lfr) tons in the bottom <.f her hold, which may be available in about a month's \ time. Allowing for the extra demand occasional hv the mail steamers ealiinp at Otapro, the .supplies seem out of all proportion to the relative population of the tv.o provinces— Ibid. Acclimatisation-.—Three red «leor, a .«t.v and '< two hinds, may be expected in a f<-w days, henijr the I second consignment made to this island."" They were shipped l>y Air. Morrison, the New Zealand agent, in the Harwood. Several fallow doer were also^o have accompanied the former, but when the vessel sailed they were not in a condition to risk a long sea voya"e# but they may be looked for in a few months.— lbid* ' Tin: Philosophical Institutk of Caxteubury. —A meeting of gentlemen was held last Thursday night, the Bishop of Christen urch in the chair, at he invitation of Mr. Haast, our Government Geologist, to join in fou dim? a scientific society under the name ol the Philosophical Institute of Canterbury. Amoii" those present wereseveral lea-ling m<rn of the province I lie-project was received with tfieat favour, a society being ac once constituted and the necessary steps taKOn to invite all our scientific and professional men to join the undert'.kinir, which will thus form a centre for the; intellectual labours of the members of our community. Tin: society, which has for its objects the advancement ol science, literature and arts as well :is the development of tin; resources of the province, has a great task to perform ; and we have been told that the founders conemplate (besides m-idin" papers at t.he:r monthly meetings, which will be" printed as part of their transactions) forming a public library, a museum, an observatory, arid an acclimatisation society. We are certain that the Philosophical Institute of Canterbury will receive such hearty support not only among the inhabitants of the province but also from the Government, as will en.iLle it to attain results worthy of the high position which Canterbury holds among the new colonies of the Mother Country.

Thatcher.—Mr. Thatcher and Madame Vifrlli arrived by the Omeo in Lyttelton harbor a few da\s since from l>uncdin, whore they have been performing above 100 nights with immense success. They hpve already given two performances hi ths Towii Hall, ClirisU-hurcii; and notwithstanding' the short notice given for their first performance on Monday last, there were upwards of 400 persons piN-.wnt. Last night the hou-e wa* again crowded to c\"e« Mr Thatcher iinil Madame YftHli's ta'ent require i:o comment whatever. The lwal sonc* relating to th- " Priz- light," and tha "KWtric Telegraph Dinner " took exceeding well—in fact nearly the whole of the songs sang by Mr Thatcher and Madame Vitelli, w»re rapturously encored. We can assure the public that they will be well pleased by visiting their concerts We understand that irj consequent?*'of Mr. Thatcher and Madame Vitelli performing su^h a number of nights in succession at Duneiiin,' it h their intention to settle down quietly in Christdmreh for about a month. lti< to be hoped that the " noted character-." in the neighborhood will mind their •' I»'s and Q's" before Mr. Thatcher makes hU next appearance with hi* nr-w locals.— Standard.

The late Duke of Queensherry, leaning over the balcony of his beautiful villa at Richmond, vher* every pleasure was collected whidi wealth could purchase or luxury devise, followed with his eyes the majestic Thames, winding through groves and building of various loveliness, and exclaimed, "Oh, that wearisome river, will it never cease miming, running and I so tired of it?"— Remain* of Mrs. 11. Trench. Tub young ones catch the spirit of the times. Col. B writes home almost daily, and his letters arc read by his wife to the children. Little six y-jar-^ld Sam was missing one night at supper-time. Tho house was searched in vain. The yard was examin"! and in one corner he had put up'some boards tor a shelter; on the ground he was lvinir, fast n~A.^.,', wrapped up in some bedclothes he hud smug^h-.l out When waked up, he allied out, "Leave ine'al.xic,' will you,l'm Colonel B ,camped out '."—lfaritcr'a yew Monthly Magazine.