CANTERBURY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 214, 27 August 1862, Page 5

CANTERBURY.

CrBOM OITR OWJf COKRESPOJJDENT.) Christchurch, August 20, 1862. As the Geelong is advertised to sail for Dunedin to-morrow, I suppose I must send you a fewlines, even if it be only to say that 1 have nothing to write about. I have frequently found reason to complain of the scantiness of news in this province, and must now chant the old refrain in more dismal tones than heretofore, for this week I have really next to nothing in the way of intelligence, either public or private, to communicate.

The usual resource in such a strait is to talk about the weather. We arc beginning at last to see some symptoms of approaching spring, for though we had a heavy storm on Monday night, ;he rest of the week his been dry, and on one or two days the sun has shone out with long unaccustomed vigor. No doubt we hare not seen the last of our rainy days, but I think that we may venture to hope that the weather has fairly taken a turn for the better, at last; and quite time it did so too, for this winter has been the wettest ever known (though certainly the memory of 4i the oldest inhabitant" does not go very far back.) Christclmrch has. after all, not suffered so much discomfort as might have been expected, thanks to the unremitted efforts of her Municipal Council, and if they continue their exertions with equal industry, so much will have been done before next winter in the way of forming and metalling the streets, draining and other works of the kind, that we shall be in condition to face the enemy without fear of a repetition of the annoyances we have grumbled over for the last three months. The Committee appointed to consider the best means of carrying into effect the recommendations of the Sanitary Commissioners have just concluded their deliberations and made known the result. They accept thos* reeomnien.iations without much remark. Their report advises that paved stone gutters should be piaced along all formed streets ; that all streets should be formed at a level below that of the adjoining sections ; that tenders should be invited fir boring Artesian wells at certain spots mentioned wimin the town, that arrangements should »>o mule for supplying gravel at a' moderate cost to private individual?, for covering yarJs and private roads ; that the nystem now in opcra*'*on for emptying cesspools at ths Government Buildaiga, Barracks &c., by means of moveable boxes shou:d be introduced into certain specified locaF-ti^-a before summer; that contracts should be catered into for tlm removal of rubbish, and refuse or decaying matter, the cost in b^th the last cases u> be recovered trom the parties benefited • and lastly suggests that the well-being of the town would be greatly farthered by the appointment of an Inspector of Nuisances.

liie 1 rovinwal Council met again on Monday but as. the Superintendent hud wntented himself with confirming their election of Speaker by letter, and the Council considered his personal presence absolutely necessary, before they could proceed to business,^ folio,ed that they could do noUiin- more tlian place their Speaker in hi* t-liair, ami adjourn a-ain, till 17th September J Ins Council reminds me very much of Mr Toots who used to apologise for his'ir.coherent attempts to make »ove to Florence, on the fjr. und that'he couid never pet n lair start. «He was sure h^ could express himself uncommonly well if h" could only get n st«rt." The Council is iv a very simuar fix. Mtu.y of its members can "express thi-mseives uiK-ommonly well," but then there is such dithoulty about " i;et:in<' a start " I presume the proposed supplementary session will now come to nothing nor does there seem to har* tetn anygrent necessity for holding it, since it was only tor the purpose of voting money lor the railway, and of the amount appropriated to that purjwsi! Lvst session, there is still a considerable sum unexpended. If the next session should ia consequence take place somewhat earlier than usual, it will be an advantage to the province, for it was a matter of much complaint last year, that the Council did not sit, and therefore money for public works was not voted, till so late in" the season, that the works could not be put in hand till the most favorable time of year for their execution ha 1 passed by, thereby greatly increasing tae expenses, and in some cases rendering jt in£ possible to carry out the intended works at all. Thatcher gave two move entertainments last week, which, its before, attracted overflown" audiences. The K ood people of Christchurch have been immensely delimited at the clever way he has hit off all the local topics, aud the astonishmj? lot of tun he has managed to extract from tnem, and 1 believe that on his own account he htts no cause to regret his visit to Canterbury. He h gonig now to enliven the Kaiapoi and HaiWiora districts, after which he will refurn to Christcjinrch, witii some chance of staying there much MU-fcr than he had originally intended. Lytteiton hss had v visit from the San Francisco Alinstreh wlio looked in there on their way to Dunedin! rlieir i>erformannce is said to hj much better than when they were last lure.

A petition to the General Assembly is beinsr not up m Christehurch. on the scat of Government question ; praying- that the Assembly will consider the serious inconvenience resulting from thu seat ot Government being placed at Auckland and will determine on removing it to some spot winch will ailbrd convenience of access, and facility for constant communication. It b numerously signed, and will bo sent up to Wellington by the Queen, to be presented by J. Cracroft \\ !iso:i, Esq., member for Christchureh. The sentence of dentil recorded against Hu~h \\ ilhams, who was convicted of arson at the last sitting of the Supreme Court, has been commuted, on the recommendation of Mr. Justice Gie-sun, into a sentence of penal seivitude for ;-ix years.