CHRISTCHURCH.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 4168, 28 June 1875, Page 3

CHRISTCHURCH.

(FKO.AI OUli OWN COERESPOXDEXT ) June 23rd. The point upon which Canterbury people are to be more especially congratulated just now is the extension of their railway system. For instance, the traveller, upon landing at Port Lyttelton, can choose for himself where to go, from among several variations. He can take a trip up to the llangitata .Riven away South, a distance of eighty miles. If he be a stranger, he will experience the agreeable first sensation of emerging from the tunnel into the pleasant-looking valley of the Hcathcote, past the Hillsborough and Opawa stations, and from thence to the City oi the Plains. He will thence proceed to Addmgton. only a mile or so from Christ church, where is the branch line running north on the right hand to Kaiapoi, Raugiora, and the rest, and of which more anon. Keeping south, he will not be long before he readies the Racecouise junction, where trends the Leeston and Southbridge line to the left hand, particulars of which I shall give presently. Th n having passed the Templeton Station, he will reach Kolleston, which bears a double importance, since there is not only the termination of the broad gauge, but commencement of the branch line to the Malvern country, away towards the West C ast Road, Porter's Pass, and so on. Fruin thence he wi:l pass some interesting pastoral country to Buruham, famous for the Reformatory and for the site selected for the nnfortuuate Transit of Venus party The next hilting place is at the river Selwyn, a formidable stream in the time of flood over which a toleraMy substantial bridge has been erected. From Dunsandel the Ilakaia is reached, notable for the bridge ove<- which so much discussion has of late taken place and upon which a live Royal Commission has tat, the members of which know just about as much about the business as the man in the moon. Next to this is theiamrus Ashburton township, north of the river of that ilk—Ashburtoo, famous for its grand display of hotels, and bird's-eye views of imaginary avalanches, and shoals of imaginary salmon, and imaginary landscapes of enchanting scenery. Upon the south side, alter crossing the noble bridge is another halt, then another stoppage at Lon<*beach, the magnificent estate of Mr J GrieS the celebrated breeder of cross-bred rams' and from thence to the Hinds, and lastly Kangitata is reached, after a ride, as I have before said, of eighty miles. But, should the traveller prefer it, he can attempt the Southbridge hue towards Lake Jillesmc-re, and through Leeston, aud some of the finest agricultural districts in New Zea-land-perhaps m the world where shortly he will be enabled to whisk past Prebbleton LadbrooKa, Lincoln, Springston, EUesmere) Irwell, Doyleston, Leeston, Hills Road stationa down to Southbridge, a distance or aboub thirtj-nine miles from port Ihe greater portion of this branch being already finished, and fully laden trains running upon it daily, under the narrow gauge system. Another change would be to leave the South Line at Ilolleston going through a fau-ly populated district, taken up by farmers and squatters, up to the Malvern Hills, wherein is presumed to be hid—alas as yet—every mineral under the sun, from diamonds to manganese. The distance from 1 ort to Malvern is about 47 miles. Or else you can turn off at Addington, and travel — broad gauge if you please-through fiiecarton (where Mr W. D. Wood's famous flour mill is situated), Belfast (the New Zealand Produce and Provision Company's Factory) over the river Styx, and across the formidable Waimakiriri, to Kaiapoi ; from thence ! to Rangior-i, and on to the Ashley river, the direction of the main trunk line to Nelson a distance of about 40 miles from port. There' is ! one more deviation, and I have done. It is to ! change the broad for the narrow cau«e at Langiora, and passing Fernside, Moerak' ' and over the Oust River, to enter the forest \ L.nds of Oxford, a distance from Port of about 4S miles. And, now, just a few more figures to enable those interested to arrive at ' the relative distances : Lyttelton to Christ 1 church, 7 miles ; Lyttelton f> Addington, ' Si miles; Lyttelton to Uolleston, 22 miles • f Lyttelton to liacecourse, 13 miles; and Lyt- ' telton to Rangiora, 20 miles. < A matter of no inconsiderable interest to a ! New Zealand agricultural community oc- ' curred here the other day, b,i O g no less than s an important trial of implements imported * by Mr Newton, of this place, from Messrs 1 Uansomes, Sims, and Co., of Ipswich. 1 A triple furrow plough was tiied on '' a piece of heavy loamy turnip land, ' and is thus described :—This implement is ' specially adapted for turning the stubble to l a depth $f four or five inches, and a width I of fifteen inches for each mould-board or l forty-five inches for the three. It is con- J structed of wrought iron, runs on three light l wheels, and is steered by one handle. It * has a lever for raising the ploughs out of the { ground when turning, and proper appliances for raising aud depressing the wheels and J regulating the depth. It was calculated, * from its present performances, that 6 the plough would work from five to <- six acres a day, at a depth of five inches. c The plough has no coulters, the mould board * and shear being so constructed as not to re- j quire any. Three horses were used, which <- appeared to travel easily; the plough worked « without a creak, the furrows were clean cut «■ and well thrown up, and one experienced f hand is said to have backed himself to * plough with it one-third more (with one t horse less) than any other plough either im- * ported or manufactured in the Colony ; and * judges expressed their convictions that the « implement would be a saving to the fanner l of 40 per cent. It was also tried in a grass s paddock, with a similarly satisfactory result 1 v™.™l", large single PlouSh was used, the * X t t\AV broad plough, suitable for new land, t turning a complete furrow of 20 x Gin ,at 4 t 5, or Gin. in depth, and it was backed to turn a 2ft. furrow or " upset a small drain." \ i wooden Anglo-American Eagle plough, was < also exhibited, suitable for breaking up bush f or flax land, as was also what was called a f "turn-wrest" plough. The latter was of 1 very light draught, only requiring "double- 1 boy" power to draw it with a girl at the I handles, for the purpose of furrowing round t in orchards and gardens. Altogether, the I exhibition was of a highly interesting nature, and I should not be at all surprised if some results of a slightly revolutionary character i as regards agriculture in Canterbury were ' the conseepience. ; Certain resolutions have lately been < adopted by the Board of Governors of the 1 Canterbury College, which are somewhat I significant. They are as follows :—(I.) That < the University Scholars >hall be expecteel to < devote themselves to the. acquisition of a <

liberal education, as distinguished from on< merely technical. (2 ) Subject to the funda mental principle, they shall be allowed tin privilege (within the limits hereinafter de scribed) of selecting from year to- year thi subjects they shall undertake to study. (3. That the atlection permitted must be such ■ i to secure a fair measure of progress, aud tin courses of successive yeats mint be reasonablj varied. (4.) That each scholar shall in ev< rj session attmd lectures in at least four biibjccu as hereinafter defined, and shall have not Itss than 14 hours in each, week occupied with lectures. (5 ) Select-ion in every case is to be made from the following list: —Latin, to count one subject; Greek, one subj< cc • mathematics (as far as B. A. degree), one subject; higher mathematics, one subject; modern language or English literature, one subject; jurisprudence, or logic and moral philosophy, one ?übj>;ct; physical science, one or two subjects '. natural science, one or two subjects. ) That physical science and natural science shall not be grouped in any case so as to make up more thau two subjects for the purpose of these regulations. I may here add that a return has recently been furnished, showing the acreage of Reserves for Educational purposes Crown granted and lease;!, and the iucome derived, therefrom. It runs as follows :— Superior education, 101.G40acres; Crown granted, G4.G40 ; leased 64,640 under pasturage lease ; income, £1016, Primary education, 48,199 acres ; Crown granted 33,231 ; leased, 23.965; income, £2IGO. Technical science, &c, 103.000 acres ; Crown granted, 53,000 ; leased 53,000. under pasturage lease; income, £1030. Classical school, 8365 acres; Crown granted, 7725 ; leased, 7725; income. £815. School of agriculture, 100,950 acres : Crown granted, 100,950 ; leased, 100,950 acres, under pasturage lease ; income, £959. 200,000 acres of pastoral lands for primary education, granted under resolution of Provincial Council, but not made. I am sorry to say we do not appear to be progressing very sensibly in matters of acclimatisation. The calibre of the business transacted at the last meeting of the Society will, I think, bear out "my statement. Some sensible suggestions were submitted by the curator, it is true. Iv the first place he advocated ths introduction from Australia of the swallow. He stated that great difficulty had hitherto attended the transport of these I mis on account of their habit of only taking their food whilst on the wing. The difficulty he contended might be overcome by the aid af a fly -catching machine recently introduced into Victoria. The machine moved by clockwork, and caught flies alive in extraordinary numbers, liy utilising tin's live food supply, and by menus of sufficiently large and suitable cag. s, there could be little doubt that with judicious care swallows might be transported with little risk. He recommended :ilso the introduction of other iusectiverous birds, and thoagh the fact transpired that the Society was £1000 in hand, yet a resolution was actually passed to the effect that the further importation of birds be deferred for the present. We are gradually becoming great on the cultivation of out-door gi-jpes, and ytar by y ar the home supply is increasing. A great authority lure has stated that the climate has of late years become so materially modified ihat the successful culture of the grape vine out of doors is not only no longer attended with uncertainty, but has now become an absolute success. In t!;e earlier years of the Province, he says, the successful culture of grapes was confined to Akaroa, Suraner, or some other of the seaboard bays of the Peninsula, all efforts inland at that time being utterly unsucessful. Now, however, through the much greater absence of late spring, and early autumn frosts, and consequently much longer and warmer summer for the growth and ripening of the grapes, they can be grown with as much certainty as any of the ordinary small fruits of the garden. My authority states that a recent exhibition of Black Hambro' and White Sweet Water sorts illustrated the fact that very fine grapes could be grown in the Province, and when additional experience shall have'been acquired, we may hope to see the culture of this fruit a very important and highly successful industry. And these remarks are made after fiveand-twenty years' close ob servation. You may be aware that a short time ago our Chamber of Commerce waited upon the Executive the other day relative to the question of new Public Buildings. It -was thown that though £14.500 were placed upon the Estimates for the purpose of their erection last session, the sum had been struck out this session without any explanation whatever. The Chamber therefore feared that the General Government would not be disposed to carry out the erection of these buildings in such a manner as would meet the pressing demands of the community, and in such a style ©f architecture as the important Province of Canterbury had a right to expect in its chief commercial centre. The Executive declined t > recommend that the amount be placed on the Supplementary Estimates, whereupon the Chamber expressed their regret at the course the Executive had thought fit- to pursue. But the joke was, that in the Provincial Council, soon after, one of the members seriously asked whether the report in the newspapers of the interview between the Chamber and the Government was correctly given, and whether the Government had done anything to forfeit the support of the Chamber. Hon. members at this juncture laughed outright. In answer to the first question the Provincial Secretary said that the Government considered that if they gave the site, the General Government •- ught to be satisfied and ei-ect the buildings. And as to the second question—well, the Provincial Secretary was really not aware that the Chamber of Commerce was a political body having the right to express confidence or non-confidence in the Government. Whence followed loud and continued cheering. Notwithstanding all this, Cathedral Square, the proposed site of these new buildings, is destined, I fear, for some consi lerable period to remain the same unsightly object that it is at the present moment—the hetc noir of Christchurch. Runholdcrs in the northern districts have for some time been rather jealous at the appnrently lax manner in which the fines inflicted upon Mr G. H. Moore, of Glenmark, for being the owner of scabby sheep, have been remitted. But the other day he was charged by the inspector, on seven separate informations, with breaches of the Canterbury Sheep Ordinance, for having scabby sheep in his possession, and failing to clean them within six months after conviction In the first place the defendant was charged with being the owner of one flock of 12,000, and four informations for 3000 each, had been laid. For a second flock of SOOO. three informations were laid, namely, two for 3000, and one for 2000. The Bench inflicted a. penalty of £100 on each information, making a total of £700. The highest penalty is £100 in any one case, as of course your readers are aware, consequently the authorities at last appear to have made uptheir minds that Glenmarck must and shall be clean. The Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Associstion have determined to hold their mid-winter show in the Drll-shed. The subject of ergot in rye and other grasses also cropped up at the last meeting of the Association, and it was resolved that a prize of £20 be offered for the best essay on the subject, embracing the nature of the disease, the causes, and the best mode of preventing or curing the same. One member stated during the discussion that he had made a strict search for ergot on his land, and found it the rankest in a part of his garden which had been manured with seven or eight tons of hen dung per acre, and had lain idle for three years: thus it was evident that c gob did not result from want of , manure, or from laud requiring rest. It was suggested that members of the Philosophic il Institute should be judges of the essays ; but it was contended, on the other haud' that though scientific men might tell you , the cause of the disease, yet practical men : would be the best judges of the most effec tive means for its eradication, whether by , changing the crops, or by otherwise success- ' fully manipulating the ground. The time i for sending in the essays is fixed for June : Ist, 1876, so that the question of judges is at ■, present premature. In the meantime enterprising men can go in, and by experimentalising, secure Hot only the Association's prize, but the gratitude of the community. _ At the fag-end of the session of the Provincial Council just concluded, one of the members moved that, in their opinion, it was ■ inexpedient and unconstitutional to entertain '■ and carry into effect any proposal to abolish i the Provincial form ot Government in the Province of Canterbury until a majority of the people had clearly and unmistakeably expressed a desire for such change. The | debate that followed was of the tamest [ character, it being patent to the most dtsuI-

Tory observer that the spirit of the Home was not with the mover of the resolution. And, besides, members genei-aliy were sick of the tes?ion,?and were longing for the prorogation sp.eich. The mo'ion was ,\vithdrawivupoii a threat of the Government of moving the previous question.