CANTERBURY.

Otago Witness, Issue 567, 11 October 1862, Page 3

CANTERBURY.

(FROM THE DAILY TIMES CORRESTONDnXT.) Christchurc'i, 2:c! Ociu 1 " i*. The fortnight which Ins thipspd since I 1 --t w>'« Ins p nvd siwiiy inuoli after the Same fa^hi >n '.=; im pradcc.-'-Miy. A variety of unimporl.int- inri'lc-jif ,, duly elno'iickd and comioentel on, have supplied tl,o local paners with a surlicieut nunibe!- of piirn- n rap!id to S'titfy any portion of the community wlwc'i miy chance to ]j^*e--s an Atheninn appetite for &ome nowthing, but could havo but lirfie interest for pi r-niisj unconnected with the Province, find would pi oba'ily be rejected by your readers as, if not --tile, yU coitainly in a hi»h dpgree flat and unprofit ibH " The most important matter I have to men) ior, is the meeting of the Provincial Council yes'eid iv (I,ithe fust session aince its numbers were enl.u-^d.' Tiio only change in the7;67-sox«!s//ofthememb rs vnw the general election, is caused by the iethvnii'i.t of Mr Joseph Brittan, one of the membe s for Clnistchtirch, in con'-Tquenee of failing henhli incapaeittititigliim foe attendance at tfutv<3n'n« o !ttiii".. The election to the vacant seat coine.s oil' o i l-'ii.itn-week. There are three candidates, DrTui-.ibult :'ii'i Mi- M. Sprot, neither ofwho'n his hitiicrto trik-.i au active part iv polities, and Mr Hawko-, who v,v, ;ui unsuccea^ful candidate for Chri<tchu-c!i after the >ii - solution of the last Council. As usml, no great interest appears to be f»lt for the res'.ilfc ; and I c;v\v b say which of the three has the best chance of s.ic<v.-h, though, looking to the nattiLS appended to the i\Mjui ition inviting Dr. Turrmull to stand, I should b» inclined to think he wouhl be at the h ail of the poll. Ihe principal subjects likely to comi' utuhv tin V -nsideration of the Council, are mentioned iv tL" fip-n-ing address of his Honor the Superiuten 1.-nt, ofwhL'i the following is a eo]>y : — '' Mr Speaker and Gentlemen of the Provlneia Council, —

"In opening the first session of the newly-e!<- r t' I Provinciil Council, I may be permitt p .l to ex*n^ 6 confident hope, that it-> usefuine's will bi extend^ '. m a ratio proportionate to the increase of rojjiv^..t >.- tion.

" It i-< our privilege to meet in a titn* ofpro<p"ril-, amply proviug the soundness of bye-g)iio predioti ■)■■-., in lefeience to tbe progress of ibis ]<ait of JSV.v Zealand.

"Our commercial, pastoral, and nsricultui i' ii ■- suits are flourishing, and ou every hand anpear him (, gratifying evidences of the rapid growth of a hcilth" social organisation. I will now briefly indicate fome cf the Icadina - n-''-jeots to be presented for your t-oiisi lerarun. T. 1 >u> wi'l be submitted to you the draft of an CbvM ,i Bill, which has been already pub! i- bed by mv Cu>\li-,i-meiit, a Koad Bill for the purpose of enablii.^ iiii.il districts to undertake the manageniPi.t of road* <uri drainage within their limits. Regarding the imp.;) tance of these two measures, I am aware that you tao fully instructed.

" You will be asked to concur in a proposal, to extend the electric telegraph towards the riveis Huru.ini and Wnitaki.

"lam adv'sed that the rapidly extending c^i imercDofthe Province demaudaac-ori-esfo.idlngiuci-en'-.o of immigrants.

" It will be my duty to ask you to consider t! c expediency of an extension of railway communication, the improvement of our principal harbor, thebii,]^., g of some of some of our largest rivers, the ereaticiii o commodious public buildings such as gao's, hispit-iN, lumitio asylum, Supreme Court, public museum, and other offices indispensable to the efficient and (xunomical conduct of public affairs.

" These last-mentioned extraordinary works, tigether with the comtruction of oi-diuary liisciiwa*.—, bri Jges, and drainage, subsidies to munioijhilaiu-i, "in increase in the number and efiifieney of the arm '-1 constabulary, an unavoidable addition to the stn-n^i'i of nearly every d-partment of the Piovincial soisi--,-, will call for a much larger appropriation ot moAir; than has been voted in any previous year. " While contemplating so heavy a charge mi future revenue, it is very satisfactory to feel justified i.i expecting a continual demand for, ami sale of, wash 1 lands, the fund arising from which, will bs a ie* «i:uo quite equal to sustaining all such burdens Kb if inav in your wisdom be considered expedient to v,v, in order to secure a beneficial and well au-an^'d .-eui - meat of the country.

" It is quite unnecessary forme to enlarge upn Mic entire success of the Municipal Council Oidin'n .-c. I dehire, however, to express my unq.i ,Uti<. 1 admiration of the wise and spirited conduct of ti. > iiiunicipalities, whose exertions in the disch.tr^c of t idr duties, demand grateful acknowledgment on th'> |.-.i-l •f the general public.

'•During the session I shall send do\in c.iffd estimates of expenditure for the coining je.i:.;i.J shall also invite your concurrence in a pu'po ;i\ ni eSfcc f , a financial arrangement, intended t<» s«,ru. v an uninterrupted prosecution of tho.-e public v.: iortakings which may be decided upon, n=i iiulispr>n-<iS'y necessary to our social and meicanfile security ani profit.

" I ara highly gratified to ba abe to report;, tltit the Lyttelton and Christchurch railway, now in cn'ir.-e of construction, is progressing- in a thoroughly satisfactory manner.

" It is my intention to request your approval of tli-> erection of a pedestal and statue, oonuneinorafivcoi the services of the venerated founder of the Cantorbury settlement.

" In order to a more complete attainment of tho advantages of responsible government, you will It.v laid before you a bill for the purpose of extending the numbers of the Executive Council.

" Gentlemen. I now leave you to your labor 3, Imnpily conscious that tho Province is fortunate and safe in the ability and integrity of its representatives, " I trust that the present remarkable prosperity o this favored settlement.may not betray ur, into 'or-jft-fulness of all the contingent dangers that lie hi Uen in tin 1 future, and that our united labors may, under the ble^ing cf Providence, tend to the quiet and cllicieni. government of the Province."

A public meeting was held at Chrtelehurcli on !n«t Thursday evenimr,to consider what measure-, should h<>. adopted toaitl in the relief of the distress existinu iutim cotton manufacturing districts of England. Tho meeting was fully attended, and the warm irttne.t which each ono piesent felt in the object thr-v wei-o assembled to promote, found expression in the following resolution, which was cordially and unanimously adopted: — "That this meeting recognises with <k'i.p regret, the great and increasing distress at prft'x-nr existing in Lancashire and the adjoining count its of England, and at the same time thoroughly s\ i ipathises with the fortitude anil manliness bhown by tho sufferers in meeting the difliculties which jurr'nund. them.'' It was determined that subscription h-,f-» should be openpd, and a committee was noniinattd t» aid in this collection. At the close of the lu'etin;' it. wns announced by his Honor, that £383 hid baen collected in the room, and this sum Ins bepn considerably increased by subsequent donations. Bpirinq in mind that this is the contribution of ClmslchuiTli only, and that the rest of the province will be iv le^ ready to aid in the good work, I think there h ewry reason to expect, that Canterbury will lose none of the credit which she has gained on similar occasion-; for ler readiness to contribute to those who are in need.

Thatcher has come forward very handsomely ou this occasion, by giving an extra entertainment oa Tuesday evening, the proceeds of which he handed over to the Lancashire Relief Fund. He hns been very popular during his stay in Canterbury, and this act of liberality, forms a graceful wind up to a very successful season.

The Diocesan Synod of Canterbury commenced its session yesterday week. It was opened as usual by a charge from the Bishop of Christchurch, and has since held regular sittings for the dispatch of business. I have heard no account of its proceedings, but understand that several questions are under discussion of unusual importance to the interests of the church.

The enquiry into the circumstances attending the death of Abraham Stubbs, was brought to a, close on Friday, As I mentioned in my last that there was some reason for suspecting that the deceased had met with foul play, and suspicion attached to a mnn named Groves, with whose wife Stubbs had been too familiar while her husband was away at the dijigings. However, there was no direct evidence to bear but tho charge, and the jury returned an open verdict of " Found drowned. There is a sort of mystery, h nging over the affair, which is increased by the met that six or eight months aso a man was found drowned in precisely the same part of the river. Ou that occasion also, though I don't remember the precise facts, I recollect that these same Groveses were in some way mixed up with the matter, and the inspector of police had strong reason to believe that tha man's death wa3 something else than au accident. The railway has been again made the occasion for a fete day. The ceremony of laying the first stone of the tunnel a.rch_ took place ' ou Monday, and a large number of ladies and gentlemen wore invited to Heathcote Valley to celebrate the event. The stone was laid by Mrs W. S. Moorhouse with the cinroraavy forms; and when that had been satisfactorily accomplished, the company assembled in a tent ereced ibr the purpose, to enjoy the hospitality of Mrs Holmes, who had provided an excellenb breakjfnst for all comers. This was followed by a game of football (by way of training, I suppose,) during which time the tent was cleared for dancing ; the ladies then joined the game. and] in another kind of ball footed it merrily till approaching sunset suggested thoughts of rt-tiriug. I rausfj not forget to record the great success of the whaling stations ou the Peninsula. At Mr Wright's, Island Bay, four whales havo been already takeu during the season; and another wa3 struck, out was lost through an accident. At Mr Buchanan's station, which ia on a smaller scale, they have been in proportion equally successful, having caught two whales. At this rate the pursuit will prove very lucrative to the parties engaged, and will be an important and satisfactory additiou to tho exports from Canterbury.

A Prolific Mother.- Mrs. Jane Finder, widow of the late W, Pinder, died at Rudston, Driffield,oa the 27th ult., aged 95 years, ' She was the mother of 12 children, and has left 71 grandchildren, 119 great grandchildren, and 3 great .' great grandchildren, having bred to see a progeny of 205,— Eastern C<wn(m EoraM,