CHRISTCHURCH.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume VI, Issue 645, 8 March 1879, Page 2

CHRISTCHURCH.

This Day. J. S. Coster, chairman of the New Zealand Shipping Company, addressed the officers and crew of the ship Piako yesterday, thanking them, on behalf of the Company for the gallant way in which they stuck to the 'ship while on fire, and expressed himself gratified with the true British sailor spirit shown by them throughout the whole of the trying circumstances in which they were placed. The crew were granted an extra month's pay. Captain Boyd also received a very handsome acknowledgement from the Directors of the Company, for the noble manner in which he conducted himself after the vessel took fire. All the passengers are remarkably well. They were landed yesterday. The inquiry into the fire held yesterdey morning, was prompted by a statement that some Immigrants could throw light upon the circumstances if they choose. Nothing, however, was elicited. The Canterbury ram fair yesterday was perfectly a farce so far as the quality and majority of the stock were concerned. The choicest pens were those of the Hon Mr. Holmes, the New Zealand and Australian Land Company, Paiton Gibson, of Tasmania, Messrs Lee, Parsons, and Marcroft, All the good lots were passed in. Some Canterbury entries, designated by the auctioneer as splendid animals, fetched 15s each, and were bought by butchers. It has been suggested that if the Canterbury ram fair is not to degenerate into an ordinary auction sale, the agricultural association must receive no entry on which there is a mininuin reserve of 3 guineas.