CANTERBUEY

Southland Times, Volume I, Issue 3, 18 November 1862, Page 4

CANTERBUEY

The, Provincial "Coniici 1 7 have thrown out the Education Bill. Votes have been passed for 1;55<650 for roads and bridges. Alarm of FJRE.—The people of Christchurch were aroused on Sunday afternoon by Jhe ringing of the fire-bell: On enquiry it was found that a fire was raging in ilte 'flax and* peat ground adjacent to the residence of Mr. Samuel Bealey, in the nortb eastern suburb of the city ,close to the towii belt. The same locality was the scene di a similar fire whic'i caused much alarm in the middle of the" night a few months agoi His honor Mr. Justice Gressori owns a section adjoining that of Mr. Bealey, and some of his people had made a fire to burn off the flax and grass; the fire ignited a peat bed which smouldered for some days, 1 creeping in the direction of Bead's house, and the strong nor'-wester of Sunday last fanned the peat into a blaze which ra»ed furiously. The fire-engines were speedily on the spot, and aided by the large numbers congregated, the flames were in a shovt time beaten down, and the apprehended danger removed; the beds of peat are still smoking — Lyttelton Times. CHRISTOHUKCn pASTOKAL A.t7X> A<SRlCt7r.tprai. Show. — The Lyttelton Times says : "This event, which has been looked forward to with considerable interest for some time, came off very successfully on Wednesday last. The scene of the exhibition was a spacious paddock, well fenced in by gorse to the north of Latimer-sqnare, the entrance to which was very inconvenient, being in Madras street. Ample room was afforded for the display of the stock, which were ranged round the four sides of the paddock, with plenty of room for visitors to examine them, both from the front and rear of the stalls. The horses, which showed in great force, and which would have done credit to any show on this side of the line, were ranged along the west and north sides of the paddock, the cattle occupying the east and the sheep the south. Adjoining the sheep, and near the entrance, were several pens of pigs, and near them a few nondescript boxes and cages of poultry placed on the j ground, so that visitors had to go on their i hands and knees if they wished to examine the merits of the inmates In the centre of the paddock, space was left for the exhibitors of agricultural implements, and here might be noticed some half a dozen of ploughs, a few harrows, a wheat dressing machine and a stand of saddlery and harness. Though far from being perfect, the promoters of this exhibition may congratulate themselve3 on having made a very good commencement." The exhibition of sheep appears to have lieen meagre, for the same paper says : "Not that the specimens shown on that occasion were unworthy of the prizes obtained, but simply because there was nothing wor!h calling competition. Even with the present difficulties of transit we thinK that on occasions like this the sheep farmers, as a class, might show more public spirit ; a little inconvenience and expense would scarcely be thrown away, even if there were no other object gained than to give a puliltc proof from time to time that Can terbury is progressing inthe improvement of" its breed of sheep.

Too much praise cannot be bestowed on tlie display of horses. The draught stoax especially deserved commendation, the show of mares and young stock giving grounds for belief that in a few years the draught stock of this province, will be all that the greatest admirers of horses can desire. Unfortuately the weather was to> severe to permit the entire horses to remain on the field as intended. A sou-westerly wind was blowing freshly all the day, andit was considered dangerous for those rather tender annimals to be kept out, and thus a marked feature of the show was wanting. The show of blood stock did not excite nearly as much attention as the draught horses, though some of the young ones gave signs of great promise. Among the number of animals on the ground it is impossible to particularizes, but the most noticeable colts and fillies shown were of the blood stock, by ihe Peer and Towton, draught stock by Prince Royal and Griffel. Of the sires themselves it is unnecessary to give a detailed description, as we can add nothing to what we said on the occasion of the show held on the first of this month. Among the cattle were some noble bulls and remarkably pretty looking dairy cows. In this department, as might be expected, the Deans' herds came out very strong — Mrs. Deans having carried away no less than six prizes. There were several other exhibitors, bat not nearly so many as might have been expected, nor did the stock exhibited represent the whole power of Canterbury in choice cattle breeding. The show of pigs, though small in number, was good. Some of the annimals exhibiting were of unusual size without the coarseness generally found accompanying that quality.