CANTERBURY.

Colonist, Volume III, Issue 294, 14 August 1860, Page 2

CANTERBURY.

(From the LyHelton Times.)

During the last few days this country has been visited by weather of unusual severity, even for the time of the year. A southerly burster accompanied by a heavy lall of snow commenced on Saturday night, and lasted with more or less violence until early on Tuesday morning. The wind had been blowing strongly from the south-west all Saturday with fine weather, looking as if it were going to clear up at last; during the night, however, the snow began to fall, continuing with increasing violence throughout Sunday and Monday, till it lay five or six inches deep on the plains, and in places where it had drifted reached a depth of from two to three feet. On Monday, the carts fo the foot of the Bridle path and Kaiapoi ceased to run, and all business and traffic of every kind was suspended. Fortunately, these storms are of very rare occurrence, and when they do happen, are of short duration. Early on Tuesday morning a rapid thaw set in and the sun shone out brilliantly, though without sufficient power to dispose of the snow entirely. A ploughing match came off on Friday, the 20th instant, on Mr. M'Queen's station at Ellesmere. Owing to the bad state of the weather, very few teams appeared to contend for the prizes, five of which had been promised, varying from £2 to £6. At the appointed time six bullock teams appeared as competitors. The judges selected for the occasion were Messrs. Milne, Boag, and M'Bratney, who awarded the prizes as follows:—lst., Mrs. Gebbie's team, plough held by John Gebbie; 2nd, James Smith's team, plough held by himself; 3rd, David Gebbie's team, plough held by himself; 4th, A. M'Q,ueen's team, plough held by John Hart; sth, J. Mawson's team, plough held by Robeit Mawson. Those who were present, not very many we are sorry to say, owing to the severity of the weather, appeared perfectly satisfied with the decision of the judges. Drowning.—At an inquest held recently on the body of a man named Kennaday, who was drowned in the river Arowenui, the jury found a verdict of " accidentally drowned," and called the attention of the Government to the necessity of placing a proper punt upon the river, in order to avoid simi* lar casualties. (From the Standard.) Canterbury has at length done something towards removing the stain which had (not quite undeservedly) been cast upon her for her indifference to the* sufferings of our fellow-colonists at Taranaki. A private meeting was last week convened by the speaker of the Provincial Council, acting as Deputy Superintendent of the Province, at which a Committee was appointed to make preliminary arrangements and to prepare resolutions for a great public meeting to be held in th# town , Hall yesterday evening. As our paper §t>es to press at an early hour, we are compelled to postpone further particulars till our next issue. This is as it should be. It is commencing work in a business-like manner, and we are sure that the appeal now made to the inhabitants of Canterbury will be heartily and cheerfully responded to. No doubt considerable distress exists amongst ourselves, but there are few &o poor as not to be able to contribute something towards the relief of their fellow-colonists under suffering so severe as that by which they are at present afflicted.