CANTERBURY.

Colonist, Volume IV, Issue 342, 29 January 1861, Page 4

CANTERBURY.

(From the Lyttelton Times)

Building Society.—A public meeting was held at the Market Hall, Christchurch, on Wednesday evening, 9th January, for the purpose of organizing a new building society, to be called "The Christchurch Working Mens' Land, Building, arid- Investment Association." The chair was taken by J. Ollivier, Esq. The meeting was well attended, principally by working men. The chairman, in a long and able address, pointed out the advantages to be derived by men of small means from the establishment of societies of this description; after which he read to the meeting the rules of the Christchurch Building Society, as the basis on which it was proposed to form the new association : although a long matter of dry detail, the reading was listened to with much interest by the meeting. After a few queries put to the chairman by several of the persons present, resolutions for the formation of the new society were proposed and carried without a dissenting voice. Messrs. C. W. Bishop, Dartnall, Furby, Foley, and Ollivier were appointed a committee to prepare draft rules, to be submitted to a general meeting on February 14th.

Elections.—The mail by the Lord Ashley, from Auckland, brings down the writs for the election of members for the House of Representives of the colony, for all the districts of this province. No time will be lopt in making the returns, for by an advertisement in our columns it will be seen that the elections for Lyttelton and Ellesmere will be completed in a week from to-day; and we understand that those of Christchurch and Avon will take place in a fortnight, that is by the 2nd of February, and those of Heathcote and Kaiapoi by the end of three weeks. Akaroa, Timaru, and Cheviot will probably be delayed to a somewhat later date. The list of candidates is as yet very incomplete. For Lyttelton, Mr" Crosbie; Ward is generally understood as being in the field; but there is a vacancy for Ellesmere, which must be filled up before Friday, next. Mr. Cracroft Wilson has addressed the, electors of Christchurch, but the Avon district is still without a candidate. Either Heathcote or Kaiapoi will undoubtedly have the offer of Mr. I. T. Cookson's services, but a second must be found for the other district. Mr. Francis Jollie has placed himself in nomination for Timaru, Mr. C. Hunter Brown for that of Cheviot, and his honor Mr. Moorhouse will, of course, stand again for his old seat at Akaroa. It will be seen that taree candidates are still, wanting, and the constituencies must do tneiir best to provide for filling the vacancies.