MR TRAVERS ON CHRISTCHURCH.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 723, 16 September 1870, Page 4

MR TRAVERS ON CHRISTCHURCH.

«. -In an able and eloquent lecture on tbe changes effected by civilised man on the natural features of New Zealand, recently delivered at Wellington, Mr Travers said: — Take the case of the province of Canterbury for example. Consisting of several thousand square miles of valuable plain and undulating land and mountain, its lower grounds, near the sea, containing many rich tracts covered with swamp-loving growth, whilst its upper grounds were dry, and clothed either witb forest or with waving tussock grasses, well fitted to support pastoral animals, it was yet, in its natural condition, utterly unfit for the abode of civilised man. Not a plant did it produce which could have been turned to account for purposes of constant food ; and, with the exception of a few birds which would bave yielded an occasional but scanty meal, it was devoid of all animal life. But now how changed is all this ! The city of Christchurch, destined in my opinion, to occupy a foremost position amongst tbe cities of the colony, built upon a spot of wbich a large portion was originally a swamp, now presents to us substantial and elegant public and private buildings wbich might fairly vie with those of many large provincial towns in England ; markets supplied with meats and vegetables and fruits in no degree inferior, and in many respects superior, to those which are produced in the best gardens of Europe; well kept streets, in which a busy population is carrying on trade and commerce, and intercourse ; foundries and factories, producing machinery and implements of trade necessary for the agriculturist and tbe artizan ; collegiate and other schools for the instruction of youth, and institutions of various kinds for the diffusion of knowledge amongst those of advanced years, and wbich in their operations are guided and governed by men whose intelligence and perseverance are not only making their fellow-citizens better acquainted with the natural resources of tbeir adopted country, but are also greatly instrumental in relieving life from tbe weariness and tedium inseparable from the struggle for fortune, whilst those lighter distractions are not wanting which are essential, at all events, to youth. Outside of the city we see extensive tracts of country redeemed from the character of a wilderness ; handsome villas with well-kept grounds, in which are flourishing the flowers and plants, the trees and shrubs, of many foreign countries ; smooth macadamised roads, along wbich a great and increasing traffic is carried on between the chief city and many outlying towns and hamlets, and upon which are to be seen every kind of vehicle, from tbe elegant carriage built in England or America, to the humble spring-cart of the market-gardener, and from the huge firehorse coach of the enterprising Yankee proprietor, to the inconvenient cruelty-van drawn by a single jaded horse. Oa every side as we travel along these highways we see evidences of energy and civilisation ; farms and cornfields stretching for miles on either hand, enclosed by well-kept hedges and fences ; sleek-looking cattle and sheep, and happy horses snorting, as with tail and main erect they canter over their pasture ; steam threshing engines puffing their circles of smoke into the clear air, whilst the rumble of tbe machine as tbe sheaves pass * through the rollers mingles pleasantly with the various other sounds of country life -. all tending to carry the traveller back to those home scenes wbich are usually associated with his happiest hours. Here, too, we see the mighty iron horse drawing hia load along a line of railway, constructed under circumstances, and in a manner which, but a few years ago, would have been looked upon with wonder even amongst the greatest countries of Europe. Indeed, it is almost impossible for those who had not seen the country I refer to in its original condition to realize the amount of change and improvement which bave been effected by the energy and industry of our race in the short space of twenty years, and it is difficult, even for those who have witnessed this gradual change, to comprehend or grasp its wonderful results.