CHRISTCHURCH.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XIV, Issue 43, 18 February 1887, Page 18

CHRISTCHURCH.

(From our own Correspondent.)

February 14, 1887. Among the wary there is a certain amount of jubilation inspired by the speech which Mr. Brodie Hoare, the Chairman of the Midland Railway Company, made at Greymouth the other day, when Mr. Richardson turned the first sod of the first section of the Company's railway. Mr. Hoare impressed upon the public the necessity of refraining from borrowing on the London market, in order that the Midland Company's finances may not be interfered with. More New Zealand loans, no Midland Railway — that was what he wery nearly said. His meaning was that the only public works policy possible to us in the future, is the policy of the Midland Railway Company. The wary and the judicious of this district now see their way very clear to join in the cry for economy and retrenchment of borrowing. In other respects, Mr. Hoare, I am told by one who was present, spoke very highly of the resources of this colony. As he is a man who is usually taciturn, his speech in this connection is generally regarded as golden. The accounts of the harvest which come into town all tell of good yields, good weather for reaping and gathering, and a rapid ending. The gram merchants publish telegrams from London, which curiously enough speak of stagnation and falling prices, and all the time there are unemployed. What these poor people will do in winter, it is hard to say . Various newspapers speak of a coming boom in trade, but the state of our commercial pool is still unruffled by any breeze. Employers on the one hand write to the papers complaining of loafers who won't work, and on the other, there are scores of honest men in the town who seek work and can't get it. Messrs. Hazell and Hodgkins who are travelling through the colonies partly in the interest of the Emigration Bureau established last year in London, very shrewdly hit upon one course of the concentration of unemployed men in the cities. They boldly told an interviewer that agricultural employers lodge their people badly, that they discourage married labour, and give no facilities for settlement of labour around their homesteads. This judgment is •ompletely applicable only to the large owners, but it hits all round, and very hard.

The Rifle Association is not pleased with the prospects of its coming meeting, for the citizens do not seem inclined to subscribe quite on the handsome 6cale adopted in former years by other cities. This backwardness (I trust it is but temporary) is excused on the ground that the place of meeting is so far from the city. Another cause of heartburning is the decision of the Association to refuse the applications of rifle clubs to compete as clubs, the Association considers itself debarred from acceding because the grant of public moaey is especially for the encouragement of volunteering, the clubs are of opinion that the refusal is based on the fear lest the club-men may carry off most of the prizes. " Besides," they ask "if you won't let us compete as clubs why do you ask us as clubs for a subscription, the amount of which you are kind enough to state?" All tbis is very disheartening, a national object of such vital importance as the promotion of good marksmanship ought not to give rise to bickerings. The Sisters of the Good Shepherd are progressing. They have twelve penitents at their establishment in Manchester street, work is coming forward for tbeir excellent laundry, and their building at Mount Magdala progresses apace. A large number of the priests of the diocese are having their annual retreat at the presbytery, and the Very Rev Dr. Redwood, the Bishop of the diocese is at present on a visit among us.