# The Story of Christchurch, New Zealand/Chapter 15

Chapter XV.
1864–1870.
Election of Mr. Moorhouse as Superintendent—The Waimakariri—Visits of Sir George Grey and of Lord Lyttelton—Resignation of Mr. Moorhouse—Election of Mr. William Rolleston-Visit of H.R.H. The Duke of Edinburgh.
The elections of a new Superintendent and Provincial Council were held in May, 1866. The Superintendency was keenly contested, the chief opponents being Mr. W. S. Moorhouse and Mr. H. P. Lance, the latter representing the squatters’ interest. Mr. W. T. L. Travers also was a candidate, but the contest really lay between the two first-named, and resulted (May 30) in the easy victory of Mr. W. S. Moorhouse for his fourth term of office. The first session of the new Provincial Council was opened on October 19, when Mr. H. J. Tancred was elected as Speaker.
About this time Christchurch was seriously threatened by the vagaries of the Waimakariri River.
The Canterbury Plains are crossed from west to east by three snow rivers, which rise far back among the glaciers of the Southern Alps. In their upper reaches each is a mountain torrent—rock-bound in places—carrying along in its impetuous career vast quantities of shingle and silt, and rolling great boulders along its course. On reaching the plains the streams divide and spread, and the flow of the water is moderated, allowing the silt to settle, and giving the shingle and boulders ​time to accumulate. The result is that the bed of the river is gradually raised until it becomes higher than the surrounding country. Then some day, when the river is in high flood, the current breaks its bounds and chooses another channel to the sea. The danger is increased by the introduction of gorse, which grows freely on the riverbeds, and soon becomes firmly rooted and able to impede the travelling shingle. The Waimakariri—a Maori name, meaning “The Water of Winter,” i.e., cold water, is the most northerly of the three rivers. In bygone ages it followed many channels, and there is evidence that a branch once flowed through Christchurch. Its present channel passes about seven miles north of the city, but it must be of comparatively recent formation, for the shingle it carries in its upper reaches has not yet reached the sea.
In a later chapter will be told haw the “harnessing of the Waimakariri” became a catch phrase in Christchurch, and a proposal to utilise the power of the river for the production of electricity was enthusiastically supported, but in the quite early days the river was simply regarded as a dangerous obstacle to travellers, causing many deaths by drowning, liable to sudden freshes when the north-west wind blew, and a warm rain melted the snow at its source. To provide for the safety of travellers a ferry was established, but was somewhat intermittent in its operations. For instance, on April 23, 1856, an election for a Christchurch Member of Parliament had to be put off, because the Returning-officer (Mr. C. C. Bowen) was across the Waimakariri, and the punt ropes had been carried away. Later on “White’s Bridge” was built and opened.
Alarm was first caused by a flood in February, 1859, and an engineer, Mr. Albert Beetham, was sent to investigate, but no practical steps were taken. As the river continued to threaten danger, the Provincial Council, in August, 1863, appointed a committee to advise what measures of precaution would best meet the case. In discussing the report of this committee (September 29, 1863), Mr. Templer deprecated interference with the river, which was breaking northwards, lest any alteration of its course should bring it nearer Christchurch. The Provincial Secretary, Mr. T. W. Maude, promised that the Engineer should be sent to inspect, but added, significantly, that if it became a question as to whether Kaiapoi or Christchurch would have to go first, he would certainly give Kaiapoi the preference.
In the ensuing month of October constant reports of damage and of land being washed away were received.
After that, for a few years, the river remained quiet, but on October 12, 1866, a more serious flood occurred, Mr. E. Dobson, the Provincial Engineer, was sent to inspect, and his report, dated October 17, 1866, was not encouraging. He found that the Waimakariri had broken through its bank about seventeen miles from Christchurch, and was likely to cause considerable flooding, both in the Fendalton River and in the Avon, during the freshes. He did not apprehend any immediate danger of the main body of the stream coming down the Fendalton River, but as the Waimakariri was setting strongly against the south bank, it was probable ​that in a few years, by the scouring of the shingle, a very considerable portion of the river would return to its old channel and flow through Christchurch. Mr. Dobson gave it as his opinion that any attempt to divert the river would, even if possible, be a work of great expense and magnitude.
For two years the matter remained in abeyance, but on February 5, 1868, the greatest flood yet experienced began and continued for a day or two. The Avon was greatly affected. There were two feet of water at the Post Office—parts of Cathedral and Market Squares were submerged—the bridges were in great danger—Oxford and Cambridge Terraces were, in places, three to four feet under water. On February 12, 1868, a report was made defining the protection works required, but it was then found that it would be ultra vires for the Provincial Council to proclaim by ordinance a district over which to impose a rate for such works, and it would be necessary to bring in a Bill in the General Assembly constituting a Board of Conservation with the necessary rating powers.
Dr. James Hector, the Provincial Geologist, was asked to advise, and his report, dated June 20, 1868, was to the effect that there was reason to believe Christchurch was in imminent danger, and that the works then in existence were quite inadequate for its protection, but that means could be adopted, at moderate cost, tending to greatly reduce the risk, or, at any rate, reduce the probability of damage. Dr. Hector added that there was no reason to believe that the permanent channel ever passed through Christchurch, and that the inundation was due to flood water escaping through the right bank of the river, and trouble was caused by the draining of swamp land, and the construction of surface drainage, which enabled the whole volume of storm-water to find its way rapidly into the river, instead of being absorbed by the extensive swamps, where it was gradually ​disposed of by percolation and evaporation. There were two gaps which were points of danger, one leading to the head of the Avon, the other to the head of the Styx. It was by way of the former that the recent flood had come to Christchurch, and by a comparatively small expenditure, involving the construction of an embankment less than half a mile in length, both gaps could be closed. Dr. Hector suggested that the city could be further protected by constructing a storm-water channel to take flood-water from near the Carlton Bridge, along the North Belt, and back into the river near the cemetery, and so in effect diverting a body of water which would otherwise flow through the city.
During the session of the General Assembly which followed, the “Canterbury Rivers Act, 1868,” was passed, empowering the Provincial Council to set up Boards for river protective purposes, with rating powers over areas likely to be affected. By resolution of the Provincial Council, December 8, 1868, the above Act was brought into operation over certain lands on the south side of the Waimakariri. The Board was gazetted on February 12, 1869, and consisted of the Mayor of Christchurch (ex officio), and five other members. The constitution of the Board was amended by the “Rivers Board Act, 1884,” and subsequent amendments. The Board consists, at the present time, of nine members, elected by the ratepayers of nine sub-districts. It collects its rates through the various local bodies.
During the later sixties Christchurch entered on a period of depression, and for some years there is little that need be recorded.
His Excellency Sir George Grey visited Christchurch in January, 1867, after an interval of fifteen years. Time, and perhaps, the absence of his old antagonist Mr. Godley, had smoothed over the ancient feud, and Sir George, who was cordially received, made pleasant reference to the marked improvement he saw in Christchurch, ​comparing the city with the Ugly Duckling in Hans Andersen’s fairy tale.
Another visit worth recording was that of Lord Lyttelton, who, as Chairman of the Canterbury Association, had done so much to found Canterbury. He arrived in Christchurch on January 25, 1868, accompanied by his son, the Hon. G. S. Lyttelton, and by Mr. Selfe Selfe. Mr. G. S. Lyttelton was one of the great cricketing brothers, famous in the annals of Eton, and while in Christchurch gave a taste of his quality, making 104 runs, and taking seven wickets in the first innings of a match in which he played for the United Canterbury Cricket Club against the Albion Club.
The party stayed with various friends in Canterbury, and Lord Lyttelton has left on record his impression of the settlement in the form of two lectures delivered after his return Home.
There was about that time a strong movement in favour of the separation of the two main islands of New Zealand, occasioned partly, no doubt, by the difficulties of communication, and partly by the different, condition of the countries separated by Cook Strait. The South Island, free from the native difficulty and from the necessity of clearing bush lands, was progressing much more rapidly in settlement than was possible in the North Island. The Provincial Council, on March 17, 1867, passed a resolution in favour of a separate Government for each Island.
Two days before the prorogation of the Provincial Council, Mr. Moorhouse, on April 7, announced his intention to resign the Superintendency. He had neglected his private business, which needed attention; moreover, these were times of depression; wheat had fallen in value, and the revenues of the province were not in a buoyant condition, and the Council, with its shrinking revenue, could not support the forward policy so dear to the Superintendent.
​Mr. C. C. Bowen received a requisition to stand for the Superintendency, and, on his declining, Mr. William Rolleston was returned unopposed on May 22, and, on June 9, was elected as member of the House of Representatives for Avon.
About the time that Mr. Rolleston assumed office, the Canterbury railways were at last being taken over from the contractors. This involved responsible work, not only in the adjustment of the accounts, but also in the organisation and administration of the open lines. Mr. John Marshman, who had formerly been the Emigration Agent in London, was made Secretary for Railways. In a letter written to Mr Selfe, dated September 6, 1868, he said:—“They” (the contractors) “have sweated the Government severely. I admire them for it, shrewd, able men, pleasant men personally, and not one, but several too many for these who are dealing with them.” No doubt Messrs. Holmes and Co. wasted few opportunities of making money, but in return they brought to bear a strength and capacity in dealing with their contracts which were invaluable to the province.
A story is told of Mr. Marshman when he was Secretary of Railways. A farmer had telegraphed him that his grain would be ready on Tuesday, D.V., and that he wanted trucks sent. Mr. Marshman telegraphed in reply: “Yes, but if D. does not V., who pays demurrage on my trucks?”
It was on April 22, 1869, that Christchurch welcomed her first Royal visitor, H.R.H. the Duke of Edinburgh, who arrived in H.M.S. “Galatea.” The visit had been planned for the previous year, but had been postponed, owing to the attempted assassination of His Royal Highness in Australia, which necessitated the Duke’s return to England to recover from the bullet wound. While in Christchurch, the Duke planted the Prince Alfred oak ​opposite the Hereford Street entrance ta the Domain, which still stands as a memento of his visit. Hearing that it was proposed to plant other trees, His Royal Highness volunteered to plant them too, and, in walking across the Domain for the purpose, it is recorded that he sprung three pheasants, which were then becoming plentiful.
The abolition of provinces was then becoming a live question, and in May, 1869, a resolution in its favour, in the Provincial Council, was defeated only by four votes (10-14). Westland had in January, 1869, been separated from Canterbury, and in opening the Provincial Council, October 8, 1869, Superintendent Rolleston announced the umpire’s decision in the allocation of debts between the two provinces, viz., Canterbury, £465,831; Westland, £207,036; the proportion being Canterbury 9 to West land 4.
On the completion of his term of office, Mr. Rolleston was challenged for the Superintendency by Mr. Moorhouse. The election took place on May 2, 1870, and resulted in an easy victory for Mr. Rolleston, who there after retained the position unopposed till the abolition of the provinces. Mr. Moorhouse left Canterbury a few months afterwards to take up the position in Wellington of Registrar of Titles, under the Land Transfer Act.