Christchurch

Christchurch, capital of the provincial district of Canterbury, in New Zealand, situated on the river Avon, about 8 miles from Port Lyttelton, with which it is connected by rail, the tunnel through the Port Hills being the longest in New Zealand; it has also railway communication with Dunedin and with the north. The chief public buildings are the government offices, museum (with many specimens of the Moa, q.v.), cathedral (a reproduction of that of Caen in France), and hospital. There are numerous banks and insurance offices; and among the public schools are Christ's College, a high school for boys, and a high school for girls. The water-supply is derived from artesian wells. Two parks and the Government Domain afford ample pleasure-grounds. It is the centre of a great grazing district, and has also flourishing manufactures. Boot manufacturing is one of the chief industries; there are several newspapers published here, and the city possesses steam tramways, theatres, social and athletic clubs, and a corps of volunteers. The founders of the colony named each of the streets of its capital after an English diocese. An earthquake in 1888 damaged the cathedral and other buildings. Pop. (1888) 15,265; (1891) 16,223, or with suburbs, 47,846.