The Lyttelton Times.

Lyttelton Times, Volume I, Issue 48, 6 December 1851, Page 5

The Lyttelton Times.

December 6, 1851. The Report of the Committee of LandI Purchasers on the subject of communication between the port and the plains has at last appeared. We gave some account of its contents a fortnight ago, but owing to unavoidable delays, the pamphlet has only left the press this week. We shall postpone any remarks upon its contents or its recommendations further than to say that it [appears to have [exhausted the subject, and to have provided sufficient information to enable the colonists to come to a definite conclusion. What we would rather do now is to point out that it behoves all of the settlers, each for himself, to enter upon the consideration of this question, and to make himself master of its details. This is not an abstract political question of which men deeply immersed in business see with difficulty the practical application to themselves and their private

circumstances. It is a question which will affect the interests and the pockets of all, for if the recommendations of the Select Committee are complied with, it is obvious that the settlers will have to submit to a tax in order to complete the work. The land-purchasers have acted wisely in declining to take the responsibility of these recommendations on themselves. The question does not in fact concern them any more than it does the merchants or labourers or other classes of the community. If any recommendations are to go to His Excellency from this settlement, they ought at all events to be backed by the unanimous approval of the people. Wanting this they ought not to go at all. But we sincerely hope this unanimity will not be wanting, and that whatever course the colonists may determine on, it may be one which shall obtain the sanction of the great mass of the community. The first thing, however, is that every one shall possess sufficient information on the subject, and this the Report in question seem to supply; we therefore hope it will be found in the hands of all.

It will be seen that a large number of persons have this week left for Port Philip by the " Canterbury." To prevent any unfair inference being drawn from this circumstance by the enemies of the Canterbury settlement, we may state, what is well known here, that of the cabin passengers the majority are Port Philip settlers returning, some of them intending to re-visit this place, and that a large proportion of the steerage passengers is composed of persons whose departure no one will regret, and of whom many are from the neighbouring settlements. There were of course manifest exceptions to this sweeping description, but their number was few.

We have been requested to state that as the Church Building Committee are now entering into contracts for the commencement of tbe Church at Lyttelton, it is desirable that all the subscriptions promised, should be paid into the Bank as soon as possible.

More Coal, —A bed of Coal has at length been discovered which promises to repay the trouble of working. The seam crops out in the bed of the Selwyn, upon Mr. Deans's Sheep Farm, about 35 or 40 miles from Christchurch, some miles lower down the river than the vein visited by Mr. Wakefield. It appears to be from six to ten feet in thickness, lying in an E. and W. direction, and dipping lo the Southward at an angle of 30* or 40\ At the time our informant visited the spot, the coal was about a foot under water, owing to a fresh in the river, but it is generally exposed. From the position of the seam, there can be little doubt but that it would be found at a short distance below the ground, on both sides of the river. There is no obstacle to prevent carts being brought to the mouth of the mine upon level ground the whole way from Christchurch. This valuable discovery is due to James Robinson dough, Mr. Deans's herdsman. We understand an expedition provided with proper tools has started from Christchnrch, and that a dray load of the precious material may shortly be looked for in the capital. The discovery of this coal is invaluable ; chiefly because the want of wood on the plains will be now a matter of comparatively little importance, and again, because the line over which the carts engaged in the coal trade will have to pass runs nearly centrally through a country occupied by the sheep stations. The expencej therefore, of carting goods to those stations will be diminished one half, as the carts could always get a back freight in coals, and any of the squatters wishing to send his dray to Christchurch, by sending it a few miles out of the way to the coal mine, will be able to obtain a freight which will pay the expenoes of the trip.

We aye glad to observe that the work of making the road from Cliristchuvch to Papanni bush has been commenced, and that the bridge over the Avon is in course of erection. The continuation of the Fern- Road into the heart of Christchurch is also now complete.