LOCAL INTELLIGENCE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume V, Issue 228, 6 January 1855, Page 4

LOCAL INTELLIGENCE.

ARRIVAL OF THE "ROYAL STUART," F. G. TADMAN, COMMANDER. This splendid ship left Plymouth on the evening of October 9th last, with 29 first, 37 second, and 36 steerage passengers, also with 650 tons of cargo. Owing to the skill of the Captain the passage has been one of unprecedented speed, passing Otago on the 2nd iust., being 83 days only from land. Eight days after leaving Plymouth the island of Madeira was sighted. The line was passed on the morning: of the 4th of November, 25 days from Plymouth. The God of the Deep then paid his accustomed visit, and found all his " Sous " happy and prosperous. On the Ist of December, iv Lat. 4630 south, a large iceberg, said to be 800 feet long and 112 feet high, was passed at a distance of two miles. The thermometer was 35J. We understand the voyage was passed most agreeably by the passengers, who enjoyed excellent health, the only melancholy casualty being the death of the Surgeon (Twining), who died on entering the harbour. He suffered much all the passage from a broken rib (caused by a fall some years since) pressing on his lungs. We hear he was nearly sixty years of age. Messrs. Young and Co. acted very unwisely in committing the charge of so many valuable lives to a gentleman who, however great his professional skill, owing to his age and infirmities, would have been unable to attend to any serious illness if such had unfortunately broken out. This is more culpable when so many young and capable men can be so easily obtained in England. We are happy to welcome amongst the passengers our old colonists Messrs. Cholmondeley, Heywood, Paul, and White. The passengers were most agreeably surprised at the beauty of the country and the" delightful climate of Canterbury. —From a Correspondent, ■

Church of England.—A meeting of the members of the Church of England, resident in LytteHon, was held in the temporary church, Lyttelton, nn Wednesday last, to take into consideration the bye-laws adopted by the trustees for ihe subdivision of the Province into parishes, and the appointment of trustees to the several parishes, as given in this paper on the 16th uk. After some considerable discussion, the following resolution was agreed to :— " The Undersigned Members of the Church of England, as defined by the Church Property Trust Ordinance, assembled at a meeting specially convened at Lytteltoi). unanimously resolve: — "That as the apportionment of Trustees is manifestly unjust, and,,as the bye-laws determining the number appe&t to have been iire-

gulally carried, inasmuch as proper means were not taken to make public the meeting at which they were adopted, the Lyttelton Church members protest against tiie same, and decline to proceed to election." (Signed) B. W. Dudley, Chairman, W. Donald, Church Trustee, C. Dudley, M.8., C. E. Dumpier, J. Spowers, G. Cottcrill, I. Shrimpton, W. Eadei, T. Geo, G. Mayo, J. Iteston, It. Swinbourne, Win. Allot, C. LittUicott, Win. Graham, J. J. Turnbull, A. Bay Held. James It. Eades. Though unavoidably absent from the meeting, I fully concur in the above resolution. C. Simeon, Church Trustee.

To the Editor of the Lyllclton.Times. Siu, —In the Canterbury Standard of Thursday last a correspondence is published between Mr, Mathias, Mr. Wakefield, and myself. I must decline entering into any controversy through the newspapers on the subjects referred to in such correspondence. If the Church inhabitants of Itiecarton wish me to explain to them (he circumstances relative to an alleged engagement on my part to provide £100 towards the building of a church at that place, I shall be happy to meet them for the purpose. And if the Church inhabitants of any part of thesettlemeut wish for exposition as to the state and management of the Ecclesiastical and Educational funds of the Canterbury Association, I shall in like manner be happy to meet them for such purpose. I am, Sir, Your most obedient Servant, Henry Seweix. Lyttolton, Jun. 5,1355.