LOCAL INTELLIGENCE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume V, Issue 290, 11 August 1855, Page 5

LOCAL INTELLIGENCE.

We would call attention to an advertisement in oar first page, announcing the formation of a Lytteltou Savings' Bank. Such an institution is much needed, and we hope the promoters will meet with support from the class for whose benefit the bank is established.

LttteiiTon Colonists' Society. —Tuesday, August 7th. Dr. Donald, president, in the chair. After the reading and confirmation of the minutes of the previous meeting, the chairman, after a few words of congratulation on the probability of a series of interesting lectures during the coming season, introduced the Rev. R. B. Paul. The reverend lecturer commenced by a cursory glance at the early history of Russia, tracing it from an early period to the establishment of the house of Romanoff. From Peter the Great to the Death of Nicholas was then as fully treated as the limits of a lecture permitted. Mr, Paul then irave a lively sketch of his own experience of Russia from the moment he was Milmiiiied to Cusiom-liouse scrutiny at Cronstadt to his domestication in St. Petersburg. The manners, customs, religious observances of the different classes of Russians, serfdom and its evils, were graphically sketched. Russian polity of imperial aggrandisement, and finally, the circumstances of the present war, were analysed. The lecturer then concluded, expressing his decided opinion that the war was justly undertaken by the Western Powers, and his earnest prayer that, under the protection of Providence, it would be successfully conducted. The lecturer was listened to with profound attention, and, at its termination, was rapturously applauded.

To the Editor of the Lyttclton Times,

Sir, —Tlie public are much indebted to you for your publication of the estimate of the revenue and the expenditure of the Province of Canterbury for the year from the Ist of April, 1855, to the 31st of March, 1856, both inclu-

sive. It is not to be presumed.other than that it will come in contact with the bristling shafts of criticism, neither can it be supposed but that some future number of your publication will reproduce it with its cicatrice ;-not that it is my intention at this present moment to wage war with it in extenso: neither is it my intention to make any specific allusion to many of its items, but merely to state to those whom it may more immediately concern, and to those who are more immediately responsible for it, that it is far very far from being satisfactory to the public or commendatory to the constitution. Let us turn to figures for a moment. The total revenue as shewn in the estimate for the period in question is £ 18,832. The total expenditure £20,560, thereby shewing a deficit of £ 1,728. What was the necessity of putting the Province in this position ? I could answer this question, and probably at some future time may do so. But I will ask you to look again at this said estimate by which you will find the total ordinary expenditure is £6,370: but I would, ask the question, Why are not the Provincial Engineer's and his clerk's salaries and contingencies included in the ordinary expenditure? for I find all the salaries of the other officials are included in that total. Without selecting many other items which might also be included therein, I would, however, mention one other which certainly ought to appear in the ordinary expenditure, and that is the £200 for repair of roads, for this clearly is not only an annual item, but an annually increasing one. Looking at the estimate then with merely this simple suggestion you will find that the total or. dinaryexpenciiture exceeds the total ordinary revenue, £1639. It would seem that the total ordinary expenditure is intentionally made to appear - to the public less than it really is,and that is merely the point I wish at this particular moment to state, in order, that for the future the public may be honestly informed upon that matter. Without making myself more disagreeable to the Downing Street inhabitants, Believe me, Your obedient servant, Cromwell Gotjnsellok. Lyttelton, Aug. 9th, 1855