The Lyttelton Times. Saturday, June 7.

Lyttelton Times, Volume VI, Issue 375, 7 June 1856, Page 7

The Lyttelton Times. Saturday, June 7.

Among the most useful of the labours of the last session of the Provincial Council, was its expi'ession of opinion, as to the existence of a pressing necessity for a more efficient administration of the law. To do the Council justice, its last act seemed entirely consistent with the spirit disclosed in its previous performances, and it has recognised the importance of administering as well us the making of laws* The inconvenient delay, and the uncertainty involved in litigation under the present system is, in this Province, vexatiously apparent, and imperatively calls for the attention of our General Government. The growing importance of our Province certainly warrants the appointment of a Resident Judge of the Supreme Court. The safety

of our commerce, the just and uniform administration of the laws that regulate and enforce contracts, and give a full assurance of order and good faith in business transactions, is highly endangered by a continuance of the present system. <; Circumstance's are daily coming within our notice, leading us to deplore the growth of evils arising out of the absence of an accessive tribunal. The distance of this Province from the nearest Resident Judge "of the Supreme Court, is said to produce astonishing accidents in pleading, and to such an extent has spread the distrust and doubt of the public, that the means of redressing wrongs, and protecting right and order, as at present available, or rather supposed to be so, have fallen into contempt and comparative disuse. A continuance of such a state of things would certainly produce evils which could perhaps never be thoroughly eradicated. No time ought to be lost in their anticipation by the adoption of measures to ensure that chiefest of benefits in all civilized communities—Ability and certainty in the administration of the law.

The Westminster, after a passage of six days from Wellington, anchored off the heads of Port Cooper yesterday afternoon. Only one boat had reached Lyttelton before we went to press, and this brought no papers. We hear that the Queen of the Isles was blown on a reef near the harbour of Wellington. All on board were saved, but the vessel was totally wrecked and the whole of the cargo lost. The Westminster brings a large number of passengers for this place. It is reported that another vessel was seen off the heads early in the day, which is supposed to be the schooner Sea JBird, also from Wellington : but the crew of the boat which came from the I Westminster late last evening, saw nothing of her, nor did they ascertain any further particulars. The southerly weather, which recommenced about midday, may have driven her to the northward,