The Lyttelton Times.

Lyttelton Times, Volume VI, Issue 429, 13 December 1856, Page 6

The Lyttelton Times.

Saturday, December 13. The determination of the General Government with respect to the conveyance of the mails between Melbourne and New Zealand, looking at it merely as a matter of policy, has taken every one by surprise. Although the seat of Government was left at Auckland, it was generally supposed that the establishment of a responsible Government would be a guarantee that no undue prepossession in favour of Auckland should hereafter interfere with the interests of the Southern Provinces. If the old officials had made such an arrangement as the one now proposed, we should not have been astonished ; but that the present Executive should be so entirely forgetful of the interests of the Colony as a whole is almost incredible. There has been a general feeling of good will towards the present Government throughout New Zealand, —an anxiety that they should get a fair trial, and a wish to make every allowance for the difficulties which a new Government would have to encounter. Their policy in the present instance appears to be perfectly suicidal. The Southern Provinces only ask for justice, and that justice is denied them. We need not repeat the protests entered against the Government measure by the commercial bodies of Wellington and Canterbury. j They will certainly be re-echoed at i Nelson and Olago. Jt is intolerable that I when the South gave up the question of the seat of Government for Ihe sake of forming a responsible Government, the first act of | that Government should be to ignore altogether the claims of the South to any participation in the benefits of the steam communication for which the whole of New Zealand pays. Indeed, so far from sharing in the benefits of the new communication, we shall be placed in a worse position than

Aye Avcre in before (as avc pointed out on Wednesday), if the Government persist in their intention of causing the letters to be transmitted via Auckland, We could understand the object of the Government if their proposed plan involved greater economy in the postal service; although, even then, Aye should not agree with their policy. But economy has not been consulted. Auckland, and Auckland alone, Avill benefit by their arrangement. Now, avc are far from wishing* to look at questions of interest to the whole Colony in a merely Provincial point of vicAv. It is not through any jealousy of Auckland that we protest against the Government scheme. But Aye are entitled justly to complain when Aye see general interests sacrificed to one Province, —to that Province to which a lions share of the Government spoil has been already conceded. There are many schemes by which Auckland would receive ample justice Avithout monopolising all the advantages of the new postal arrangements. We hope that the protests of the South will, even at the eleventh hour, induce the Government to pause before they commit themselves to such an injustice as the one at present contemplated.

We have been requested to draw attention to an alteration in the advertisement appointing Wednesday, the l_-*th, as the day on Avhich the Christchurch Cricket Club Avill meet for play. On Tuesday, the anniversary day, a game will also be played on the old ground, when all members of the Club are requested to attend.