The Lyttelton Times.

Lyttelton Times, Volume VI, Issue 430, 17 December 1856, Page 6

The Lyttelton Times.

Wednesday, December 17.

By the Zingari we have our usual files of Northern paper?, along- with Australian news to the 24th November. We are unable to-day to do more than summarise the items of interest, leaving fuller notices and extracts to a future opportunity. From Auckland the few papers between the departure of ihe Julia Ann on the 2Slh November, and the Zingari on the sth instant, do not contain much local news of interest. A scheme for regulating Government assistance to education has been drawn up by several clergymen and laymen of various denominations, and is published in a pamphiet. It is intended to be liberal in its principle, and comprehensive in its j operation. Both newspapers make it a 1 subject of criticism at sjnie length. ! Fiom New Plymouth we learn that the | P:uvincial Council is in its last .session, and | has agreed to a dissolution, and a general flection of an enlarged Council of 15 at the CifUisnenc-jhent of the coming year. At the siHur Usne a Responsible Ministry is to be j ir.-^iluted. viz., an Executive Council, in- j eluding Secretary and Treasurer, two out j of tin ft- u> be iiH!mb'-is v( the Provincial j Council. Any Provincial Councillor ac- ] ceptinir ofnee to resign hi? scat. A bill to \ give i-ifcct to these pn posuiu:is was carried ■ through ail its nta^es m ilu; Council by a suspension of standing oid'-TS, on November 19:h. Fi om X<'lßon we find nothing excfiiA lh<i hitler <3ivgs of the lai»- political excitement ; unuiti-iiij/ibh; iv;<.-r<.-nct-s u> past j*-coid-\of which j-ume aci.-idni! Into deprived us. Of Nelson, and its election we hear from Auckland. It appear* that on the Nelson «de of the Iv.ikora* the majority in favour of Mr. Kohinsnn wan 21, which which was reduced to 10 by thy state of

the poll at Ainuri. As, however, no poll had been opened for Mr. Kobinson nt ibc latter place, it was found necessary to delay I the ofiicial declaration at Nelson while the question was referred to.tho Attorney- General for his decision, Mr. Robinson may be considered elected by a small majority, as no turn of events at Amuri could have equalized the numbers. Wungnnui, as the ' Chronicle' says, is suffering from the same depression of trade as now afflicts the neighbouring1 settlements. There are. however, some very encouragingsymptoms. The weather, though wet, helps that most important crop in a pastoral district, natural and artificial grasses. The wool sales are encouraging, and the produce of the neighbourhood is stated to be of a particular excellence. The flocks finally are in good condition, and improving. Scab is an object of nttention, rand, though perhaps still existing- to a considerable extent, is like!}' to disappear gradually, owing to the constant efforts and attention of the floekowners. The Wellington papers inform us that the Cheetah arrived in that harbour, from Sydney, on the 9th inst., bringing the late English news which we publish in another part of our paper, and Australian news to the 24th ult. Holiday time throws its shadow before it, if we may judge by the notices of past and future race meetings. The Wanganui meeting we reported a few days ago. Burnham Water Races are to come off on the 22nd and 23rd of January; the Hutt races on the 29th and SOth of the same month ; and the Wairarapa races on the 11 th and 12th of of February. Good sport is anticipated at all three. In politics, an accusation made by the Spectator of undue interference of the Government officials in the Hint elections, and especially among the Maories,, so as seriously to influence ihe return of Mr. Re van?, is the subject of rejoinder and sur-rejoinder in the columns of the two popers. The Wellington Independent has a careful article on tiie sale of public lands on credit. The same paper continues to publish consecutive articles on the General Assembly, now reaching the eighth number : the late articles, however, having lost the pungency of personality, we not only do not thinii worth reprinting, but have even to make some effort to read.

We may remark that Mr. Filz Gerald's pamphlet is the subject of lengthened notices in the journals of both parties both at Wellington and Auckland.