Local Intelligence.

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

Local Intelligence.

Notes op titk Union* Bank of Australia. —By a proclamation of his Excellency the Governor, dated the 25th November, we find that the " Paper Currency Act, 1555," has been brought into operation so for as regards the Union Bank of Australia ; which company may now ''lawfully issue and circulate within the Colony of New Zealand the promissory notes of of the said [[company, payable to bearer on demand. Providing .that all such notes [bear date at the place of issue, and be there payable in coin of the realm or other coin lawfully current in the colony." Ordination. —The Bishop of New Zealand has appointed to hold an ordination at the temporary church, Lyttelton, on Sunday morningnext, the 21st instant, with the view of admitting the Rev. Leonard Williams. B.A. to the order of priesthood. Mi*. Williams is the son of the Venerable Archdeacon W. Williams of Turanga, and has lately arrived by the 'Zingari' from the north. We understand that the Bishop of New Zealand had intended to return to Wellington for this ordination, but that in consequence of Mr. Williams's arrival he will now wait here for the coining of the Bishop of Christehurch. , __._____. ; __i_ •. ■ sM*fer.»

Dkkpening the Huntkh.—Some months ago proceedings were commenced for the purpose of closing up the many small channels, and confining the stream to one main. We regret that the measures adopted {'or this purpose are by no means successful, and that a large amount of money has been uselessly expended. The plan adopted by the engineer in charge of the works—that of driving pile:? .across the mouths or deep water parts —has failed, the piles having on several occasions been washed away. We understand that on Thursday last Mr. Moriariy inspected the work, and we therefore trust thut a more efficient plan will bn adopted, such as ballasting with stone &c. We would call the immediate attention of our representatives io this matter, or the .£7,000 granted for this purpose will be expended without the slightest benefit to the country. From inquiries, we learn that ballast stone is procurable in Newcastle to any extent, and that the expense of depositing it*at the pi icerequre lis 'Is. per ton ; now at thin rate (and we vouch for the truth ol it) £1.,000 so expended will complete a greater length of work than £1,000 ko expended in piling—the ballast wall would become permanent, while the timber, in the space of two or three years would probably be so worm-eaten as to require renewing. Under these civcumBfaiices we again most emphatically call _ the attention of our representatives, and ol his Excellency the G'.vcnior-GeiKjral to this matter. — Newcastle Wc/tf/rcp'i, JS Toy. 1.

The Lords on tub Convict Question. — Wo have iblt a reluctance, to revive any premature discussion of the subject of .British transportation in these columns, where in former years we laboured for what we believed was a "final settlement of that desolating question. There are- various indications , however, of a restless disposition in some quarters to return to the question, against which we ought not to shut our eyes. We do not allude to the efforts of Mr. Hood, though the fact that a pro-con-vict petition has actually been signed by members of our own community, if not very significant of the tone of public feeling, is still little creditable to our public character. Some of the evidences of this revival—perhaps the most deplorable—are to be found in the adverse leanings of some portions of the British press. But the late mail has placed us in possession of facts of graver moment than the mere opinions of public writers. A letter of the 17th of August, received by the White Star, from a gentleman of eminence connected with the colony now in England, informs us that the Committee of the House of Lords then sitting, with the Bishop of Oxford as chairman, to enquire into the convict question, was studiously directing its efforts in favour of the resumption of transportation to the Australian continent. In collecting evidence on the subject, nearly all the witnesses examined by the committee were gentlemen known to entertain views favourable to the renewal of the old gsystem. Sites on the Eastern coast were named as suitable for the new penal settlement, and among others Port Curtis. Several gentlemen, including Sir Charles Fitz llov, were anxious to give evidence against the practicability of any return to the system ; but their information had been rather avoided than sought. This information, from so good an authority, leads us to the conclusion "that the Bishop of Oxford's committee will report in favour of resuming transportation to some part of Australia. In the face of that well-grounded expectation, the colonists should lose no time in declaring their unaltered resolve in this matter.— JEinpire, jSTov. 12.