The Lyttelton Times.

Lyttelton Times, Volume VII, Issue 436, 7 January 1857, Page 6

The Lyttelton Times.

Wednesday, January 7th. May we be pardoned for saying a few words about ourselves, as a correspondent to-day touches us on a sore point? We are aware that the passing occurrences of the Province are not so fully recorded in our columns as they might be. We have desired and endeavoured to improve in this particular, and we fancy that some progress has been made. But a great deal is still required that our journal may present to general readers as full a record of local intelligence, small and great, as any English provincial paper does of its own district. The same may be said, and indeed is from time to time confessed, by most New Zealand journals • and our readers as well as our present correspondent will be at no loss to see the reasons why.

'The Editor,' represented by two or three individuals confined to one spot, cannot roam about to get information by hearsay, and is not intuitively acquainted with details of distant events, as he ought to be to perform his duty thoroughly. A special travelling correspondent might do something, but we are afraid that he would not have the happy knack of the English daily's ' own'

in presenting himself at the scene of a remarkable occurrence just as it is going to begin. For a proper collection of country news a number of reporters are required, scattered over the various districts, wide awake to any subject of interest, having time and skill to enquire, collect, and furnish all particulars correctly. Now a newspaper, whose resources are limited in proportion to its cii'culation, cannot make it the interest of an inhabitant of one of our country districts, even if the proper man can be found, to give himself the necessary trouble. la the absence of such direct interest, we do not go too far in saying that 999 out of 1000 residents in any district are half ignorant of and perfectly careless of reporting any event which happens there. And we promise—first, if interesting events occur • second, if any person will write and send a graphic report of them, with a guarantee of such being- complete and accurate ; third, if the communication reaches us ; —be the person or place or event what they may, we for our part will publish the news, and gratify our readers.

Seriously, it is our duty, and, within limits, our interest to present a full record of local occurrences ; and, as we intimated above, we desire to do so and have endeavoured to find the means, We have often applied for help and received promises which led to no performances. As a conser quence, our space is generally almost fill d with the information which we find within our means, the news from England and the neighbouring Colonies, reprinted from their newspapers. In spite of the subdued sneer of our correspondent, we know that this news is extremely acceptable to our readers, and though they may desire more of another sort they will not ask for less of this. Of the results of our labours in this department we speak with more satisfaction. We may be permitted to take credit to ourselves for some care and taste at least in compiling this news, so much so as to challenge comparison with any New Zealand journal; and we may inform our correspondent and our readers that this is never done without great pains and attention, and, further, that on some occasions very great trouble and expense have been gone to on this account, when the arrival of news shortly before the time of publication has superseded what had been already prepared for the press. We may point out in addition that we have, with rare exceptions, during the past six months, been publishing as large a paper *s usual; while trade has been bad, and, until very lately, the number of advertisements much smaller than usual. Our readers have reaped the full benefit of this, receiving therebj% sometimes, even double the customary amount of reading matter. Knowing, as we sometimes are reminded, that the loss or non-delivery of a paper 18 a great annoyance to a subscriber, we may fairly expect some satisfaction to be expressed when we have done more or better than usual. We . challenge comparison on this as well as other points with our coiir temporaries, and leave it to the public to give us credit where credit is due to us. The local news which it has been within our power to give, hitherto, has consisted chiefly of the rare and meagre items of the public proceedings of our towns. We hope that we may soon say more, as we have taken advantage of the commencement; of a new year to make fresh arrangements for providing intelligence from various part? of the country; and the regular posts established by the Provincial Government will aid us considerably in the business of transmission. We have said enough about ourselves. Let our readers accept from us, with the compliments of the season, the assurance of our earnest desire to oblige them.