Local Intelligence.
The local items' of news for the week past are ■ headed by the doings of the Provincial 'It has only had two sittings, hut there are several peculiarities in its doings in even that short time which attract puhlic attention. 'In the first place the Superintendent's address is remarkably clear in pressing Provincialist views on the Council, who seem half ready to accept those opinions, stimulated as -they are by the 'recent' circumstances of the resignation of the Kesident Magistrates, and half ready, in their impartiality, to acquit the absent, to whom the sufferings of the province in that matter are at first sight referable. The first resolution come to was a weak one, dictated by a spirit evidently averse to kindling _ strife. •Somewhat of a fire-brand, though, is the answering Message of his Honor, sharp, curt, and tart. The subject is postponed for 'further consideration.' The first day's meeting brought an explanation from the ex-ministry. Mr. Brittan had r found that Mr. Tancred, his colleague, entertained different*views from his own, and charitably resigned, so as, apparently, not to stand in his way. Mr. Tancred found the example useful and resigned also, without knowing why. They came'to an explanation afterwards. Mr. Brittan, if we may judge from his speech, suddenly discovered that farming was the most profitable occupation for him, and has retired to search' for eggs laid away, and to observe the Cattle Trespass Ordinance. No appointment for less than four years, certain, is, he says, worth his acceptance. Mr. Tancred, whose widowed heart refused to bleed alone (though the -truth is, that he was not "off with the old love before he was on with the new") has found another mate, and they are venturing forth with the coy timidity so becoming their young betrothals, " hand in hand, with wandering steps and slow," into some hitherto unknown field of politics. May they be happj'! The Empowering Ordinance was another matter of debate. Mr. Tancred dashed at it like a Knight Templar and shouted for Eepeal. Probably his better half pulled his coat tails, for he discovered at last that amendment would do, and the " whole house " is to deal with the " whole subject "- in committee, by and by ; that is, when Easter is 'over, and after that, possibly, when the session of the Supreme Court is over. How curiously Government always announces that every ses-
sion is "to be short, and-> that lbusiness, it is happy to say, will not take away members from their homes for long; ; and how members, pretend to think it a hardship, and yet always' ;are, ready to come, and to stay and talk, so that every session is of a very tolerable length after all. -The estimates will hardly be well passed .this year .within a month after the expenditure upon them has begun. - , . , One, of the Candidates for the Superintendency .has had the courage to come forward. This will,probably draw the others. Whether there ,are to be more than the three, candidates hitherto'mentionedj Messrs. Brittan,Moorhouse, and, Ollivier, we. have no means of knowing. „ The public is-not yet agitated on the matter, nor are sympathies, enlisted strongly on behalf of any one gentleman.-. The contest scarcely,promises to be one of strong party feeling, and certain candidates, if they came forward, would-be opposed by each of the present three on precisely similar, grounds, and .with very nearly- the Same support. Of course, ; those fond of political •^excitement are on the" quivive for the'first manifestation of a fight, and' anticipate the ifinest amusement in July and August. ■ ' , Talking, of amusement, the circus is, we believe, a permitted entertainment during-Lent, even in -catholic countries, and therefore may be so, we suppose, in Canterbury. At any rate, Mr. Eoley manages to draw large houses and to reap pretty fair profits, by all accounts, even in this unmarketable time for grain. He has been to Kaiapoi, where he played three nights' to wonderfully large numbers, considering the extent of the population. The circus is shut during Passion Week, only to open again with fresh vigour after Easter, at Christchurch. The rumour is that Mr. Foley is to be joined here, presently, by a dramatic corps now playing in Wellington, and to give concerts and occasional theatrical.-entertainments of a good style in -Ljrttelton and on,the plains..
In -Lyttelton, not much active business is now doing outside the houses. The Belisama is filling up .quietly but quickly with wool; her' presses are going from dayliglat to dark every day, and we begin to look forward to the despatch of our second London cargo, though first direct ship of the year, ps a thing approaching. The Rose of -Sharon is the tail-end of a long line of vessels that have succeeded one another constantly disehai'ging cargo since the beginning of January. A lull is falling upon our import trade, and it is time for it. It is a week ago now since Sullivan, the runaway prisoner, was caught. Our columns on Wednesday were full of other matter, so that we could not conclude his little story. We left him on the north bank of the Rakaia., He turned the horse adrift, and it was caught and tied up by another person and recovered by the constable, who stopped at Durnford's house of entertainment, to recruit, until he was joined by his mate,- They thoroughly explored the banks of the river, and found their prey at last in a small warre on the north side. He made a desperate resistance when seized, but was overcome at last, handcuffed, and brought to town on Saturday morning, when he was committed for trial at the approaching session of ,the Supreme Court. Our confidence in his cap--1 ture is thus justified. Ronnage, whom' our readers will remember, has, we are told, applied ■to be relieved from Ins irons on the ground that after the,'example of Snllivan it is not to be supposed that he will attempt to escape. Lyt.telton is doiiig something in the way of build.ing.'l The Mitre Hotel is putting on a new face under the renewed attention of Mr., Compton, its former landlord; and Mr. Heaphy is adding .on very extensive premises to the Universal Inn. The stone building for the Union Bank of Australia is lifting itself rapidly out of the earth, and gives already an earnest of its substantial character. The road up Canterbury street to the Cemetery will, we believe, soon be in the hands of the improvers, not before it ought. The work to be done on it will be one of the many good results of that clause of the Waste Lands Ordinance which allows payment for works to be made in land.
'•-•As for. Public "Works generally, now that the • Bridle-path and the Ferry road are finished,.the roadfrom the Port to" the Plains is as good.as: ■ can be possibly expected by that line ; all-tra-vellers along it unite in saying so. : .The Bridle,'path. has cost in repairs and drainage just under .the estimate, £500. A fortnight ago several contracts were let by. tender. The repair and. unainteiiarice of, the; Bridle-path for six .months, ■from. April. Ist to: September 30th, was. con-
tracted for by E; Evans, for. £35. The "repair of the North Eoad from the Land Office to the end of the made road beyond the 7th mile, for ' the same period, was let for £70 to Bailey and Spilsbury. of Papanui. ' All drains to be kept' cleared out,, holes to be filled up, and made 'works maintained. The Heathcote Eiver is to I staked out in the most efficient manner, from Lingard's wharf to the Shag rock, at Scunner, by Mr. Hill, of the Perry road, for £37 10s. -The poles are to be of manuka, 15ft. long, to show 6ft. above high water mark. The "other -works advertised to be tendered for at-the same time were not let, the tenders sent in being all above the Engineer's estimate. Among them is the construction of the main drain along the Ferry road. The .total value of Public- Works put in hand during the last six months, accord- ' ing to the votes of the last Session of Council, amounts to £6,000, of which about £5,000 has been'paid for works completed. A widening of the Governor's Bay road to 12ffc. is 'now talked of, land in the'district traversed by that line /having been much sought after since the formation of the present track: An appropriation of - £1,500 will be proposed to the Council to build . Government Offices on Cathedral Square, a pro- , perty which is to -be acquired from the College by exchange for rural land. If this vote is passed, the contemplated building, with the tank, and the many private erections in Christ- . church, will do wonderful things towards solidifying and shaping out that town. Houses may even now be seen rising, in every t direction in the neighbourhood. Woodford's new flour mill, at Kaiapoi, is at last opened and at work. Las<i Monday was the day appointed by the advertisement as the last day for receiving tenders to provide a coasting steam service, according to the terms agreed to at the meetings on the subject in the end of November. It will be'a subject of great interest to the public to hear of the acceptance of, any tender.' AYe believe" that we are right in saying that there are one or more tenders sent in. The weather has been beautifully fine until yesterday; some of the most lovely autumn weather it has beeii that any dreader of the winter can console himself with. Winter has, however, given a sharp indication of its approach in the shape of frosts at night, which^ are felt already with some sharpness on the plains, although Lyttelton is still free from them._ The beginning of winter is harvest time at the Land Office, and the season for drainage among the Stockowners. All rents and license ' fees are payable on the first day of May, and no procrastination is allowed, as may be seen by the advertisement in our columns on the subject. This is the first year of the thorough carrying into effect of "the new system in this particular. There will probably not be a single license of the Canterbury Association in force after the end of this month. The rents to be paid this May form in the aggregate no inconsiderable trifle, about £3,500, a sum smaller than the real rental, owing to late transfers of licenses, but a very snug addition to the Provincial revenue, though not'the sum that would it have been at the Association's rates, nor equal to the revenues of coming years. What a comfort to our provincial financiers so much certain future income must be. But we are getting back to the subject upon which we began and have therefore evidently exhausted our,circle of subjects. rNoTB.—It will be seen from the above that we have at lust obtained the Sirvjcu- of the loag looked for Country Contributor, who knows all tlie news of the week, write* in a'goorl style and at a moderate expanse ; though h, 3 communicitions are o,i this occasion somewhat behind- . hand in point of time. He U henceforth« Our o\vn LocoloVgUt '—Ed. L. T.] Vestry Meeting.—We are requested to call the attention of the members of the Church of England in Lyttelton parish to the notice m our advertising colums of a meeting to be heia in Lyttelton Church on Easter Monday, at 7 p.m., for the election of Church-wardens for the ensuing year. . Easter Monday.—On Monday next, being Easter Monday and a public holiday, the Bank and the Government Offices throughout the country will bo closed for the day.
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Lyttelton Times, Volume VII, Issue 463, 11 April 1857, Page 7
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1,954Local Intelligence. Lyttelton Times, Volume VII, Issue 463, 11 April 1857, Page 7
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