Local Intelligence.

Lyttelton Times, Volume VII, Issue 469, 2 May 1857, Page 9

Local Intelligence.

The Council has sat three days this week, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, and has adjourned ,iill Tuesday next, till its business is ready for it. Somehow business never does seem to be ready when the Council is somewhat afc leisure, but, with the usual perversity of things of the kind, accumulates when time becomes short, and members are tired. It is unfortunate that the Council cannqt provide a really important debate to gratify the public, now fast falling into customary dulness after some little late excitement. , We _ were right, but not quite fight enough, in saying on a former occasion that the estimates would not be got through for a month after the expenditure for the year had commenced. On Thursday,'just the last day of the month, the salaries 'and contingencies of offices and other routine expenses were finally brought through the committee, and this, we suppose, is quite sufficient authority for payment. But the public works of the province have been referred for consideration to a select committee, who ,are to give the various items proposed a thorough sitting, and to examine their several importance, relatively to one another and to the funds at the disposal of the country. One of the very few passages of debate interesting to a gallery audience occurred in -reference [to 'this Public Works Committee on Thursday evening. Mr. Hall having demanded that certain items, proposed to be added to the list of works, should be referred to the committee, Mr. jWis took occasion to express a strong opinion upon Committees in general and ;that on Public Works in particular. He alleged ,in tones ' more of sorrow than of anger,' but where hostility to constituted authority was perceptible amidst- sympathy for an oppressed /'people, that incapacity was the prevailing attribute of the committee, and neglect of the -public interest the'only result of its delibera tions. The dignity of the committee was severely wounded by this* onslaught, and, of course, so was that of the members thereof, two ,of whom, Messrs. Ollivier and Hall, waxed wrath in reply. Mr. Ollivier took the trouble -to prove the value of the committee and the . iself-sacrifice of the members for the public good. Mr. Hdll's indignation took a loftier tone. He did know whether Mr. Davis's speech exhibited greater -ignorance of the subject, oi\ greater recklessness in assertion. He did not wish the hon. gentleman altogether to give up making' speeches 'in the House, for that would deprive them of much amusement, but he would recommend him to choose such subjects, &c, &c. This Htlle personal attack created much amusement in the House and Gallery. A question likely to become one of much interest was brought forward on Thursday. There is a point in dispute between the Super- . intendent and the Waste Lands Board which has been virtually referred to the Council for decision. The case appears from the correspondence read in the House to st-ind somewhat thus : — The board decideJ a disputed claim to a run, and inflicted a penalty upon the wrongful clai- . mant, for trespass. The penalty was paid after some demur, and with a threat of an action in .thej Supreme Court against the board, on the j ground that they acted beyond their jurisdiction. The board narrated the circumstances in a communication tj the Superintendent, and applied for legal advice to be rendered them, at Government expense, in defending the action, and also for a guv ran toe against loss from the result of the action., The Superintendent, however, adopted as a ,line of 'argument, in reply, that the board was not a department of Government, but was liable to actions against it by pait'es aggrieved, just like a Bench of Magistrates, and must bear the consequences oi' any judgment •given by it, unless 'given to the " best of its ability, and in accordance with the regulations; and, as for a guarantee,'the Superintendent had no funds at his disposal for such & purpose, -and' must decline making any promises. The Council is appealed to, either to '

giye tjie guarantee of indemnity or not, and must therefore judge the whole question. It will not 'be for want of unity of purpose jn the • members of the board if they lose their j case, for they hang together in the Councjl and outside with a most conspicuous espr.it de corps, and back up one another with all, $iejr | energy. We make ,bold to predict that if ,circumstances ever produce a new monarchy in this settlement, it will spiing from the i elements of this powerful board, and survey- ' ors and chain bearers will be officers of state. ,So complete is this union of pommissioneus that the provincial Secretary, ■ who is one of them ex officio, in introducing the subject to the Council quite forgot that he ought to be the mouthpiece of his Honor, and argued his own dtse and that of the corporate body ,to which he belongs with an unction qui^e cheering ,to the opposition. The subject really contains a principle of no small importance, and will well deserve the serious consideration of the Council. Yesterday was Rent-day at the Land office, when the License fees on all runs held under the Regulations of last year have to be paid. In consequence the towns have been full of stockowners and gentleman connected with the pastoral interest. We presume they will take the opportunity of this large attendance to discuss _in public some questions of great importance to the pastoral interests, such as the Scab Oidinance and the amendment thereto now proposed. Mr. Foley has met the occasion by providing entertainment for the influx of up-the-country visitors, playing on Thursday and Friday night and again this evening ; after which 'he is to give a series of entertainments in Lyttelton. There is to be a town site reserved at Talbot Forest, which wants a name. The Provincial Council is aoked to give one. No doubt they will take the name of some person prominent in our own little history. It should be referred to the select Committee on Public Works. The Canterbury arrived from Wellington yesterday afternoon. She reports the Maori as arrived in that port fromOtago. SheleftGravesend Jan. 3rcl,andarrivedat Dunedin April 16th; bringing alarge number of passengers and a, quantity of cargo for Wellington and this port. The Canterbury brings us on fifteen passengers t transhipped from the Maori, and a lull cargo. The Ann Wilson had sailed. We have one later paper, of the 28th ult. The account we gave on Wednesday of the proceedings against the captain of the Aim Wilson is confirmed. We have not room to day for further particulars. There is no other news of general importance. The weather, that inexhaustible topic, scarcely comes to our relief, remaining the same as it has been for some weeks, calm and beautiful.