Local Intelligence.

Lyttelton Times, Volume VIII, Issue 491, 18 July 1857, Page 4

Local Intelligence.

The Queen of Perth has arrived, bringing dates from Sydney to the 29th ultimo. There is no later news from Europe. A serious flood had happened in the Hunter district on the 22nd June and succeeding days. Immense damage had been done. Subscriptions in aid of the sufferers were being collected. | The foundation of a college in Canterbury, fone of the principal items in that part of the I Association's scheme which was peculiar to it as I a Church of England colonizing body, is about Ito become an actual fact. The Provincial Coun*cil, during its last session, considering itself in some measure a successor of the Association, followed up the praiseworthy intention, which for a time had not been realized, and aided its development in a practical manner by a grant of £500 towards the buildings. We see it announced, accordingly, that on Friday next, the 24th instant, the ceremony of laying the foundation of Christ's College, Canterbury, will take place. The commencement of the actual edifice will thus be visible to the eye. The College in posse, with Warden, Sub-Warden, and Fellows, has been constituted some two years, under an ordinance of the Council and a Deed of Foundation. The Bishop of Christchurch, as Warden, will perform the ceremony on Friday, in the Government Domain on the west side of the town of Christchurch.

The once lofty church of Lyttelton is now nearly level with the ground. The upright timbers, and the bare frame of the side aisles, are now alone visible. So much progress has been made towards converting a useless into a useful building. The process has been satisfactory, and, though not rapid, perhaps not slower than the contemporaneous process of getting ready the taste, skill, money, and we may add, energy, for the new building. We believe that a large portion of the money required is forthcoming,—no thanks to ourselves, for it is the munificent donation of a friend of the colony in England, Sir Walter James, —but we should like to see some steps taken towards the application of the funds and materials applicable to the purpose. We give to-day the abstract of the census taken m March last. The figures give at a glance the statistics of population and wealth in the various districts. The exact boundaries of these districts are not expressed, but we conclude that, they are similar to those which

divide the country for electoral or road-making1 purposes.

We also give to-day the usual return of the exports of the province for the past quarter, compiled from Custom House records. We must remark that in the return given for the previous quarter, published on the 13th May last, the exports coastwise were not included. They have been added into this quarter, and so make the totals somewhat larger than they should be. The half-year's export is however thus rendered correct. The wool despatched during this period amounts to 759,269ft5., of the estimated value of £50,435. Wool to the value of £5,400, belonging to this season, had previously been shipped; and, since the expiration of the quarter, two additional shipments, which probably complete the export for the season, have been made to the weight of 26,870 lbs and of the estimated value of £1,920, thus raising the total value of the wool grown and exported from Canterbury for the season of 1856-7 to £57,755. The number of bales is not given in the Customs records and is of little importance, but we reckon them from other sources of information at 2,868. The value is estimated, pretty generally, at 15d. per pound. We regret that the latest intelligence from Akaroa is to the effect that after very diligent search by large parties from Satm'day morning till Tuesday evening last, nothing had been seen or heard of Mr. Dicken. The search was to be continued for another day, when the whole of the country around, every gully, it is said, for miles, would have been explored. Strange to say, the dog which accompanied Mr. Dicken has not returned, nor have an}7- howls or barks from the animal been heard during the search. The dog will probably be the means of discovering the body, should it really be the case that the unfortunate gentleman has lost his life. Till the body is found of course we cannot be sure of his loss. We believe that on next Thursday evening Mr. Foley's theatre in this town will open with a selection of. two of the most excellent of those / numerous farces which have appeared on the London stage within the last five years. Mrs. Foley's wonderful powers as an actress of comedy will thus be first exhibited; and,'as the season progresses, there will be more than one opportunity presented to develop the tragic powers which that lady possesses in, if possible, a still greater degree. From the farces we have indicated to such a play as the Lady of Lyons, the production of which, we believe, is contemplated, there is a wide range of plot and character, the representation of which will give our fellow settlers an opportunity of judging whetheror.no the /unanimous landations of our contemporaries in the colonies where Mr. and Mrs. Foley have already appeared, are deserved. The only item of intelligence concerning political matters that we have to record is that an addition has been made to the Executive Council. Mr. Bowen, of Milford, who has been Speaker of the Council since its enlargement, having frequently refused, by reason of his holding that office, to accept any appointment in the Executive, has now been appointed President^ of the Council, his duties as Speaker having virtually concluded. The Executive Council now consists, therefore, of five : Mr. Bowen, President, the Provincial Secretary, the Provincial Solicitor, and Messrs. Cass and Harman, the full legal number according to the ordinance.

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