Correspondence.

Lyttelton Times, Volume VIII, Issue 503, 29 August 1857, Page 5

Correspondence.

To the Editor of the Lyttelton Times. Sib,—l cannot pass unnoticed a letter in your last issue from Mr. Thomson of the Mary Thomson, which accords praise to myself at the expense of a junior officer of my department. Mr. Cooper, in closing at three p.m., only follows his instructions and observes the law. The hour for closing against general business is the same as at the Bank. I should be glad to extend the hours of clearance to four o'clock and later, as I was accustomed to do formerly; the business of the port, however, has increased too much, and the department is too weak handed to admit of this. The proper hour for presenting clearance papers is two o'clock. Mr. Thomson, in point of fact, was an hour and eight minutes late, instead of eight minutes only. And if at all careful of risking twenty-four hours' detention as a prudent man, one would think he would have been 10 minutes before instead of 8 after the supposed hour of closing. A complaint against the department comes with but sorry grace from Mr. Thomson, who had only a few days previously rendered himself liable to a penalty, which was not pressed ' against him, for leaving the port without any clearance at all. I am, sir, yours obediently, J. W. HAMILTON, Collector of Customs. To the Editor of the Lyttelton Times. Sis, —If } rour correspondent" Obtuse" thinks that there is any other interest in this colony more important than that of the sheepfarmers, and will state what that interest is, giving figures to support what he says, I shall be glad to furnish any statistical information I possess to prove the contrary. " Obtuse" expects me to prove that the interest of the sheepfarmers is of more importance than nearly all the other interests in the colony put together. With as much reason I might be asked to show that the cotton interest is more important than all the other interests in the United States, because it is the chief interest! % I remain, Sir, Tour obedient servant, FRED. BANKS. Lyttelton, 28th August, 1857.