The Lyttelton Times.

Lyttelton Times, Volume VIII, Issue 532, 9 December 1857, Page 5

The Lyttelton Times.

We&nesday, December 9. The English mail of September, the latest papers of which, via Marsielles, are to the 16th of that month, left Suez in the Columbian steamer on the 27th; arrived in Melbourne on the 14th November; left in the Marchioness for Wellington on the following' day, and reached that port on the 2?th ult; and finally, being despatched on the 30th per Canterbury, came to hand here last Saturday morning, the sth infant. *

The English news of this mail, like that ot the previous month, is unimportant, lhat portion of it at least which deals wztn European affairs contains no very ! prominent item* of interest. The Divorce bill, passed through Parliament, alone requires consideration. The close of tne bession of Parliament on the 28th August set free the Legislature to their amusement and the Executive to their work. As to the former, grouse are reported to be very scarce and poor; while to 1 . tter Indian affairs give more than sufficient employment. A subscription in aid of the sufferers in India which was first set on foot in London, under the auspices of the Lord Mayor, has beenwarmly supported. The Queenhas given£l,ooo, and Prince Albert £300. The Emperor of the French forwards £1,4.00; of which £1,000 is his own donation, and the remainder from the Imperial family. A second Dukedom has been given to Ireland, and a step jin the Peerage to the Marquis of Lansdowne by his creation as Duke of Kerry. Lord Robert Grosvenor has been raised to the Peerage by the title of Baron Ebury; j and on Mr. Macaulay has been conferred j the same dignity without the change of name. Lord Palmerston's choice of Peers is generally acquiesced in, and in the last case is universally applauded. He maintains his credit with the country also by his unwearied attention to business, es- i pecially to the affairs of India. The mail contains one or two items of peculiar interest to these colonies. The maintenance of the price of wool is a most acceptable fact to us all. The more than probable establishment of the long desired inter-colonial and inter-provincial steam , service for New Zealand is also gratifying in the highest degree. Particulars will be found in another place in to-day's issue. As to the main communication between Australia and England, all we can discover is that the amalgamation of the Suez and Panama Companies has actually been formed. All else remains in a disagreeable state of uncertainty. Whether the Panama route is to be neglected, or to be used in conjunction with, or to supersede the present route is not declared. To all appearance the double service would be the natural result of the combination of two companies, one bound by contract to Suez, the other by position to Panama. The further consideration that Few South Wales and New Zealand are ready to pay the whole bonus repuired for the Panama service renders the additional scheme more easy of negotiation at home. The case of the Ann Wilson was brought before Parliament, and a promise of thorough investigation was given., The appointment of Mr. Arney to. the Chief Justiceship of New Zealand, vice Martin, is confirmed.

Our Indian news reaches us in an unsatisfactory way. The early departure of the packet from Melbourne after the arrival of the mails cuts off from us the intelligence which may have reached the journals of that city, but could not be published in time to forward. We are, therefore, indebted to our Wellington contemporaries for the few items of news which were current in Melbourne at the time of the vessel's departure, and have reached them by private hand. The English papers. are full of Indian news, Indian articles, and Indian correspondence; the news is, of course, nearly two months older than we receive direct, but it is put before us in a much more detailed and more connected shape than that in which we are in the habit of obtaining it. Our readers, on referring to the Indian news o-iven in to-day's issue, will find therein every word which has reached us concerning the stirring events which must have taken place during the month elapsed since the last mail.

Looking' to the neighbouring; colonies, whose transactions we are not able to-day to do justice to, we find our latest accounts to be of prosperity and progress. The appearance of small-pox in Melbourne has called for the active interposition of the Government. Sydney is taking precautionary measures against the introduction of the disease by sea. All the New Zealand ports ought evidently to do the same. We trust that, slight as the chance of its introduction into this port may be considered, our Government will not delay to revive the precautions of the Quarantine Regulations, at present a disregarded law. Wellington, its journals inform us, has passed its most agitating times. The Superintendent, chosen by a majority of two to one, is opposed by the same majority of a chosen Council. We look anxiously for the next steps and for the consequent result. Mr. St.Hill is. looked to by the reformers as an opposition candi-

date for the- Superintendency in case of a new election, but he himself is silent. Nelson journals inform us that the nomination of Mr. Hobhouse as bishop of that proposed diocese has been concurred in by the authorities at home. The latest intelligence from the diggings is to the effect that large arrivals continue to take place, and explorations continue, of which there are favourable reports. Still, at our latest advices (Nov. 25th) rain continued to fall, and the melting snow from the mountains contributed to keep the rivers so high that many of the best claims could not be worked. Fine settled weather was anxiously looked for to give the diggers a fair chance of testing the field. We do not discover a single instance of a large nugget or extensive find recorded. We regret to observe that robbery, acts of violence, and other crimes, are not by any means unfrequent. This is a heavy price for the province to pay for its gold. The Superintendent seems to be making himself popular on the diggings.

By a letter which appears in our columns to-day, addressed by Mr. Gibbs, the manager of the New Zealand and Australian Mail Steam Navigation Company, to His Honor the Superintendent, it would appear that we may place confidence in the news conveyed by the "Wellington Independent" of the 28th ult. Mr. Sewell has been as successful in this business as in that portion of his mission which related to finance; and if the terms on which he has made the arrangement are correctly reported by the " Independent," he has certainly made a most satisfactory bargain.

We have only space to add that, as well as we can make out from the plan accompanying the letter addressed to the Superintendent, the routes are to be as follows:—■

The Australian steamer to leave Sydney and Melbourne alternately for Auckland, and to proceed from Auckland to Wellington. The branch provincial steamers to leave Wellington, the one for the southward trip to Canterbury, Otago, and the Bluff, and back to Wellington; the other northwards to Nelson, New Plymouth, Manukau, arid back. No details have come to hand-to'enable U3 to give more accurate information. .... :