The Lyttelton Times.

Lyttelton Times, Volume IX, Issue 558, 10 March 1858, Page 5

The Lyttelton Times.

Wednesday, Marcli, lOt/t. The news from India which we have been iible to glean out of papers brought from the Cape by the Roehampton will be found in another part of to-day's issue. By other arrivals we are in possession of later news from the surrounding provinces and colonies, for the details of which we have not at present space to spare. The chief points may be shortly noticed. From New South Wales our dates are to the 6th ult. The weather, is stated to be very dry and warm, so much so as to give gardens and fields a parched appearance ; the best wells were nearly dry, and. the prospects of agriculture were far from encouraging. South Australian wheat crops had been found unexpectedly deficient at the commencement of harvest, the cause being stated to be a rust on the straw. The elections were proceeding in the country districts of New South Wales with considerable animation. Thirty-four out of the fifty-four seats were filled up. The three captured seamen of the Junior were undergoing an examination at the i Water Police Court, which had lasted several days without being concluded, A fourth, Cartha, was brought into Sydney i from Twofold. Bay on the 4th Feb. Some attacks upon the Mail Company still appear in the papers.

From Auckland we received papers by the Henry to the 17th ult. ; and by the Spray to the 23rd. The Provincial Council was still sitting-; the business before them included the. consideration of several private ca*es, and seems to have been undertaken in the true municipal spirit. A 1 Diversion of Roads Bill,' to the same end as the rejected one of Canterbury, had passed through the Council. The Provincial Solicitor stated that this bill was entirely founded on that of this province, and that none of the credit was due to himself. A new ' Waste Lands Bill/ had passed, and a ' Police Bill'was before the house. The subject of the manufacture of flax, we are glad to see, has not been dropped by the 'New Zealander.' The brig Gertrude was to be despatched to bring up the Otago and Canterbury Members of Assembly. There is no mention of the arrival of Chief Justice Arney. Hawke's Bay is evidently flourishing. We have news to the 27th ult. There had been several arrivals with cargo and passengers; among them the Easttield on the 7th, with a detachment of 100 of the 65 th Eegiment, 200 more being on their way from Wellington. The troops encamped on, Onepoto Valley; mit barracks were about to be commenced for their accommodation. This forms a fine start J for Napier. The Southern Cross sailed , for Wellington on the 26th ult., with 650 bales of wool, after a stay of nine weeks. Overland communication with Auckland was nearly perfected. A promise had been I got from Wellington of an ordinance to vest' in a local board the management of the harbour of Napier. ' Separation' was still the war-cry.

Prom the other side of the island, Taranaki, we find that on Feb. 13, Ihaia had left the neighbourhood of the Bell Block for the Waitara, where the seat of war was expected to be laid ; Katatore's party destroyed all that Ihaia had left, and pursued him, when some destruction of life and much of property was effected on each side. The militia, under Captain Brown, to the force of 400 men, was to be called out after harvest; the troops located in the town would act in cooperation with them. Meanwhile, Katatore's party had been recruited, and the Kaipakopako' allies declared that nothing short of Ihaia's annihilation would content them. Ihaiaiswell provisioned and in good spirits. A Proclamation has been issued by the Governor declaring that persons unlawfully assembled with arms in the neighbourhood of Taranaki shall be considered as in arms against the Queen's authority, and shall be summarily proceeded against by the military and civil authorities. The Bishop of New Zealand arrived on the 17th in the Southern Cross and proceeded to Nelson. From Wellington, with news to March 3, we are informed that Dr. Welch had been lecturing on Municipal Institutions for the %^ City, that a Council contest was at once to take place for the Country District, between Mr. Joseph Bowler and Mr. Schultze j find that the Wizard Jacobs had arrived. The Tariff question is ably handled in the ' Spectator;' the Report of the Chamber of Commerce on this question is forwarded to us, and we shall take an early opportunity of discussing it. Mr. James Smith hall j

met the immigrants of the Black Ball Line to hear and answer their complaints • but little came of the investigation. The Cheetah arrived from Sydney on the 25th ult. There is no news from Wanganui. From Nelson, our dates are to the 27th ult. The Provincial Council had adjourned for harvest, and had met again. Meetings were being held on the state of the Dun Mountain Copper Mining Company. Mr. Hackett had inspected the mine and reported that there was not sufficient copper there to pay for the working; he was almost prepared to deny that any lode was in existence there. A road was to be formed from Colling wood to the Quartz ranges. Attacks are made upon the Trustees of the Nelson Trust Funds for misappropriation; on what appear to us to be technical grounds. The Bishop of New Zealand arrived on the 25th ult., and was to stay a few days. Nothing is said about the gold fields.