Local Intelligence.

Lyttelton Times, Volume IX, Issue 563, 27 March 1858, Page 5

Local Intelligence.

At the meeting of the committee appointed at the late Indian Relief Meeting, which was held on Tuesday last, it was resolved that the best mode of proceeding was to appoint sub-commit-tees for each district into which the province might be conveniently divided. The town of Lyttelton was left to act in a great measure for itself, proceedings being simply initiated by the appointment of the following gentlemen, who are residents in Lyttelton, on the General Committee:—Rev. B. W. Dudley, Messrs. Alport, Banks, Bayfeild, Beeby, Bowler, Campbell, Cookson, Dampier, Donald, Dransfield, 3?yfe, J. S. Gundry, Hamilton, Hargreaves, Latter, Le Cren, M'Cheane, Palmer, Parkinson, Stoddart, Waitt, and Ward. We are desired to say that the first meeting of this committee will be held on Monday next, at 11 a.m., at the. Town Hall, with a view to commence proceedings. It will be seen from advertisements which have appeared in our columns that the'extension of the local posts system is being proceeded with, in compliance with the intentions of the Council. The undertakings of last year will of course be renewed at the date of expiration, viz., the Ist of April, but the new lines of communication, from Akaroa to Okains Bay, from Kaiapoi to Eangiora, and from Christchurch to Timaru, are not to be open for a month later. By a proclamation which appears in our issue to-day, we learn that the penny rate of postage for letters between any one place and another is maintained throughout, except in the case of Timaru, from which place letters will pay at the rate of two-pence per half-ounce. Newspapers are to be carried for one penny, universally. We are given to understand that there will be some competition for the contracts. . . , . A neat and well finished omnibus was landed from the Hastings the day before yesterday. It has been imported by Messrs. Wheeler and Nurse, and is intended to ply between Christchurch and Lyttelton. Being adapted to carry upwards of twenty passengej-s/it will no doubt be found to answer well for the accommodation of the increasing passenger traffic between the two towns. Being a genuine ' bus' both in construction, colour, and fittings, it attracted a good share of attention when put together, and passing through the town. The lease of the tolls of the Lyttelton jetty for one year "was sold on Thursday by the Government at auction. The upset price was the amount of rent before paid, £125, which was an advance of only £5 on the rent of the previous year. On the present occasion, however, competition raised the tenders to £275, at which price it was knocked down to the previous tenant, Mr. Genet. It was remarked, on the part of the Government, that the jetty would be under alteration during the year, but, if closed, a corresponding payment of rent would be remitted. The lease binds the Government to execute all the larger repairs. Contracts have been let from the office of Public Works for the construction of the beach road at Akaroa, to connect the French and English portions of the town; also for the pathway to the church, and the road to the cemetery. The Gertrude left this port for Auckland on Wednesday afterncon, with the members of the General Assembly from this province and Otago. The day of departure was cold and wet, and so stormy as to render the boat passage from the shore to the ship most uncomfortable; but the wind was fortunately from a favourable .quarter, and, as it blew for 30 hours afterwards, would carry the Gertrude a long way on her destination. The little Canterbury, crowded with passengers, took advagtage of the same breeze, as also did the Mary Clarke.

The Highlanders in INDiA.-~The following extract of a letter from India will show the extraordinary effect on the native mind by the appearance of the Highlanders : —■" The Sepoys on this side of India have never seen them. At first they took them for women sent out to avenge the massacre of the ladies at Cawnpore. The battle of Onao disabused them of that idea, and the Highlanders were pronounced' petticbated devils.' Still they were a puzzle. The sepoys could understand the existence of the devils, but could not comprehend why they should be barelegged. At last the truth came out. The devils were barelegged in order more, conveniently to break sepoys across their kneesj A sepoy of the 73rd, who happened to be.in Calcutta, on their arrival, reported on his return to his regiment that the English were sending out monsters' with legs like elephants, faces covered with hair like wild beasts, and blood-red eyes. The Highlanders are, in truth, a singular contrast to the people of the low country. On the arrival of the 42nd a Sircar or Bengalee clerk had occasion to go\ on board the vessel. A Highlander stepped un to him, and looked at him'long and curiously; then catching him by the waist^eheld him

It appears that the homo Government are about to_ establish a weekly communication with India. The main points of an arrangement are said to have been agreed between the Government and the Peninsular and Oriental Company for a mail to and from India four times a month instead of twice, as at present. It is intended to effect this by making the dispatch of the mails to and from Bombay to alternate, as regards dates, with the departure of the mails to and from Calcutta, apian which will bring 4i' mails each way to Suez every month, the company undertaking to place such additional steamers on the Marseilles and Alexandria station as shall suffice to convey four mails per month, both outward and homeward, between those ports. The Cwmbyle mine, near the summit of Snowdon, is likely to turn out a profitable speculation, a lode of copper of several feet in thickness having been discovered.— tNorth Wales Chronicle.