Local Intelligence.

Lyttelton Times, Volume X, Issue 595, 17 July 1858, Page 4

Local Intelligence.

The land sales for. the' quarter ended 30th June brought in £16,878 los. The pasturage rents received during that period amounted to £7394 15s. 7d. These amounts together with £9 for timber cutting licenses,'show a receipt of £24,282 10s. 7d. on account oX waste lands during the last quarter. It must be remeni' bered tha.fc the' greater part of the pasturage rents of the "province fell due during this quarter. The receipts for the previous quarter, ended 31st March were:—Land sales, £13,568 10s.; pasturage rents, £1067 16s. Id. j timber cutting licenses, £I'los. • and forfeited deposits, £4; making in all £14,641 16s. Id; so that the gross receipts for the half-year have been £38,924 6s. Bd. '

At a sale of town, land held on Tuesday by Mr. Longden, "at Christchurch, half-an-acre fronting on the river, and having also frontages on' Armagh-street and Manchester-street, fetched ,£2OO cash. Other sections, although' situated in a good business part oft, he town,, 'were not sold,,the navigable part of the river ;presenting- a greater attraction! The value of Exports from this port during the last half year amounts to £100,596 12s. Od., while the Imports for the same period were to the value of £97,462 los. 2d., viz.: £38,352 10s. 2d. for. the March quarter, and £59,110 us. Od. for the June quarter. The Customs revenue for the March quarter -was £4,141 os. 6a.', and ,'fbf the June quarter £6,008 15s. 6d., making for the half year £10,149 16s. Od. The half year ending June, .being that' in -which most; of the wool is shipped, shows of course a.pauch larger amount of export than the "latter half of thejyear.r. But with respect to imports, and consequently revenue, we may generally look for an increase towards the end of the year.

- On Tuesday- evening last, a general meeting of the 'members of the Lyfctelton Colonists' Society and Literary Institution took place at the Town Hall, for the purpose of- hearing the annual report, and- electing officers and committee for the ensuing year. < After passing a well-merited eulogium on -Mr. Fitz Gerald for the benefits conferred by him on the Society, during its early and more feeble stages, and thanking all those who had assisted by lectures, &c, the Report goes on to say :—

" The additions to our Library both by donations and purchase during the year have, been considerable, and we might say have continuously added, to the usefulness and value of our. institution. It is at this point we refer with satisfaction to the recognition of our society by the Provincial Council in granting the seasonable and most acceptable addition to our revenues, by voting the sum of fifty pounds at the late sittings. This contribution has enabled the society to purchase a considerable number of books on the spot at very reasonable prices, besides remitting the sum of ten pounds for a twelve months' supply of the best magazines and periodicals, and a further sum of twenty-two pounds for the purchase of works not already in the library. This work has been entrusted to Messrs. Smith, Elden and Co., Publishers, London, who will be materially aided in their work by the catalogue compiled and published during the present year, as also by a list of works prepared by the Library sub-committee.

" Referring to the financial state of the society the balance sheet prepared by the hon. secretary will afford the best index to our figures, and' the flattering s v,ate of our finances at the close of the year must be gratifying to every member, especially when the outlay for books and printing the catalogues, aa also the amount remitted to England, are taken into consideration '" A special contribution from F. Banks, Esq., has enabled the sub-committee to alter and improve the library,by additional fittings, adding much to the comfort of- the members, and entitling that gentleman to our sincere thanks."

After the election a vote of thanks was passed by acclamation to each of the past officers, and to the very'active and courteous librarian, Mr. Mills, who tendered his resignation during the evening, to the regret of all present. The following are the officers and committee elected : — Mr. A. J, Alport, President; Mr. P. Banks, VicePresident ; Mr. C. W. Turner, Secretary. Corn-initteer-Dr. Donald, Messrs. Balestiee, Allwright, Ward, Wilcox, Wright, McLeod, Graham, Mayo, Mills, Beeby, Scott, Cameron, McPherson, Hassal, Palmer, Fyfe, Hey wood. The following memorial has been handed to us for publication.

The memorial; of the undersigned inhabitants n r .Lyttelton, to the. Trustees of! the To Wn .Hall, Lyttelton , . , , ■ ,\°™ n . Humbly, sheweth that your memorialists haw .heard with great regret that you have >: refused the Use of the said buildingto Mr. Cox/ comedian for the purpose of .a theatre.- Whilst: your memorialists readily concede the purity of your motives as regards'such refusal; J< they • would respectfully call attention to-the'fact that the Government' of I Canterbury have directed that the Hall shall be used for all public purposes at the will of the community at' Lytteltonj and that a very large majority of the inhabitants of the town are favorable to dramatic' representations morally conducted is, in the opinion of your'memorialists, a sufficient reason why the request of Mr. Cox should be complied with. • • Your memorialists would beg to observe that the conscientious objections to dramatic representations held by a certain portion of the public, though worthy of respect, ought not to be unconstitutionally enfonced in opposition to the desire of a respectable portion of the community who entertain diverse views on the subject. The conscientious objector need not visit the theatre and therefore his freedom would not be invaded' But if, on the ground of his supposition • that theatrical entertainments are pernicious, the supporter of the drama is to be refused the use of the only building in the tdwn< available for a theatre, and that building public' property then is he deprived of a portion of his right as- a citizen, his wishes are disregarded, and his taste and judgment insulted.

These views your memorialists hope' will induce you to reconsider-your decision, and lead you to grant the request of your memorialists that the Town' Hall may be used at seasonable times for theatrical ' representations.'— £Here follow.the signatures, about 100 in number.] Nine of the sailors on board the Maori refused'to do further duty, and were brought before Messrs. Hamilton and Donald yesterday1 at the Police Court. They had no complaint to urge, so far as we 'could ascertain, further than the forecastle being too dark, and the worst m which they had ever been. The presiding Magistrate asked them if it were repaired would they return to their duty. They answered" in the negative, and collectedly told the Court that they had made up their minds to go to jail before they left the ship. - The Bench sentenced them accordingly to .twelve weeks' imprisonment with hard labor. ' , <■, ,

When the immigrants per- Maori-landed, they were temporarily furnished at the Barracks, which, we are glad to perceive, has been considerably improved and enlarged with additional rooms, and otherwise rendered more commodious and comfortable than, heretofore. The immigrants are, with very few exceptions, a prime, healthy loty including several; mechanics, and nearly all of them have been already engaged. : - . , - .'