Local Intelligence.

Lyttelton Times, Volume X, Issue 602, 11 August 1858, Page 5

Local Intelligence.

An active correspondent at Akaroa writes us oa the 7th inst., that the Maories a* Ikolaki have succeeded in capturing another couple of whales, making four in all during the season. It appears that our aboriginal neighbours mean to "take the shine out of" the more intelligent and civilised race, at least, in one branch of enterprise, that promises well to become a material item of future export.

It is remarked that .in Englishman always commences a conversation with any acquaintance he meets, with observations on the weather, but really for the last fortnight, hardly any thing else is talked of in Canterbury. During this week there is nothing heard but " what shocking,"—" what horrible," —" what beastly w eat her;" and certainly for incessant rain with a cold Southwester, we back our recent weather for disagreeableness against the seasons by heavy odds. Yesterday's rain was a continuous torrent all day. where even the ingenious gem of the Emerald Isle who could keep himself dry by slanting his body between the drops, would have no chance whatsoever. It would requh'e more than " Murphy's Weather-eye" to determine how long this may continue. On Mondaj', the Bench of Magistrates transferred the license for the Canterbury Hotel, according to application, from the late landlord, Mr. Davis, to Mr. John Caton.

James Smith, master of the Reliance, appeared on Monday before the Bench of Magistrates to answer to the information of the Collector of Customs, for the breaking of bulk before duo report of the said ship, or due entry of the goods had been made. A second information charged the defendant with having made an untrue report of the packages or "parcels of goods on board the vessel, at the time of her arrival in port. The defendant admitted both the charges, but pleaded in mitigation that he was a stranger on the coast, and was not aware that he Infringed any law by what he had done. It,appears that he had on board some goods for patties at Jacob's River, irv the province of Otago, -which lie landed there, and got the signature of a party,—not an authorised agent of the customs, there being none at that port,—which, he thought sufficient. It is very probable that the defendant did not intend to defraud tho customs, but the Collector had no alternative

""'but to take notice of such irregularity. The 1 Bench fined the defendant £100 on each information, making, £200 in all. / The Collector, however, allowed the money to be deposited in the Union Bank,, subject5 to be withdrawn by the Collector for the time being, by a cheque countersigned by the Resident Magistrate, pend-. ing a reference to.be made to. the Customs authorities at Otago, on the question of how far they sanctioned the defendant's proceedings. : It seems the advertisement of the butchers^ has raised a nest of hornets about their, ears,; for in addition to the complaints of our various! ,-, correspondents hv to-day's issue, ,thei publicj ■ seemingly are becoming sensible of the necessity) 1 of bestirring themselves to secure the ■obtaining: • of ihe necessaries of life at reasonable-rates.: 'The items of bread and fuel referred to by some '; of bur correspondents, must, of course, be inclu-j ded in the category of these necessaries, and nothing can more forcibly illustrate the Tjenefits of ample and sound competition than the injustice; inflicted on the community by the harrassing monopoly of their supply. We have had numberless complaints on the subject of fuel, the : rarity of fair measure, and exorbitant charges. A proper municipality would soon rectify these abuses, and, ■we believe that nothing short of such, a measure will either be permanently •effectual or satisfactory to the existing feelings of the public.