Local Intelligence.

Lyttelton Times, Volume X, Issue 626, 6 November 1858, Page 5

Local Intelligence.

-The first arrival for nearly a fortnight occurred yesterday in the shape of the Sarah from Auckland, by which vessel we have been refreshed by the sight,of.the 'New Zealander' newspaper, acceptable not only for its novelty, which would be sufficient attraction considering that we have riot had a iournal from the outer world for so long a time, but also from the factof itscontaming several interesting items of news, which we present to our readers elsewhere. ■ Among our local matters the Council business 'stands first. The detailed estimates for public works which are proposed by the Government will.be found in our report of proceedings. These figures would form the most interesting part of the business of the session, but that the greatest design of all among the undertakings for the year does not enter into them. Not more unanimity, but not quite bo much displayed combativeness, characterises the proceedings of the Council; partly because there have been under consideration few questions of any interest since the defeat of the Boards Bill, but chiefly because the energies are being reserved for the Report .of. the Public Works Committee. Meantime the Provincial Secretary is being badgered with motions to place •sums on the estimates for all sorts of different purposes; and sometimes he agrees against his will, and sometimes he consents willlingly, and -sometimes he is able to combat the demand. On Thursday evening he managed to resist a rather large request from Kaiapoi, when the members for that district were the plaintiffs, and himself and his colleagues sole defendants.

This reminds us that we have a delicate compliment to pay our contemporary for his playful sally of Thursday, 'We had thought that the ■* Lyttelton Times ' could do that sort of thing pretty well, but we must confess to feeling uncertain about any superiority henceforward. We heartily appreciate the playfulness of the satire and testify willingly to the greater effect of this style than the bitter. Above all, wo are captivated with the evident remembrance of old jokes, and for this alone would forgive without forgetting.

The sitting of* the Circuit Court is announced in our paper .of to-day to take place on Tuesday, the 9th instant. We are instructed to state that, though the court will begin to sit on that day, the attendance of those summoned as special jurymen will,not he required. till the hour of eleven a.m. on the second day after the arrival of the White Swan from Wellington. The causes set down for trial are Bray v. Burke, in which the issues were settled before the judge- in Chambers on Tuesday; Bowler v. M'Kenzie and another; and Varnham v. the same, being the ttvo actions for libel against the " Independent" newspaper. For these .the special jury lists have been struck. There is another cause set down, viz., Baker v. Schroder, but for this ho jury- has been struck, nor is there' any one here instructed to appear for the defendant.

The instance alluded to above of the judge sitting in Chambers is the first which has occurred in this province: we notice that the practice will be continued by a sitting for the disposal of motions or other business, every Friday morning for the future. We are informed that the road line from -• Barry's Bay. to the mouth of Little River is now open by the completion of the benching last week, not only over the hill but along the lake, as laid out by Mr. Harman. This road will be of the greatest service to settlers on that side of the Peninsula; and when the operations now in progress for providing a drainage from the Ellesmere lake so as to keep the water always down are completed, a capital riding road will be afforded from the Plains to Akaroa by this route. A case of death by exposure occurred in one of the cold nights of the past week, between Rangiora and Mount Grey. A man, whose surname is unknown^ set out with two others (one named Noble), towards Mount Grey, and had to be left behind at some distance from their destination; in the morning he was found a corpse. An inquest will of course be held, but it is,not likely that any further facts of consequence will be elicited. We have to remind the members of the Church of England in Lyttelton that the adjourned meeting to discuss plans for the erection of a church will be held on Monday evening, at 7 o'clock.