Correspondence.

Lyttelton Times, Volume X, Issue 632, 27 November 1858, Page 5

Correspondence.

To the Editor of the Lyttelton Times. , Sir, —I was not aware, until I read the speech of Mr. Ward in the Council, on Tuesday last, that any portion of tho Electors of the Port. Victoria District were dissatisfied , with ita present boundaries, or that any portion of them had at any time complained of their interests being over-ridden by the influence of others in the riande district, but situated in a different locality. .. , . ; • . „ . \i .•■'., . Really, sir, I am pot convinced, that depriving Port Victoria of a large and influential porjioa of its constituency would have been so beneficial or pleasing to trie remainder as the honorablo member for Lyttelton seems to think. Had his bill been proceeded with; things might have gone farther than he had intended. We might have seen some plain minded member anxious to apply the lino and level to the unpleasing inequalities of the, Port Victoria District; and at length despairing of reconciling the interests of the Heathcote Valley with'thejwishes of Port, Levy, or the opposite tendencies of the dwellers by the Sumher Bar, with the desires of those. who, for seven long years, have nursed their drooping hopes beneath the noses of the seven sleepers, solve the difficulty by suggesting that the Heathcote Valley and Sumner should be handed over to the fostering care of an influential stockowner, and that-the' remainder of .the disfranchised district might swell the followers of the Prince of all the Squatters. , '-,. t -'„, The hon. gentleman accuses 'us of selfishness;; bnt might there not be some larger and irinre patriotic motive than mere selfishness in the opposition of the Port Victoria Elect, ors in the vicinity of Lyttelton to the bill of the honorable gentleman, and might, they not be forgiven for feeling a little extra annoyance on account of the quarter from which this blow to their interests proceeded! Had the blow, sir, been offered by some envious Casca, jealous of the influence of Port Victoria, or from some hungry Cassius, anxious to absorb his portion of toe spoil, we might have borne the insult with-somewhat more philosophy. But that this injury should beofferedby him.'sir, who, a few short-days ago, we might in common with his own con. stituency have the well beloved Brutns,; by him sir, the last' elected yet not least in trust of all the honorable members for Lyttelton! .Why, sirj had every member of the Council, united to assail us, this would have been the unkindest cut' of all. - And' yet we may thank him for being so much more discreet than he who poked his dagger into the ribs of Caesar, for our Brutus has kindly.pocketed his weapon and thereby prevented some politic Mark Anthony from holding forth at some future occasion, on that little grassy spot rendered so interesting from its being the carpet for so many honourable toes, and presenting to the wrathful and indignant gaze of a sympathising public the torn and tattered garment of Port Victoria dignity. I hope, sir,'that our still worthy Brutus will for the future, when urging that justice should be done, riot, quite ignore all consideration of expediency. Now, sir, he may say with Jack Faltitaff, " let the sky rain potatoes," his comfort is,, that he has not done the deed.; and he willj likewise belwilling to allow, that it is a reasonable hope that while one agricultural district in tbe province of Canterbury is represented by the Grand Master' of- the Order of the Fleece, and another by the Patriarch of Timara, the-interests of our district will not receive any considerable amount of damage, because one of its repres entatives happens to be located in the most populous of all its gullies. I will now conclude, Mr. Editor, with" wishing a long and really honourable career to Brntus, and perhaps I may sp:ne day join him in his battle cry of fiat jitstitium, even although that magnificent invocation might be the prelude to. a storm of free and independent favours in the Shape of rotten eggs and cabbage stalks. . Yoursj respectfully, OCTAVIUS.