Local Intelligence.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XI, Issue 644, 8 January 1859, Page 5

Local Intelligence.

The arrival of the ; Olontarf on Thursday has filled our. town with the bustle and crowd which we now look for regularly once a month. This ship brings in a larger number than usual of regular country-bred agricultural labourers, just in time, after the period required for settling down into their places, to lend their aid in the approaching harvest; which we wish, by-the-bye, was likely to show as great an increase over former years in .abundance, as would be proportionate to the advance of the province in other respects. Though not a^ few of the arrivals by the Clontar/ are "°to order," or, in other: words, coming to friends already in the province, the number in all is so large, that not fewer than usual will be open for engagement generally. . ° The weather during the past three days has taken a turn very advantageous to the dwellers on our parched hillsides, as well as to those who on the plains watch over the interests of certain fields of grain crops and garden. The exceedingly hot weather which prevailed lately, and especially at the beginning of the week, was only the prelude to : thirfcy : six hours of as soft and delicious a rain as ever moistened the path of a ' Habitans in Sicco,' or replenished the dusty water butts. The effect upon the country must be no less beneficial, as it has come at a time to forward crops in general, without any particular crop being in a condition to suffer by it. Wheat maintains its old price of ss. 6d. per bushel for ordinary samples, and there seems to be nothing to indicate a change. If anything, wheat is more freely. purchasable at the present time than it was a month ago or . so; and certainly the demand is not brisker. Notwithstanding.these circumstances, the millers of Christchurch .have raised the price of flour, which has been £18 but is now £20 per ton. ; NEW YEAR'S DAY AT RANGIORA. At this rising township, the new year was ushered in by a festival of a peculiarly agreeable kind ; in which, with very few exceptions, all the inhabitants of the neighbourhood took, part, at the invitation^ we believe, of Mr. H. Torlesse. At about 10 o'clock in the morning, the wickets were pitched in Mr. Torlesse's large paddock, for a match between married and single j and the game was kept up with great spirit all day. Without giving the .details of the score, it is sufficient to state that the single men sustained'a severe defeat. In another part of the paddock, the hoys also played an animated game at cricket until other sports drew them away. At about 3 o'clock, the cricketers, bothyoungandold,and several spectators, dined in a spacious booth, provided and furnished by ■ Mr. Foster of ■ the Lion Hotel. After dinner the elder cricketers returned to their game.. The" younger people all joined in foot races, for small prizes given by ladies. The ; children were classed according to their age and sex, and thus as many as twenty or thirty different contests were made to include nearly every child on the ground, and even many of the grown-up people. At about 5 o'clock tea, cakes, and bread and butter were distributed by Mrs. H. Torlesse and other ladies to all those who choose to partake, from a large table on the lawn. The children were helped first, being seated on . a sail spread out on the grass, to the number of eighty-six. Blind man's buff and other games succeeded, in one of the paddocks, until about 7 o'clock, when the company were summoned to a large booth erected on Mr. H. Torlesse's lawn, wherein charades, comic songs, and recitations kept them in full amusement till 10 o'clock, when the proceedings were wound up by singing " God save the Queen," and votes of thanks to these who exerted themselves to promote so popular and cheerful a festival. About 180 persons were present at the dramatic performances'; and the neat dresses, together with the animated countenances of the whole company, young and old, from beginning to end of the rejoicings, bore ample testimony to the prosperity and good fellowship of this promising neighbourhood. The example set by the Rangiora people well deserves to, be imitated in otherportions of this settlement, for a yearly festival of the inhabitants of any district, including all ages and all ranks, tends no less to reconcile temporary differences than to cement and strengthen old friendships, while it also affords the best possible opportunity of reviewing the annual progress of the neighbourhood. The originators of this happy feast, and the people who so cordially responded to the invitation, equally deserve credit.for their friendly and united feelings.