The Lyttelton Times.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XI, Issue 684, 28 May 1859, Page 4

The Lyttelton Times.

Saturday, May 28. The Colonial News brought by the Lord Worsley is of the most commonplace character Even New South Wales and Victoria' which often are called upon to gratify the reader's appetite when the mails from Europe are wanting/ present just now no topics of the slightest interest; for record. Except the jottings down of gloomy forebodings by the Melbourne correspondent of the 'Sydney Herald' as to the prospects of the O'Shanassy and Evans ministry, there is positively no subject that excites* attention or discussion in those colonies.

In New Zealand the case is little better. By the present opportunity we hear from Wellington, Hawke's Bay, and Nelson. In the first province political disputation is quiet, and no subjects of general interest have arisen to supply its place. We gather that the Governor returned by the White Swan to Auckland on Saturday or Sunday last, his chief public act in Wellington having been to lay the foundation stone of the new OddFellows' Hall in that town.

The Hawke's Bay Council met again for business on the 16th instant, when the Superintendent, elected again to his vacated seat in the Council, addressed the assembled members in a speech of considerable length. The principal topics of the addressee —an expression of hope that the Council will prove the province to be worthy of the self-governing powers conferred upon it—a justification of their separating from Wellington—an estimate of revenue and expenditure for the current year, in which £3,500 of ordinary revenue1 and £14,000 from land sales are set down as probable receipts—a summary of the measures to be laid before the Council, among which is one to alter the land regulations— and 'a description of some other matters which demanded attention. The sitting concluded by the adoption of standing orders and notices of motion for the next arid succeeding days. The'Herald'after its report of the proceedings makes the following announcement :—• " It has transpired that, at a private meeting of the members, a proposition that they should invest themselves with the designation ' honorable,' was negatived after some discussion. We believe, however, that the Superintendent is to he styled 'His Honor.'" From Nelson, where the Provincial Council has for some little time been sitting, the reports of proceedings drive out general news. From these reports we gather that the Government, having been defeated on the vote of censure noticed in our correspondent's last letter, decline to show themselves ashamed or to shape their proceedings like those of defeated ministers. This occasions some strictures by the l Examiner' on the cowardice of public men. The revenne for the current year is estimated at £59,000, of which £33,000 is land revenue. A fact is stated, confirming this expectation, that lately land at the Amuri, perhaps as good as any in the colony, was sold in one day to the value of £27,000, at the upset price of 10s. per acre. Nelson is still naturally angry that the post office regulation for sorting the mail separately for the different provinces has not yet been carried into effect, their mail going on to Wellington.