Local Intelligence.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XIII, Issue 752, 21 January 1860, Page 4

Local Intelligence.

His Honor the Superintendent has pone up to Auckland to be in readiness to supply the General Government with information on the subject of the Railway Bills of (he past session. For this purpose we understand that he lias taken with him ample statistical fact-* and figures Mr. Ba.ynes, the a^entof Messrs. Kni<jht & Wright, the contractors, went up also per Aire.diile, we believe on a similar errand and simlarly provided. .

- As will be seen from the report given below, the contest for. the representation _of Ohristchurch in (he General Assembly ha* resulted in the defeat of the candidate who came latest intp the field. Mr. SeweH appenrs—if the return #iveil be correct—fo have polled very nearly a nifijiirity of sill the registered electors, althbugh nearly one-third, of them did not vote at all. .

Election excitement is. not yet over. We have in our columns to day. an address from Mr. Jolin* Ollivierresigninsr his seat in the House of Representatives for the Chris'tchurcli ■> country district. Mr. Olliviflr is a representative whom we are sorry to lose; with his fluency in debate and his assiduity in the niinor -points of a member's duty, he gained much credit in the House and amoiii; his constituents in the single session of his attendance;- and we should have--thought him a veiy- unlikely niiin to abandon such a'< vantage ground for the display of his talents. It is an instance, however, of the difficulty which a gentleman injprivate business finds in otFeiiii^ his services to the public, and, shows how incorrect in practice1 is the exclusion of all Government officials from the chance of .obtaining: seats in Iho various legislatures of the colony. Wft see an address from Mr. I. T.^Cookson to the coimtituency thus ahandoned. The fact that so well known a gentleman has come forward so immediately to win I heir siiilrayes must in a measure tend to allay the disappointment of the country district.electors at tlie lo>s of Mr. Ollivier. We have heard, further, that Mr. M. B. Mart, who ran Mr. SeweJl sp close the other day, has Minified hid intention of c*nn.vns»JiiK> 1 l»i«» huu'e constituency, which extends from th(j A^hjpy to tho Waitanui.

But this is not all tlie ejectioneerinij now on font, There is a vaqancy in (lie representation of Kaiapoj in the ■Provincial Council,,i>y the appointment of Mr. Blakiston ,t<> (he. office, of J*royiiiciat Secretary. Mr. IJlakVioiYViiddress hwlcii)./ re-elwlion has appeared .»r»^rip days- jTIP'O. i# that vvo1 )pwp of. '■ " ......;. .».' •' r.'.\i ■;,•;•,.:. _. .

Mr.'Hariiiiiii has been appointed Auditor in the room of Mr. Marshmao, who accepted the Provincial 'lVeasurership, at Ihorcsignntion of Mr. Rowen, One of the seats for the llcathooto District is thus vacated ; but, contrary to expectation, Mr, llartnan stands again for re-election. We cannot but look on it as a bold step on the part'of a gentli-man nowly taking on liimsolf duties which require absolute freedom from bias both towards ihe Council and the Executive, to seek to place himself in a position where he must of necessity take a political part. The electors will not overlook this point, even in the case of a.gentleman so distinguished for his services as Mr. Harman. VVe do not wonder, therefore, that a. lesident in the Heathcote District, Mr. 10. C. Latter, has offered himself as a rival candidate, with, we are informed, no small chance of success.

Another vacancy ia the Council lias been for some time caused from the acceptance of the Provincial Snlicitorship by Mr. Duncan, formerly member for Akaroa. VVe have not yet heard of any steps being taken to fill up this vacancy, though it is alleged that Mr. Duncan will not stand a<r<iin unless it is the expressed wish of the constituency.

Sudd UN Dkath. —On Wednesday lust, a. carpenter named Kllery ft-II dead suddenly at Kaiapoi, I'rom, as it is believed, disease of the heart, aggravated by.anxiety on pecuniary matters, believing that they,would delay his marriage, .which was intended to have taken place yesterday. We have as yet heard no account of ihe inquest.

Crickkt. —A return match was played between tlic members of the Avonside and Albion Clubs on Mr. .W. G Brittaii's ground, on Thursday last, which resulted in the defeat of the Albion, with, six., wickets, to spare. In the first innings the Albion scored 39. in the,second, 62. The play was good but not brilliant. In. the first innings of the Avonside,. Messrs. Dawe and Ward scored 55 (Hie former 44. and the latter 11), out of a total of 69; in the second inning: Mr. J. Briitan distinguished himsell by scoring 22, and carried out his hat. We are glad to see t lie veterans showing I he youny bands the way.. Messrs. Stewart and Walker made, some brilliant catches; and on the wholethe tieldinLr of Avonside was superior to that of their, opponents. We hear that Uangiora and Kaiapoi are desirous of testing the strength of the Avonside gentlemen. v ' . . .