Local Intelligence.

Truth at Last.—A Government Gazette of Friday last, Februaiy 13, gives us the expected information that Mr. J. Brittan has resigned the office of Provincial Secretary, and is succeeded by Mr. Richard Packer; and that the Executive Council is remodelled by the resignation of- Messrs. Brittan and Tancred, and the appointment, of Mr. Packer to a seat. These appointments bear date the 12th instant. Mr. Dicken is appointed Inspector, of Sheep at Akaroa, under the Scab.Ordinance, in the same Gazette. 50 acres of land at Pigeon Bay are reserved for Messrs. Crouch and Thomson, in payment for a road to be made from Mr. 'Knowles' House to Mr. Crouch's House at Pigeon -Bay. Mr. Purvis is appointed Draftsman in the Survej Office. Oveuland Route to Nelson.—The dangers and difficulties of this route, the new one discovered by Mr. Weld, will soon fade into nothing, a lady having successfully encountered and' overcome them. Mr. and Mrs. I T. Cookson, of this place, with a small party, returned on Monday evening .last from Nelson, having ridden there and back again by the above route in exactly a month, including a stoppage at Nelson of ten days. The journey is still one of great labour, and requiring considerable sagacity to perform with safety, but we hope to see it *oon in such a condition as to be easily traversed. We hear, further, that two men came through on foot a few days ago. The Resident Magistrate's Court —The first suting .of this Court under the Extension of Jurisdiction Act was held in the Town Hall, Lyttellon, yesterday, at 11 a.m., before J. Hall, Esq., R.M., and J. Brittan, Esq. The Resident Magistrate, at the opening of the Court, read the rules proposed for practice in the Court, and received the suggestions of the profession thereon. Theie were 18 cases on the list, but several were settled out of Court. The first case tried was ihe only jury case, Watling v. Read, for .breach of contract, the plaintiffhaving had a year's engagement on a sheeprun by the-defendant, who had left the station and so broken the contract before the expiring of the term. Mr. Dampier'1 appeared for the plaintiff and Mr. Gresson for the defendant. Twelve jurymen were called, one of whom.did not answer his uame. One was struck off by the clerk of the Court, and the counsel on each side challenged one alternately, till only four were left. These four, Messrs. Allwright (foreman), Beeby, Abrahams and Burrell, formed the jury. The case occupied the whole of the day, and was adjourned at half-past seven o'clock till this day. Entertainment on Board the Oliver Lang.—On Saturday last a large party of ladies and gentlemen assembled on board the Oliver Lang, by invitation from Captain and Mrs. Mundle, to partake of the hospitalities which they dispense in the name of the owners of the Black Ball Line of ships at all ports at which they arrive. The boats of the Oliver Lang and of the Mariner were busily employed during the morning in fetching the guests from the shore, and many a gay boat-load went alongside in high spirits in spite of a little sprinkling of rain. About 1 o'clock, all were assembled, the company comprising almost all the representatives of our mercantile community, and a large number of ladies and gentlemen resident both in Ly Helton and on the plains. After inspection of the ship and her accommodations, fore and aft, alow and aloft, luncheon was served, and the guests sat down, too numerous even lor the spacious tables of the Oliver Lang. There was no deficiency, however, in the victualling department, and thosewho had to bide their'time found that their predecessors had not been a,ble to lessen the substantiality of the repast. Meanwhile dancing proceeded with vigour on the'poop-deck, to the music of piano and violin, and the large saloon was cleared of its furniture, to afford more room ;for the amusement. When the wreck of the collation was cleared, Captain Mundle summoned all his. guestvtogether and in concise and pointed phrase proposed the health of her. Majesty the Queen, which was druuk, with cheers. Dr. Dona\ii

then proposed as a toast Prosperity, to James Baines | d Co., and the Liverpool and New Zealand trade, !rconipanying the toast, with complimentaryrerks.forwhich.withother speeches of the day, we are ma vj e ' to. find room'.- Captain Mundle replied to die toast on behalf of James Baines and Co., and lc occasion to express the ideas and intentions of that firm in opening the ; trade with New Zealand. They had led him to expect great difficulties at the commencement, but he was happy to say lhathe 1 ad not fourid'those difficulties in existence. The Oliver Lang was to have gone home if shehad only half a car^o. She might have had none at all and been obliged to go' somewhere else to fill up. But she would go home a full ship and that was much to say for the pi meer vessel: The firm he served went on the principle of always carrying out to the letter what they promised, and thus shippers learnt to trust them and were willing to use their ships for despatching produce. The first attempt might not prove remunerative, but the succeeding ones would, anil James Baines and Co. would persist in the ente'rurise. Captain Mundle's address was received with loud cheers. Mr. Wain then proposed the health of Mrs. Mundle ; and spoke of the great advantage of a passenger ship in the presence of a laity. He also took occasion to say a few words in reference to the comparison between Liverpool and London in the New Zealand trade, and the prospects ard proper conduct of shippers from this settlement, which were listened to with deep attention. Captain Mundle. replied on behalf of Mrs. Mundle.'' Mr. Banks remarked that.'the principle of the Black.Ball line was to improve at every step, to have each ship better than the previous one. They would be expected to do the same in New Zealand. He was of opinion that the temptation to colonists to leave the settlement in such vessels was too great, and he did not think it right that so many ladies should be induced to become passengers He would only permit vessels of this class to take ladijs in proportion to cargo; say one lady to a thousand bales of wool. He concluded by proposing the health of the ladies, which was drunk with cheers. Mr. W. Bowler responded for the ladies in a neat speech. The festivities of the day were' then resumed and continued till dark,when the guests of the ■ ship were safely restored to land, as they came, highly : gratified with the inspection of so handsome a vessel, and with the kindness and hospitality of their entertainers.. „■•''■. Akakoa. —The Bishop of Christchurch arrived here on the 7th inst. On Sunday, he preached twice in. the temporary church. On Wednesday evening, His Lordship presided at a meeting, held at the Church, to consider the expediency of raising funds for increasing the. resident Clergyman's stipend, and for other ecclesiastical purposes. The usual means of raising money for such objects were submitted to the meetipg; viz., pew-rents, subscriptions, and collections at the offertory. The meeting considered that letting the pews was objectionable, as it might prevent poor persons from attending Church ; that subscriptions could not be depended on, on account of the great scarcity; of money ; and that ofFertorial collection, though open to ohjeetion, was the best.means to be adopted. His Lordship suggested that subscriptions should be taken whenever forthcoming, and that offertorial collections should be made eight times every year, for the following purposes: Three times towards the Clergyman's income; four times towards the diocesan fund; and once, for missions to the heathen. These suggestions, having been considered by the meeting, were unanimously adopted.