Correspondence.

Lyttelton Times, Volume VIII, Issue 513, 3 October 1857, Page 4

Correspondence.

To the Editor.of the l Lyttelton Times'

■ Sir,—rA person -signing himself Edw. Genet has through the medium of your Journal pretended- to submit to the public some facts. The probability that the writer is not so well known to> the rest of the settlement as he. is to the inhabitants . of Lyttelton- is my apology for noticing, his, siily-letter^- on my,part- it is only necessary to, say, that .his .statement is.;wholly devoid of truth. . . ; .. . : •••. '-.. ;

I can imagine..that this influential supporter of Mr. Brittan feels 'sore that his "■ blighted bud of promise" did not blossom, and he would be too happy to throw the odium of the flimsy political dodge on Mr. Moorhouse's supporters.

I pass over the vituperation and buffoonery contained in his letter, and leave to your readers the value of any facts emanating from such & distinguished member of Mr. Brittan's committee; and, in conclusion, I fearlessly assert that the supporters of Mr. Moorhouse have conducted that gentleman's election without the aid of "artful dodges," attacking reputations, or any other disreputable course too often resorted to by a certain class of agents at elections. Your obedient servant, Lyttelton, Oct. 1. UNCLE TOBY. To the Editor of the Lyttelton Times. ; Sib, —Mr. Genet insinuates in a letter that appeared in your Paper last Wednesday that Mr. Moorhouse's committee caused his son's name to be placed on the list of claims. Such was not the case; they were not aware of it until the list was exhibited. Mr. Genet's statement was, to use his own words, "agross perversion of the truth," " a vile political subterfuge," " a flimsy political dodge," " and altogether unworthy of the party from whom it emanated." I am, Sir, your obedient servant, Lyttelton, Oct. 1. S. E. C. To the Editor of the Lyttelton Times. Sib,—-My name ■ has very unnecessarily been dragged into your columns; I suppose by my vegetable friend, under cover of Mr. E. Genet. I beg to say that it is a matter of indifference whether he 'exonerates' me or not, that I am not the 'agent of Mr. Moorhouse's committee,' that I have no particular wish to be ' saved from my friends,'and that if lain ' a perfect nonentit} 7,' it is an infinitely preferable position to the notorious one he possesses. J. J. TURNBULL. To the Editor of the ' Lyttelton Times' Sik, —I am an elector of the Heathcote District, and have read with considerable surprise the advertisements of the Returning Officer for that' district. I confess they puzzle me, and therefore I appeal to you for an explanation of the difficulty. Are we to have two elections for the four members, or what? The ' Lyttelton Times' announces the day of polling for Saturday, the 7th of November. The ' Canterbury Standard' announces it for Friday, the 6th ; and acting upon the latter "authority I observe one of the candidates so fixes the day. This a blunder which requires correction, otherwise great inconvenience may arise out of it. I am, sir, yours &c, AN ELECTOR. [On reference to the copy, sent to us from the Government offices, from which the advertisement in our columns was printed, we find the day of nomination named as Thursday, the sth ; and that of polling as Saturday, the 7th of November, distinctly.—'Ed. L.T.]

To the Editor of the Lyttelton Times.

Sib, —The present certainly seems to be a favourable time for discussing a question which is every day becoming of greater importance to the towns of Lyttelton and Christchurch, and which will soon be of equal importance to Kaiapoi and Akaroa. The question is, in what way are the necessary1 improvements of the town to be managed, and from whence are to come the necessary funds?

The public has decided (and I think rightly, for some considerations) against corporations, and very strongly also against local taxation in any way. Consequently, there are apparently only two ways left. First, that the members for the towns should show their zeal for their constituents by begging a small sum now and then, whenever the streets are in a disreputable state of delapidation. Secondly, that the income resulting from certain lands or other property set apart for that purpose, in each township, should be available for town improvements. The first method strikes me as being a very undignified and unpleasant method for all parties. The second, if considered in a broad and liberal spirit, might I think satisfy all parties who do not think too ■much: of the luxury of grumbling. Why not make the interest on the Association's debt a permanent charge on the land revenue ? It is only fair it should be so. That debt would have been paid by the land if the Association could only have sold enough of it. Granted that the towns received the benefit of the first expenditure, but in turn the towns : have given value to the country land; consequently the debt should be borne equally by town and country.

That portion of the Association's late estate (an estate, by the bye, taken out of onespoul to put up anotlier, the managers of the said estate being of. the Barnacle family) that portion situated in Lyttelton might yield, enough yearly income to make all the necessary improvements in Lyttelton; and if there are reserves in other places they ought to be kept for the like purpose, viz., the improvement of the towns to which they belong. Ido not know how other places are situated for obtaining fresh reserves, but if Lyttelton has not something of the kind to depend upon, its inhabitants will be continual beggars from the public purse, and perhaps too ofteu will receive but a beggar's allowance. I hear, sir, that the reserves are to be sold. Oh! wonderful Barnacles! inscrutable economy ! But some will perhaps say that Lyttelton, in the case I have supposed, will receive more than its share. Tommy is a little fellow, and yet he is to have as big a piece, of cake as Charley. In.-.the. nameflf peace, or justice if you like, give Charley .a.sbilling to buy lollipops. If thereservesin other places do not yieid enough revenue, there could be ho harm in the Council making them a yearly 'grant till'the property reached the necessary value. As to Lyttelton receiving more than its share," it must be borne in mind that a port town, if improved at all, requires rather expensive improvements. (Do jou think, sir, there is any body in Canterbury

who would wish to sew up the mouth of the country in an economical and insane attempt to make it breathe through its nostrils or other objectionable places? The mouth will be wanted some day for the Great Eastern.) If the proceeds of the reserves in the port were spent there, Lyttelton would only receive a value which it had already conferred upon the property given. Another argument in favour of my suggestion (with those who think it too great a boon) is that the land about Lyttelton will be of no value at all as soon as another port is discovered. ■ -

But if an equitable distribution of property must be made, what think you, sir, of the following ■plan 1 Let the old Bank be sent to Christchurch ; the old Church, when the new one is finished/may be forwarded to Akaroa; the old Police offices might be despatched to Timaru, and perhaps the old Custom-house will be appreciated at Kaiapoi. The stable at the corner of Oxford street might be sent to Gollan's Bay, as a storehouse for all the wool that will come over that picturesque screw line at Evan's Pass. Mr. Editor, can you fancy the astonishment of the bullocks at the excitement of the bales as the latter go skipping down hill as playfully as the lambkins their contents once decorated sported on the plain ? Can you fancy the mingled feelings of the driver, as he sees his bullocks and dray join in the mazy dance ; his tragic attitude as he utters a sentiment not quite so classical hut quite as pithjr as "easy is the descent to" -Gollan's Bay, of course ?

There is nothing left for Sunnier, so the Government might request the provincial engineer to design something pretty in the way of breakwater, which might be removed if it happened to interfere with the navigation of the river. "The Town Hall should be left where it is as a matter of policy, for so long as the Lytteltonians have a theatre to meet in, they will not interfere with politics or trouble the •Government; they will always be inclined to treat Serious business in a playful and jocular spirit; so that, as long as they have something to laugh at,r they will care very little about their privileges, they will remain in ignorance on public questions for the pleasure of cracking jokes on candidates for their favours, and will perhaps some day conclude with a serio-cumic performance which we might call bar* tering a constitution for the head g-ar of Bully Bottom. But you will say lam getting too jocular myself. Mea culpa, Mr. Editor; for I, like yourself, sir, am addicted to the solemn consideration of affairs of state, and, like very many serious men, we cannot afford to draw too largely on bur dignity by indulging in genial recreation or laughing at any body's jokes but our own. Begging your pardon for this digression, we will, as the squatter somewhere said, when lie had swallowed as much preemptive right, as he could get, " return to our muttons."

The next thing to consider is, Who are to expend the funds devoted to the improvement of the towns ? The proper persons for this duty are, I presume, j the gentlemen who will be appointed as the Executive Council acting in connection with some local board. Now that we have made the ! discovery that we may have too much law-making, ■ and that it will be wise to look for something to lit us ready made instead of fretting and fussing over a home made affair—-which, after all, when finished, sits as gracefully on us as the jacket did on the Maori chief, who wore it as^unmeutionables —I hope the next Council will echo the sentiment of a recent candidate for the Superintendency, "legislate as little as possible," for I hope there is no need for, going to the other extreme. And I hope, too, we i will all believe that the only true dignity of any office consists in its .being a useful one, and that there are not wanting men in various parts of the settlement who,like the Theban of old, will make the, post of Sewer-Maker-General or Watercress Inspector a most honourable office by the way iv which they discharge their duties. . I am, Sir, Yonr Obedient Servant, y. c. o.