The Lyttelton Times. Saturday, February 17, 1855.

Tub intelligence irom the seat of war baa of late been of such absorbing interest that we have not had space in our columns to notice as fully as we could have wished the political doings of the neighbouring Provinces. We publish to-day an important document which, although dated on the Bth of November, 1854, was, owing to some unaccountable delay, only published in the Nelson Examiner on the 17th ult. Mr. Weld's address to the electors of the Wairau comes before the public very opportunely, just at the time when we have received intelligence of the appointment of a new Governor. As the time approaches for the meeting of the General Assembly under an untried Governor, it behoves all those who take an interest in the welfare of the colony at large to keep in mind the history of the first sessions of the Legislature. Those sessions gave us an opportunity of knowing the merits and demerits of our public men, and of forming some estimate of the difficulties which must be encountered and braved before an efficient General Government can be established in New Zealand. Efforts, in many cases too successful, have been made by interested persons to slur over the history of the late Sessions, and to distort the facts "connected with the failure of the establishment of Responsible Government. Mr. Weld's address is a very able, concise, and explicit summary of the facts of the case. As a member of the Fitz Gerald ministrj', he had ample opportunity of observing the system or i-ather want of system, pursued by tiie government we are now blessed with ; a government which does not possess " a complete copy of ;he laws and ordinances which have been passed since the establishment of the colony." He points out the manner in which the colony was betrayed into the hands of the old ignorant bureaucracy at the very moment that it had been apparently freed from its ignominious thraldom,; and the cause of the present confused and contradictory relations between

the General and Provincial Governments. We earnestly r.:commend" the perusal of Mr. Weld's address to our readers, and request them not to imagine that it deals merely with questions gone by for ever. The questions alluded to in it will unfortunately all have to be raised over again;—the statements of fact in the address are made by a man of unblemished integrity ; by one who was never mixed up in the political warfare of New Zealand previous to the meeting of the General Assembly, and who lias since that time devoted all his energies to the public service of the colony.

Pjiovinciaij Council.— We must defer our Report of the Provincial Council Proceedings till Wednesday next. On Wednesday, the . 14th inst., His Honor prorogued the Council,.; until the oili April next. The new elections will take place in the mean time. In addition to the 12 new members to.be elected under the provisions of the Piovincial Council Extension Ordinance, there will be two vacancies to h'il up, Mr. Hall having resigned . his seat for the Christchurch Country district on his appointment as Provincial Secretanynnd - Mr. Cass having resigned his seat for the town of Christehureh. In a Provincial Government Gazette dated lOlh February, 1855, Mr. John Hall's appointment as Provincial Secretary is notified. Otago.—We have received two Ouigo Witnesses by the steamer. There is no news from that Province. Letters and meetings on the .subject of die introduction of the Maine Liquor Law (ill the columns of the Witness to the exclusion of every other topic: the usual personalilies «race the contest of those who propose, and those who oppose, the introduction of the Maine Law. It is re freshing to liiui thai iherts is a community in the world blessed whh siiei^ resources in itself as tf be totally independent of and indifferent to the toils and siru-gles, the wars and revolutions, of the vain world without.