LOCAL INTELLIGENCE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume IV, Issue 197, 20 September 1854, Page 5

LOCAL INTELLIGENCE.

LYTTELTON.

Steam Communication with Lyitei,toNj Christchtjrch, AkAkoa,and Kaiapoi.

A meeting was held in the Town Hall on Friday evening last, according to advertisement, to consider the advisability of forming a company "to promote Steam Navigation between Lyttelton, Christchurch Quay, and Kaiapoi."

On the motion of Mr. Spowers, .Mr. Waitt was requested to preside. The Chairman then made a few observations pointing out how desirable it was that regular 'communication should take place between the Port, the Plains, and the neighbouring Bays. He thought a small steamer would answer every purpose for the present, but this would be for the meeting to enquire into. A full discussion was very necessary, and he should be glad; to hear the opinions of the gentlemen present.

Mr. Sidey then rose. It was well known what inconvenience the present want of communication between the various townships of this province occasioned. He had himself suffered considerably : his own goods had lain 3 weeks in the harbour waiting for favourable weather. :He feared the difficulty of making a good road would be found to be greater than was generally anticipated: the mountains round Lyttelton presented considerable obstacles, and it was very doubtful whether a road could be made in time for the conveyance of the next year's wool clip, and produce. The Sydney railroad, 15 miles in length, had already been 8 years constructing, and was not yet finished ; where there was a population of 100,000. The transitby water was open to us, and he thought the province was sufficiently advanced to justify the formation of a company to communicate with the different townships by means of small and convenient steam boats. He would propose that a company be formed with a capital of £5,000, in shares of £5 each. The shares were put low to enable every producer in the province to take an interest in the scheme ; and he proposed to limit the number of shares to be held by one person to 10, to prevent monopoly. From communications with the Provincial Government, he thought he might say that should the company be formed, a bonus of £1,000 would be granted from the land fund. This would reduce the sum to be raised to £4,000, in 800 shares of £5 each, He would propose at first to try a small steamer of about 70 or 80 tons, and when the means of the company would allow of it, to purchase another perhaps of larger power; and others as the circumstances of the province required. When he was in Sydney about four months ago he saw several steamers that would suit the present requirements of the province laying there unemployed, and probably one of these might be purchased advautageously. A small steamer of the above tonnage might leave Lyttelton for Kaiapoi two hours before high tide, reach Kaiupoi in three hours, unload and load again, and return by

the next tide: and so proportionately as regards time to Christchurch and Akaroa. Mr. Sidey concluded by proposing the following resolution :— " That this Settlement has now arrived at that state of importance that it is necessary to procure the assistance of steam to communicate with its various outposts, and it is the unanimous opinion of this meeting that a company be formed with a view to purchase a small steamer suitable for that purpose." Mr. Spowers seconded the resolution. He was desirous that a careful investigation should be made as to the possibility of immediately. adoptinga plan of steam communication with the various townships of the Province. He thought a small steamer in the present state of the communication very desirable, though he was not prepared to say that such a speculation would prove remunerative. For this reason he thought it more prudent to attempt it by a company, and he would be glad to help in carrying out the undertaking1 for the good of all classes of the community. He thought a careful survey of the Sumner bar should be immediately made, in order that means jmight at once be adopted for the improvement of the river navigation. Mr. Dampier spoke in favour of the resolution. He believed steam navigation to be necessary, and he thought a small steamer running between the places named would pay very well; still the settlement could not go on without a road of some kind from the Port to the Plains. This should not be lost sight of. He quite approved of ?-the intention of the Provincial Government, in this early stage of the Province, to help such a company as the one proposed |with a grant of ,£IOOO from the Land Fund, and he would give his supportto the proposition. Whatever road may be made, they must still have water communication, and he hoped the Government would have.the Sumner bar properly surveyed, for at present it was dangerous both to life and property. A very small outlay would probably improve the bar, and it was for the gobd.of the settlement at large that this should be done. The proposition given above was then-put from the chair, and carried unanimously. Mr. Fyfe then asked if any enquiry had been made into the amount of traffic between the places named, so as to calculate the probable returns. This, as well as the consideration whether the object would be better carried out by private parties rather than by a company, led to some discussion. Ultimately, Mi*. Dampier proposed the following resolution, which, was seconded by Mr. Fyfe, and carried unanimously. "That a Committee be formed for the purpose of investigating the subject, and to prepare a report and prospectus to be submitted to a General Meeting to be called for the purpose of considering the same." Mr. Dampieb. then named the following; gentlemen as a committee to make the necessary enquiries and to report to another meeting-. " LYTTEiiXON—Messrs. Waitt, Spowers, J. F* Cookson, Le Creii, Fyfe, Bayfield. " Christchubch—Messrs. W. G. Brittan, Bishop, Gould, Brown, Longden, "Katapoi—Captain Hall, Captain Beswick, and Mr. Sidey. . A eaeoa —Captain Greaves, Mr. Parker." Mr. Pobter then said that Mr. Sidey and a few other parties interested had thought of purchasing a steamer themselves, but it had been suggested that it would be better to form some plan of steam communication which should interest all parties, and be enlarged as the necessities of the Province required. He.stated on the authority of Mr. Sidey, that some of the Sydney Steam Company's were realising 100 per cent, profit. By the plan now proposed the steamer could run from Lyttelton to Akaroa and the Bays, and to Kaiapoi and Christchurch weekly. A vole of thanks to Mr. Sidey, and the chairman, concluded the meeting.

Dtjting the last few months the men working our coasting craft have frequentlybrought information of their sighting whales off this coast. A few numbers back we recorded the unsuccessful chase of a bull in our harbour. Shortly before we were informed that one rose close to the bows of the Flirt just off the heads. The Captain of this vessel now reports that he saw 8 whales on his last trip up to Kaiapoi; on

returning the next day, being weatherbound within the bar, from the masthead he saw four more, and on his journey into Port the day following, he observed 5 floundering about. From all these reports it is evident that an enterprising crew up to the work might realize considerable money by whale fishing off this coast.