SUMMARY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume VIII, Issue 534, 16 December 1857, Page 4

SUMMARY.

Since we last published a summary of Canterbury news for the information of friends in England and the neighbouring colonies (May 13), seven months have elapsed. This period has been one of much change but not of confusion ; of progress, but without any marked event. Canterbury has been progressing with regular and steady steps, marked even to ourselves only by the periodical recording of certain figures, which are held to be the true index of the rate of advancement. We now propose to narrate, very shortly, the events which during this lapse of time have been of the greatest importance to the settlers of Canterbury, and to sketch with equal brevity our present condition and prospects. The reader at a distance will thus, we hope, be able to take up the narrative from the date of our last summary, and to satisfy himself as to the condition of this province, in a way which would be impracticable from the mere reading of the current events of the day in the successive numbers of a journal, while at the same time it gives distinctness to the narrative of similar events for the future.

On this day we celebrate for the seventh time the anniversary of the foundation of Canterbury; it having been on this day seven years ago that the first ships of the Canterbury squadron cast anchor in this port. The end of the seventh year is commonly held, in human life, to be the termination of the first period of existence, the boundary between dependent childhood and active boyhood. With this province the seventh anniversary may be looked at in almost the same light. For although each year since the foundation of the settlement we have been conscious of progress and development, we have never before felt such an independence of all but our own exertions, such a filling up of all our empty spaces, or such a combination of circumstances in our favour as we are now, at the close of1857, called upon to declare that we possess.

Yet with all our independent feelings and consciousness of success, we must not be accused of forgetting that we belong to a country which, in size, wealth, and population, is one of the smallest and least significant of the states of the earth; and, if our language in narrating our story be as highly coloured as if we were the historians of the British Empire, if must be recollected that we are comparing ourselves with our former condition and not with that of other countries. Canterbury has never been given to undue boasting of itself; indeed the fault lies somewhat the other way; but if we are tempted to compare our progress in some respects with that of our New Zealand neighbours, to our own advantage, it is, we hope, in a spirit of honourable emulation which will serve to the advancement of the whole colony. POLITICAL. We may first glance at the changes which have taken place in the Government of Canterbury since we last wrote. The General Government has been scarcely heard of within this province. The Assembly has not been sitting, and there have been no questions arising out of the action of the General Executive which have become of public interest among us during the period under consideration. The late visit of the Colonial Treasurer, Mr. Richmond, among us, apparently with the view of collecting information and of improving the working of some of the subordinate offices in the province ; the anxiety about the settlement of the financial scheme; and the much spoken of inter-colonial and inter-provin-cial steam service, lately announced, have been almost the only subjects which have brought us into connection with the central authorities. If we also mention the quarterly payment of money from the Provincial chest, and some talk of the next meeting of the Assembly in February or March, and the work to be done by it, we shall have placed our readers in a position of perfect information as to our relations with the General Government at the present time. We may add that almost all the bitter feeling which was excited at one time by the imposition of an objectionable tariff, and later by the Resident Magistrate's appointment and other questions, is now either slumbering or defunct. The success of the financial scheme of the Government, which is a general favourite in Canterbury, and the prospect of steam communication with the neighbouring provinces and Australia, have doubtless done much towards establishing the harmony which ought to exist between the Supreme authorities and the Provincial Governments and people. In May, when we last addressed our friends at a distance, the Provincial Council was in session ; and we then glanced at the subjects which had been, or were likely to be brought under their consideration. Before the conclusion of the Session, the important topics of Education and Immigration were fully discussed and settled. The system of Education adopted is what is termed denominational ; the resolutions adopting it emanated from the heads of the principal denominations in the province. A sum of £2,500 per annum is granted outof the Treasury for five years; £1,700 to the Church of England, £250 each to the Presbyterians and Wesleyans, and £300 to an Inspector. All schools receiving aid from Government are for the present under the entire control of one or other of these denominations, subject only to the Inspector, who is to be appointed by the Superintendent, with the assent of the Bishop of Christchurch, and of a majority of the acting heads of the different denominations. The previsions of this scheme of Education have been carried out, with the exception of the appointment of the Inspector, the debate on Immigration was a stormy one, both without and within doors; the contest being in fact whether the Immigration Agent should be permitted to use his dis-

cretion, under instructions from the Executive Government, as to the number of immigrants despatched yearly, or whether the Council should at once define the exact number which it would be convenient to receive. Resolutions on the subject were adopted, and afterwards over-ridden by further resolutions ; and the subject remains as before. Mr. FitzGerald was appointed Immigration Agent and has since departed on his way for England. The loan of £30,000, authorised more than twelve months ago, will be obtained in England, and will probably be applied almost entirely to the purposes of immigration. We may here say that even in the absence of a working agency in England, shipping houses continue to lay on vessels for this port, and Willis and Co. forward emigrants whose passage money is guaranteed in whole or part by friends in this country. Many individuals have been introduced by these means. The Council had also under their consideration the question or a Postal Service to and from Melbourne arid Sydney; for though the affairs of the post office are removed by the Constitution Act from the control of the Provincial Government, the provision of means for establishing a service comes naturally within the consideration of the Council. After some debate, the Council set apart a sum of money to enable the Government to make arrangements for the transmission of mails between this country and Australia. All the arrangements which the Government set about adopting were defeated by the simple circumstance that the mails for New Zealand are sorted in London into boxes for the North and South only, and those for the South are forwarded unopened to Wellington. Our mails are consequently brought down from Melbourne in the Wellington mail schooner, at the expense of that province, and are carried to Lyttelton by a second schooner under charter to this Government. The Council passed a variety of measures before the end of the session, fifteen in all, one of which was disallowed by the Superintendent and one by the Governor. The rest, of which three were private bills, are now law. One of the most important of these is the "Council Extension Amendment Ordinance," by which the number of members is increased to twentysix, and the "Christchurch Country District" subdivided into seven districts, each returning one or more members. The Council was prorogued by a message from the Superintendent on the 30th June. Dissolution followed on the 14th July; writs for the new elections were received on the 26th of the same month. Mr. Fitz Gerald took his departure for England on the 30th September, and Mr. C. Bowen was appointed Deputy Superintendent until a new one should be elected by the people. The election of Superintendent came off on the 30th October, when Mr. William Sefton Moorhouse was elected in opposition to Mr. Joseph Brittan, by 727 votes to 352. Meantime the Provincial Secretary and other members of the Executive continued in office as at Mr. Fitz Gerald's departure. No change was made by Mr. Moorhouse until the 8th of this month, when, Mr. Packer resigning, Mr. J. Ollivier accepted the appointment of Provincial Secretary, and Mr. Tancred was added to the Executive Council. The election of members of Council took place in the first week of November. The members returned were as under :— AKAROA, Nov. 2. C. W. Bishop. R. H. Rhodes C. B. Fooks A. E. White T. Cass T. S. Duncan . AVON, Nov. 6. Ashley, Nov. 2. W. Thomson R. L. Higgins C. W. Wyatt PORT VICTORIA, Nov. 2 C. Bowen M. Sprot R. Woodford J. G. Fyfe HEATHCOTE, Nov. 6. RAKAIA, Nov. 2. J. OllivierC. C. Haslewood J. Hall LYTTLETON, Nov. 3. R. J. S. Harman I. T. Cookson J. Miln R. Davis TIMARU, Nov. 6. A. J. Alport M. Studholme R. Waitt Kaiapoi, Nov. 9. CHRISTCHURCH, Nov. 4. A. A. Dobbs R. Packer C. R. Blakiston. Throughout the elections the greatest order and propriety prevailed. No disturbance happened at the time, and apparently no ill-will was created and no bitterness remained behind. The circumstance that,in the election of gentlemen of all shades of opinion upon the few topics which were before the public mind at the time, no parties were formed, and no one, so far as we could gather, was rejected for his opinions, is to say the least remarkable. The Council will be we should judge, at least as good in all points as its predecessor; perhaps of a more practical turn, inasmuch as it represents more closely particular districts and contains among its members perhaps a larger number of men of active business habits. It is generally expected that the Council will be called together about February next. The Gazettes published from time to time exhibit the items of revenue and expenditure of the Government in a detailed form in the quarterly statements of the Provincial Treasurer's account. From those embracing the two last quarters of which the accounts are made up we abstract the following information !as' to the financial position of the Government :—- From the 1st April to the 30th September, the gross receipts from various sources amounted to £20,052 10s. 10d., and the gross expenditure to £19,235 2s. 0d. The balance in hand on the Ist of April was £2449 7s. 2d. That carried to the Ist October £3266 16s. 0d. At this rate we are receiving and spending at the rate of £40,000 per annum, exclusive of any debt or liability whatever. The two great sources of revenue, the Customs Duties and Waste Lands, have become within the last year far more prolific than they havenevejvheen. The share of the gross Customs Duties coming into the Provincial Treasury, viz., 3-8ths, amounted during the halfyear to £3748 2s. 6d.

The great increase in the Customs receipts is a proof of the increased trade and wealth of the; settlement; the large receipts in the Land Department not only show increase of wealth but give most satisfactory proof of the success of the system of land sales adopted here. At the present moment there is scarcely an adult in this province who is not a landholder. Most of the sales have been in blocks of from 20 to 50 acres, bought by bona fide agriculturists; and yet those sales have amounted during the halfyear ending 30th September to £7114 Os. 6d. More than a year has now elapsed since the inauguration of our new system of land sales and the incorporation of the proceeds with Provincial Revenue. It may be interesting to observe what amount the Waste Lands has brought us during the y6ar from the Ist October, when the system began, to the present time. For the year ending 30th September the receipts have been as follows:— Land Sales £15,849 3 6 Pasturage Licenses ... 7,074 8 3 Timber-cutting Licenses 84 10 0 Forfeited Deposits ... 42 0 0 From the Ist October to the present time the receipts have exceeded £5000. So that in 14 months the Waste Lands have brought us more than £28,000. The fees collected in the Resident Magistrates' Courts at Christchurch, Lyttelton, Kaiapoi and A'karoa, amounted during the last half-year to £288 4s. 5d.; the fees for publicans' licenses to £600, and for auctioneers' licenses to £320. The fees taken in the Register Office show as large an amount of increase in the business of that department as elsewhere, amounting as they do to £145 4s. 7d. The receipts on account of immigrants' bills and notes amount only to £828 Bs., out of a very large amount due. We understand that these payments do not come in as fast as they should, considering the prosperous state of all classes of the community. The heaviest items of expenditure are on account of public works, education, immigration, surveys, and payment of the contribution to the General Government on account' of Waste Lands. As to the last mentioned charge it will be remembered that we are to contribute £4000 per annum for thirty years towards extinction of capital and interest of the New Zealands Company's debt ; as the condition for getting our land fund without drawback. As our land sales have turned out, this has proved a very good bargain. The quarterly instalments become payable from the Ist July; only one payment of £1,000 therefore appears in the last half-year's statement of account. During that period, we find that £5,563 5s. was spent on public works; £3,942 8s. 8d. on immigration; £1,355 12s. on education; and £1,649, 1s. 4d. on surveys. The expenditure on the Survey Department ought, and is likely, to be much larger. More surveyors are very much wanted to put land purchasers in posession of their sections; but they are not to be had in the province. We wish some properly qualified men would migrate here. Payments on account of salaries, exclusive of those of officers engaged on public works and surveys, but including those of police, harbour boatmen, &c, amounted during the half-year to £3,039 15s. 4d. The rest of the expenditure is made up of payments on account of a large variety of smaller items, for particulars of which we must refer the curious to the Gazette. AGRICULTURE, &c. We now turn to the affairs which concern the great bulk of our population; that is, everything relating to the land we make use of, whether agricultural or pastoral, or in the shape of roads, bridges, and other public works. Of agriculture as to its present condition compared with the past we can speak with great pleasure. We find from the census taken on the 31st of March, the returns of which were not in readiness for our summary of May, that there were upwards of 4000 acres then in wheat, 350 in barley, above 900 in oats, above 650 in potatoes, nearly 1400 in grass, nearly 400 in garden, and 267 in other crops. This year in wheat and oats an advance not easily ascertained has been made, and perhaps a falling off in barley, owing to the deficiency of seed at sowing time. Potatoes also will be planted to not more than the same extent as last year; bat in artificial pasture and in all kinds of green crops we can confidently say that the extent of land occupied will be fourfold that shown above. We are happy to say that the crops are at present looking exceedingly well, and we have every reason to expect an abundant harvest; although in grain crops, owing to the late rains, the straw will be very heavy. Artificial grasses are every where most luxuriant. We regret to say that in all likelihood the prices of grain will rule low again from the commencement of the harvest, as indicated in another place. The clip of this year will be heavy, and, if not interrupted by the showery weather, would have been earlier than usual. The first load of wool brought to the coast for shipment was on the 14th October; since then the clip is coming forward but slowly. The number of cattle in the settlement on the 31st of March last was 15,355. ; of sheep, 276,089 ; and of horses, 1,307.

The progress of the towns is a conspicuous mark of progress. In Christchurch a very large number of buildings have been built during the past year or are now in course of erection. The principal of these are the College, and the Town or Commercial Hall. The former buildjng was opened at the examination of the pupils of the Grammar School, on Thursday and Friday, Nov. 26th and 27th. The Town Hall was opened on the Ist October, by a concert under the superintendence of Mr. Merton. It has since been used for meetings and election purposes, as well as for a court of justice; and it is found a convenient as well as a handsome building. In Lyttelton, the Union Bank of Australia is having a handsoma stone structure built, to comprise spacious offices and manager's residence. It. is nonr advancing towards completion; The Gaol and the Town Hall have, h&bn added to anil improved by the

Government; and many buildings are in course of erection by private individuals. Mr Heaphy, of the Universal Hotel, in particular, is now engaged in the erection of additional premises of remarkable size and great beauty of design The members of the Church of England are about to build a church to replace the former edifice, which was condemned as unsafe for public worship, and has been pulled down. Subscriptions are now being collected to defray the expense ; designs have been obtained and a building will be soon commenced. In Kaiapoi, a Court House and Surveyor's Office of commodious dimensions has erected during the half year, and extensive additions have been made to stores and warehouses, and a large number of private dwellings have sprung up. The same may be said of every place where there is the nucleus of a town or village, and indeed of the whole agricultural part of the settlement.

By the Census of 31st March last, the population of the province comprised 3,579 males and 2,651 females ; in all, 6,230 souls of whom 1,396 males and 1,194 females were under fifteen years. The population was divided thus : — Christchurch 953, Lyttelton 770, Kaiapoi and Rangiora 659, Papanui 692, Riccarton 404 Lincoln 438, Avon and Heathcote 541, Sumner 246, Akaroa 608, Port Victoria 226, North Pastoral 183, Middle Pastoral 271, South Pastoral 239. In and near the towns the number or females was more nearly equal to that of males than in the remote districts. There were only 24 males and 18 females over 60 years of age. Of the whole population 4,969 were English, 578 Scotch, 371 Irish, and 49 Welsh ; with 263 of other nations.

The following list gives a pretty accurate statement or the rate of wages now generally paid in the province ; though for various reasons great diversity, exists, and a rather wide margin must be left for peculiar cases.

Masons and Bricklayers 10s to 12s diem Carpenters ...10s to 12s do. Blacksmiths 10s to 12s do. Painters and Glaziers 10s to 12s do. Sawyers 16s to 18s 100ft Splitting Posts and Rails 23s to 30s 100 Firewood, cutting & stacking 6s to 10s cord. Ploughmen and Ordinary Farm Labourers 7s to 9s diem. Ditto with Rations, single ....£50 to £60 ann. Ditto ditto Man and Wife £70 to £80 ann. Survey Labourers with Ra-) tions ...) 36s week. Ditto, without Rations 7s to 8s diem. Shepherds with Rations £40 to £60 ann. Stockmen with ditto £40 to £60 ann. Bullock Drivers without Ra-) tions ) 10s diem. Gardeners 6s to 10s diem. Female Domestic Servants ... £20 to £30 ann. Dairy Women £35 to £40 ann. Washerwomen 5s diem. Washing 3s to 5s doz. Monthly Nurses £5. to £6 month.

Labour is pretty well distributed and there is no great disproportion between the supply arid demand. We are now in the middle of the wool clip, yet the demand for labour is not so great as usual. Still the harvest is the most trying time, and each succeeding year makes a great difference in the requirements of the country.

The province is this year well off as regards roads. Owing to the care and money which had been expended upon them in air directions during last summer and autumn, aided also by the fine weather during the winter, the roads have been maintained in the best condition, even under greatly increased, traffic. The most important road, that connecting the Port and the Plains by way of Sumner, was formally opened on the 24th August. His Honor the Superintendent was the first, to drive from one town to the other, which he did in a dog-cart, drawn by two horses harnessed tandem fashion; a large number of people accompanying him on horseback and on foot. There was a public demonstration on the completion of the ceremony, and a dinner in the evening. The proceedings are reported in full in the 'Lyttelton Times' of August 26. Though, the Superintendent's vehicle was able to pass the road the line was by no means considered safe for general traffic, which would also have very much interfered with the prosecution of the works. The road was consequently ordered to be stopped until the completion of the blasting works, and it has not yet been thrown open for general traffic.

A most interesting discovery of country, which also proves, as far as we have been able to learn, an important addition to the resources of the province, was made in the month of September by a party of explorers, consisting of Mr. Dobson, the Provincial Engineer, Mr. Taylor, of the Wairau, Mr. Mason, of Waitohi, and Mr. Dampier, of Lyttelton, accompanied by some other persons. Their narrative states that they found a low grassy plain with lakes and undulating country, up the Hurunui River, to the westward of a point at which former explorations had always ceased. The extreme point reached seemed to connect the country closely to the coast hy the Brunner River, and also by the plains and lakes which form the country through which the river Grey takes its cburse to the sea. We have been waiting for further explorations to satisfy us as to the comprehensiveness of this discovery, but the weather has of late been inimical. There can be no doubt however of the intrinsic value of the country actually discovered. A large tracton the West Coast, has been taken:up as a run by a speculator, who, it is credibly, reported, is also about to bring down from Sydney a quantity of stock to be landed at the mouth of the Grey. The coming summer is pretty certain to satisfy us as to the actual circumstances of this hitherto unknown part of the province. The weather during different periods has beennoticed above. As usual in this country it has been as unlike the weather in all previous years as it was possible to be. We suffered from hard frosts in May and June; but without rain ; the weather then became milder, and continued

genial, but still dry, till the middle or end of August since which time we have had a fair proportion of winter weather in. the shape of southerly storms of wind and rain, broken by hot days either calm of with the wind from N. W. This weather has had a marked effect upon agricultural and pastoral pursuits, as noticed elsewhere. Subjoined is a table showing the fall of rain during each month of the present year, with the number of days on which any rain occurred; as shown by a carefully registered rain-guage in the Heathcote Valley, where, perhaps, the fall of rain is greater than the average amount throughout the province :—

The greatest fall of rain in one day, during the above period, was 2.54 inches on the 22nd of February. On the 28th July there was a heavier and more prolonged fall of snow than has been witnessed during the preceding six years. The total fall, at the same place of observation, during the year 1855 was 40.79 in.; during 1856, 55.23 inches. SHIPPING, &c. Although neither the coasting craft hailing from the port nor the regular traders from other ports have much increased in number or tonnage during the present year, they have been fully employed. The former have been in constant work throughout the year, and have, generally speaking, earned good freights. The traders between this port and Melbourne or Sydney have rarely been without a good back freight offering, especially during the early part of the year. The fact of most interest has perhaps been the extension of the trade with Melbourne, which for some years past had been neglected. The coasting service is soon to be performed by steam. A company of merchants and others of Lyttelton, Christchurch, Kaiapoi, and Akaroa, has been constituted to purchase and work steamers adapted to the rivers and the landing places on the coast. The first steamer of the line is expected almost immediately, in time to take part in the wool carrying of this season. The capital of the company is £5,000, in 100 shares of £50 each ; the Government has been applied to for assistance according to the terms of an advertisement issued in consequence of a vote of the Provincial Council, in a late session, of £5,000 in aid of steam. The application will, we have no doubt, be granted readily, in the shape of a yearly bonus. "With this assistance to Tall back upon^ the company are pretty certain of carrying out their objects. It has lately been announced that the-General Government has made arrangements with a Company in England to run two steam vessels between Australia and New Zealand, and two others between the various ports of this colony. The cost to New Zealand to be only £8,000 per annum, the Imperial Government paying the remainder of the bonus demanded, £12,000. These vessels will run in connection with the main postal branch between England and Australia, and if successful will provide us with the great desideratum, regular and swift communication for mails, cargo, and passengers between this port and others in New Zealand and Australia.

Another company has been formed in this port to engage in the very legitimate business of whale fishing. A schooner of about 200 tons has lately been purchased in Sydney for the purpose of cruising off these coasts in search of whales, which have been very plentiful during the past, season or two. A shore party of Maories at Ikoraki, on the South shore of Banks's Peninsula, has been very successful during this year. The new whaling company has, at its command, both experience and resources.

In connection with. the coasting trade we have to notice the examination of Timaru and Gore's Bay, on the sea beach, by experienced masters of traders, with reference to the accommodation afforded by those places as shipping ports. Timaru was examined, and reported on very favourably by Captain Millton, of the Zingari steamer, and by Captain Conradi, of the Highlander, from Melbourne, whose reports will be found in the number of this journal published on the 3rd June last. Capt. Millton says that any class of vessel, using proper precaution, may land and receive cargo there with perfect safety.' Capt. Conradi gives a narrative of his visit to Timaru, which he describes as having taken place in the most unfavourable weather; yet he took wool, on board .at the rate of 20 bales an hour from one boat, and had no dimculty either in anchoring or leaving. Timaru in his opinion, was the best open roadstead he had seen, superior to Portland Bay and Port Fairy, in Victoria; with good moorings he is of opinion that it wbuld be a safe place for large vessels to visit. Capt. Thomson's report of Gore Bay will be found in the number of this paper for the 15th August. He describes the proper anchorage, about three-quarters of a mile from the shore, where a good boat could bring off easily 80 bales a day. With the same facilities he would prefer it as a shipping place to Timaru. The fact should not be passed over that the Glentanner, a ship of 800 tons, which met with an accident on her voyage out here with emigrants, damaged her mainmast, and carried away her three topmasts and sundry smaller spars, has been able to obtain a perfect refit in Pigeon Bay. The mainmast, as well as the others, is a single spar. She arrived on the 3rd of October, went down to Pigeon Bay on the 3rd November, and is now nearly; ready for sea. She will take in wool for London direct, being chartered for the purpose by Messrs. Waitt and Co. The Oriental has also been taken up for a direct wool ship by Messrs. Cookson, Bowler, and Co., and a third ship is advertised by Messrs. Miles, Kington, and Co.

The subject of marine insurance has been one of great interest to shippers to this port from Australia, in consequence of the extreme rates of premium formerly charged by the Sydney Marine Insurance Company on vessels trading here. The rates were 3 per cent, exceeding those to any other port in New Zealand; but on proper representations the risks were, five months ago, placed upon the same footing and premium as those to Nelson, namely, 2 1/2 per cent. A further reduction is still called for, and may perhaps be expected when full information as to the capabilities of this harbour is forwarded to Sydney. We refer to a Paragraph in this paper of the 1st July, and to a letter from Messrs. Cookson, Bowler, and Co., of July 29. LAW AND POLICE. No Session of the Supreme Court has been held here since May last, (our readers will remember that there was one in the previous month ;) but the Resident Magistrate's Court, under the enlarged powers granted to it by the Resident Magistrate's Extension of Jurisdiction Act, of the last Session of the Assembly, has held quarterly sittings, the last being in the middle of last month; most of the cases on the list were for debt, but some for breach of contract and similar causes. The working of the Court seems to give satisfaction : the very fact of the jurisdiction extending to cases involving debt or damages to £100 very much enlarging its utility. The jury, of four is seldom used. The ordinary Magistrate's Courts deal with cases of precisely, the same description, and in thy same manner, but not to the same amount. There is nothinginterestingnoryet peculiarly disgraceful to us in the record of crimes which the business of these courts could furnish to us; we therefore forbear from narration!

On the 17th October, two well-known convicts, Ronnage and Smith, managed, to elude the vigilance of the constable on duty on the Sumner Road where they were engaged at labour with the other prisoners. They escaped along the road towards Sumner, and contrived to ' stick up' and rob some persons on the road. They were pursued and overtaken in the Sumner Valley, where Smith, after being wounded by a shot from the constable's party, was captured. Ronnage escaped again, committed further eccentricities, and was finally overtaken and captured in a state of exhaustion, along the road about half way to the Heathcote Ferry. The runaways were taken back to gaol and committed for trial on several counts of an indictment, including highway robbery and resistance to police.

While the establishment of the Court of Extended Jurisdiction adds to the number of cases on record, the civil business in the lower court is at the same time on the increase. Petty crimes, on the contrary, are apparently on the decrease, tha criminal business in the Magistrate's Court having been, in this town at least, lighter during the past than in previous years. There is some criminal business waiting for the next session of the Supreme Court; besides the cases of Ronnage and Smith for escape and robbery, there are other committals for trial, the accused persons being at present out on bail. The Gaol is at present not so full, perhaps, as usual. The observation of Mr. Justice Stephens at the last assizes in Lyttelton will still apply, namely, that in this province the number of criminal cases in proportion to population is about the same as the. average throughout New Zealand, and that that' average is a very low one. Serious cases are very rare, and cases of theft remarkably so. TRADE. In reviewing the past year, the favourable position of our trading community calls for particular notice. During last wool season sheepftirmers received very satisfactory prices for their wool, and most of them preferred selling it here to shipping to England or elsewhere on their own account. The price continued to rise in the English and Australian markets while the wool was on the passage, so that a favourable result was obtained for the merchants and storekeepers who had purchased and shipped. The agriculturist also found ready buyers for produce; from the commencement of harvest there was a brisk demand for wheat and oats, which lasted for several months; prices continued to rise in the neighbouring province of Wellington, and in Australia, and there was a corresponding advance here. This satisfactory state of trade has been the source of great benefit to the community generally, as the money which has been freely paid for the produce of the Colony has become well distributed throughout the Province. In thus noticing the satisfactory state of trade for the past year, it will not, we think, prove uninteresting to look forward also and notice the pi-obable prospects for the future. Our readers will be aware that it is at all times difficult to take a correct prospective view of things; but we have no doubt that those who are interested in doing so will notice what is going on in other markets, and endeavour to form their own ideas as to future position of trade, particularly with reference to the prices of articles in which they are most concerned. With regard to wool, which is the staple export of this province, it is generally anticipated that prices will not suffer any material decline on the last quotations from England. We notice however, that in advices received from England great caution is recommended to buyers on the ground that wool has attained an unusually high range of prices. We wish that there was a better prospect than there is, that our agriculturists will find a good market for their produce. It is better, however, to examine into the true state of things; not to be guided by what we could wish but by what we ought to expect. We fear there will not be- a very brisk demand from Australia for wheat and oats during the approaching season; since we notice that wheat and flour are falling very considerably in price in the Australian markets, and that the harvest in South Australia is likely to be a very abundant one. Shipments of flour have already been made from Australia to Wellington. The high prices ruling for oats in Australia a short time since induced large shipments from England; and we notice that good

Scotch oats can now be purchased in Australia at 4s. 6d. per bushel, and colonial at 6s.

On the whole we have reason to congratulate ourselves upon the favourable state of trade in this province, and the statistics of commerce will bear favourable comparison with those of other colonies.

Turning to the few facts by which the present state of business may be estimated in the most important items, we are able to quote purchases of wool of this year's clip, in the grease, at 1s., delivered at the Ferry Wharf; clean wool, 1s. 6d.; superior and well got up wool will doubtless command 1s. 6d. to 1s. 8d. during the season. The clip is coming forward but slowly, owing to the continued showery weather; and perhaps the condition of the wool may suffer from the same cause. The amount of thi3 season's clip may be calculated at from 3,500 to 4,000 bales, which will realize at least £100,000. One noticeable feature of the season is that the fleeces are generally heavier than the average; we have a reliable instance in one flock of ewes clipping 5 lbs. weight, all round.

The returns from the Customs for the present year show very evident signs of progress. The value of the imports from all quarters into the province for the first quarter of the year was £37,765 6s. 6d. ; that for the June quarter £41,079 13s. 0d. ; and for the September quarter £50,220 6s. 0d., showing a regular and considerable increase. The whole value for these three quarters is £129,065 5s. 6d., while the total for the whole year, ending Dec. 31, 1856, amounted only to £88,017 14s. 4d. If the imports of the current quarter should prove equal to the previous one, the total for 1857 will amount to more than double that for last year.

The Customs receipts have of course proportionately increased. The gross revenue for the current year up to the close of last week amounts to £17,938 Is. 3d. ; or may be estimated for the year ending 31st inst., at £18,500. The gross receipts for the half-year ending Dec. 31, 1856, amounted to £5,200. Of the gross receipts five-eighths are contributed to the general revenue of the colony. In comparing the declared value of imports and the amount of Customs receipts with those of former periods, we must not neglect to take into account the difference which arises from the alteration of the tariff at the close of 1856. The change has operated in a variety of ways; it has no doubt actually increased the revenue, but from the fact of the abolition of the ad valorem system of taxation, the declared values of many articles have had a tendency to be increased by importers; so that the proportion between the value and the duties received is somewhat altered. We may perhaps mention also the fact, that in. many instances goods shipped

from England before the change of our tariff was known by shippers in that.country, and,arriving during the current year, would bear a higher rate of duty than if packed to meet the measurement system now adopted. After making : all due allowance for these circumstances, however, the figures given above will still bear inspection. In the table exports at any rate, is to be found certain information and no less evidence of' progress than is shown above. In the year 1856, the exports foreign and coastwise amounted to . £60,386 16s. Od. For the quarter ended March 31st, 1857, the value of exports is stated at £28,950 105.0d.; for the next quarter, £30,177 17s. 3d.; and for that ended. 30th Sept. last, £15,666 15s. 0d.; in all, for the three quarters of the present year of which we have complete returns, £74,795 2s. 3d. The value of the exports for the current quarter will no doubt be less than that of the preceding, but even so, the total for the year will show a marked advance on last year. "We will not detain our readers by going minutely through the items of exports; but will merely observe that the value of wheat exported coastwise (chiefly to Wellington) during this year, to the 30th September last, is estimated at: about £7,500. The value of land has much increased during the past year. Not only has a very large amount of money been expended in the purchase of Crown land from the Government, but sales of Town and Rural lands by private individuals have been easily made, and have realised large sums. In the month of October, some sales of Town lands by auction took place, when a quarter-acre section in Christch»rch, with one chain frontage, fetched £88; another with two frontages and with a slight building upon it, was run up to £382. In Dampier's Bay, Lyttelton, three unimproved sections of Town land fetched at auction £185, £65, and £50, respectively. Owing to the confidence felt in the Land Regulations and the fixity of the present tenure of runs for the terms specified, stock and stations readily realize good prices. A run in the Timaru district. of 50,000 acres and carrying 2,000 sheep was lately sold for £5,500; and an unimproved run of 20,000 acres on the Rakaia, for £1,200. Several sales have since then been effected at equivalent if not higher rates; and the few runs brought into the market meet ready purchasers and are disposed of at a very considerable advance on the current value of the stock upon them. Horses are scarce in proportion to the demand, and are consequently dear. A few lots brought in occasionally by sea from Australia or overland from the neighbouring provinces sell readily, and fetch remunerative rates. For broken horses the following are the prevailing prices: — Saddle, £50 to harness, £70 to £90; heavy draft, £80 to £ 120. Superior brood mares will obtain higher prices in proportion. Cattle at the present time are not easy of sale, unless we except working bullocks and 2 and 3-year-old steers. Good milch cows may be placed at under £15, though well-bred stock will command a much higher figure; 2-year-old steers, £5 to £7; 3-year-old, £10 to £12; working bullocks from £30 to £40 a pair. Last month at Kaiapoi a sale of 30 to 40 head of steers and cows in-calf and with calves at their side, at auction by Mr. Thomson, realised about £7 10s. all round. In the month of July last, an extensive sale of cattle, among which were some choice animals of very superior breed, took place at Charteris Bay. An imported shorthorned cow fetched £55, and a short-horned bull, bred in the colony, £90. A number of

steers ranged from £5 10s. to £7, and were much sought for. Heifers averaged about £5 10s.; but some well-bred animals fetched £14 and £16; and one beautiful heifer realised £22.

The retail trade in the towns is at this moment rather dull for the time of year, but it is steady and progressive. The following are the retail prices of provisions. The last quotation of wheat is 10s. per bushel, and potatoes about 6s. per cwt. on the plains. RETAIL MARKETS. — Tuesday, DEC. 15. Christchurch. — Flour, 25s per l00lbs.; bran 1s 3d, sharps, 1s 9d per bshl. of 201bs. ; bread, 1s 2d per 4ffi loaf; eggs, Is 6d per doz.; butter, (fresh) 1s 4d;"do., (salt) Is 4d; cheese, (new) lid; lard j 1s; beef, 6d and 7d; mutton, 4d to 6d; veal, 8d; I candles, 10d per Ib. Lyttelton. — Flour, 28s per l00lbs. ; bread, Is 3d per 4lb loaf; eggs, 2s 6d per doz.; butter, (fresh) Is 4d; do.,(salt) Is 4d; cheese,(old) Is2d; do., (new) Is.; lard, Is 2d; beef,7d and 8d; mutton, 5d and 6d; veal, 9d; pork, 9d; candles, Is per 16. Kaiapoi. — Flour, 26s per l00lbs ; butter, (fresh) 1s 9d; do., (salt) 1s 6d; beef, 6d and 7d ; mutton, 4d to 6d; pork, 6d and 7d; lard, 1s; candles, 1s per lb ; timber, 20s and 21s per 100 ft., delivered on the river. ECCLESIASTICAL. The census taken in March last gives a great preponderance in numbers to the Church of England. According to this return there were then in the province 4455 persons belonging to the Church of England, 456 to the Wesleyans, 573 to the Church of Scotland, 232 to the Church of Rome, 36 Lutherans, 24 Independents, 34 Baptists, and 14 of other denominations.

Not much has been done during the past year in the way of Church building. Besides those of which we spoke in our last summary there is now one at Riccarton, a handsome and commodious structure. The commencement of the new parish church of Lyttelton, to be built of stone, in place of the former one, the insecurity of which necessitated its removal, may be soon looked for. The inhabitants of Eangiora also are about to build themselves a Church suited to the increasing wants of the place. Another is in course of erection on the Ferry Road.

It is understood that on Sunday next the Bishop of Christchurch will ordain three candidates for the Ministry, Mr. Henry Harper, Mr. Croasdaile Bowen, and Mr. Francis Knowles.

We have mentioned the educational arrangement of the Government, by which certain sums are guaranteed each year to the heads of the various religious denominations who now have resident to be expended in support of schools conducted as each shall think fit, subject only to the supervision of an inspector. We are not able to give details of the working of this plan, nor indeed to specify what alterations in the previous system have followed its adoption, further than that the supply of funds seems sufficient for present wants, and that there are schools in all centres of population in the province, apparently well conducted and well attended.

A conference of members of the Church of England was held at Auckland in June of this year, when the Bishops of New Zealand and Christchurch, eight clergymen, and seven laymen chosen from the two dioceses met to drawup a Constitution for the Church of England in New Zealand to be voluntarily adopted by its members. The Constitution has been published, together with the resolutions of the Conference and an Explanatory Report. There is a general Synod constituted, and Diocesan Synods in each Diocese, whose duty it is to manage and control all the affairs of the Church according to the provisions of the Constitution. The General Synod is to consist of the Bishops of the Dioceses, fourteen representatives chosen by the clergy, and twenty-one by the laity. The first meeting is to be at Wellington, at an early period. An interesting report of the financial and general position of Christ's College, Canterbury, was published in the end of last May by the Rev. H. Jacobs, Sub-warden. Since then a portion of the College buildings have been erected, and opened for educational purposes, at an examination, when the three scholarships in the gift of the College were conferred upon pupils of the Grammar School. MISCELLANEOUS. The local posts between Lyttelton, Christchurch and Kaiapoi have been in operation during the whole of the past year. Newspapers pay 1d. and letters 1d. per half-ounce throughout. The receipts on account of the transmission of letters and papers fall somewhat short of the price paid to the contractors for carrying the mail. A small balance on the general (foreign and colonial) postage account, goes to meet this deficiency, and the remainder is paid out of the Provincial Treasury; amounting to about £30 per quarter. An effort will be made, which will no doubt receive the attention of the Government and the postal authorities, to obtain the extension of these local posts to the northern and southern boundaries of the province, as well as to other portions of the settlement. The amusements of the year are easily summed up. This day is one of the chief holidays of the year, and we have a cricket match, rural sports, and a ball in the evening arranged to come off. A regatta in Lyttelton is announced for New Year's Day. There have been several concerts during the winter and spring in Christchurch, very successfully conducted and attracting thronged attendances. Balls in both towns from time to time contribute to enliven society. A very successful one took place in Lyttelton, and another equally so in Kaiapoi, on the occasion of the return of members for those towns at the late election. They both included all classes of the community and were conducted in a spirit of thorough unanimity and with great satisfaction to all concerned. The Colonists' Society in Lyttelton have given several entertainments of a kind peculiar to their literary and social character. One of these conversaziones was on the Society's anniversary, and another to bid farewell to the late Superintendent, On this occasion a very handsome marquetry table of New Zealand woods, constructed by Mr. Wilcox, cabinet maker, of this town, was presented by the

members of the Society to His Honor, with a farewell address. These entertainments have always been well attended.

Among our public entertainments in Lyttelton of.course the theatre takes the lead. It was established here by Mr. W. H. Foley, assisted by Mrs. Foley and a corps of amateurs, and was opened on the 23rd of July last: since which time entertainments have been given about once a week. These have consisted chiefly of Farces, but lately we have had performed such pieces as the "Lady of Lyons," and the "Honeymoon;" and now a series of representations of first-class tragedies has been commenced, the first of which came off on last Thursday evening. We subjoin a critical notice of this performance which was excluded from our last issue.

THEATRE ROYAL. — The production of a Shuksperian tragedy at the Theatre Royal, on Thursday evening last, may be well considered an epoch in the anna]s of art in our small community. That a play like " Othello " should be attempted at so early a period of our history as a colony is a cheering augury of what the future may develop, and shows that our people, though few in number and thousands of miles away from the great centres of art, have not, in leaving the old country, left behind them their taste for the beautiful and the grand. It could scarcely be expected that such a play as "Othello," perhaps the most perfect in tragic structure of all Shakspeare's plays, could be worthily rendered in our small theatre, with its very limited resources ; and it therefore gives us the greater pleasure to say that, so far as dressing the piece is concerned, it reflected the highest credit on Mrs. Foley and her assistants. The production of a new street scene too, to give effect to the piece, is worthy of note. We are sure that the directress has been most liberal in her outlay, and we trust that on Thursday (tomorrow) evening, when the tragedy will be repeated, the lovers of art will be present in such numbers as will remunerate her. Of the acting we wish to speak kindly, yet honestly ; and, if we find fault, we wish it to be understood that we do so with a desire to stimulate the amateurs to closer study, and to greater triumphs. Of Mr. Bradwell's Othello, we must first remark that the imperfect disguise of his face, in imitation of the swarthy Moor, was an eyesore to us throughout the piece, which, may possibly have prejudiced us somewhat agaiust his acting. We certainly failed to recognize in that gentleman's portraiture of Othello those strokes of genius which should have matched his former achievements. In the early scenes he was somewhat too impassive, and it was not until the third act that he made ! himself felt by the audience. It is pleasant, however, to be able to say that here we were treated to a piece of acting between lago and Othello that reminded us of actors of merit in other lands. The slow entrance of suspicion of his wife into Othello's mind, the perturbation resulting from his jealous doubts, and the anguish which marked full conviction, were finely portrayed. His fierce demand of proof of Desdemona's infidelity ; his rage when the evidence appears to him complete, were master-pieces of declamation, and excited the audience as only good acting can ; the house fairly shouted its admiration. The excellence displayed in this scene was fairly sustained by Mr. Bradwell to the close of the piece, though something of fatigue, and something perhaps of want of study, contributed to lower the tone and diminish the vigour of his execution by the last two acts. Of Mr. Henries' lago we can speak with qualified praise. His make-up was admirable and his reading and acting of this arduous part a proof of what care and study will effect. A little less of the sneer upoii'f'hft countenance, replaced by a bland smile or sympathising expression through the greater part of the piece, would have better suited the,eharacter of the dissembling villain; nevertheless it was an even and scholarly portraiture. With the exception of one interview with Desdemqna and Emilia in the fourth act, we consider My. Henries' most effective scene was that one in the third act to which we have referred as the most successful of Mr. Brad well. Mr. Henries played with finished art in this, the great scene of the tragedy, and' very justly divided the applause. Mrs. Foley scarcely equalled our expectation in the small but important part of Emilia; it was perhaps not sufficiently labo* rious to draw forth her energies ; yet she was_ a good representation of the brave hearted waite ing-woman. Miss Sutton made a pretty Desdemona; the part, however, was evidently taken as a matter of accommodation, and not within her role; we therefore gratefully forbear from criticism. Ere now we have had occasion to speak approvingly of Mr. Rae, and it is with regret that we are compelled to say that ho did not play but play with the character of Brabantio. He had evidently trusted to the prompter for his speeches, not one of which he delivered, while he strove to disguise, his want of study by a violence of gesticulation which might have amused the audience if they had. not been pained at an exhibition so unworthy the gentleman's stage antecedents. We trust that on the second representation of the piece' Mr. Rae will be himself again. The Roderigo of Mr. Mordaunt was a tame representation, and not what we might have expected from that gentleman; Mr. Rae and Mr. Mordaunt should remember that it is unfair that through their negligence or want of application other gentlemen who have studied long and arduous parts should be sacrificed. Our last objection to the performance of Thursday evening relates to the delay in the rise, of the curtain; punctuality will be found, we think, to keep sweet the temper of the audience. To-morrow evening we trust to see the defects we hav9 hinted at removed, and we have no doubt that it will be so.

Allusion has more than once been made to the probable, and indeed, almost certain continuous importation of Australian wheat and flour into this country. "We have now to report the arrival of the St. Michael from Port Adelaide, in the London docks, with a considerable quantity of Adelaide flour. It is not the quantity that draws our attention, but the fact that she has had an unusually long voyage of five months.; yet, notwithstanding, the flour is in the best possible condition, and is expected to realise so lucrative a figure, that heavy consignments will be induced for the future. This long voyage has successfully tested the peculiar properties of this flour, and which, it is well known, exceeds any other, in quality. The St. Michael brings also a large freight of Burra Burra copper ore. — Home News

Wet days. Inches. January 8 1.54 February 7 4.19 March 6 .62 April 9 1.48 May 22 3.89 June 5 2.74 July 6 2.57 August ................. 13 ......... 3.60 September 13 2.24 October ......... 20 ......... 3.92 November 19 3.75 Dec. to 13th 6 1.83 Total 134 32.37