The Lyttelton Times.

Lyttelton Times, Volume IX, Issue 541, 9 January 1858, Page 4

The Lyttelton Times.

Saturdayi January 9; ■■

The Members of the Provincial Council

will probably be rejoiced at the prospect -. :of a short session at the present busy sear ' son of the year. ; We do not hear of- any ' business which is likely to detain them For any .length of time, unless the new metabers show more than an average capacity

for taking-. The provmce is in a prosperous state;—^-there are few, if any griev-c anees worth speaking of ;—and most men are too busy to invent grievances which dp' 1 inbt: exist. Such ; luxuries as political: agitations are only to be enjoyed in times of coniparative'distress or inaction. The most important business which the Council will have to deal with on its first meeting will be the passing- of the Estimates for the ensuing year—or rather I a portion of the ensuing* year. For, we , 1 believe, it is only proposed to ask for votes , for six months, owing to the early meeting of the Council. We may estimate the revenue from the Land Department at about £16,000 or £17,000 for the next half year. This estimate is probably very much under the mark; but an income arising partly from sales of land is necessarily very uncertain. At any rate, we may reckon upon from £6,000 to £7,000, pasturage rents payable on the Ist of May,* and as nearly £10,000 was taken at the Land Boai-d during the last quarter by steady land sales, that amount may safely be put down for a half year. The Customs Revenue during the last year was at the rate of £18;000> of which our share was near £7,000 or at the rate of about £3,500 for a half year- • After deducting the probable ordinary expenses, the payments to the General Government on account of charge on Land Fund, the interest due on Loan for Immigration, the expenses of Survey and Land - Departments, and the vote for Education, the amount available for Public Works out of the half year's revenue would, exceed £10,000. "To this sum may be added a balance- in the chest which may be estimated at about £5,000. In fact, we shall have, probably, more money than can be judiciously spent until a larger supply of j labour begins to come into, the province. Amongst Public Works that: haye^ been undertaken and are not yet completed, first and foremost stands the Sumner Road. Too much money has been spent on this twork^and the accomplishment of it is too,! important to = all the. interests of. the; pro- ,' vince, to allow, of its being long neglected. ;one ; Grovernment and Council; may indeed suspend the works, but it will be only for their successors "to resume them at greater -expense the longer they are .delayed. More, indacision. bas been shown ..on. this -question than on all,others,put together. ■But since the weight both of .professional and other evidence has, been in favor of the Sumner Road as a : means of land communication between the Port and the Plains ; since on the strength, of such; evidences a considerable amount of money has been expended, and since. the work, promised has heretofore been performed for the amount specified in the, estimate of cost j would it not seem a most absurd proof... of indecision and' recklessness to give ,up the undertaking -simply because we cannot finish it iira moment? .. Our- ? means are not equal to sudden exertions either in respect of labour or m6rieyV —But' if we pursue one-end steadily: and vote, a" -moderate amount yearly towards the cokh 'pletion of the Sumner jtoael, we shall find ■it passable foe Her, Majesty's, mails sooner. ■than . Howeyier ; elge .ye./.jjaay^ ■progress, .and wb^tpyer , water corajnimicay tipn ; we may have, it will r £c against,,Us J both x& % prosperity and 'r.ep^tetiort,iil' we' rhive. jjipt j eijou^!i..fo i make a^os^fpr^ :^at ; |»etjsree}a,; the./Pprt.^nd./.^he ;Jt*lains 0 i^r^fier ?^lj it.ißjajtrSiQgCfM&cujtty if;, wje, compare, i^fsnth ,thq di^julties-^yercome^ otperj countries without.* ,^g.uajly> commea,suWte.respuree<?.. . r ;.,^ : ,f -'iov*ru'f' i-:c:-,jr,!: !t ; J^rom the subject, ; of Jhp /Sumner Road r we o ape ; vnatu^all^Jed, i^imm^^ t\}ef]\ie^ tion of roads inptUer mountainous districts.

I When we look ,to the. vast .rsupplies of tiniber on tUb Peninsula, supplies' which , are becoming yeai'ly more important .td^jfcliej, inliatitantspf thetwliQle provirice^the-rne-, cessity of^ opeiinig" up. the' valleys • x»^ the Pem'usuia^ancL of .^onnec|ing them, with eaeli other,..becomes.^obvious; „:,^ithertb; but little! has bqe^done in thVway : : the iprpyince .has, not .been able to, afford it... Now, the question ouglit to be. L taken into'consideration ; aiid.an jadequate ssum .yoteidjfbr.thefGOinpletion.of.^the^rpad to AkarpsC^U4; s>§ PVm}s& 9^ e™--?^ . bi'anch lines to.tte^p'st jmpo^UntjpqrtiqnS; the Peninsula^ 0 4 land^icKjinjtirnbep, and, cheese■ and butter deservesjspine atten> tion at thesandspjf the Council; ;,Vj '- X l *■

The :impitovement of j thse'.;main ;roads J from Christchurch to the different districts around may betaken ras.a.mcitter.ofjeourse, A considerable portion of; the North Road will require-to be; metalled l be/oi >einext winter, if we .wish to preserve the, late works from destruction. This may be said: of all the roads- where. olate earthworks have .been, formed. „Whate!veru m pney there ,is must only be apportioned as fairly as possible to-the wants-of the different dis'4 ; tricts. -i:-l^ i'tt-.i -.■'• -\ - ■;■:.•:'.> '.:<-.: .;yc:' '>•■; It is worthy the consideration of the Council whether the province is not suffix ciently advanced to. undertake the bridging1 of the Heathcbte between Lytteltott and Christchurch^ and of the Waimakariri be- ' tween Christchurch and Kaiapoi. Ferries are but primitive make-shifts .on main lines of road. ' Such works as bridges might be very suitable -undertakings when we have a sufficiency of money but a want of hands that can be spared from farm "labours' to work upon roads arid earthworks.' The extension of the local post service is loudly called for. There can be no reason why a post should hot run monthty, if'not' fortnightly, to the boundaries of the province north, and south.- As matters at' present' stand, the up-country settlers do' not receive their fair share of attention from the' Government. They pay for the. local delivery in Christchurch and Lyttelton; and some effort should be made to give them an adequate advantage from the establishment of a local postal service. To put: out.of the question the comfort iand convenience of the' settlers, a proper !system of postal communication from' Lyttelton and Chxistchurch - northward to the'Hurunni and southward to the Wai-, ■taugi would be an advantage very appreciable in a mercantile point of View. A' committee' of the Council might elicit valuable information as to the best means of establishing such mail service and as to the ferries and road-making required to facilitate the enterprise. 1 But above all questions in importance to us at the present • time, the question of Immigration certainly ranks first. Ths ! responsibilities of Government'areiidt got rid* of by the despatch of an efficient agent to: England, and the payment of interest on. the"loan to be negotiated for immigrations Proper accommodation should be provided /for the large influx of population that we' may expect during the ensuing year; ; It" is due to the immigrants whom we bring out that-they should not be huddled toV 1 gether into too small space without suffi- n cient regard to decency and comfort; and it is to the advantage of employers; b£ labour that'every convenience 5 should Toe ; afforded to them to find the kind of labourers they are m search of. To pro-^ vide efficiently for'the; comfort of the Jmmigrants and' the convenience of the ,pubiic: it would' seem' advisablie that the barrack accommodation: should be divided: between Lytteltptt: and - Christchurch, sp' .that iminigi'ants after a night or two :iri Lytteltoh might get out to the plains irri^ .mediately: "and have sonic place to, go ib on their arrival" at Christchtirch,; wherethey might be sure of shelfcei*for alimited" time,'' until they could find employment'! 0 We are now undertaking • immigration' ott c a large ' scale,' -it is to •%q ■ hopfed5 such immigration ;is to be l} cpbtrSu'ed^ Some expenditure :6n proper barracks ap^J pears absolutely necessary. : At' this" ra^ ment we are totally uripreparedtd; receive' in the; m'ahher: in( which they .'shoiild' be received; on their. arrivihg; with-' put means in . k neti country; - r- ! • ■;' cs"'----v i There- is a question1 li& the ih- 1! of Christchurch which hdim&i'fof jawaitih^^^nKetiH^r)6^ jPrdvinciai doti^lfo^fts^blutmrr/ Wfe +; Wean the queption of the .claims of tb'e^i ppllege upon -Ca^e(}r.^r^u^ c ' {i»jQliHst~ jCljurch. This question, .was very sum- ! J)u t. it ,;ha^,, since; pyipwn^ roft, suc^jmagnitu{le. ? ,tlistt._ it.43 ' jaqt, iike ; ly.7 ( tarte .so ; fcay.alie^ly'., treated ag-ain. There appcars.'tp be evei]y,'

disposition otu alj ( ,sides., to ;come to an amicable understanding. A llf''tne-'College clearly ent^6d"tb^^M f and it • seems equally cleat'iharitfwbulpi be to the Advantagenof&thil public # prevent the blocfcingMUpt of t^«'-*topfenffi6rty^oini 1 middle<bf■ thectown?byj a tiest^pitmujdinir^i* that mayibexdr'ammed finto-it^^withbuV rfc- i7.garditd health or seemlines».nn jin makingia healthyarid'plea^^ sant town of Ghristchurch; iatitt we; *; ° not to commit iii a newcowitrj'the old^"' 1! (.world Smistakecoflea^inc' Kb ■h^tigs^foriW^^ •town' iwTuchi^illiißoojiubßcoin%ci pdpnjdYii Dtl The plantihgbf H%ley Patfei^ a^exp^hsi'is! as yet ratherrbeyondloui>lin%anWio tiM°if'K ;Cathedral Square belonged to-the public !fi jthe»icentafe of ;itScouldiißei;imm^ia^iy fenced in ar;<U|)lanted witfibufc'inuGh^ ex-^ 1'" pense j; and afford, before niany years aiH6 !i; ioyeryia pleasant jin itii& centric of !' | town, a sourfce fof: pleasure; andj Health t6 '■} | its inhabitants; We are^livih^in a cihriate^' more like that of France than that orßri^- 1 rland j—the French are wiser 4h'an we ttre:"' > ;in proyidingrg'nmpses of in4he>^ centre of towns as an antidote against the effectSjfljf af hot .summerf sunr.upon:weary and feverishj populations. ;>Jj|e^us; look,,a v^ little to,^e,jmtore.-M ) ,vt.-- t ; ;; v / ,:; vjv.i . ;i ,; ri ,:i/ There•a^fewsubjectafi>quiri^ diate legislation. Legislation is rather looked qa iisa bore, and the fewer bills ibroiirfit.in perhaps -the r better.^ We "do '^r not Tiear of any- of, importanceJttoobe::; 1 brought in by the Q;o,verament, /L except,one ; , to make some. tecjinical * amendments' in the Waste Lands Regulations" to fecilitate their working, 'ye s^hall-, ba surprised if the Council dbesjijbt its labours Am!; € tirric»' ifo 'al&w Jspistosjc>jt * the GeneriiVAssembly, who aftt alsV Mem- Y,\ bersof ihe PrbVincial Gouncil,'to attend ai 'Auckland'^..the'^lst of ;']ilarph,-; i:..