The Lyttelton Times.

Lyttelton Times, Volume IX, Issue 542, 13 January 1858, Page 5

The Lyttelton Times.

, Wednesday, January 13. The ship Westminster, a fine vessel of Young & Co.'s Line, arrived in this port on Saturday last, the 9th instant, from London direct, 88 days out. She brings a large number of passengers, among whom are several who have been with us before; The ' number of working immigrants brought by the Westminster at a time when no funds from the colony were available in assistance towards their passage money, indicates that the greatest confidence in this settlement is entertained by themselves, or by those who supplied means for their immigration. The voyage of the Westminster was remarkably fine and short, and all the passengers speak of the comfort of the voyage.

The news brought by this opportunity is close, in point of date, to that received vi& Melbourne, as well as to that which the mail of October would have brought. It is the only instance for a long time past of a direct ship bringing us late news. All items of importance will be found in another place.

Along- with the Westminster, we have been obliged by the arrival of the Dart and Canterbury, bringing the usual colonial mails. As we have not room in this issue for any extracts from tne local papers we must. content ourselves with summarising the chief points of interest from anor ther quarter. ;

From New South Wales we learn that the Assembly was prorogued on thelßth December, and dissolved on the 19th. The step is one apparently resulting from the defeat of the 'Cowper' Ministry, who, in appealing to the country, are said on all sides to have but a weak case. This party,, the peculiarly democratic one, has become, objectionable in the eyes of many sup-j porters out-of-doors since coming into, office.

From. Auckland-we have papers of the. 23rd tilt., by which we learn little, except that the Provincial Council has resolved^ that it is desirable that the Houses of Representatives should be immediately! dissolved.. ■ This seems a step a little out; of the line of business of a Provincial; Council. This and other proceedings ofi the Provincial Legislature naturally occupy tne chief attention '-of-the journals.; •

From Nelson, with information to the 23rd; lilt., we learn that a new waste lands bill is in preparation to replace that which was vetoed by the Governor! The annual examination of the students belonging to Nelson College took place on the 17th of December, the result being satisfactory. No news from the gold fields is given in the papez's before us but sundry allusions to the subject are contained in letters to the editor, from which it appears that all on the diggings are making a livelihood. We regret to see that petty thefts are on the increase. - Politically, the Nelson papers speak little of Nelson j the 'Examiner' commenting on Wellington prefers the side of the Reformers.

Wellington dates are to the 6th instant. \ A reply from tlie Governor to the petitions j against Dr. Featherston's return as Su-; perintendent arrived in the Henry froih; Auckland. His Excellency cannot declare the election void, since disallowance must be signified to the Speaker of the Provincial Council within three months after the election. The time allowed is too short to permit proper investigation, even if the fact of there being no existing Speaker of the Council were not sufficient ;to interfere with the legal forms. The requisition to Mr. St. Hill still stands in the columns of the c Spectator,' and obtains a few more names. Meanwhile, the subject of ousting Dr. Featherston is going out of sight; the 'Independent' states explicitly that if the Council oppose the present Government with a majority, the Superintendent will accept the resignation of his present ministers and will call certain gentlemen of the opposite party to his Council. The New Year was celebrated by boat races.

A third conflict had taken place at Ahuriri between Te Hapuka, and Moana Nui in which the former lost four men.

Connected with Wellington politics, we find an important statement in the despatch of the Under Secretary to the election petitioners. He informs them that it is the intention of the Government to introduce a measure in the coming- Session of the Assembly to amend the Electoral law of the Colony. The sooner the better. We shall "take.an early opportunity of giving1 the news in detail.