Correspondence.

Lyttelton Times, Volume IX, Issue 580, 26 May 1858, Page 5

Correspondence.

To the Editor of the Lyttelton Times,

Sin,—Although an advocate of temperance in all its legitimate bearings, I am equally adverse to the common expedient of zealots in " making up telling cases " —as the lawyers say—even at the expense of the good name of individuals or communities. These remarks apply specially to the address of Mr. C. W. Turner, on the 15th inst., on the occasion of originating a Total Abstinence Society. It would appear from his remarks that the 400 adult males of Lyttelton amply supported its five "large hotels and taverns." No reference whatsoever is made to the numerous seamen of your comparatively large shipping, or to the constant influx of visitors from the country, surrounding districts, and passing travellers. Let all these be fairly taken into consideration, and an unbiased average be given, it will be found that five hotels is not a very great excess on the requisite extent of accommodation. I may add from the generalaspect of Lyttelton, since my arrival, that it is far from earning very great notoriety for drunkenness; for I have not yet witnessed a single instance of intoxication in town. If one desires to witness excess in that respect let him visit Auckland and some other New Zealand towns of far greater pretensions than Lyttelton, if you take them at their own estimate. I wish the object of Mr. Turner every encouragement, but let the means, however zealous, be fair and open. This course, in the end, will prove the most successful. I am, &c, A STRANGER. May 21, 1858.

To the Editor of the Lyttelton Times.

Sik,—As I happen to reside in a portion of the town of Lyttelton, -which has hitherto been scareiy recognized as such, I shall feel obliged if you will permit me through the medium of the 'Times,' to call the attention of the powers that be to certain facts connected with that locality. It is marked out in the maps of Lyttelton as the "Voelas Road," and forms a portion of what is called Dampier's Bay valley. So long as the said valley remained the property of certain rich absentees, there existed no very potent reasons why it should not bask in all the grandeur of its pristine wildness. But since certain bipeds of the genus homo have sought there to make themselves "a local habitation," I certainly think the road should have an existence as well as a name. While the public money and the prison labour were employed in carrying out that useful and commanding piece of work the Suraner Road, I was too modest to seek by any means to direct it towards another channel, but, could the valley speak, methinks it would say

" Many a furrow in my muddy cheeks Has been the channel to a flood of rain." Now, sir, I have a strange notion that the inhabitants of Dampier's Bay may justly claim to be vested in the same rights and privileges as all and other the free citi— (I beg pardon) denizens of the town of Lyttelton,—id est, such a road as shall enable them to reach their homes Avithout wading or swimming or breaking their knees. One of my neghbours and myself have, at some cost both of time and money, bridged over the gully and made such approaches thereto on either side as our circumstances would permit. But sir, the sections at this end of the town have recently changed hands at high prices, new houses are rapidly appearing, and the lizards and grasshoppers are giving place to animals of a nobler growth; and surely our paternal government will not allow us to crawl to our homes or hop from rut to rut like the aborigines we have displaced; yet such will probably be our fate if-something is not done to repair the road already made between Peacock's wharf and Capt. Parsons' house, and a little labour bestow-ed-on making a road up the valley aforesaid. To speak seriously, I do consider that a great injustice will be done if the comparatively trifling work is not at.once (or as^arly as possible) proceeded with, which I now ask on behalf of myself and neighbours. The non-existence of such a road as our prisoners could make in a few days, has been, jand is equal to a tax of £20 per annum to me alone, independent of the personal danger and inconvenience to myself and family. Trusting the hint will be attended to in the right quarter, I remain, sir, Your obedient servant, CHARLES J. RAE. Claverton Cottage, May 24th, 1858.

Madagascar.—The friends of humanity and religion throughout England will be shocked, as well as grieved, to learn that the last^ mail brings tidings of another.fearful persecution of the Christians in Madagascar. This last persecution, which followed the expulsion of a number of Frenchmen from the capital m July last, seems to be more severe than any by .which it had been preceded. Thirteen persons had been uut to death ; between fifty and sixty had been subjected to the ordeal of the tangena, or poison water/under which eight had died; nearly

sixty were bound in chains, of whom two had died; while a number more were reduced to slavery. The severity of the persecution rendering communication from the sufferers exceedingly perilous, few particulars have as yet been received. The French and other foreign traders have not been molested in their commercial pursuit on the coast. Interesting Relic of Peince Charles Stuart.—ln the public room of the Caledonian Hotel, Oban, says the " North British Daily Mail," there is an antique oak chair, with the following inscription on a silver plate : —" This chair was sent by Loehiel to Prince Charles Stuart, on the occasion when the Royal standard was unfurled to claim the crown of his ancestors, at Gienfinnin, on the 19th August, 1745."