Local Intelligence.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XI, Issue 679, 7 May 1859, Page 5

Local Intelligence.

We are requested to warn some of the boatmen of this harbour that they may give ib a very bad name by imposing upon masters of vessels. Within the last month or two a boatload of ballast was was brought alongside a vessel in the harbour, and offered to the Captain as weighing 28 tons. The skipper, .who knew what a cargo ought to be, declined to take it, when it was offered as 20 tons. But the Captain knew better, and weighed it in, when the whole cargo w«s found to weigh only 14 tons. This imposition is bnd enough; but worse consequences than the loss of money result to captains of ships by putting to sea without knowing accurately the probable trim of their vessesl.

His Honor the Superintendent has returned by the White Swan, after laying the whole correspondence on the subject of railway communication in this province before the General Government. We understand fcnat if we can arrive at a definite conclusion among ourselves, and can make out a clear case that the course proposed will be a paying one, the General Government are prepared to recommend it to the home authorities. They admit that ifc need not be looked on as a transaction necessarily implicating the colony at large either directly or indirectly. We have very good nuthority for believing that the funds necessary for the proposed railway .works would be readily forthcoming on the credit nf the province.

The Waste Lands Board sat until noon, on Thursday to receive fees on pasturage licenses due on the Ist May. All sums due were of course paid up without default; their total was as nearly as possible £8,700. The affairs of Timaru at the present time deserve publ'c attention. The presence of 350 people in the district last December shows an unlooked for increase in population, while the fact of there being 152,885 sheep, besides horses and cattle, indicates its progress as a pastoral country. We notice also that a church is to be built there, for which a considerable subscription has been already raised. This fact indicates something even better than material prosperity.

. It is necessary to state that no delay in the compilation of the census returns occurred at Timaru, the returns for that district having been completed and sent to Auckland about a month before those from the rest of the province. The delay occurred in obtaining here a copy of the abstract for use in the province, for the receipt of which at last we have to thank the enumerator for the district.

Supreme. Covet.—A slight error lias b?en made by our contemporary the " Standard " of the sth insr. in the announcement of the next sittings of the Supreme Court being expected to take place at Christchurcb. The future Supreme Court sittings will not be held at Christchurch until after the next Circuit Court, which we are informed will certainly take place on the 15th (instead of the Ist) June at Lyttelton as heretofore; after which a proclamation may be expected, altering the place of sitting to Christchurch. We are further -informed that it was in cnntempla-; .'lion to issue a proclamation fixing a session of the Supreme Court at Dunedin on the 27th July. The Chief Justice and the two puisne Judges were, at the date of our information, in Easter week, still in consultation at Auckland. C. A. Calvert, Esq., Barrister at Law, having been appointed Revising Officer for the electoral districts of the County of Cheviot, Christchurch Country and Town, and Akaroa, took the oaths of office on Thursday, sth instant, before John Hall, Esq., JOT., specially appointed (in the absence of the judge) to administer the same.