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Lake Wakatip Mail, Volume II, Issue 59, 21 November 1863, Page 4

It is announced in the Government Gazette that the township of Frankton will be sold on the 19th December; Queenstown, on the 24th; and Kingston, on the 36th. Although no method of sale is mentioned, there is little doubt but that they will be sold by auction, and this caused no little excitement in the minds of our fellowtownsmen who had improved their allotments, no compensation being allowed by the Ordinance. It is, however, provided by another Ordinance, that on a petition being presented to the Waste Land Board, they may allow the land to be purchased at an assessed upset price, instead of by auction. The subject was brought under the notice of the Queenstown Improvement Committee on Thursday evening, when a petition was ordered to be drawn up and forwarded to the Government. If gold be not discovered in Southland, the fault will certainly not rest with the inhabitants of that enterprising and liberal Province. It will be seen, on reference to our advertising columns, that a reward of £2500 has been offered for the discovery of a goldfield within borders, the only proviso being that 16,000 ounces must be brought down within the first twelve months to Invercargill. This determined and liberal step, will no doubt set at rest the question as to the gold-producing capabilities of Southland, for there is little doubt the prospect of securing such a rich reward will incite our miners to do their best. The following resolutions were unanimously passed at a recent meeting in Invercargill, convened by the provisional committee of the Southland Prospecting Association :—•' That this meeting is of opinion that payable goldfields do exist in this Province, and consider that no time should be lost in developing the same.—That, in order to induce private individuals to undertake the thorough prospecting of the Province, it is desirable that a sum of £1,500 be guaranteed by public subscription for the purpose of supplementing the Government grant, in the event of a payable goldfield being discovered.—That the said reward of £ISOO will be paid to such persons who may be declared entitled to the Government reward of £IOOO. — That in the event of a payable goldfield being discovered in the Otago Province, and such goldfield being shown to be to the advantage of Southland, that, the Committee shall have power to give a proportionate reward to the discoverers, such money to be raised as they (the Committee) may deem advisable." Any person visiting Queenstown after an absence of a couple of months would hardly know the town again, owing to the metamorphosis that has taken place, from dirty, torn and calico tents, to really imposing'structures of wood and iron that now adorn our thoroughfares. Among the many improvements we may favourably mention the new establishment of Mr. Prosser, chemist, in Rees-street, and also the new auction room of Mr. Reuben Harris, in Ballarat-street. A full house - greeted the production of " Othello," both on Thursday and Friday; but, until this evening, when the wager as to the relative merits of the three " Othellos" will be decided, we think it scarcely right to criticise the performances. On Wednesday next a benefit to Miss Kate Grant is announced.