SOUTHLAND.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 165, 27 May 1862, Page 4

SOUTHLAND.

(FROM OUR. OWN CORRKSPOXD_NT.) Invercargill, 23rd May, 18G2. The arbitration question, though not as yet descanted on by the oracle of Southland, has occupied some little attention down here, the feature which has attracted most attention beiug the remarkable diil'ei - ence between the two statements; that of Southland so definite,'succinct, and clear; that of Otago—undefined, declining to enter into onelportion of thedebt until the other was settled—on such excessively broad (?);'a basis ; while Mr. Chief Surveyor Thomson's^ theory of agricultural land being created by the' existence of population, thereby starting a sort of telescopic creation, in contradiction to all our preconceived ideas, is looked upon as the neatest thing of the day.' A carefully prepared pamphlet, to be laid before the AntiCoinuion Sense aud Philo-Humbug Society, is anticipated with anxiety. The different rates of value at which the agricultural and pastoral - lands were estimated in the Otago statement, ■ has caused s.o_e surprise; when it is recollected that thore pastoral lands, if judiciously managed and not'alienated from the Ci-own will be an increasing and certain source of revenue for the future, the other—a daily diminishing one, the fruits of which may be dissipated by a foolish or dishonest government. If-jn Scotland sheep pasturages fetch such high rents, what a revenue might Otago have from her pastoral country. Such is the opinion here, nnd odd to this' a feeling of disappointment, at the total absence on the part of the Otago Government of the finer feelings "of our nature which would have been so refreshsng to have seen ; that sort of thing which one sees and admires so much on the stage, when the obdurate uncle at last relents, and facetiously digging his finger into Hopsful's side, exclaims ''take her you dog, and 10,000 with her.'-" Having anticipated some such liberal tieatment, as " hang expense, let's cry quits, debt and aU," the disappointment at finding a desire to go thirds, and by one number halves, has led to an opposite extreme, weakening all faith in the brighter side of human nature, which to a philanthrophis£ia distressing. ' '• The next subject which has occupied public attention, is an inquest on the body of a man -found' with his throat cut, in one of the streets of Invercargill. The provincial Surgeon and Coroner being the same individual, and he having refused admittance into the hospital to the deceased when alive, considering he was not sufficiently unwell, the twelve intelligent and enlightened-jury considered it their duty to'try the Coroner and not the case, and in a rider to their verdict unanimously poncluded that had the deceased been admitted mpo the hospital he would not have cut his throat, show, ing thereby a degree of clairvoyance delightful for so young a settlement, holding forth a rich promise for the future. Unfortunately for the fame ot Invercargill, some one laboring under an attack of corn-

mon sense, suggested the word " might " instead of "would," which, although considerably slower, and by no "means so original, was, after some discussion, consented to.; The evidence was, in some instanes, interesting. One witness is reported to have stated it as his opinion that the deceased died from a disordered stomach, notwithstanding- a gash or two in his throat. This I will not vouch for. It has, however, furnished the Southern iYines with an article, and many in the Court watching- the reporter taking not';l, must have muttered the grace before meat —•;: K-a* what we ore about to receive." At any rate, the Coroner ought to. There was another inquest next day on the body of a man, who hung himself at the Half-way Bush.. Those who first discovered the body hanging, considered it their duty, instead of cutting him down at. once, to look from afar off and send for _ a constable. Anyone wishing to hang himself expecting to be cut down, had better not try the experiment in Southland. . ■ .' ■ ..;.,. ' ■■ ;-

One hears of the march of intellect and the enlightenment of the nineteenth century, it has been strikingly displayed at Invercargill in a petition against steam saw-mills being licensed, which you will see in the Southern Nexos of the 17th mst. The'f wording: of the petition is creditable to; theEnglish language, while the signatures arc, decidedly a nc;.t . thing ,: in caligraphy. It begins by utterly crushing the Waste LancT Board by an expression of warm disapprobation; you may imagine the feelincs- of those respectable individuals writhing under the severest censure of the corporate body of Sawers and Splitters in Southland. It goes on to slnte, that .monopoly, as regards Mills is oh-, jecfionable; but, as regards hand-sawyers, commendable; that i hi: majority of inhabitants of Invercargill being sawye-.s and splitters, ergo, they ought to be protected ; a slyie of logic which no one will dispute. The Carpenters will soon, it is anticipated, request Government to put a heavy poll tax on all of that trade coming here from Australia and elsewhere, while the importation of flour is evidently monstrous, there being one mill already in the place, and a good number of men anxious fo get a large price for their wheat, it argues well, that the cry of protection should already be raised. The Canterbury, from Auckland, entered the New River lately, with a cargo of timber, 'and the Abbot Lawrence the Bluff with some 4,700 sheep, having hod a very fine and swift passage. The importation of wethers has been large within the last few weeks. The Aldinga called in at the Bluff on the 18th for the mails.

The weather has been very broken lately, a good deal of sleet and rain has fallen,, accompanied with strong wind from the S.W. The rivers up conntry are all flooded, making traveling inland by no means safe. ' One nuur trying to cross the Makerewa on horse back, some days ago, is supposed to be drowned. The police have not as yet been able to find the to ly, although the river has. been well dragged. It is. to be hoped the days of such accidents are numbered, as in all probability the Makerewa will be bridged in three months. The wet weather has had the usual damaging effect on business, outdoor auction sales in particular, while the heavy wet consumed, in-door promises an increase in the Customs' revenue for the month. Hotel-keepers look pleased and jingle the loose silver in their pockets in n manner irritating to one's feelings. Firewood has risen; black pine, 27s per cord, in great.demand. Building is still going on, and the last timber sold by auction fetched a good price. At the lost sale of town land, 19 Invercargill sections fetched £980, the highest £79," the average £51 lis 6Jd, not so bad considering the town has been in the market alon» while. We are advancing in .the scale of civilization. A pretty fair robbery,' considering we are only young, was committed on Mr. Robert Mitchell's store, which was broken into last Monday night, and a small sum of money and a good quantity of drapery rewarded the adventurous elves; the night was so stormy that it is not very surprising the thieves escaped detection by the night police, that the breakage of of the windows was not discovered until eight in the morning, (by the shop-boy) looks well for th« vigilance of our morning patrol. Mr.; Mitchell lundersatnd, has. grave doubts as to our advance in civilization. The Aredale came into the Bluff last night, the Guiding star into Ivercargill this morning, the latter having had a rather longer than ogreeaule passage, owing to the late burst from the south-west. By the Airedale, we have Mr. Kennedy, the manager at head quarters of the.Bank of New Zealand, and Captain Johnstone, Steam Inspector—both of whom, are as might be expected, favourably impressed with the Bluff Harbor.

- The weather'has assumed a milder"appearance, and it is to be hoped we have had the clearing up shower. -