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Southland Times, Volume 2, Issue 76, 28 July 1863, Page 2

The statement so frequently made that Mr and Mrs Charles Kean were about to visit Melbourne nnd the Australius, is from intelligence received by the English mail just arrived, confirmed. These talented artistes have taken their farewell of the London public at the Princess Theatre, in the roles of Queen Catherine and Cardinal Wolsey. They allow themsolves one year, during which to visit the colonies. Upon their return to the home country, they purpose to retire altogether from the stage.

We are happy to observe the improvement tliat is taking place at this port in the delivery of cargo, and shipowners and importers will congratulate themselves upon the marked change. As an instance of dispatch, we may mention that the brigantine Picard, with a full cargo of timber, produce, and cattle, discharged with telgraph promptitude, and Capt. Sim is now ready for sea, after a delay* of only seven days.

The General Government Gazette of the 25th June contains sundry notifications, proclamations, and appointments, the principal of which are as follow : — To be Justices of the Peace — Messrs John Allen, of Picton ; Alexander MV. Inglis, Marlborough; Colonel C. T. Thomas, of Riwaka, Nelson; Daniel Bateman Thornton, George B. Owen, David Graham, Samuel Browning, Joseph Newman, all of Auckland; Francis Edward Stewart, of Christchurch; Harold Hyde Fenton, of InvercargiU ; and James Roger Dutton, of Motueka, Nelson. To be Registrars of Deeds — James Hunter Crawford, Esq., at Auckland; and William Jeffery, Esq., at Picton. Tube Coroners within the Province of Wellington — Batten Smith, Esq., and Charles George Ilewson, Esq. To be a pilot at the Port of Timaru — Strong Morrison. To be Crown Lands Commissioner nnd Land Claims Commissioner at New Plymouth — Henry Robert Richmond, Esq., J.P., vice W> liaise, Esq., resigned. A notice is given that tlie following bui dings in Invercargill have been approved and appointed as bonded warehouses. An iron building belonging to George Ilately and Co., situated near to the jetty ; an iron building belonging to John Ross and Co., fronting Clyde-sheet; part ofi an iron building belonging to Morrison, Law, and Co., fronting Dee-street. Tenders are required by the Government for-— lst, a steamer to leave Melbourne within twentyfour hours after the due date of the arrival of the European mail ; contract boat for Port Chalmers, Otago, calling at the Bluff — to wait in Melbourne if de:ained not more than fourd.iys after its dup ilacc j 2nd, o. otonmsr to leave Port Chalmers for Melbourne, calling at the niuff, carrying the homeward mail of the colony to Melbourne, on tlie 10th of each mouth, except February, and then on tho 14th. The electric telegiaph between Auckland, Olaliuliu, and Drury, is declared open to tlie public for the transmission of messages. The jurisdiction ofthe Resident Magistrate's Court at New Plymouth is extended to £100. Her Majesty's assent is announced as passed to a bill passed by the House, intituled " Aa Act to provide for the ascertainment ef the ownership of native lands, und for passing certificates of title thereto, and for regulating the disposal of native lands and for other purposes." Various appointments and resignations are gazetted to the militia and volunteers. The British Crown may be shortly expected in Canterbury from tlie Mersey with ' upwards of 350 emigrants on board, consisting chiefly of distressed operatives from Manchester, Bolton, Salford, Blackburn, Wigan, Rochdale, and Preston.

We observe that John Gillies, Esq., sheriff of Otago, has resigned the oflice, and in his place has been appointed Robert Henry Forman, Esq., Solicitor. Messrs Forman and John Orboll have beeu appointed Justices of the Peace.

A well known Auckland colonist, Mr Blacke* t, now in England, has been appointed a director of the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company.

A northern contemporary says that Mr Leatham has been nominated Inspector of tlie Defence Force at Wellington, and that Mr Commissioner Branigan is co-operating in raising fifty men for the force from the Province of Otago. In relation to the late fatal collision, we understand that tbe Captain and mate of ttie Favorite have been liberated and held to bail at a very large amount. The tender of Messrs. J. M'Kenzie and Co. for the construction of two Jetties, one at the Bluff, the other at Mokomoko, has beeu accepted, and both works will amount to £-10,000. The contractors have deposited £2,000 and have further entered into a bond for XS.OOO. Every exertion is being made in order that no time shall be lost, as may be seen from our advertising columns, wherein tenders are called for, fur piles, &c. We have just received from our London agent, one of the first numbers (No. 5), of a very valuable commercial periodical published once a month by Morgan Brothers of Bow-lane, under the title of Morgan's j British Trade Journal and Expoit Prices Current. In the way of prices list, every information is given from agricultural instruments to cork screws, while at the same time the commercial position of Great Britain at the month's end, is presented with every attention to the minutest detail. We understand that Mr H. A. Gillcr has voluntarily resigned the duties of Chief Clerk to His Honor the Superintendent, which he ha.s for some time past efficiently discharged, and tliat he has been succeeded by Mr Aylmer, assistant clerk. Mr Giiler still retains the office of Cleik to the Provincial Council.

pfSam P^kiiS^^s(^b^famiiiar|toJ manly of *qur readers in; connection with^W6ii| breadth escapes and;- the wanderihgilife of "a|New| Zealand Arab.i : ;Tlu£ mahswh#fok thirty^yeaTsf lived- away-s from settlements, yielding himselißehtirely to-ftfieir manners and customs, and who some time since led the rush to the Mataura, afterwards barely escaping with his life from the hands of infuriate miners at Tuapeka, was drowned six weeks ago in attempting to swim a river in this Province; and his body washed out to sea. Not till a few days ago — the 20th inst.-^-it- was recovered,,, lying on the beach to .this .west of the Bluff. The I finder Who recognised^ the* body, immediately buried it in the sand, for preservation from carrion, and conveyed information to the police, who had it exhumed, placed in a coffin, and carried to Campbelltown: I>r" M'Clure, the Coroner, left town at 3 p.ni. on., the afternoon of Thursday last for $ie Bluff, in- j order to hold an inquest, but owing to thef unprepurednessof others, he was obliged to postpone tho inquest.

An alarm of fire was raised on the night of Saturday last, which fortunately turned out only an alarm. TJhe chimney of the house'occupied by the Rev. Mr. Drake, in Don-street, bad taken the Ilamo, and tho building became speedily filled with smoke. By the timo, howerer, the police reached the spot, the exertions of tho neighborhood had puf.au end to all cause for apprehension.

Tho Aphrasia in coming alongside the William' Miskin on Saturday, had to take the inside of the Evilina liuttcr, and that ship heeling over a little, the bowsprit came in coataeb with the Aphrasia's funnel, wrenchiug it somewhat from its fastenings. Tho damage was trivial.

A typographical error, which crept into our advertising columns, fixes thedate of Messrs Carey and Gilles' land sale at the Prince of Wales, for Friday, 3rd August. It should bo Monday, the 3rd August. The horse-b ick mail from the Lake did not arrive yesterday morniug as usual. The mail carrier is supposed to havo beea detained at the Mataura by reason of tho floods and tho impassable state of the roads.

The New Z-alani Gazette publishes several tables of returns from which we gather that the quantity of goods exported from the Colony of New ZeaUnd for the quarter ending 3lst March 1863, was 6,173, 912 parcels valued at £1,203,248, an advance in value over the corresponding quarter of 1562, of £152,716. Of this value £1,162,414 represented the produce and manufactures of the colony; £10,83-1 other manufactures, and £30,000 specie. For the quarter ending 31 March 18G3, .£11,497 was tlie value from Invercargill and Bluff, an<] £6,000 from lii verton. Imports at the various ports of New Zealand for the quarter endiug 31st March 18G3, were valued at £1,318,4Ur-an increase over the corresponding quarter of 1862 of £33,712. Of this value £146,713 was received at Invercargill and Bluff, and £16,188 at Riverton, showing nn increase over the correspond ing quarter of £92,750 and £9,944. The Customs Revenue at the several ports of New Zealand for quarter ending 31st March was £127,463 exhibiting an increase of £29,415. The united Southland Customs Revenue was £12,347, showing an increase of £10,3G6.

A melancholy accident occurred the other day at the Teviot. Two men were endeavouring to pull a large log out of the river, when it was caught in the eddy, and they were dragged into the water and immediately drowned.

On the evening of Saturday last, the English Opera Company again gratified a tolerably nu no. rous audience, with.one of their pleasant litllo concerts. The song of the night wm, to our! miud, "Tue Mocking Bird," so popular from its originating with the fumed Christy's Minstrels. Tais is a snug .1<«I. i.»l„» |f «v...»i..vf „ f.. w .» l . n J,ln wm.pl.lun whether well or ill sung, for its own sake, and for tho memories which it evokes of melody gone-hy — ns sung by Mmlame Carandini — and well sung*, it drew a must enthusiastic encore; and tiio canta" (rice kindly repented tho ecboos of " tho valley, the valley," in " the mild September." Tue Opera Company announce three more concerts to tako place, to night, to-morrow, andthe following night.

As to the new Gold Fields' Act passed last session, the Daily Times says : — " There appears much reason to believe that the npw Gold Field Act, passed last session, bas been disallowed. The Act comes under the class of thoso which require tho special assent of Her Majesty in Council, whilst others simply receive the negative assent of non-disallowance. The assent of tho yucen, oilier determination not to disallow, according as the ease required, has already been gazetted in regard to nearly all tho Acts passed last session, but amongst the.list the Gold Fields' Act does not appear. It is possible the Government aro suppressing tho fact, in the desiro not to supply an additional reason for calling the Assembly together. The Provincial Government should not be backward in directly putting the question. If we mistake not, the new Act has already, to a certain extent, been acted on, and very serious consequences may arise in case ot its disallowance."

Dr Hooker, of Kew Gardens, is at present engaged in tho preparation of a work, entitled the Manual of New Zealand Flora and New Zealand '' Sea-weeds," fur which, upon completion, be is to receive tho sum of £500 from the New Zealand Government. It will form two small octavo volumes, or ono thick octavo volume, and the author anticipates that one part will be published beforo the end of the present year.

Messrs. M'Mockan, Blackwood nnd Co. have entered into a contract with the Provincial Government of Southland, to the effect that the screw steamer Gothenburg will bo run once a month between the Now Rivor and Melbourne, carrying mails and passengers. The contract will be practically commenced on tho llth of next August. Tho Gothenburg is about to be docked, and to receive a thorough overhaul. She ought to be in the New River on tbe 19th or 20th of each month, and must remain twenty-four hours, unless permission for a shorter stay be accorded by the Superintendent, or the English mails for other Provinces are on board. Fares will be charged at the rate of £13 saloon, and £'(5 steerage. The following is a most important clause of the contract : — " That tho said ship shall not at any time bo required to wait off the Port of New liiver aforesaid, in tbe event of there being no pilot in attendance there ready to take her into the said port on her arrival abreast of tho Heads of tne said port, and in that event she shall bo at liberty forthwith to proceed to the Bluff, and thence to any other port or place in New Zealand." It will be in the power of tho pilot to exonerato her from entering the New River, should at any time tho navigation be dangerous. Tho contract is for six months. Messrs. Henderson, Bonar and Co. have been appointed ugents for Messr3. M'Meckan, Blackwood, and Co., in luvercargill.

Jt\e following toast was recently given : — " The ladies — may we kiss all the girls we please, and please all the girls we kiss." ''I am much afraid of lightning," said a pretty girl the other day, "And well you may be," said a cynical bachelor, "your skirts are dangerous." A Dublin car-driver hailed a passenger, and asked hiai if he wanted a car. The latter said " No," he was able to walk. " May your honor long he able but seldom willing," was tbe sharp but courteous reply. Isn't it strange that our. bkeksmiths aro [ always blowing aud striking foi wages, B