The Southland Times. THURSDAY, SEPT. 8, 1864.

Southland Times, Volume I, Issue 43, 8 September 1864, Page 2

The Southland Times. THURSDAY, SEPT. 8, 1864.

The addition of two hundred and fifty souls to a small population like that of Southland would, at any time, be a matter of considerable importance, but^ iinftyrtunately r the immigrants .by the Se villa have just set their feet on the shores of 'New' Zealand in a season of unusual depression, which is not" confined, to Southland, but -is participated my more or less, by the whole of the Colony. Want of money is a complaint heard everywhere, from the Provincial; Treasury to the counter of the smallest tradestnan. It may be, and perhaps- we are right in asserting, that the worst is over, and that advancing spring will see a return of prosperity to every branch of industry ; but, if the tide has turned, its effects are scarcely to be recognised 1 at present, and probably will not be fop some time to come. The idea that Southland is irretrievably bankrupt has been too. widely circulated and is too -firmly believed in to be got rid of at once, and the real difficulties of the situation are so great that we must expect that a return, to- the ordinary briskness- of a young settlement, having within itself all the elements for advancement, will not bs accomplished very rapidly, No one will be inclined to deny that a great deal of real distress has existed amongst the working classes during the winter which is- how drawing to a close. Gases have come under our own notice of men being unable to obtain work for a lengthened period — men who were known as industrious and useful members of society. This has* been partly rectified, as far as this' province is concerned, by the departure of some to the diggings, and to . Dunedin: where work is fully as difficult to obtain as here ; but there is still a very moderate demand for labor of any kind in Southland, and we fear there will be great difficulty in getting the whole of the immigrants by the Sevilla remunerative employment. Our remarks are very far from being intended to dishearten those who have just joined us, but it is right that they should have the truth placed before them plainly, in order that they may not, lose opportunities for employment which may offer, under the impression that a fair remuneration is not being offered for their services. We suppose many of these immigrants received letters from their friends' and relations in the colony before they sailed, and those letters would : probably be; written at a time when labor was worth far more, and employment was > more easily to be obtained than it is now. It ia a very good rule for fresh arrivals not' to be toe- particular dn the subject 6f wages when first they land. The* great point is- to get to work as quickly as possible, to forsake the precincts of immigrant barracks and them : - : selves, as it were, " with the 'coin-' rnunaty of which ; they are destined' to form a part. If the first engagements which offer are not all that can be desired,; arid the remuneration is not as large as was expected, the immigrant will have, the satisfaction of knowing that he is at least supporting himself honestly, and gathering, experience on. many matters of which he was totally ignorant when he 1 landed, but the knowledge of which will ' materially add to- the value of his services I when next he is on the look-out fop a situation. i Amongst the immigrants by the Sevffla are some of a class which has not before been represented in Southland, and it is very' questionable whether they are the best qualified: to succeed -in colonial life. We , allude ,to the G-irvan. weavers. These men have not, however, been used altogether to thfe loom ; we are given "to- -understand ' that a large portion of their time in the ' old country has been spent in agricultural pursuits. Some of them are expert gardeners, and all have some idea, : of out--door work. It Has occurred to us tnat the time may not - - be^ . far distant * ( when they may find' remunerative employment a* ; thewr.cnria.- peculiar trade: ' In. tht

to "ijiili^te^^^^ "•'., manufacture ;; of i woollen go^ds^i|Clg^i| * -. " of . &ej|:coarseri kintls *are I iii^4 .liKf/ sold, ...we- 1 are> agßured/ at ipaying, pnr<^/ To*^|mm^acV- | aSrything • '^S^l^^ima-^** clown? "Kere* ; : once WbulcT^reqture * more capital than is likely to be forthcommg, Jbu^ tßat^which . has been*done in -Nelson 'could be attempted : ,in Southland fm|fi. an eg[Tttally> good prospect .^fls^ceesa,, r anct we do not despair of seeing^this branch of^indus^''^pßliMed*r <l^W'e see that a xiotace fias^^ientfiß^^teide the Government Buildings, inviting such of the immigrants 'as aWdesif pal "df obtain* ing employment to ;;qal| at the Provincial Engineers Office. l^eklippqs^thisfh^fi»ett done with the intention of ' gi^g'thieii^ork but what tHat work is to^f^wfieifw" . Governmen^,2 whicir not! able to meet its present liabilities, is ; to find the money > to pay the workmen!, ''fa^iriore" than " ; we -.are.---^-"' ,able,to; r tell. !V It, is v well that 1 - thesetnpi V ■should '•understand at once thalt-th'e^PrS* .vincial '(Government ? is ;< iust; 'in f Brjp|flapn to* go.intcf $er 3arS^i£|i~M^^^^Qf \\ laborr^ 'Te^orary ' assipance^li^may be^ able to '&Wo9dt^ 'bSrt efen 1 that will be at -the^i-ezpense of_ r thosje:^" whp^ prior claims on^j^f^^ ■tpqbjvy Jboped,;v thatj i£;dSt^ow6EK)tis ■ given,' cafe ;will7;be jfcakenf that it shall be of some service to the public, andi not uselessly- thrown 'away 5 as^soifoftett havens ;ii^B^^ has; been^wasiej^rin^^^eSfWh^ vinee i was better^^ble W afford it? butoidw .w ; he^;the.^©t>v«Fnmentiaß^burde^ed'mtli -debt in all directions^ dbi^le^^e^aMiOTi •should^be'used-'that '■a;':li^iexi^yagan"cß' shall not be indulged in. "'"'" "" /' .„ There is one [mitlet for t&: surplußlabor di 1 Southland which we have not hMiierto touched upon, but -it is —one which, at, the present jun^tare, shjoold not be overlooked/ To an -'able-bodied industrious >'man the gbHfields'^^flPer^> very fair field for exertion, with a (reasonable prospect of good remuneration, and • the chance of -.something better. Nodoubt some of the new-comers will turn* their attention in that direction. Supposing Mm to possess the requisite health, and, strength, and a -.small supply ,of>;cash, to obtain; the necessary outfit, arwintptii^)porthim for some l^e^^e^it^his ' arrival on the diggmgs;-l## i d& £; n'iot ii 'see v that a laboring man equldrdoqbetter than, pay a visit' to the Lake goldfield. Although ,_. even there :«; thei'/daloesC ; df the ' -times has been largely felt, _ and the yield of gold has -decrea'sed,"- ? tKere are many ;^srho are :dokig well,"' working^ either on their own account ob for wagesiThere is also that ground which ;was ?re--cently opened ' in the '■• vicinity sof Mr.. Eogees' station^ ojithe Mataura, which a few days since promised so we11,,, and where the sinking is but alew feet! " L: '""■ One thing we ean i assu;re i the ; immigl'antir by the Seyilla, that however bad times;.are at 1 present, and "However -great \ the^aMfß.-^ culty they may experience in obtain ing employment at first, they are^^'afteiv all pu* certain of ultimate, success- in-, their- new home as it is possible for meh^ < to,,be.iof 3 anything in this VorTd^ if oiily < tney"'are true to thensselres /andi honestly- face c the difficulties which they will be .-sure * to« encounter at the outset.

For the information of the immigrant* yrhcr have recently arrived: in the colony, we beg to in«tiinate that those in search of employment anr requested to apply at the office of the Provincial Engineer. ~ '' ~ *'~ It appears* from the Welh'ngton Journals' th'at£ the aeparation movement in the Wanganui and adjacent districts has turned out a success— mor© than a sufficient number of the electors.? Having" signed the petition. This will form the tentb, province of New Zealand. A Turakina correspondent of th« Independent reports .that many -who had Bigned the petition, now repent the act, their opinion on the subject having been changed by a pamphlet recently published on tKe Separ»-'£ tion movement. ( - An inquest was held at the Plough Inn, Great North Road, on Tuesday afternoon, on the body of the child Mary Archay, who was found drowned in a well adjoining her father's residence. The evidence adduced substantially corroborated. th» particustars'given! in our issue of Tuesday, and-the^ rcrdict of the jury was to the 'effect that the'de-* ceased had been accidentally drowned by -fallings into an open well. The following rider Va» added, wbich^Dr- Desk said would be forwarded to the proper quarter : — " The jury would tak« this opportunity of expressing. tKeifJ indignation at the culpable negligence of parties in allowing such dangerous places, especially m 'xmfenced sections, and in immediate vicinity to^the^publio road, and in- a populouß neighborhood. * They would also suggest the propriety of the Provincial,^ Legislature, at its ensuing sitting, passing an Ordinance making it compulsory on proprietors to have all wells securely, covered." , -- - t The Otago Daily Times of the sth inst., states that entries were yesterdoypassed at tEe Cuitonrhouse upon the first consignment of 'goods.fronr %c home for the Hew Zealand Exhibition. "It is interesting to know that this "first arrival ia per ship Beautiful SStaru r from Glasgow,' and cdnsistg r o# a box of geological specimens, i T T rr . A Licensing meeting took place in the Be«ir; dent Magistrate's Court House yesterday, at 2" o'clock p.m:,-*when ~the~foilowing 'Justices 5^ Peace sat on the Bench,. -viz: — Hial Honor DrMenzies, H. M'Culloch, Esq., W. F. TarltonrEsq^ — 1 and A. J. Elles, Esq. } The followißg^sew applications for Publicans-licenses were 'granted : — James Valentine Ingram7 Garrick Club Hotel, Tay-street, Inyercargill ; Hugh . Swarm, 1 'EoyiJi'VHotel, Tay-street, Ittvepcargill'j 'Jtßitthew Justone, Havelock-street, Eiverton ; George Bowles, Palmcraton-street, Eiverton. Several publicans "\ likewise attended with their' sureties for theVe- " newal of their recognizances. The following mining intelligence is forwarded^ , r to the Otago" £ktS,y Times by its corresponfleht - » at Queenstown : — " Mining prospects in the Arrow district are decidedly encoxiraging. JThe popula- ?>^ tion has not by any means suffered se'much. r ,» diminution as other parts of the Wakatipu. <■ Tha , r * river parties have repaired damage, apd, without/, > exception,, are all at work again ; and the account*'! from the Twelve-mile are very good, though* still ,i some of the races are frozen* Some thirty men::t are working at Bracken's Gully, and must <bd doing well, or they wonH nWver stop^inHha'f in^" hospitable region" -where, from all ' accounts, per- t petual -vrinter in its grimmest aspect'reigns" 1 ; " and 1 ~ where there^is no-jSrewood, except .what.is-packed-i--.' up by the lb. The shares in the Arrow Quarts , Company are in the market/ and are_«aid tpjb_»^.__, steaduy going off:" Jt is much to beTwisfieofthat^ this undertaking may succeed, as it will give » start to the speculative spirit in the district which-^ much requires wakening xtp. Some .splendid / specimens of quartz were brought in yeaterday 1 bj t J a miner who will nofc name the 'locality. * .Th*', ' 1 stone is highly ferruginous and containi,Tein« and I y cryttals of gold, aimilßr' to torn^ of tbeCViotorMMiL " ~

__ .... U would; appear- that InjeteaTgilldi- not the* only piace'where :tne iexceptionajyfineneß3|of^: the weather^ & J t6pidoi' remark. t'Tfie TLake correspondent of the Dunedin Daily times thus speaksof it :— " The weatEer~"continues brilliantly " fine; and promises a Bpring as agreeable as the delight-; fnl- winter, .we *h^ienj(£yelJ^/^tT^r|w6^d^seei^ to"* fiave 1 '"quit© exceptional" inr it* 'climate^ for the settlers and other pre-digging inhabitants speak of this aa the -ordinary weather experienced during several seasons. The frosts are still severe . during the. ; on,, the -, higher; groundy but- on **the flats, sia^especially "about the, Lake,. v fires can ~" well be dispensed with, andthe! temperature quite 'up to fine 'May,jm\<ie;-motii^cpuifaty. The Lake ' is lower than has ever been observed, and .a ; dray could 'cjertainly drive ' round . ..with ease from Frankton: L The rivers* are 'still falling, and are at present shallower than the most sanguine miner, could have anticipated. r The : Shptover is : fordaWe ! W foot "at Point, and is hardly knee deep for-a horse at the* -ford" on the Frankton road." . '■ • : On Tuesday 'eveningVMrf S; M.Southi solicitor, delivered the seventh" of 'they course; of winter evening lectures, in the Mechanics' Institute, to' a >> large, and respectable audience. He chose for his , subject.'! (Jeolojry,"; its ; history, discoveries,' J and results. Mr. W. P. Tarlton wa3 called -to '-'the chair, and briefly introduced the lecturer. Mr. South then proceeded to deliver a most instructive narrative/of, the earlier theories held regarding the ■■" age andhlsto'ry'of the 'earth,' and entered into the • discoveries and opinions of 'many eminent authorities on the subject. ', f He ; 'dwelt at considerable - length on what may be termed the development theory of thVearth7 as illustrated "by geologic discovery in the different stratified formations of the '■ earth's -crusfc Tor 5 exairiple-^-when Our globe emerged from its chaqtic;.state the earliest evidence of Hfa upon its surface was an inferior species of •eaweed; s andastheearth;progres3ed in '.suitability Ifor the.existence and. subsistence of higher forms .' of vegetable and animal, life, o the strata exlubited, with the greatest,' clearness, the various times at 1 which such changes, tools-place, ending with man as the highest form of animated existence. In coming to the geologists and naturalists of the present day, he paid 1 a high compliment to the .genius/of- the deceased Hugh -Miller,, who by his emiment researches in the. study of geology had rendered;Suqh important : service- to this most interesting science. The abih'tyand genius of living professors. liewise in determining the form, structure, habits, &c., of animals, l>irds, and fishes, from a single bone, and also ifrpm 'that circumstance of fixing the period at .which these creamust h^aye lived on .the earth, he characterised as* something ; almost ; miraculous. The lecturer was listened to throughout with the undivided attention of the assemblage, and was freqiieritly applauded in the course of his remarks. At the conclusion a collection was made to defray expenses, and it was announced that the next leciure would be delivered by C. E. Button, Esq., solicitor, on "Voltaic Electricity." The public may., not be generally aware that the last date for paying the School Assessment exjired three, days agoi The treasurer is now entitled to place the whole of the outstanding accdunts in the, hands of a baih'ff, a proceeding which would ; only entail additional expense on thoae assessed, as by the Ordinance the representative of law wpuld^be able to chiim his fees, and to secure theiiif may seize every chair, table, &c, ie might find in .any house. The Mart/borough Advertiser of 29th August has the, following : — "We were shown a magnificent nugget at the London Chartered Bank, Dunoily, on" Saturday morning, weighing 103 ozs. lldwts. 12 grs., and worth about £400. It was, we are informed, found on Thursday, by Benjamin Regester and party, puddlers, near Hughes' store, in the main lead,' Dunolly. This party have been working .near the .spot for a number of years, and have previously met with excellent success. Their last slice of luck will "doubtless have the effect of attracting a number :of fossickers to the locality. The old lead has been looking quite lively lately, especially on the south of the Broadway Mining Company. We hear that a fifth share in one claim there w.as sold for £25 last week." The election of a member to represent the district of Tokomairiro in the Provincial Council of Otago has resulted" in the return of Mr. Dyer, by. a majority of nineteen. The numbers were — Dyer, 55 ; Murray, 36. A correspondent informs us that it is proposed to establish a newspaper at Waikouaiti. The projector .states that he has received great encouragement. Mr. Cole, of Cobb and Co., has applied to the Governments of Otago and Canterbury for aubsidies to' enable him to run a line of coaches from l)unedin to Christchurch, a distance of about 225 miles. Too much, stress can scarcely be laid on j the importance of this extension of our internal system of communication. The greater portion of.the road between the two towns offer no obstacles to a traffic by coaches. The passage of the rivers presents the most formidable feature of the undertaking. There have been heavy floods at Hawkes Bay. The Herald Bays :— " The rainfall during the last few days has bean greater than we have known here for many years—^such, indeed, as very rarely occurs beyond the tropics. The rain guage at the Meteorological station showed a fall of over ten inches between Friday, at noon, and Monday morning ; and above twenty inches in the forty days between the 13th July and the 22nd August. . We have received our usual files of Northern papers,- but - the intelligence is more than usually unimportant. Things appear to be pretty much as" previous advices left them. The 4th Waikato- ~ r Regiment ' has ; gone to Kirikirirori, where the .-•"settiemeat intended for them -is laid : rJThe correspondent of the'lV'ew Zealand Herald, at Camp Alexandra, writes as follows of the movements of the 2nd. Waikato Regiment :-r" The excitement has prevailed during the past week at this place, in conseguancKof the partition by lottery of a portion of the land assigned by the Government to the 2nd Waikato cßegiment, four companies of which are to be located on the east bank of the river WaipSjiandSthreeCcbrnpanies -on -the west bank. The land [which gives general satisfaction] consists of a light loam soil' upon a clay substratum for. miles around, ;with the exception of that portion which immediately, adjoins the river banks, which is much, intermingled with a fine >: sand. The remaining two companies of the regiment, together,^with .Majors Jackson's company of Forest Rangers attached,'are settled at Kihi-kihi, the richness of which,' as an agricultural district is top weUJmowii to need any^comment from me. . Colonel r "Haultaui&l undoubtedly pne . of. those, rare instances, the^right* man ih'fh'e rig£t place. Since reforming the regiment, he has been.indet fatigable, in. pushing the , necessary work along. Ploughs ; and . are" already, arriving, and will sobn^bjaat, woi-kv Large quantities of timber are making their^appearance, and a decided alteration is apparent in. the aspect of the place. A meeting.ijfper.sohsiinterested in-;the formation and establishment of ;aTbung Men^s Christian Association was held last night, ,in the Wesleyan . ChurchirNbfth-'Road. •-; r Owing; f we i'- believe^to the' unfavorable Btate-of the weather,? the"meetin^' was' a very^thin bnej and it was *corisidered'" expedient : that itfiliould.u.uclertateo*nly6he mere preKminarieatowards tHecformatibn" of the :socie<y; ;A;resolutionwas:! duly -by : .tho'3e^^pfeseht,'' that the " Sottthlknd 'Toung 'Men's ; Christian- Aisdciation should: her formed^?; The Mr. -Searle 'then #poke in favor Of .a JconversazioneKbemg^held; at which tie'associationshouldbeifairlyinaugurated^ and.his' suggestion .seemed^ to 1 be - favorably enter-' tained,byj±he.me'etingiCKjEowever, it was 'resolved - that a provisional or interim committee be ap-'^ pointed to draw^up avcodeiofijules and Regulations for the society^said^committee . to consist of the clergyMen^f'tne^arious'-reEgious denominations in town ex officiQ, with.a.flay.niemberyfi'Oin- each congregation,'^m^a'ddifibn^tp^tniee L or fdur"'other gentlenieniwhbrw:ere"s.pregeiit at' the meeting. The* chainnwj^r^^xojich^and^the^Rev^ Shaw^d^aWangß*expressea ~*ffienrjregret that' themeef^g^ll6uldifiayewen'Bospafßely^ Mr. ?Crouch.*iwas ipppinted«fe6nvoner: ; ofjtbe'iiy ■ terim ccmn&dmp&A^ to-morrow evening;. "

""The Mount Ida ""correspondent of "this Otatf'o Mail, .writing; on vthe. lst , inst., -notices- »/rush •w&ch'-has' taken place 4 to" the" Sow-Burn; d/creelc situated between Captain Hamilton's and Dr. 'Buchanan's station; better known as alpy 's. / 1 It, ; ,i.e^zthe rushY >is a&gully between' the' J S6 w-Burp creek _ando Valpy'a : -» shepherd's ■ hiit; v The-pro-spectors struck gold at a depth of twenty feet,; ancl ■tobk.sil ounces oiT the bottom of a small -paddock. Several other holes have been bottomed, and gold has been obtained in. most. of. them, but not in large'quiintitiea: urt Manyldiggerß consider it to. be only a patch, but thi3 will soon be tested, as humbers are flocking to the' place,, and I hare no doubt it will gfit^a 1 fair 1 trial. ? Persons' hare heen digging at the - Sow-Burn for the last eighteen months, but I cannot hear gf /much .gold having been obtained. However, St is' quite time that some fresh, gound was opened— so I will pat the ; "new rush "on the head. and. hope itwill :;" go in and win." . .. „ . : , ,■■•.. | There is a rumor ' that the General Assembly will meet in Christchurchi early in October, but we cannot vouch for the correctness of the statement. . . ; . ; ; w. ' : • * -' ' ' ■'• The accounts received from the Grey River are still of a very conflicting character. The, Colonist states' that - four men ,had recently returned to Nelson, two of whom'intended going back to the .diggings, having obtained a prospect of 4dwtß.jto ' six dishes of wash-dirt. „' The two subjoined ' resolutions, moved in the Provincial Council of Canterbury, by Mr. Cox : , were carried after an animated discussion : — " 1. That in the opinion of this Council, in any provision to be made by the General Assembly for securing ' provincial: loans, ; the principle of the financial arrangement of 1856, and of the "Land Revenue Appropriation Act, 1858," whereby the land revenue of the respective provinces "was" appropriated to the service of such'provinces, subject to then existing charges, ought to be Btrictly adhered to. 2. That the General Assembly ought not to assent to the imposition of charges "on the land revenue to the prejudice of the rights so guaranteed to the provinces." - Speaking of the Lyttelton Railway tunnel, Mr. Hall informed- the Provincial Council that the total length driven up to the 17th August in the 1 Lyttelton side was thirty-four chains and twenty feet, while, on , the Heathcote side the length wa3 forty chains and. thirty-one feet, making a total of seventy-five chains, so that nearly a mile has been completed, leaving 1193 chains, to be completed ■up to June, 1866. The total amount of land sold and granted in the districts in the Province of Canterbury for the month ot August, 1864, was 5,959 acres. The amount received for the same was £11,920. Edward Daniel Lawrence, a lieutenant attached to the 2nd regiment of Waikato Militia, has been remanded on a charge of embezzling money to the extent of £98, from the office of the .comptroller of militia and volunteer pay in Auckland. The correspondent of the Otago Daily Times reports that nickel has been discovered in. tlxe vicinity of <§ueenstown. The Times also says ; thatseveral specimens of native copper have been found within the last few days on the side of the range immediately behind Queenstown, The man Wilson, who was remanded from Christchurch to Otago, on a charge of having murdered Yorkey at Miller's Flat, in March, 1863j has been discharged. It was proved by several witnesses that the accused did not arrive in the colony till several months after the. commission of the crime. The Auckland committee of the New' Zealand Exhibition are energetically setting to work in order that the province may be properly represented, but, at a recent meeting, the secretary deeply regretted that the- derangement in every description of trade and manufacture caused by the war should render the prospect of the province of Auckland making a suitable appearance at the Exhibition a very poor one. Cabinetmakers, who should be employed in constructing handsome pieces of furniture, were engaged in building soldier's huts ; sawyers, instead of felling and preparing specimen slabs of rimu and other ornamental woods, were busy in chopping down timber for commissariat stocks, and in many parts of the country where valuable products were known to exist, explorers were afraid to search for them on account of the natives. The result would inevitably be that the province would cut a very poor figure, but while everybody's time was occupied with ioldiering nothing else could be looked for. The farewell benefit and last appearance of Miss Eloise Juno, we would remind our readers and the public generally, takes place to-morrow (Friday) evening at the Theatre Royal. The bill of fare to be provided is to be a very attractive one, and this, combined with the esteem which this young actress has earned for herself during her sojourn in Inrercargill will, doubtless, draw a crowded house cm the occasion. Our Jetty Je'sterday presented such a scene of bustle and animation as has not been witnessed before for a very long period. On the arrival of the s.s. Ruby alongside the wharf, bringing a living freight of immigrants to town from the recently arrived ship Sevilla, at Blufl* Harbor, hundreds — we might almost *ay thousands — of our citizens thronged the Jetty to witness thoir debarkation. The sight of the arrival of some hundreds of our fellow colonists is an interesting one, and one is led from his own past experience to guess at the first impressions the "new chums" will form of the new place they have adopted as their future home. We regret for their sakes that as things at present go with us, their lines have not been cast by any means in such " pleasant places" as we could have desired. However, we hope, as there is room for all, and many more to come, that they will yet have good occasion to rejoice in the land of their choice, and that few will ever ultimately repent their coming hither. We understand Mr. M'Arthur, the immigration officer, managed to find accommodation for those of the passengers as came under his espccinl care". 1 Last night our meditations on the Btate of the Province, and other matters, were threatened to be curiously mixed up with financial difficulties, and the merits of " Roun' aboot Mary my Tansy." The first was uppermost in our thoughts, "but when a band of healthy young girls (just landed from the Sevilla) commenced to sing and play the latter, the temptation to go and listen was irresistible. We scarcely know whether to say "fortunately," or not, but as the clock struck eight, the merry band, just released from ship restraint, were ordered into bed, and we were left once; more to: Our cogitations. By the arrival of the Gothenburg we are put' in possession .of, our usual Australian files The r intelh'gence ' is generally devoid of interest 1 The following is a brief epitome of the more im-~. portant items, and the latest telegraphic despatcheß will be found in . another column. The River 'Tarra has been chosen, after a long series r of inquiries, as the destination of the young ; salmon. They are to be deposited at Badge? Creek, some forty 1 miles above Melbourne by land. Under- the auspices of a Mr. Reilly, of Californian experience, a new scheme is abovt to; be brought forward and urged on the Government forr 'providing a supply of water to the Castlemaine disfrrictata costof £30,000 The Government Coliban scheme contemplated an expenditure of £150,000. Mr. Edward Wilson writes a long letter to the editor of the A.rgus on the transportation system, in wiuon he eharac--terises Earl Grey as a 'f remnant of the feudal ages," and concludes his forcible epistle' as follows : — "To my dying day I shall say, as I. have 'said, since I first landedj in the 'colony, 'Down the TTpasftree of transportation, .loot and -branch.'" The Board of Agriculture has voted J JB1;OOO towards a;proppsed National Exhibition of live Btock,-,machinery,;&c...; The Victorian Parha--ment was.^solved on /2(Sth ultimo by Governor DarUng^ 6y proclamation. The Hon. Charles KejnppMiL.Q, formerly proprietor of the'Sydheyj Mo.rnmg Herald, 6LedLOn,i\ie 26th August. H.M. man-of-war steam^ffigatejCuragoa, ,is now on a flyrng visit to itelbourne. '"'• She is under __ command of commodore, Sir W. Wiseman. Roberts,! .the billhard~player, "is- still- achieving continued , t^uniphs in. Melbourne and elsewhere in Victoria.' •IFrdm 'a paper'-on ■ ttie f *"xultivati6n fl of .tobacco;^ ! reacl a few days ago at a meeting of'the^Sydnej;. lAccßmatitetion^Swn^^ profits of a- ten-acre fercn to be £I*7o per annum-

A letter from a merchant, who lately, returned to .Victoria 'from Southland,' gives a : Very glpomjaccounfof things in the former colony. Speaking of. Geelong) hejaays :r^-" I\was down'SitflG'aeloriglast week, and the ; town looks most miserably dull,' one half of it to let. ' .; In fact, it is quite painful to see so many fine places , of ahut up. Sqxne. of the stores in .Gorio-street are-actually-falling to pieces for want of looking after. Altogether I may say. .after" having, walked .through the town, and glanced' at the suburbs,' ifihat my conclusion is that the 'Pivot I presents' 1 a most abject appearance* and is quiet enough to give the healthiest of men dyspepsia.". ,'/ .:*T •■':,■■ \ The following is from the Wokatip Mvil :— ; "It appears that a young lady attending at a bar? in Tthe sNokomai :was insulted 'by some persons drinking; there, when. she found words were no use, &nd her "dandy" being up, she came round the bar, knocked three of the men down, and then spat upon them, put the landlord out, and afterwards- left the house;' never td return again. The same young lady is a first-class horsewoman — using the stock whip right and : left." , . ••■ ••■.■ • ■ -■■•■-■ -• r ' The grand jury have ignored the indictment preferred against Mr/ Williamson, late Warden on the Lake goldfields. - : By a proclamation iiv the Gazette, the Superintendent of the? Province of Otago has extended the limits of the districts formerly declared infected ■within the meaning and- for tho purposes of the " Diseased , Cattle Act, 1861." The. area is nowbounded as follows : — "Towards the north by the Province of Canterbury, from Awar.ua Bay to the 'eastern shore of the Wanaka Lake, thence by the said eastern shore of the Wanaka Lake, and. the Cxutha River to. the Dunstan Mountains^thence "by the Dunstan Mountains to Mount St.'Bathen's, thence by the Hawkdun Mountains, the Kakanui. Mountains, and the Horse Ranges to the Ocean, thence towards- the east by the Ocean to' the Taieri River, thence by the Taieri River, the Waipori Lake and River, alid a line, in a northwesterly direction to the source of the Beaumont Burn, thence by Beaumont Burn to the Clutha River, thence by a line to the.surumit of, the Tapanui Range, thence to Rankle Burn, ' at its source, and by Rankle Burn, the Pomahaka and Waipahi Rivers to the southern boundary line of Run IG7, thence by the said southeto boundary line to the Waikaka Stream, and by the Waikaka Stream to the Mataura River, and by the Mataura River and the' northern boundary s line of the Province of Southland to the Manipori Lake, and by the Waiau River to the Ocean, and thence towards the south and west by the Ocean to Awarua Bay, the starting point." Tho regulations respecting the destruction of diseased cattle as also the prohibition of their removal from infected districts, are to remain in full force.

Distance from . ' Miles. - Auckland to London 16,000 „ Sydney 1315 „ Melbourne 1650 , „ Adelaide..... •.. 1800 „ Hobarton 130 C, . i „ Napier, about :.. '350 „ L New Plymouth, about 180 „ Wellington, about... 500 „ Nelson, about -„«.... - 620 „ Canterbury (LytteJ- ...... „ , - ion) .;,...■.../:,;. '■;' 680 I \ i „ Por t Chalmers, Otago 870 Sydney to Manukau -....,; 1200 „ ■ Ne150ri:....:.;. 1180 : „ Bluff Harbor ...:..:.. 1100 „ Port Chalmers 1230 Melbourne to Manutau...... 1440 ■■ : v ; Ne150n^. ..,;.. .....v 1410? „ BluiF 1202 J- „ Port Chalmers 1330 Napier to Wellington....:- ...200 '.Wellington to Canterbviry.. .; 170 Canterbury to Otago 200 ; Okago to Southland ;.;.:.........^/I 130 ' Manukaii to Baglan. ...;:,./. 70 „ Taranaki ,1.40^-.. ''": Taranaki to We1^0n.i,...:...^ ' '142 ; " Wan-ganui 100 Wanganui to Wellington ..;......- 98 ' Nelson to Wellington, direct by FrenchPasa .../...v.v^...^.. 112 : ' Nelson to Pieton (by French Pasß 87 . v Pieton to Wellington .'....: ) 50

DISTANCE TABLE.