THE PROVINCES.

Southland Times, Volume I, Issue 65, 29 October 1864, Page 2

THE PRO VINCE S.

The City of Hobart brings us Otago news to the 27th inst. She also puts us in possession of the Northern mail brought by the Queen •to Otago. AUCKLAND. : In accordance with the wishes .of Ministers, Sir George Grey has consented to convoke the; Assembly on the 15th proximo. , The place -of meeting is riot finally determined. , A petition lias' been presented by the Auckland people' praying that it may meet in that city. The probable choice lies between Auckland and 'Wellington, although during the last session Christchurch was determined on. The latest Auckland ; papers' (13th) contain nothing- definite* on the point.'' The escaped prisoners are making themselves very troublesome .to the settlers,' and itis said that active measures are at once to be taken with'regard to them. : . . ' Some spurious bank notes are in circulation. Tne Southern Cross has the following -with refer-' ence to them : — " Fifteen or sixteen years ago the Governor, on receipt of instructions from the Home Government, established a bank under the the title of "The, Colonial Bank of Issue of New Zealand," and a quantity of books, each one. containing 200 notes, for £5, were a portion of' the paper stock on hand"." V These books, the iiotes of, which were of> course unsigned, were; packed in" boxes which have been, it seemsj .lying about in some of the Government lumber rooms, from the day of the winding up of the Colonial Bank of : Issue to the present time. Lately, however, a case which should contain' five , .dozen, of 7thes'ebooks, each containing 200 unsigned £5 notes, has been found open,, and but four dozen ofthe books remaining in it, and lately one of the notes was changed at the Greyhound Hotel,_and the full change of £5 obtained: for it. ..., The notes are, as we stated, all for £5, and" are printed in . red.ink on white, paper, the numbers of the note, oil either side the Government arms, being printed in, black ink." Several attempts have .been made pass these notes. The Executive have not -finally decided on the case of Alexander M'Lean, now under sentence . of death, for the murder of his wife. In the Provincial Council a great deal of work is being got through. An important resolution has beon passed, on the motion of Dr. Pollen :— •• That a select committee be appointed,, with instructions to inquire into the circumstances under which the sale of town land at Ngaruawahia. was . recently effected, by the authority, as .is alleged, of the hon. the Defence Minister." The motion *was carried by a majority bf one.