JOURNALISM IN SOUTHLAND.

Southland Times, Volume III, Issue 203, 17 January 1866, Page 5 (Supplement)

JOURNALISM IN SOUTHLAND.

(From The Southland Times, January 1.) It is a pleasant custom to welcome the New Year — the commencement of a New Tear is a season of thoughtful meditation. We look on the past with mingled feelings of pleasure and sadness. We see opportunities missed ; mistakes made; and follies committed. We take stock of ourselves, so to speak, and when weighed in the " balance are found wanting." We look at the future hopefully. We flatter ourselves that from past errors will spring forth mature judgments, and that the year upon which we have entered will be void of the blurs and botches which marked our career during previous years. Thus the Pendulum of Time swings to and fro. The past with its pleasures and regrets, and the future with its hopings, its good resolves, and sweet conceivings, swing backward and forward, leaving us still uncertain and dissatisfied. The past has not been all sunshine, and the future is also clouded, although we may see rents in the clouds displaying the silver lining behind. So with individuals, so is it with communities, towns, provinces, colonies, and nations. The pendulum occilates from side to side — first progress and then retrogression, or vise versa, — it still moves and indicates the course we are pursuing. During the year which is now dead, the Province has seen many changes — has passed through a commercial crisis, perhaps unexampled for its severity in colonial history ; but it is now with pleasureable feelings of satisfac-

tion that we can affirm that it has changed again to the side of progress — that we can, with hope and confidence in the future of Southland, wish all our readers a Happy New Yeae. The future of Southland has a cheerful appearance. The dark cloud which had long thrown its shadow over it has been rent, and the silver lining can be seen ; but it behoves us to study the past in order to compass the future. There have been many errors made, a repitition of which would be of serious consequence ; still the effect of those errors have been to arouse men to a political activity not previously displayed — to lead them to a more deliberate and thoughtful mode of legislation. We have hitherto been too anxious for G-old Fields, and have payed too little attention to cultivating the benefits derivabie from those at our own doors — we have thought too much about mining and too little about agriculture. But now a change has been wrought, and all centre their faith in the promotion of a speedy and cheap mode of interior communication. Railways are to be the making of Southland. We believe they are, and we may congratulate the Province upon the spread of that belief. The completion of the Bluff line, which will now be carried forward with energy, and its continuation to Winton, will of a necessity be productive of good to Invercargill. Should this line be completed without delay, there can be but little doubt that all, or nearly all, the Lake District trade will be done in Invercargill. Then, a.gain, it is contemplated to construct either a light railway or tramway to connect the Mataura District with the main line. This also would have a powerful influence upon tlie commercial position of the town. The shipments of wool direct from here would be considerably increased, and all the natural results, such as giving an impetus to trade and labor become eouspicuous. Again, immense quantities of land which now lay waste would be cultivated, if a cheap mode of carriage to the port was provided. We have faith in the future of Southland. It has resources which if developed must give prosperity. Let confidence be firmly re-established, enterprise—not speculation — displayed, commerce will thrive, population increase, bur. broad acres will be cultivated, produce multiplied, and prosperity secured. To 'the active and wise promotion of a railway system, efficient and economical, : mtich will depend. By it tlie Lake trade will be^secured, an impetus given to the development of the gold, copper and mineral wo'rliings, which are now almost at a stand si|£h-_. With rapid and cheap inland ci^3|tu.ni_ation every interest in the prov|ii|ji.v will improve, and the bright eipfeptations of the past be realized. Readers, again we say a Happy New Tear to you all. We this morning give you evidence that we have faith in the future. With this issue the Southland TniES appears as a tri-weekly, instead of bi-weekly, as hitherto. In addition to this a Weekly Times, a journal designed to supply the wants of up-country readers, will be established, the first number of which will be issued on next Saturday. It will be our aim and ambition to make the Weekly Times a first-class family newspaper, containing all the news of the week, with original articles and a well selected story by one of the most popular authors. It is needless to state that it will be liberal in politics. What the Southland Times has ever been, the Weekly Times will be also, viz. — Peogbessiye. <s>

(From The Weeklx Times.) On the occasion of our first appearance in the field of weekly literature, a few introductory remarks respecting the enterprise we have undertaken may be not altogether out of place. In enlarging the sphere of our labors, we have been guided by the experience of the past, firmly believing, from the knowledge we have acquired of the elasticity of resource possessed by the Province, that welldirected exertion will not fail to meet with an adequate reward. It is true that, in common with our fellow-colonists, we have at times felt the depressing influence of reverses occasioned by causes beyond control. But these have not crushed our energies ; they have, on the contrary, risen with the necessity for their fuller exercise. In this we only share the unswerving determination of those who have deliberately adopted Southland as their future home, W ith its welfare and progress wq ars equally mi. iasep&raWy

Plorid promises are usually but ill fulfilled, and we have ever believed the best assurance of merit was to be found in deeds rather than mere words. Yet a slight outline of what we shall conscientiously endeavor to render the Weekly Times may be permitted us. As. a family paper, it will be our first care to secure that the tone of its contents shall make it a welcome and unexceptionable guest at the fireside of every settler who may deem it worthy .of his support. It will also be a medium for the dissemination of information alike useful and interesting to the farmer, the grazier, or £he settler, on the management of the field, the dairy, or the garden. We may, at starting, claim some slight indulgence for inevitable shortcomings, as the arrangements for bringing out a new journal involve an amount of labor scarcely appreciable by the general public. It is perhaps unnecessary to more than allude to the additional working expenses incurred, as, to reimburse us for the outlay : we rely upon a cordial and earnest support by all classes. That this will be accorded we cannot doubt, in the face of the success attending our past labors. In political matters it will be our aim to avoid an unreasoning partisanship of person or clique. By whomsoever liberal views may be enunciated, they shall meet with a fair and dispassionate consideration. We have now trespassed long enough on the patience of our readers, and without further preface leave them to the perusal of the first number of the Weekly Times.