POSITION OF SOUTHLAND.

Southland Times, Volume VII, Issue 523, 20 July 1866, Page 5

POSITION OF SOUTHLAND.

Ly what position Southland -will stand during the present session of the New Zealand Parliament, and how that position will be presented to the members composing it, are questions of vital interest to those interested in its future well-being. We purpose to review succinctly its present prospects. Its perigee of misfortune was reached about the middle of last year. The last wave of mal-administration receded at the commencement of July_, from which date the Province has steadily and surely progressed to a more favorable and healthy state of affairs, both as regards public and private interests. It is too commonly the case, and not unnaturally, that Provincial journals take a couleur de rose view of everything appertaining to their peculiar Province — excepting always as a matter of course, its little political ferments — and thus a degree of scepticism prevails on the part of its neighbors regarding any statements which may be made by them. This is more particularly the case with the Province of Southland. Otago rejoiced greatly, and was exceedingly glad when the cloud of misfortune Bwept over us ; even little Marlborough had its tiny kick. It was ' universally established throughout New Zealand that Southland was the naughty boy of the family. That although most of the Provinces had outrun the constable — Auckland to wit more particularly — yet that the sin assumed a more heinous , aspect in so young an offshoot of Provincialism ; that in fact we had aown our wild oats at too early a stage of our existence, and at too rapid a pace. . That " something must be done for Southland," was apparent to the legislative wisdom of the colony. " That something" was the passing of acts, which so far from beni-' fitting us, branded the Province with a seeming desire to repudiate the settlement of its liabilities to the full extent of twenty shillings in the pound. In the meanwhile the Province has steadily and surely worked out the problem for itself. The first important Btep accomplished, that of dethroning — if we may use so grandiloquent a word — the late Superintendent, — and it must not be supposed that in alluding to an important epoch in the history of the Province, we are actuated by a desire to rake up old political animosities, but simply to state that from that* period an opportunity has been afforded to the Province in achieving its regeneration. This labor accomplished, without much loss to the community, followed by the resolutions on which the Land Regulations were based, completed the work. In proof that we do not desire to adopt a course which we deprecate, that of presenting to our readers, the prospects of the Province, its resources and stability, throughthe kaleidoscope of our wishes or imagination, .we insert statistical information, which is convinsing that we have not misled the public in stating that we have . turned the corner of " the winter of our adversity." The customs revenue is probably the best and surest indication of the material prosperity of a province. There is, occasionally., a spasmodic action brought to bear on this particular branch of (revenue — the result of a fictitious demand occasioned by the discovery of a rich goldfield, and consequent rush of population. Such was the case in Otago three or four years ago, and is presently in the Province of Canterbury. With us, however, this condition does not apply. v The small goldfield at Orepuld, while doubtless it has had a tendency to increase the customs at Eiverton, can hardly be considered as seriously affecting the revenue. The population, though employed as remuneratively as probably on any other goldfield in the colony, does not exceed three hundred ; thus the marked increase since June, 1865, cannot be ascribed to such a source. The following is the amount of cu'stoins revenue collected at the ports of Invercargill, Bluff Harbor, and Eiverton, for {he year ending, 1865 :— March quarter £6438 13 4 June „ 5631 8 9 Sept. „ 6679 1110 Dec. „ 7301 13 7 v TotalM ;•...» :.'. £26,051 7; l^v' For the year 1866— March quarter £8892 10 11 June „ 9205 4 4 To which may be added £200 6s lid. as export duty on gold, making a total for the six months of this year of £18,298 2s 2d. This shows a steady and satisfactory increase. The exports and import tables are equally conclusive of a healthy reaction. The exports for 1865, were as follows: — March quarter— £82,402 8 10 June „ 14,183 18 7 Sept. „ ... ... 11,388 5 1 Dec. ;, 5,631 13 1 Total ... £113,606 5 7. For 1866.— i March quarter— £18,599 0 0 June „ 87,916 5 9 Total for six months £106,515 '5 9 Imports— lß6s. — March quarter— £34,980 0 0 June „ 21,456 0 0 Sept. „ ... ... 21,764 0 0 Dec. „ ... ... 33,396 0 0 Total ... £111,596 0 0 >. . ■ :JF Mwrfc mmrf-er— lß66.— MBM2 0 O*! 1 * i Jvuir ' ..... iofi^ 0 0.

Wl^'L *.te AQfc inoktb the imports fay ihs n- 4 -v;& of 3fuw for the Bluff and Bi^r;; ■•■«. making a total far tbs sis mouth:-- rf ... ... £83,838 0 0 So for- vj-.?:r3fore as the Custom's returns we «*u : .udi oat-ion of a prosperous state of jifTf.ir-s. \- 1 may congratulate ourselves. We iv.i-.v turn to the revenue derivable through •: -i Land Departmsnt which ia as folk>v-r '.laving from the Ist of December, •whc-M ■•■•■■ new I^and Regulations came ints .;iion, Dr.; "■! ; £2339 9 11 Jan J 6097 1 f> Feb 1272 13 9 Ma-., 22,924 2 1 Apr:: 2414 8 6 Hay 89,620 6 0 Juno 21,263 16 7 Total £145,961 18 3 T ' ■big may be added the rental on rut: ..•: ( J f the Depasturing Licenses for the ,jir 1866, which will amount to at le.-H. .■-;;;). iO, giving a grand total for the so- - .mouths of £154,961 IS* 3d. Iv •■; :''{ as has been the realization of our I ;,:ulod estate, and consequent exti]'iL ri ;i--hment of our liabilities, since the rec.-f:K La ad Regulations came into operatic^, -■ have little doubt that before the e>;;.i. -."-•? the present year we shall have V,%, .*t least, one hundred thousand p-.u ■'• t. ore from this source of revenue. ]: atisfactory to find that notw-ith-v-r; : .ding the severe crisis through vi. ;• : ■:: -.•■ Provjnoa luis paasod, oonu'denoe i ! . •:.-• .C-iture prosperity ia unshaken. '.iU. ■ olearly evidenced by the unp:.; :- ::ui — in New Zealand"— rapidity y, : - 1 , wuich the waste lands have been 1;.: :.: • . yet we have heard fears ex-p-.-.^i J.. that by the lime our liabilities are .- languished, little of our landed est: ;■'•..• v,-ill be left. This fear is ehiiivri '.■•:.. The total area of the Pro vines?, :l> : : . . „■ Stewart's Island, is 2,7-44,109 aci--.-.: Of this, prior to the Ist of I) - . vr last, when the new act came i:v- ■•■^ration, only 300,000 acres h.ivo I>j ■■-■. • cheated, both, before and subse- ■: : r\, i, the separation of the Province ;.•-■■■:• -iago. The total amount of land >so.'<: 'noe the Ist of December last to - ; 30th of Juue, amounts to ir i . 1 ~ acres, 1 rood, and 16 perches, leaving balance in round numbers of ;i _':■ ■'■.■l2 acres. Allowing 4'.i0,000 acres, :"■:> ■'■ ;tir opinion the allowance is liberal ;_• unsaleable land, the residue of v,:■:■:u ,:■:■ : ■■: (ble laud amounts to 1,399,622 :• - - We consider that the allowance ■:>;' ','■■■;■■ hundred thousand acres as un- ■■:- :uto be liberal, for seveval reasons. M v. ., f the large tracts of bush with .vi:. . ais Province is dotted, though at ;>;•.-.--• i considered unsaleable, will, we ■eu: .: vto predict, be largely bought up 'by 'h-j-o who have purchased large tracts of ■: ■■;■; -v land. Of this, we have had prac*i "v xperience already; one purchaser „• .. iaving bought nearly 9000 acres of o'\ Land, also, which at present may "■'•;■ . ■■■ .:ai upon as inferior, will acquire •:;: ..i need value as the adjacent lauds .:< : escheated and turned ro proiitable ■: . .' — for to such account it must, issity, be converted; — to yield '.... •-.■■■; on the capital invested, -'-„ , _-i which are presently looked upon at -■•.-;■ diless will, in the ordinary cuurse '■•i :•■■■■."= a ts, became valuable land, perhaps ■v • -.-:ed as amongst the best. Every ■_■•: '. -. of experience will recollect tracts .•; rv. -lip which, would hardly admit of : ■ . "•- -v by even man being brought in ".!■• r ..u six years into cultivation, and vi^'i . luxuriantly. Under every cir- •;;:; :.mce, we have little fear but that :1> :_ will be a large landed estate left, -_■:.;: -need in value by the sales hitherto' .!.:.. after the liquidation of all our ... ,ies, wherewith to develop the re- .> of the Province. With ordinary i ;i..- i nient this Province may within a - . v .'?\v years, attain to a position in :."-,. al wealth and prosperity second to :,-..•;•- -.; Xew Zealand.