CANTERBURY.

Southland Times, Issue 545, 21 August 1866, Page 2

CANTERBURY.

Chbistchtjrch, 20th August, Arrived— Ringitoto and the Airedale, from Wellington ; the Egmonfc from Dunedin, and the Bombay, from London. Sailed — Airedale, south; Rangitoto and Egmont, for "Wellington. By telegram from Nelson the Lord Asbiey h\d arrived from Wellington. Stafford had feeen sent for by the Governor to advise, and Mr Moorehouse was sent.- The Weld party stand aloof. The indefinite character of this telegram is so extreme that we cannot interpret tie it. It would suggest that the Stafford Ministry h.id resigned, and by the advice of Mr Si afford, Mr Moorehouse had been called upon to lorm a Ministry. It appears to us that those who forward telegrams of such importance as the one under notice,: should strive, at least, to make them sufficiently connected to be guessed at. This one is. foggy in the extreme. — [Ed. S. T.]

From a mining ariicle in the ' Waka'ip Mail,, 15th August, we learn that tho soverity of the weather has considerably retarded the mining operations. Although the daya have been beautifully fino, the hird fro3ts of the night have prevented the working of the race claims. It says : — ■ "The nature of the seaion of tho year his much militated aerainst mining enterprise daring the whole of last month. The daya have generally bi>en brilliancy fine, hut the hard frost at night has kept the water-races frozen, and made all ground ica-bound and unworkable} but during the last few days a thaw has set in, and the hills are rapidly losing their wintry mantle of snow. Work is being vigorously resumed by the miners after a long period of. enforced idleness. Prospects of this branch of inrlustsy were never more en couraging, and we hope in our next summary to bo able to describe a renewed state of progress and prosperity." The new Governor of Victoria has arrived by the mail steamer. Sir John Manners Sutton has a difficult task before him, but from his past experience and acknowledged discretion, there is ! reason to hope political differences will be overcome. We understand that the Stswart's Island Fish Company is likely to prove a success. Large quantities of fish are being brought in, jind large orders have bean received from Otago, and it is attracting attention in Victoria. From our shipping columns, it will be observed that fifty miners from the West Coast have ari rived. Weiunderetand that they purpose setting to work injright earnest in this Provinoe, having received information from their mates here that leads them to believe that the Southland gold workings will, when fairly opened, be equal to those of any other Province. Several who have done woll on the beach diggings, have resolved, with improved appliances, to again test the ground that some three yeara opened and abandoned ; and feel confident of success. The telegram published in another column would indicate that the debate in the General Assembly, of the financial statement, had resulted in the defeat of the Minijtry, and a Ministerial crisis had followed. It is, however, so foggy that comment would be presumptuous. The fine frosty nights and sunshine days that have prevailed for weeks have passed, and for the last three days rain, wind and hail has been the order of the day. The winter, upon the whole, may be denominated a splendid one, and a short period of bad weather should not be deemed & cause for disoontent.