Local and General.

Southland Times, Issue 902, 19 February 1868, Page 2

Local and General.

The Council is still in recess, and politics may be said to have by mutual consent been banished from the mind. The extensive road works now being energetically carried on appears to hare satisfied the former opponents of the government, and it has become decidedly popular. The necessity for, as far as possible, promoting immigration is daily becoming more conspicuous. The labor market is bare to an extent scarcely before known. The settlers in erery district are complaining, that they aie short handed, and cannot obtain their full complement of men at any price; contractors have a similar grievance, and the ladies bitterly lament that female helps are almost unattainable, and when found are sure to get married in a few months. The revival of immigration will be of great service to the province, and a valuable boon to all in the old country that may take advantage of the assistance offered to them to come and settle in this country. Mr Morrison, the Home Agent for New Zealand, has been for some weeks in the province and visited a large portion of the interior. He will when he returns to England be thoroughly posted up upon all matters appertaining to this and the other provinces as fields fox immigrants. The chief event of the month has been the terrible number of wrecks and lost of life and property from the storms and floods that have taken place throughout the Middle Island. Fortunately South, land has not suffered more than having to endure for a short period cold and unseasonable weather. We have had no wrecks, and no floods that have destroyed either life or property, while the nighboring provinces have experienced fearful and fatal visitations. The recently flourishing township of Oamaru has been severely injured, and the wool ships and vessels in the harbor at the time of the storm entirely destroyed, with great loss of life. Timaru and many other settlements have also suffered severely. In our last summary we published the full particulars of the wreck of the " General Grant "on the Auckland Islands, and the rescue of ten of her passengerß. We then stated a search ship was being fitted out by the Southland Government to visit the group and form provision depots, while carefully seeking to find the four men of the " General Grant" who left Port Boss in an open boat. We have now to record that on the 23rd of January the brig " Amherst" sailed on this mission. She was amply provided with provisions of the first class, with live stock to be left on the islands, clothing, implements, and everything that could be useful in the event of other wrecks under similar circumstances taking place. The " Amherst" is commanded by Captain Gilroy, who from many years experience as a whaler is thoroughly acquainted with all the ports on this dangerous groupe of islands. She was accompanied by Mr H. Armstrong, a member of the Executive. The Provincial Government has deservedly been highly eulogised by the people here, and the Press throughout the colony, for the promptitude and liberality it displayed on this occasion. The public also earned themselves a lasting character for sympathy and aid to the unfortunates. In a day sufficient was collected to enable the " Wreck" Committee to give each of the survivors a few pounds to take with them. They were well clothed, sumptuously entertained, and left Southland expressing the deepest feeling of gratitude for the kindness and liberality that had been shown to them during their stay in In* vercargill.