The Southland Times. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15, 1868.

Southland Times, Issue 934, 15 April 1868, Page 2

The Southland Times. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15, 1868.

We have before usa most interesting document which has been compiled in the Eoad and Works Department. It gives an abstract of the works completed and in course of completion in the Eastern and Northern districts, dividing and classifying* the nature and description of the improvements, so that the reader can see at a glance how rapidly the Government have pushed forward road-making, and availed themselves of the funds placed at their disposal by the Provincial Council at its la3t sitting. From the returns we find that in the Eastern district two miles of road has been completed, and one mile nearly completed between the third and sixth mile posts ; and that between the. eighth and eleventh mile post two miles have been completed, and two miles and a-haif partially completed. In the s.ame district fourteen culverts have been repaired north and south of the Falls Ferry, and ten chains of road made as an approach to the New Bridge over the river Mataura. On the One Tree Point road, culvert crossings amounting to fiftyfive chains have been partially completed ; on the Waihopai mill road, embankments and repairs to culverts embraces forty chains;. on the Eoslyn Bush road, thirty chains of embankments, and on the road by Menzies' Ferry three new culverts and fifteen chains of embankment are in course of construction ; whilst on the Great North Eoad, through the Waikivi Bush, a, mile and a-half has been completed, twenty-six chains partially; north of the Waikivi, twenty-five chains completed, twenty chains partially ; north of the Junction Hotel, 34 chains completed, 20 chains partially; south of M'Eae's Marsh, 30 chains completed, 20 chains partially ; north of Wallacetown, 5 chains completed, 6 chains partially ; also, the bridge over the Makerewa has been re-planked. On the Eiverton road, west of the Oreti Railway, three-quarters of a mile has been completed, one quarter partially. In the north-western districts the following roads have been made : — Over the Waianiwa Marsh, half a mile completed, and half a mile partially ; at Wright's Bush, 10 chains of embankment completed ; east and west of the Waimatuku, 24 chains ; west of the Waimatuku, 40 chains ; near Flint's Bush, 30 chains ; between the Harrier and Eiverton, 64 chains have been partially completed. On the road from Eiverton to the Otautau : — Near the Eiverton Cemetery, 15 chains ; north of G-ummie's Bush, 20 chains ; in the vicinity of Mount Pleasant, 40 chains completed ; whilst to the north and south of the Otautau, 18 chains are partially completed. A new bridge is in course of construction over the Otautau, and the bridge over the Aparima will be newly planked. On the West Plains Eoad, miscellaneous works, extending over two miles, have been undertaken ; and similar works are in course of being carried out on the East Waikivi Plain Eoad, over a distanceof a mile anda half, thus giving atotal of nearly 20 miles of good road throughout the Province, which has been made within the last four months. We also learn that the greater part of the above works will most probably be completed in three or four weeks hence. We cannot conclude without mentioning in the most favorable termsthe activity and vigor which has been displayed by the Eoad Engineer, Mr Dawsoit. The works above enumerated have been astonishingly quickly performed. And when we mention that all the plans and specifications had to be drawn by Mr Dawsoist, who had also the duty of supervising the contracts, when let, which necessarily required his presence in nearly every part of the Province, it will be seen that his duties are both important aud onerous. MrDAWSON has for a considerable time successfully undertaken unaided the duties whiuh were formerly performed by a numerous staff of officials, thus saving to the Province a very large annual expeuditure. Seven hundred and seventy nine acres of land . principally in the Hokanui district, were sold at the Land Office on Tuesday, the 14th inst. The Wesleyan congregation having added a new wing to their chapel in Leet-street, held a tea meeting on Monday evening last, to celebrate the event. Under the Superintendence' of a number of the ladies belonging to the Church, the tables, seven or eight in number, were most tastefully laid out, and made literally to groan under an abundance of choice edibles, and excellent tea. The meeting was altogether a most successful and very social one. By the hour named for it to commence, the tables were quite full, and upwards of fifty guests, arriving after that hour, were fain to content themselves with less convenient accommodation, and take their I cups in their hand. After tea, the meeting was appropriately addressed by the Rev Mr Bunn and several other, the choir singing a few sacred piecas in the intervals. The report read by the Secretary showed a debt remaining on the property of only some £38, which it was expected the proceeds of the Tea Meeting and a collection m.ide on the spot, would further reduce to about the very modest sum of £20. The meeting broke up at a seasonable hour, everyone apparently highly satisfied.

i \ We notice that Mr M. Jewell, from Salomon's, Princes-street, Dunedin, has armed in tnvercargill on a business visit, He has taken up his quarters at the Club, where he invites the public to inspect the splendid collection of jewellery he has brought with him for sale. :1 The rifle match between ten members of the Inveroargill Volunteer Rifle Corps and ten of the Riverton Company, came off at the Biverton butts on Monday, 13th inst. Considerable interest was displayed by the volunteers of both ; ; companies. In addition to the ten competitors from Inveroargill, with Captain Harvey and lieutenant Q-iesow, several others attended the match. We cannot on the whole think the shooting was up to the mark on either side, but the "Riverton men showed far more evennes* and precision than the Invercargill team, although one of the latter (Mr F. Henderson) made by far the hisrhest score The match passed ofl without dispute or a single hitch, and although the Invercargillites have been beaten by over fifty points they are not dispirited, and we understand a return match is being arranged to come off in Invercargill on the Queen's Birthday, 24th May next. We hope the Invercargill riflemen will practise well and put in a better appearance on that occasion. In the evening a volunteer supper took place in the Odd Fellows' Hall, which was attended by upwards of thirty gentlemen. The greatest cordiality was evinced by the conquerors and the defeated, and the event passed off with satisfaction to aIL The party broke up about eleven o'clock p.m., when the two Invercargill coaches turned homewards and reached here safely about three o'clock in the morning. The following is a list of the scores : — RTVERTON.

The " West Coast Times" reports the following ' courteous amenities,' as having taken place'be'tween the Judge and the Crown Prosecutor, during one of the trials in the District Court ai Hokitika a few days ago : — His Honor : Have you any more witnesses, Mr O'Loughlin ? The Crown Prosecutor : Yes, your Honor, Hi* Honor : Then why do you not call them ? The Crown Prosecutor : It is not my duty to ordei the witness out of the box. His Honor ; You have been very impertinent several times. I advise you not to be so again. The Crown Presecutor : No, your Honor, I have not. His Honor : You gave me the lie direct in open Court yesterday, and I advise you not to do so again. The Crown Prosecutor : I did not, your Honor. I do not recollect doing so. And I was only observing fiat it was not my place to order the witness to leave the box, as the Jury might wish to put some qusstions to him." The steamer Albion, with upwards of two hundred passengers, from the West Coast, arrived at Sydney on the 26th ult., where quite a sensasation was created by the arrival of so many miners after the recent advices from Queensland, It is not improbable that a majority will at once return to New Zealand. The Sydney "Evening News" of the 26th ult. says : — " The steamei Albion, from New Zealand, presented a novel appearance as she came up the harbor this morning with her decks peopled with passengers. The Queensland gold mania appears to be raging with unaccountable vigor amongst the mining population of New Zealand, and they are leaving by every possible opportunity. The Albion landed here 238 miners, and it is probable they will return again to New Zealand. The late unfavorable news from Queensland will probably stop the influx of immigration. We observe that the steamers from Maryborough are bringing back large numbers of disappointed and disgusted diggers." '

300 yds. 400 yds. 500 yds. R. Crisp 15 9 4 28 Robinson 12 14 13 39 Olosh 17 13 2 32 Smith 16 11 7 34 Lee 10 6 13 29 Wilson 10 17 8 35 Aldred 4 4 4 12 Reei 11 . 16 10 37 Macdonald 13 18 4 35 Captain Instone 14 11 9 34 Total . . . 315 INVBROARGHLL. Millar 12 15 3 30 F. Henderson 18 17 12 46 Colin Brown 5 11 12 28 J. Robertson 7 8 7 22 F. Campbell 12 5 .' 6, 29 Gr. Reese 8 11 10 2S J. Taylor 3 0 OS A. Brown 16 12 4 32 P. Murphy 4 9 4 17 S. T. Henderson 3 15 9 37 Total . , 257