POLITICAL—PROVINCIAL.

Southland Times, Issue 943, 1 May 1868, Page 2

POLITICAL— PROVINCIAL.

The third session of the third Provincial Council of Southland met on the 27th inst. The only business of importance — indeed, the only- question for which the Provincial Council has been convened — was to take into consideration the consent ...of . the . General Government to finish the Northern Line of Railway with iron rails to Winton. The plan proposed originally was to set apart 60,000 acres of land in payment to the contractor for its construction. The Council, at its last sitting, passed the nee- 1 essary resolutions, but since that time, it has been found more expedient that an endeavor should be made to obtain from the General Government means to finish the wort by cash payments. The Superintendent, and the Provincial Treasurer (Mr Blacklock), with this I object in view, proceeded to Wellington, andaffcera lengthened correspondence, succeeded in gaining the consent of the General Government to advance the requisite funds. The Council, after it had been in session a short time, gavethe: Government authority to proceed with the wort, so that before long, Southland, the youngest province in New Zealand, will- lead all the others in having the longest line — some forty miles— -in active operation. The Government are pre? pared to fnake Such arrangements as will enable them, without interfering with, the, . road-making now in progress, to send for a great proportion of the material required ," to be shipped on board vessels bringing out im migrants. This will be a great advan-i tage to the Province, as by this means vessels will be laid on for the Bluff aj; regular intervals to carry immigrants and merchandise, which vessels will be possessed of an additional guarantee in the shape of railway freight. We believe that no delay will be made in sending the order to England, and pushing on with all possible despatch with the work.