POLITICAL—PROVINCIAL.

Southland Times, Issue 951, 15 May 1868, Page 3

POLITICAL—PROVINCIAL.

. The Provincial Council is in recess. The completion of the railway to Winton has been affirmed, and the order for the iron rails will be sent home immediately. In the meantime the G-overnment are pushing on with road making in all parts of the Province : so that by next spring we will be in possession of good roads, and the railway works will be^ in active operation. Important discoveries of coal at Winton have been made, and specimens have been forwarded to Dr Hector, the G-eneial G-overnment Geologist, for examination. It is thought that ■hould that gentleman's report be favorable, it will be the means of causing a large trade to ba opened up, as coal is known to exist in immense quantities at that place, and Southland will then be - in a position to supply the Panama and Melbourne ocean steamers calling at the Bluff at a cheaper rate than any other province in New Zealand. Aa excellent description of lime has also been discovered there, so that independent of the large extent of country which will be opened up by the completion of the Winton railway, the demand for these two articles — coal and lime, which latter can be used by farmers for agricultural purposes — will be so great as to speedily contribute by increased traffic in making the railway pay considerably more than working expenses. Indeed everything goes to indicate that by prudent management a prosperous future is in store for this province.