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Southland Times, Issue 1092, 18 January 1869, Page 2

A special correspondent from this office will shortly visit Winton and vicinity for the purpose of collecting such information regarding the agricultural, pastoral, and general condition and prospects of the district as may be useful and interesting for publication. We are requested to call attention to a second alteration in the date of Mr Osborne's Cattle Sale, at Sutherland's Yards. The sale is now to take place on Monday the 25th inst. From the Northern papers we learn that it is finally determined that His Excellency Sir George Bowen will not pay his official visit to the Southern Provinces until the arrival of His Royal Highness the Duke of .Edinburgh. 1 Tenders for the carriage of the English Mail, via Suez, to and from Melbourne and Wellington have been called for, to commence in March next ; the Government to have the power to datain any vessel ninety-six hours, awaiting the arrival of a mail steamer. Tenders will be received until the Bth February. It is stated by the Otago papers that the cele* brated vocalist, Madame Anna Bishop, is expected to shortly visit Dunedin. The 'Wellington Evening Post,' 7th inst., says : — " This afternoon, Sergeant Monaghan and Constable Fraser proceeded on board the steamer Airedale, and arrested a person named Alfred Cullimore, who is charged on warrant at Melbourne with embezzlement, we believe, to a considerable amount." Speaking of recent the Auckland petition for the suspension of the constitution, a Northern contempory says : — " The petipetition of the city and suburbs of Auckland to her Majesty the Queen, which was adopted at the meeting held on the Bth December instant, at the Mechanics' Institute, was yesterday presented to the Hon Dr Pollen, as the representative of the Colonial Government, for transmission to his Excellency the Governor. The deputation consisted of Mr James George (chairman), and Messrs Chapman, Bright, Freer, Hill, Lewis, Wrigley, and Wilkes. A statement relative to some of the most prominent circumstances that have occurred since the foundation of the colony, and which have reference to the native difficulty, was attached to the petition. Dr Pollen informed the deputation that he would forward the documents to the Governor by the mail of that day. In consequence of there not having been sufficient time to obtain the signatures of the inhabitants throughout the province to the petition, it was signed by the chairman, and all the other members of the committee, for and on behalf of the meeting. The following are the extracts read at a meeting held at Wallacetown, from Mr Dillon Bell's letter: — "I was dreadfully discouraged during the session, by being the only member from Southland who tried to stay the hands of the Government while it was yet time, and avert the terrible calamities which are falling upon the whole country by the native policy they were pursuing in the teeth of the clearest warnings. The advertisement you enclosed to me calls the meeting to support retrenchment." The letter goeß on to express the conviction of the writer that the policy of the Stafford Ministry is the very reverse of retrenchment. " Money is now being poured out on all sides, so that as for there being a shilling left- for colonising purposes in the Middle Island, or for provincial objects, you will see in a short time that there won't be a penny got out of the Colonial Treasury. We have embarked, through the fearful mismanagement of our rulers, in a war of far greater risk than any we had before, without troops, and with an exhausted finance. We are anticipating the future in the most reckless manner, and inviting bankruptcy, both colonial and provincial. * * * I fully intend to ask my constituents either to approve or condemn the course I took. I know that if they approve, their verdict will be utter condemnation of the other members from Southland ; and I also know that, if they condemn me, on the other hand, I have nothing left, to me but to resign my trust. # * * I shall certainly make a clean breast of it, and ask for a decisive Verdict. Long enough have the constituencies been apathetic and careless."

The following items of interest are taken from the telegraphic intelligence of the ' Daily Times' Of the 12th and 13th inst :— " The Challenger arrived at Lyttelton on Sunday with the Governor on board. He landed at 11 o'clock on Monday morning, in company with the Superintendent— who had gone on board to meet him— and was received by the Mayor aud Municipal Council, and a largo concourso of citizens. He inspected the railway tunnel, and then went to Christchurch by special train. He wa3 there met , as at Lyttelton, by the Town Council, addresses were presentad from various bodies, and a grand dejeuner took place in the town hall. Everything went off first rate. At the races on the following day the weather was fine, the crowds Were very large, and wherever His Excellency showed himself he was loudly cheered. The spectators who welcomed the viceregal party numbered upwards of 8,000. Sir George ex- i pressed himself much gratified with his reception. At the Canterbury Races the Maiden Plate was won by Mr Wentworth's Croydon, ten ran ; the Lottery Plate by Mr Redwood's Blackboy ; the Canterbury Cup by Mr Redwood's Mannuka, and the Criterion Stakes by Mr Brabazone's Slander. Ngatepoi, a leading TTriwera chief, has been killed, and it is supposed his people will demand revenge. An armed party, supposed to be Te Kooti, and those who escaped with him, has been •een on the road to "Waikaromoana. The Friendlies at Taupo are in a state of trepidation from the threats of the TTriwera. Colonel Lyon is still at Westmere. His available force consists of the following corps : — Armed Constabulary, European Contingent, Carlyle Rifles, 750; Veteran Volunteers, 50 ; "Wanganui Cavalry, 80 ; Kai Iwi do, 40 ; Maori Mounted Corps, 60. Addressing his troops the other day, Colonel Lyon said— ' There are as many of you as could eat Tito Kowaru and his whole force.' He moves to Nukumaru in a few days to commence active operations. The recruits who recently arrived are drilled three hours and a half daily. Constable Petersen, a Swede, who was enlisted in Otago, has deserted to the enemy with his arms and accoutrements.' " The ' New Zealand '.Gazette,' of th«s 31st Dec ult., contains an intimation to the effect that the Governor has assented to the Executive C ouncil Ordinance, passed at last session of the Provincial Council. As a necessary consequence of the coming into operation of this Act, we understand that several of the members of the Executive have tendered their resignation. A Blight Bhock of earthquake was felt in Invercargill at about a quarter to 10 o'clock, on Thursday evening, the 14th hist. The shock was a very gentle one to those who have felt them as they occasionally occur in Wellington and elsewhere, but the rumbling sound preceding the vibration was very loud and prolonged. The weather during the last few days has been exceptionally fine, bright and warm. A continuance of it for a couple of weeks or so would yet do much to retrieve the prospects of the harvest. Messrs M'Manamin Bros, have, we understand, finished their contract on the deviation of the Bluff Railway, in a most creditable manner. The em ban! ment is now completed, and the laying of the sleepers, rails, and ballast will be undertaken by the Government without delay. We observe that, on the principle of killing two birds with one stone, the Government are effecting a very material improvement at the west end of Esk-street, by lowering the footpath on the south side of the street to the same level as the other ; the earth carted away being used to fill up the ugly drain in the same street, which has so long been a source of disgust to all, and of danger to those having to traverse the street after nightfall. The sitting of the Supreme Court, advertised to be held here to-morrow, has been further adjourned till the 26th inst.