The Southland Times. MONDAY, DECEMBER 20, 1869.

Southland Times, Issue 1185, 20 December 1869, Page 2

The Southland Times. MONDAY, DECEMBER 20, 1869.

SUMMARY FOR EUROPE. .*_ PROVINCIAL. At the departure of last mail, the Provincial Council was in session on the question of re-uniting this district to the parent province of Otago. From the remarks then made, our home readers will be quite prepared for the result of the long debate in which the matter was argued, viz., the carrying of the annexation resolutions, by a large majority. No division took place on the motion brought in by Mr Caldeb, affirming the desirability of reunion, but several trials of strength which occurred in discussing the resolutions in committee, showed unmistakeably the relative strength of parties, and rendered that test unnecessary, and when the series of propositions were formally put from the Speaker's chair, at about 2 o'clock on the morning of the Ist inst., they were carried without further opposition. This, of course, was as far as our Council could go in the matter,

and immediately after thus passing their own death-warrant as a legislative body, and voting, very hurriedly, the supplies for carrying on the government in the interim, the Council adjourned for the usual fortnight, and has since been prorogued sine die by proclamation. In the meantime, the Council of Otago has met, and the question is again tabled as the basis for a long debate, His Honor, in his opening address, appearing in our other columns, introducing the subject as one to which he would wish members to give a more than ordinarily favorable consideration. The present Council, however, will scarcely go the length of adopting the scheme, seeing the question was not before the constituencies afc the time of its election. Some important questions, reflecting; upon the action of Mr Macandbew in his capacity as a member of the General Assembly, with reference to the Otago Hundreds, also interfere with, and will probably indefinitely postpone, the consideration of the re-union question — a dissolution being by no means improbable. The people of Otago do not seem very ardent for union with Southland, and it is doubtful whether a general election on that card would not return a house largely opposed to the project. The inhabitants of this province are thus doomed to linger on in doubt and uncertainty as to their future political status, and without the present financial relief which they so much require. Independent of purely political drawbacks, the affairs of the province seem prosperous. The hopeful indications alluded to last month are still observable. The new flax industry ia claily assuming wider proportions, and the search for gold continues with unabated vigor and increasing confidence as to results. The season, so far, has been a remarkably fine one ; crops are well forward and heavy, promising a rich harvest in due course. Several weeks of unusual heat and drought have been experienced, but nothing to interfere with vegetation, and rain is of too frequent occurrence here to cause any uneasiness on the matter. Shearing has fairly commenced, and several teams laden with wool have already reached town. The Railway works continue to advance satisfactorily, and road-making has also been resumed towards the Eastern division of the province. The chief local event of the month has been the grand show of the Agricultural and Pastoral Association, which came off successfully on the 9th inst. In anticipation of the Christmas and New Tear's holidays, our community is fully occupied in arranging out -door sports, excursions, picnics, &c, &c, for the various days — our pastimes at this festive season being, like everything elaa, diametrically the \ opposite of those of the old country.