OUR MONTHLY LETTER HOME.

Southland Times, Issue 1550, 12 March 1872, Page 3

OUR MONTHLY LETTER HOME.

A slight amount of political turmoil has during the latter portion of the past mail- j month, been apparent throughout differ- ! ent districts of the Middle Island. The ! Duuedin representatives, Messrs W. H. Reynolds and John Bathgate, met their constituents on the 12th ult.. and gave rather an interesting account of the work of the session. As regards Mr Bathgate, the proceeding was more particularly an exceptional one. As » candidate at the general elections, he was one of a few men who succeeded in getting returned purely upon the opposition card. So firmly were his principles in this respect grouuded, that he is known to have made personal sacrifices rather than identify himself with the Government of another branch of the legislature, supposed with good reason to have been imbued with sentiments akin , to those of the Colonial Government, j Mr Bathgate's election was hailed by the j disaffected part of the community with ' much satisfaction. As a representative he was about the only member from the Southern provinces whose election could be said to have carried the smallest additional weight into the ranks of the Opposition, so that his return was to some extent conspicuous as a party question. In the Assembly his votes and proceedings gradually became embarrassing to the interest with which he was supposed to be identified, and latterly they were, as recorded, quite antagonistic. The explanation has now been given, and as a point of policy it agrees with much that has been already stated under similar circumstances. The Hon. Mr Stafford, who occupied the position of leader of the Opposition, is described as a disappointed man. His followers, disappointed in their chief, kept up a running fire of factious opposition, impelled by a spirit of irritation, in which no principle or concerted measure could be recognised. The speech throughout is another evidence that whatever are the faults of the present Government, the element out of which a new Government would fall to have been formed was something from which even its own friends, on closer inspection, have reason to be thankful the Colony has escaped. Whatever view the electors of Dunj edin may take of the change that has been wrought in the sentiments of their representative, they have at least the advantage of knowing that they are placed in possession of those sentiments. We are very sorry to say that the electors of Invercargill are not only excluded from a similar satisfaction, but their member, Mr W. H. Calder, has refused point blank to indulge their natural curiosity in this respect. Mr Calder was elected at a time when the policy of the Government, which has since been so fully endorsed by the electorate, was not by any mean^ fully understood. It was known that he had used his influence as a member in the Provincial Council to thwart the application of the policy to this province. His conduct in this respect was noted, but from the general circumstances of the case, his movements were attributed to that feeling of uncertainty which then existed on the point. On the hustings he recanted, and like many more who had committed themselves to a line of conduct which had not been well con sidered, he took refuge in what was then described as the modification scheme, i.e., a virtual concession to the policy as espoused by the electors. In the Assembly, his proceedings were not by any means decided. They were characterised by that waywardness which in ordinary intercourse is accepted as being " neither one thing nor the other." Fortunately alike for Mr Calder and the district he was supposed to represent, the measures of the Government, as endorsed by the constituency, were carried successfully, and the result was that for the time being at least, both Mr Calder and his representation were lost sight of. After the more pressing engagements of the moment had been attended to, the happy thought seems to have struck some one of the electors that Mr Calder did attend the Assembly, and in following up that recollection, a requisition was presented, asking him to give some information on the subject. The reply vouchsafed by Mr Calder, as mentioned above, is a refusal. The document containing that determination is something more than a simple intimation of non-compliance, but as that is a matter for the consideration of the constituency, it need not be further alluded to. At Lake Wakatipu, a sharp and wellcontested election is going on. The popular candidates are Mr B. Hallenstein, a Queenstown merchant, and Mr Jame3 Macassey, a Dunedin barrister in good practice. Both candidates are entitled to be considered highly eligible their social poaition being a guarantee that neither is actuated by those sordid motives which have done much to retard the progress of the country, more especially upon the Otago goldfields. The nomination took place on Saturday, and the poll ia fixed for Wednesday. The partizans on both sides have conducted their proceedings with a determination which has brought some of their number within the compass of actions for libel. The general feeling is that Mr Hallenstein's local connection will secure his return. Still the contest is likely to be I a close one. i The public works projected for the Middle Island are not proceeding with that rapidity which some persons — preeminently those who at first opposed the whole policy of their construction — would now desire. Working plans for the line to Mataura have been finished, and arrangements for commencing the work are just now understood to be under negotiation. Under their arrangements with the Government, the English contractors, Messrs Brogden and Sons, have reserved the right to say whether or not ' they will take the work. Should their

terms not be considered reasonable, thea Government has the right to let the work by public tender. Assurances have likewise been given that no time will be lost in completing the preliminary work for constructing the Wakatipu line. The approximate estimated cost of that line, as far at least as the boundary of the old province, is ascertained to be £106,425, or at the rate of £2,150 per mile. In view of the near approach of winter, coupled with the state of the roads, a good deal of anxiety exists for the commencement of these works. The trade statistics of the Colony for the last published quarter — December, 1871 — ara highly encouraging. The exports amounted to £1,008,201, as compared with £874,120 during the corresponding quarter of the previous year. This gives an increase of £134),O81. In the produce of the Colony, the increase over the corresponding quarter of 1870 amounts to £143,325, while the decrease on other colonial products, British and foreign manufactures, was £9,794. The increase on the export of wool alone amounted to £128,056, the declared values being — 1871, £256,420; 1870, £128 364. In gold the increase is equally remarkable. The amount for the December quarter of last year was £590,946 ; for the corresponding quarter of the previous year, £570,419, making an increase of £26,497. In preserved meats, the increase was from £5,590 to £19,285. Considering* that this is quite a new industry, the progress it is making must be considered highly satisfactory. Flax, cordage, hides, dairy produce, and other articles exhibit a corresponding advance. The imports during the Dec. quarter of 1871 were £1,085,410, as compared with £1,031,552 for the corresponding quarter in the preceding year, being an increase of £53,858. The imports for the year 1871 were in value £4,078,193, against £4,630,015, showing a decrease of £561,822. Turning to the marine statistics we find a slight increase in the aggregate tonnage of the vessels cleared out from New Zealand ports in 1871 as compared with 1870. The increase is more marked during the Dec. quarter of 1871; while there was a decrease inthe number of vessels entered inwards during the year 1871, against 1870, there was a slight increase in the aggregate tonnage, but for the Dec. quarters of 1870 and 1871 the vessels entered in« wards numbered 194 and 201 respectively, while there was also an increase in the aggregate tonnage. After a great deal of speculation, and a considerable amount of research, the existence of coal deposits in Southland may now be accepted as an established fact. In pursuance of a branch of the public works policy, the G-overnment Assistant G-eologist (Captain Hutton), has made a survey of Southland, the reI suit being the discovery of bituminious and brown coal, the latter in quantities that admit of no question as to its working being eventually rendered profitable as a speculation. With regard to the bituminous coal, further prospecting has been strongly recommended.