SOUTHLAND

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 211, 15 February 1872, Page 6

SOUTHLAND

(From our Own Go.r respondent.) ■ Invercargill, Feb. sth.

January brought- summer weather at last, and when the cold windy days gave place to still warm ones, the crops made rapid progress. We have had occasional showers, but not sufficient to moisten tho ground properly. Although streams are low and water scarce in places, the drought has not been so severe as in many other parts of the province. There is not much wheat grown near "Invercargill, but the crops look pretty well. Oats arc short in the straw, but if the weather continues favourable till harvest is over, they will not be much under our average yield. Potatoes do not look well, and have many blanks ; but turnips promise better.

On the Bth, t'e first annual meetings for tho election of school committees under the Otago education ordinance were held Although teachers receive an increased subsidy, the Board has not been so liberal towards erecting and repairing buildings as was expected by reunionisls. lam happy to z'ecord an instance of co-oneration and self-reliance on the part of the settlers at Grove Bush, about fourteen mHesfroin Invercargill. Without any assistance from the Board, they erected a commodious schoolhousp, and to clear off the balance due, they got up a soiree on the 2Gth. The building was crowded ; and after tea, addresses were delivered by several gentlemen. On the conclusion of the soiree, the tables were cleared away, and dancintr commenced and kept up till daylight. Altogether, it was the most successful affair ever gpt up in the eastern district. A writer iv a Dunedin paper recently remarked on the plainness of the female? present at a gathering there. However, the majority of the farmers, wives and daughters present at Grove Bush were certainly good looking, and had a more charming, fashionable appearance than might have been expected frcun country lasses having to perform a considerable amount of hard work. The low price of farm produce operates prejudicially on the matrimonial market, and marriages are not so frequent as they ought to be iv a now couutry. akhoiiyli eligible yo 11113 women are not scarce.

I believe tho members of the Municipal Council are attcntivo to their duties, but as yet they have been unfortunate. The person who prepared the roll claimed £35 for his sen ices. A majority of tbe Council thought £20 sufficient, and offered that amount. This was refused, and in the Magistrate's Court a verdict for the full amount was given. Tho valuation of property was lately completed, but the Council thought jfc so unsatisfactory as to disallow it, and there is likely to be litigation with the. valuator. A smart Chinaman, named "Kee Chang, boss of a party working at Orepuki, has swindled gold buyers there by selling them several calces of gold. He mado his way to Invercargill, eluded the policy and is believed to have sailed for Australia ; but he may be captured there when he tries to get his drafts cashed. Two Chinamen are in custody as accomplices. One of them, a brother of Kee Chang's, had some notes in his possession that were paid to Chang by the gold buyers.

The steamer "Wallace brought from Dunedin His Honour the Superintendent, Mr. Beeves, Minister of Works, two members of tbe and three Professors from tho Otago University. On tho 30th, they steamed over to Stewart's Island, to examine its adaptability for a special settlement, but as tho excursionists returned to Bluff Harbour the same night, the examination could only have been slight. On the following flay, the party sailed for and and arrived at Riverton, and have gone to visit various portions of tho western district.

Owing to the dryness of tbe season, tho roads are good, but as material is not being provided for maintenance during the coining winter, they are

sure to be very bad then. Many settlers are anxious to have a Road Board in the eastern district, and wonder at the delay in bringing the new ordinance into force.

The wool season is nearly over, and a large quantity has been delivered by teams in Invercargill, and. forwarded by rail to Bluff Harbour, or shipped coastwise. The barque Union has sailed for London direct, with a cargo valued at nearly £50,000; and the large clipper ship Christian M'Ausland is now loading.

It commenced to rain before daylight this morning, and has been raining steadily all day, so there is not likely to be any scarcity of water again this season.