Page 1 Advertisements Column 6

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 8, Issue 378, 11 February 1864, Page 1

jin small quantities, the physical conformation of the West Coast country forbids the prospect of an extensive gold field. A full account of the expedition will be made public as soon as possible, i Otago Sheep Statistics.— A return has been published in Otago of the num[berof sheep in that province, which, are stated to amount to 280,801, of which 129,891 are ewes, and 150,960 are wethers. There are 60,350 scabby. The sheep brought into the province during the past fifteen months numbered 132,034 of which 54,225 were brought over sea, and the remainder were introduced by land. The number of wethers slaughtered in the province during the year 1863, was 135,000.

; SOUTHLAND. ( The feeling of this province with respect to Separation miy be learned from the | following extract from the Southland | News : | New Zealand is divided upon the question of permanent seat of the General j Government. Hitherto Auckland lias been jfhe capital, but the populous and wealthy 'provinces of the South rebel against an (authority so distant. In the. General | Assembly a resolution has been cariiod in |favour of the removal of the political headquarters to some spot in Cook’s Straks. The Southern provinces are inclined to acquiesce in that arrangement—with one exception. Otago claims to he the seat either of the General Government of New (Zealand or of a separate government fur | the Middle Island. In other words it inspires to he the dominant j osier, and its 'ora’ors and organs of public opinion do not [affect to conceal the motives with which it aims at that position. To make every other interest subservient to its own; to dictate a “sympathetic” legislation; to overbear every other province by the superior weight of its population and wealth—these are the undisguised and, indeed, avowed objects with 'which Otago seeks to become the local habitation of the Government and parliament of New Zealand.

I The resolution adopted by the General j Assembly, calling for an Intercolonial Commission to name a site in Cook’s Straits for | the new capital, has been protested against |by an influential meeting held in Tunedin. In the face of such a protest, and of other 'indicate ns of a want of unanimity on the part of the colonists, it is not fit. all unlikely that the Australian governors will decline to take any action. Before any definitive ‘decision can be arrived at, the Queen’s .advisers will have to be consulted, and wo !have no doubt t.bat other settlements will join with Southland in laying at the foot of 1 lie throne a protest against a political arrangement that would make so large a portion of colonised New Zealand subject to an arrogant and selfish domination. The e is a “ dead lock” in this province at present the News says:— Ilis Honor and Ministers are now in actual collision, and the province sutlers in | consequence. There is, in fact j?o responsibility ; and withou it there can be no ouarautee of government. To such a state of things we .should infinitely prefer to see o»e man prominently before the public from his official position, held strict!}’ accountable for the whole conduct of administration, and made directly amenable for bad government to the legislature and the people. That is the logical orollary of an elective Su'ierintendent.” Whether the Couiuil win agree with us, we shall shortly have an opportunity of knowing. Amongst the Ordinances passed during the last session, and reserved for the assent of his Excellency j the Governor, was the “ Appropriation Ordinance,” authorising certain provincial Expenditure. This Bill has been di.-allnwed ny Sir George Grey for reasons not. explained. Hence lias arisen the necessity for a special session of the Council of the province, which has been convened by his Honor for ! Wednesday, the lOib February. In addition to making provision for the public service, it is probable that tiie attention of the Council will be invited to other matters ami that the present uneasy relations between the -Superintendent and his advisers will be included aim ng these. The appearance of the much dreaded pleuropneumonia lias caused a panic amongst the settlers in the country, which is likely to lead to the enforemnent of regulations hitherto almost ignomi. The income for the last quarter of the year is ,£14,776. more than half being from land sales. The expenditure is £57,476 ; of which £21,000 has gone to roads, £4OOO to othewpublic, works and £5,000 to immigration.

i The Electric Telegraphic line from the I Bluff to Invercargill was to be completed ion the 27th ult. S The road from Invercargill to the Bluff presents a most, busy aspect. The construction' of the' railroad, which is rapidly pr< - [grossing towards completion, has caused a large population to assemble all along the :main line of road, and nunier us liasliiy extemporised dwellings, stores, and hotels have sprung upon each side of die highway. !At the Mokomoko, one of Davies’ parent, [locomotives may be seen daily puffing along, complying metal ami other maleii.ib for nmking the new road, now lining laid down parallel with the lino of railway.