SOUTHLAND.

Press, Volume XI, Issue 1337, 19 February 1867, Page 3

SOUTHLAND.

OPENING OF THE BLUFF A>*D INVEKCABGILL KAILWAY. The correspondent of the " Southland Times" givea the following account of the above event, which took place on the sth instant: — The long expected public opening at last took place yesterday. For some time it had been whispered that the line would be opened—that a holiday would be proclaimed—and that the event would be befittingly observed. The very great drawback certainly was the absence of the Superintendent, but even that might have been to some extent remedied by an extra degree cf vigor being thrown into the aifair by the Executive. But softly. Was the Executive there to represent his Honor? Did they do all in their power to make the day pass pleasantly, and encourage by their presence the festivities that might reasonably be anticipated to mark the great event of the for public traffic of the longest line of railway in Zealand ? No. I could not perceive any wish to satisfy the natural desire of the people to ! observe the occasion as a red-letter day J in the annals of Southland. The j Executive were absent. Mr Blacklock, the provincial treasurer, was there I believe, simply as a private citizen, but there was an entire absence of any show of festivities—of any congratulatory spirit, and the consequence was the whole affair was very tame and exceedingly dull and insipid. I proceeded to the station at

about half-past eleven, the time I was informed at which the train was to start, but owing to some delay it was a full half-hour before '.ye started. The station was pretty full of visitors—a number of townspeople and their wives and children, evidently bent upon enjoying themselves under difficulties. I should say, however, that the number did not exceed 150, and the total that availed themselves of the limited notice given by the Government of the departure of the trains vvas about 220, if so many. xlt twelve o'clock we started for the Bluft'; a very faint cheer was attempted, but even that quickly died away. "We rattled along at splendid style, arriving at the Bluff in three-quarters-of-an-hour.

The Bluft' had evidently made an attempt to be jolly, but didn't succeed. It blew very strongly from the southwest, and the clouds of sand that enveloped every one was most unpleasant. It entered your shirt front, it penetrated your ears, rushed down your throat when you opened your mouth, and it made your eyes look very much like if you had been weeping. Now, this state of things, to say the least of it, was anything but pleasant to witness, and accordingly I thought it advisable to wait, watch events, and ascertain what effect dinner would have upon the feelings of the excursionists. I wandered about feeling anything but satisfied at the failure, and wondering how it was the Q-overnment did not take steps to ensure a more pleasant trip, and afford a proof of their desire to make things pass off satisfactorily. I might notice that the people on board the Water Nymph made frantic endeavors to fire off a rusty old gun, which alarmed the ladies and made the children all cry; but feeling convinced that probably discretion was the better part of valor, the firing quickly ceased, and peace and quietness reigned around. There was no demonstration at the Bluff: no speech-making, no mutual congratulations on the.opening, and altogether the whole thing was very flat indeed. 1 paid a visit to the various hotels, possibly thinking that some excitement might bo observed, but with the exception of some young gentlemen that evidently were bent upon making themselves happy, and who appeared to be very flushed in the farte, and who looked very fierce, and who loudly aud authoritatively demanded glasses of gin,—and numbers of people eating boiled beef, ham and bread, and drinking stout —and numbers of young children playfully tearing the whiskers of their papas, and otherwise observing all the little endearments of infantile affection— nothing worth while relating came under my observation, and I was heartily glad when the screech of the engine proved to mc that the train was about starting, and I cheerfully took my place again, and was rapidly driven to town. gold ax stewart's island. The following is the official report of the discovery of gold at Stewart's Island, addressed by Sergeant Morton to Mr "Weldon, the Commissioner of Police at Invercargill, and dated January 31: — Sergeant Morton reports that he arrived at this place at eight a.m. on the above date, and he was shown the claim by Mr Cullen and party which was applied for as a prospecting claim. The Sergeant prospected the claim in several places, and found a prospect of of |about half-a-grain to the shovel, and about two grains to the dish, which he forwards to the Commissioner. The beach is a small one in the bay, about three hundred and fifty yards long and fifty wide. At low water the stripping is about one foot deep, and there is about six inches of washdirt. There is a good supply of water from the hill above the beach. The beach is all taken up. There has been no gold found in the other small beaches as yet, but the Sergeant believes there are several parties out prospecting round the island. The Sergeant would not advise any miners to come here at present except those who are intending to prospect, and they would even require a boat and provisions.