PICTON. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) September 12.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XIX, Issue 1928, 21 September 1863, Page 3

PICTON. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) September 12.

The present adjournment of our Provincial Council leaves me but little to write about on thir occasion. The Government have already .commenced "»otiv« steps with regard to the tramway, and Mi-. . Dobson in company 'with another surveyor, is busy Surveying for a last time the best line of road previous to forwarding in a report to the Government. - The nomination of a candidate" for the electorate of Blenheim in the room of Mr.- Bowler, who I told you in my last communication, had resigned his seat in the Provincial Counoil, took place in pursuance of a notification at Blenheim on Wednesday last, and resulted in the re-election of that gentleman, who, although he was not present, had t believe, cousented to take his seat if the constituents re-elected him. The only other candidate that was brought forward was Mr. John Godfrey, ofle of the members for Picton, but whether, or not his nomination was intended as a burlesque, not having befetf-present, I 'am unable to state. However Mr. J. Godfrey was there himself, and one would . certainly think must have been a consenting party. The principal topic of conversation here at the present moment, is pretty equally divided between the tramway and a proposed local Steam Company, which latter object is contemplated to bo realized with as little delay as possible. A considerable impetus has been given by the Council to this latter object, they having during the last session, at the instigation of Mr. Bowler, passed a resolution to the effect that they will be willing to grant a subsidy to * local steamer of some £1,500, provided that it shall be tit for the trade, and be employed running between Picton, the Wairau, the Kaikora, and th« Pelorns. These latter districts »,re beginning urgently to require that steam communication should be established, and there is little doubt that they will receive this boon very shortly, as a further sum has been passed by the Council sufficient to subsidize any other company that may be willing in the meantime to undertake these services. In compliance with resolutions passed by the Council, a gold bonus, amounting to £1,375, has been offered for the discovery of a payable gold-field in this province; the conditions are somewhat favourable, and prospecting parties are already talked of. A bonus of £1,000 has also been offered for the discovery of a payable coal-field. A Government land sale was held at the Courthouse, Picton, on the 29th inst. There was a good attendance of buyers, but very little competition but very little competition took place. The total amount realized was £9,606 16i. 2d. I very much regret to say, that the great work of the province, the Opawa dam again suffered most severely through a flood that took place in the Wairau, about a fortnight since ; the Government do not purpose taking any steps for its repair until such time as the Opawa Breach Bill now before the Council, has been finally dealt with. Mrs. W. H. Foley, a talented actress, paid us a visit last week, fiom Wellington, in company with Messrs. OBrien and Webster. They gave two performances in the Council Chamber on the evenings of Thursday and Saturday, and received good houses and a capital reception on both occasions. During the commencement of the present week they have been performing in Blenheim, but owing to the very bad state of the weather they have not been able to accomplish much. Mr. James Mackay, jun., the energetic Assistant Native Secretary, has been doing this province good service by arresting three Maoris who, it appears, belong to the Waikato country, and had come down to the Wairau with the intention of stirring up the native blood of some of our provincial savages, and inducing them, if possible, to depart from hence to your good city, te swell the present numbers of the belligerents. Mr. Jeffreys, of this town, who lately held the office of Supeiintendeut's clerk, has been appointed Registrar for this province, and is succeeded by Mr. L _ Howe, late of the firm of Morgan and Howe, builders and contractors. The weather still continues very changeable, although the winter is fast departing, as is practically exemplified by the peach trees iv and about Picton, which are already in full bloom.