OTAGO.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 3, Issue 112, 12 November 1859, Page 6

OTAGO.

(From the Otago Witness, Oct. 22.) Houses are springing up daily; more land is enclosed and cultivated ; more wool and crops grown ; imports are increasing ; exports are increasing ; business is increasing — progress, progress, everywhere — and the population becoming wealthy. This will be satisfactory to our friends. The passengers by the "Alpine," 480 in number, who arrived a little more than a month since, have been all absorbed, and the demand for labour is greater than the supply. A few casual hands have joined us from Auckland, and have found ready employment, but their number is insignificant. The immigrants by the "Sevilla," which is looked for in the course of Nov., are wanted, as the public works are kept for want , of hands, Several road parties have been formed, and the Government have been making preparations for carrying on the work with vigour during the ensuing summer ; and with that object portable barracks are being constructed, which will much economise time and labour, and add materially to the comfort of the workmen employed. The satisfactory progress of the colony is fairly exemplified by the increase of the Customs and Land Revenue ; the former for the quarter ending 30th Sept. f amounted to £5,788, being at the rate of £23,152 per annum ; and we understand that upwards of £3,500 was received on the decision day of the applications for Rural Land for the month of Sept. The year's revenue received by the Provincial Treasurer amounted to £62,285. Buildings are rising fast in Dunedin, and I ; the use of Caversham limestone is becoming ' more general. The lengthening of the Dunedin jetty has -progressed, and is being continued, affording increased accommodation to the various coasting craft, a _ number which — many from 30 to 70 tons — are constantly alongside discharging. . The weather during the winter lias been remarkably fin.§ JnJDunedin, the north, and interior|i^un^^^^^ring the . past month there ha^^^^^P^^ed.. scarcity of ralk,. The dry , sf^P^m^oi^b%ative vegetation, and the warmtn ofpne atmosphere* '.have caused the bush fires, which are usually lighted at this season for the purpose of clearing, to spread to a great extent through-

out the country, and during the past fortnight encircled one portion pf the town so completely in flames of burning bush as to much alarm amongst the inhabitants ;v Fortunately no damage was done. In, the 'neighbourhood of Port Chalmers, the ma^ of the Presbyterian minister was destroyed, and we regret to 'hear of other damage to houses and loss of property in the' neighbourhood of Anderson's Bay. Heavy gales^from the north-west have done some damage to barns, stacks, and crops. The latter, however, throughout the whole country, are reported to present a most promising appearance. In commercial affairs but little change has taken place, except in the increased number of stores and in the amount of business^ The importation of goods to this port is chiefly confined to operations by the resident merchants and storekeepers : but little comes on consignments and the trade is not often disturbed by the influx of casual vessels. Our markets generally are well supplied, and the regularity of the nature of the business produces little fluctuation in prices. The importation of timber has for some time past been very considerable, nearly 250,000 feet having lately arrived by various opportunities, and which has found a ready market, without any material reduction in prices. Trade generally is in a most healthy state. Unlike most of the Provinces of New Zealand, we have had no monetary crisis, and consequently a mercantile failure is unknown amongst us, ;