Colonial.

Lyttelton Times, Volume IX, Issue 539, 2 January 1858, Page 3

Colonial.

OTAGO. We take the following extracts from tie papers lately received :—

We understand tliafc Mr. Thompson, Chief Surveyor, has traversed the eouritry in the interior from the Waitangi river to the Clutha, from which it appeal's that the general impressions as to there being an immense extent of very fine country in the centre of the province is correct. We have not heard the particular's of Mr. Thompson's exploration, but we believe that the country in question is available both for agricultural and pastoral: purposes, atid only requires easy access from the coast. . We hope this also may be discovered in the course of the survey.

Among1 the passengers per Star, to the southward, we observe the name of Mr. Bailey, a naturalist, who, we understand, is fitted out for an extensive exploration into.the hitherto untraversed country/beyond , the Waiati river. Tt ippiearfe* that. there is m^hatparlE,of j&e'jM^ymce extensive priusevailbrest^ which has; been hitherto shut* out even from the Maories, by the depth and rapidity of .tiie river. Mr. bailey; iii a jonraey ; Borne monthsago, disoovered a large number of moa bones, which bear evidence of being- of comparative recoat date. It is s-upposed that if the bird is to be found anywhere

alive in New Zealand it will be in-the forest in question. "We have no doubt but the "hope, of making some such discovery has induced Mr. Bailey to undertake the present exploration. We sincerely trust that his enterprise may prove •successful, and that he may 'return in safety and leap the reward ci" his toils.— Colonist, Dec. 11.

[The Mr, Bailey of the above paragraph is erroneously substituted for Mr. A. VV. Lea, who, our readers will remember, during- a late residence in this province made an admirable collection of native birds and exhibited them in Lyttelton for a few days, as noticed in this paper on the 7th February last'—Ed. L. T.] As to there being1 any "fearof our receiving- too many people all at once from the old country, we have none. The only objection at present is the want of houses to shelter them. This evil, however, will likely cure itself, and we hope to see it remedied very soon. ,No doubt at'the com-n-iencemerit of the" settlement,' when for years we had to import our food, there was considerable danger of the, number of mouths. exceeding1 the means of feedingthem. Now, however, matters are widely drfFererit. The province is not oniy ■selfsustaining1, as regards the necessaries and many of the luxuries of Jifs, but has plenty.to,spare; so mxich so, that we fed quite:, certain that the number of mouths which our most sanguine efforts could transport over half the giobe is not likely to consume our surplus produce. Tl'e only limit that we would assign to the extent of immigration would be the extent to which we could supply the immigrants with food until such time as they can produce it for themselves. It is therefore absurd to talk of too many immigrants ■arriving too quickly. We say let°them come—the sooner the better.

; We. observe by an advertisement in another column that the Government are calling for tenders for'the conveyance.of the Overland Mail to the Northern and Southern Districts. Very opportunely appearsat the same time a letter from a correspondent/than whom no one has a better opportunity of knowing1 how this duty has up,to the present time been performed in the south, and to which we desire to call the special attention of .the Government. Indeed the facts therein stated are matter of public notoriety, and have been the subject of general complaint. We believe the contract was taken for about £300, or £25 monthly, for the conveyance of a mr.il fortnightly to Invercargill, and yet the settlers bear unanimous testimony that the result has only been to subject, them to greater inconvenience, inasmuch as they previously made the best arrangement they could among" themselves. A step has, it is true, been taken in the right direction, by the determination to establish a weekly post between Dunedin and the Clutha; but this or any other plan must prove futile, if the regular conveyance of the mail is allowed to be made subservient to the necessities of the postman's private business, as has hitherto been the case. No doubt some allowance should be made for bad roads, occasional delays at the Mataura ■Ferry, &c, but the main cause of the gross irregularity that has prevailed is pointed out by our correspondent, viz., that the postman has business of his own which he considers of more importance than that for which he is paid by the Government. We trust that, under the new contract respect will be had more to the efficient discharge of the duty than to the saving- of a few pounds in making the bargain, and that ample security will be taken and enforced in the event of neglect or attempted evasion.— Colo?mt,'NoY.27.

Climate at the Bluff and Dunedin. — The following- table, giving- the quantities of rain that have fallen during tne last six months at the Bluff and Dunedin respectively^ will disabuse many of an impression as to the excessive wetness of itlie' climate at the' Bluff. These results ;have been obtained ".from observations jmade with the greatest care and regularity. iThe two rain-gauges-employed are also •identically the same,/both in" dimensions ; and structure: —

• BlafE Dunedfn. Jane, 185t .. ...;;.'o.6sin. ... 1.76 in. July i.,............... 2.48 ... ... 2.77 August....... 0.59... ... 1,20 September 1.15 0.79 , Octiber ............ 4.79 ... ... 3.62 Nov^anber 1.83 ... ... 3.07 Tims showing, tSiat one-half more rain hna fallen at Dunedin thaa at tho BhitF s:no« the: "beginning1 of June.— Colonistf Dec.

lM>nanATi<m, —-We learn by the mail just to Jjand, that the'StJ-atbaHazrwas nil ready'to eail from-Leith diitct on the BUth

■September, and that" she' was' a full slap. The Palmyra, to leave London on the 20th of October, had 150 Government "immi:grunts engaged, besides v considerable number of ])assengers who pay their own passages. Tlie Kobert Henderson, a fine new ship, just' launched at Aberdeen, 1000 tons burden, was to 'leave the Clyde for Otago direct in November, and was expected to bring oiit "370 souls.— Colonist, Dec." 18.