PROVINCIAL AND GENERAL.

North Otago Times, Volume XX, Issue 965, 25 August 1874, Page 4

PROVINCIAL AND GENERAL.

Chawr or 8kat or &otb*nh*nt.— -The Auckland " Southern Cross" writes : — Rumor hai it that the Otogo and Canterbury contingent of our colonial legislator! purppse to make considerable .efforts to obtain the removal of the esaj of „ Go rernment-to Canterbury. The place proposed is the little auondam French settlement of Akaroa, and' it is aaid that Can* terbury is prepared, out of its abundance, to pay L300.000 to meet the expenses of removal. Aknroa it out of the question, for wherever it should go, the capital should, at least, be a tolerably large and growing oity ; and no doubt '.the Canterbury people would prefer . Christchurch. But' then Dunedin would be jealous,and feel that if removed to Christchtuch there -would be a likelihood of the teat ofjGo* rernment remaining permanently fixed ther*, -instead of-some day hereafter taking root in Dunedin. \ Okabita. — The people of the peculiar port of Okarita hare lately been placed in a strange Might, tliiii W.6nbea by the *' Ttos« Guardian :"— The township is nearly under water, caused 'oy the lagoon being full, and somi of . the residents hare no other means of obtaining access than by boats. But this is not 'the worst. Provisions are very scarce, and as packiag~ / supplies to Okarita is next to impossible, if the channel it not toon cut out news will be to hand that the people are starving. Such a blockade has not occurred since 1&68, and then it was not nearly of so long a dura-,tion»-~Qnfr-icnd>r^T»D »oooptod »t-la8fl-to 'oat a new channel^ but after working hard for some days, the contractor gate it up as a bad jobi' I Fresh tenders were called,' and one aocepted at L80. The contractor commenced work, and his efforts *re ezpeotad to b» successful. An indignation meeting, was recently held, at; which, resolutions were passed strongly {condemning the manner in which the cutting out of the channel has been conducted. Later information states that a channel has been successfully opened. Nmw Zialajtd Haitdbooi. — The contents of "The New Zealand Handbook,", of which the premier is the editoV, and which js to be puhjlished fhortly in England, are thus described in the proof copies printed here, and plneed on the tables of the Houses of Assem* bly :— " Introduction," by the editor $ " Disoovery and Early Settlement of the Colony,'* by the Hon. W. Fox, M.H.B. ; "The NatiTe Race," by the Hon. D. McLean, C.M.G., M.H.R., Native Minister ; " Present Form of Government," by the Hon. W. Gjsborne, Coiotnf gsionwof* AnnmtieT^^Taimate, "and Minsral and Agi-icultural Resources," by Dr Hector, Colonial Geologist ; " Animal and Vegetable Productions," by Mr Trover* ; ■''Some of the Institutions of the Colony, also, Notes, Statistical,' Commercial, and Indus*, trial," by Hi Woodward, Public Trustee j '{'Latest Statistics," by Mr Brown, Registrar* General; <Mr Bat kin, Secretary to the Treasury*,- Mr Seed, Seoretary to the Customi ) " Public Works Deportment," by Mr Knowles, Undersecretary for Public Works ; " Immigration Department," by Mr Haughtob, UnderiSeoretary for Immigration ; " Official Direetorf," by, Mr Cooper, the Undersecretary. ' This ; artielts descriptive of the Provinces are stated to have been furnished by the Superintendents, and to hava been pre* . pared—^inf'Otago, by Mr M'Indoe ; in Canterbury, by Mr W. M. MaskeH ; in Westland.fcy Mr J. Driscoll ; in Marlborongh, by Mr A. Maskell j in Nelson, by Mr C. Elliot ; in Wellington,— by- the Manchester Settlement, by Mr A. F. Halcombe | in Hawke's Bay, by Mr N. W. Carlisle • in Taranaki, by Mr C. D. Whitcombe; in Auckland, by the Rev. R. Kidd, LX.D., assisted by Mr T. W. Leys.