SOUTHLAND.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 362, 17 February 1863, Page 5

SOUTHLAND.

(from our owx correspondent.) Invercargill, 6th February, 1863,

il ..From the Wakatipu there is no news of any importance, diggers still doing well. A person ju3t down, brought two pounds and a-half weight of gold for a digger, the result of 12 days work. He reports that 24,000 ounces ;Wait to be brought down by the next Dunedin escort. Our Provincial agent, or receiver has arrived on the gold fields, and the iron safe' at the south end of the lake. Our Government has sent up three constables to take charge of the same at Ree's, and remain constantly on the ground. There is quite a fleet of boats on the Lake, but there is evidently room for more than one steamer. The strong wind on this inland sea detains boats sadly, in some cases five or six days, which keeps up the high freights and prices at Queenstown,

Flour at the south end of the Lake ruln9 from L 25 to L 35 per ton, and is not likely to rise; a good many drays from Ofcago j still comino; in. From Invercargill loading, has fallen off, owing to the fall in prices at the Lake, and glut of all kinds of goods. Most of the drays which have left the last few days, take up boats at a high figure. There appears to be rather a mania in the boat direction. Many storekeepers on the diggings, I understand, are Taying-ia stock for the winter; Mr Rees very largely; .;,.i'As to how the Wakatipu will answer as a f' 'inter diggings, I was told by a person, who nows the country well, that the Shotover •and Arrow rivers will be easily worke;!, and be reachable ; but that parties wishing to work the1 various streams in the interior, must laj'r in a three months* supply of provisions, at the very, least, before the winter really sets in, otherwise, though the beds of the streams will be easily worked, the snow on the dividing ranges will cut them off from the townships where they can get supplied. : '' The Sir George Pollock is-not in yet, and is not expectedfor some time.. She seemed to be rather unfortunite at starting. From a.private .letter from one of .the passung-.'rs, it.ap-j pears'she left London on the 16th, and Graves'etVci oh the 17th October, when sheencountered and rode out one- of- the severest-gales in fthe channel known for some time. .Two dgsys after leading Gravesend she cut a vessel down to the water's edge,>sunkiier« butstaved aft lives. j On the same' evening-lostsan an-< "chor, next day lost - both anchor and cable; and was knocking about for nine days, neither pilot or captain being able to ascertain where she was, and :hsd to keep constantly'sounding. During this time she ■saw several' -vessels wrecked; paw the maintopmast'Of a-Vessel with two menlashed.toit,.float by, could not: pick ' them: up. ; ■'She*entered^Rimsgatelfor repairs on 29th October, and left for the Bluff oa the 7th November.

The Provincial Government- Gazette of"the' 16th inst, publishes the accounts for the quarter ending 31st December, by which it appears that although our expenditure during the quarter amounted to L' 23,016 we had a balance to our credit of L 8,384. Under the iteiVis of expenditure are—for survey department, L 2,448 7s lOd ; public works, L 3,062 17s sil; roads, L 7,875 6s lid;"loan to Town Board for forming and making.streets, L 2,200. " j .. Last month (January), the Land Fund?wa,9L9;382 14s 8d; the Customs, L4j34S 13s 2d" The total Frovincial revenue for : the irion'tli' was L 12.317 33 4d. We begin the; jfinahcjat year. i.e. Ist .October,' with a balance iofL 15,581. During the ensuing quarter We spent L 23 016; leaving a balance of L 3,384: During January; the expenditure has bden L8.G37 17s 9d, and we have still a bilancejof. L 10,433. rlf, to this is added L 1,630; anr, share of the Customs for January, the total; balance in our-favor is L 12,317 for ths fina'n-, ■cial year ending 30th June last. This.looks, wholesome. But the greatest evidence of the steady progress of Southland is to be found? in,' the Generul Government Gazette of IS-.h-ahd 23rd January last. By these, Southland! is third in la id revenue of till the Provineesi of New Zealand. For the quarter ending' 30th' S3ptember last, in Custo us revenue, sixth; but in point of proportional advancement over the corresponding quirter of ■ la*t year, first;' while Wellington, Napier, Nelson, Pictpn,' &c, shew a decrease. In the value pt'imports, fourth, being L 67,068 against LJ0.622 of the corresponding quarter of 1861," bea'ing Wellington,- Nelson, and lall the smaller Provinces hollow; ■ indeed, standing first again "in propot donate advancement. In fact the return* published in thlese", Gazette, shew tlidt Sauthlind hasuhquestidii-' ably progressed more rapidly than any other Province in New Zealanl, in all that tends to increase wealth and prosperity. Verily we" shall soon be a '' tall" province. Wool drays are daily arriving. Our exports during this quarter will look up. f From Switzer's the news is good; no very' great finds, hut the majority making good wages and contente 1. Provisions are probably cheaper there now, as the report of their, being scarce has got about, anl consequently same drays going to the Wakatipu have wisely turned off.

Nokomai i» attracting a few, who are dishearted at the difficulties attendant on digging at ths Lake; most are doing well. - Buildings is going on briskly at Invercargill; what with public buildings and the numerous stores contracte I for, carpenters are at a premium. A large hotel is about to be built in Tay-street by Mr Hughes, one of the earliest proprietors in that line of business in Southland. The brick gaol is rapidly approaching completion—not before it is wanted—and is calculated.to be a terror to evil doers, and a praise and protection to them that do wel1. The brick hospital will be ompleted, asregirds the oufer walls, in a mouth's time; it is the first wing of the building, which will be added to as required. \yhen completed it will look well, be commodious, and is admirably situated as regards drainage, ventilation, Ba.

Messrs C)bb and Co's horsei have arrived at the Bluff, per Ocein Bride; they have bought out Mr Hughe's, on the line from C;un;>b2lltown to Invercargill, and intend running right through to the Wakatipu Mr Jonuston, the recently appointed registrar, has arrived from Dunedin, per the lan Titania ; it will be a great gap filled up. The Titan'a brings down a good many passengers, which help to fill up our wide streets, one of which, D.e-streot, opeuing on to the Great North UoaJ, is being cleare 1 to its full width, two chains—a great improvement. It i< at present the favonte street for leasing, frontages near the public offices, letting freely at three pounds*a foot, not by any means a too speculative prke.

Our escort starts to-morrow, an American waggon and six trooper*. The Provincial Council is to meet on the 21st inst, to "go in" for raising the wind, in re Bluff JRaihy.iy, Great North Road, and substantial jetties. The Hall of the Mechanics' Institute will be sufficiently finished, to enable that august body to conduct its deliberations with greater comfort to itself, and, doubtless, edification to the public, than could be done in the confined space in the Court House. Tiiere is some talk of a ladies' gallery. No doubt the presence of the gentler sex-will, considerably assist " the clash of arguments and jar of words;" an 1 Attic wit, Ciceronian, eloquence will burst forth, as each knight performs his devoirs in the presence of his Belinda or Xantippe. 10th February.—-Vessels in Port of New River—Lloyd's Herald, Pride, Hawkhead, Star, Juno, Prairie; Frederick. Eucalyptus, Pilot, Titania, and Aphrasia. ■ ■ The Juno brings do>vn 78 horses, consigned to Messrs Manning and VVi'tm In Bluff Harbor, the O.e in Bride iand Mida*. The Midas brought down 3,003 sheep, of which 1 750 have died—a thousand of tbe*e since entering port'—the result of a long passage, scarcity^ of water, and . the weather being too b listerous to permit of ' their being landed as soon as would have been desirable. • The Ocean Bride brought down some j horses for Messrs Cobb and Co. She left on the 31st ult. ; brings 70 horses, 400 sheep, 2 drays, 2 coaches, 1 bugi»y, 1 express waggon. 250 bushels bran, and 4 passengers for Otago. Part of cargo landed at Bluff for Cobb and Co.

Weather has been fine and warm, occasional showers. Titania leaves at four.