INVERCARGILL.

Otago Witness, Issue 391, 28 May 1859, Page 6

INVERCARGILL.

(Communicated.) The weather for the last six weeks has been singularly bad for this district, forcibly contrasting with the months of April and May of last year ; we trust, however, that northeasters and sharp frosts of the latter end of this month will replace the present disagreeable state of things, and remind us once more of our beautiful winters. Two meetings took place last week, the one in reference to the want of communication between the Bluff and this place, at which it was determined to memorialise the Government for the construction of a canal or road; the former, however, seems by far the most popular, for I think good and sufficient reasons, such as affording greater facilities of communication both to Jacob's River and the New River, while to us the immense difference in the cost of transit is a matter of very great importance; the cartage, were a road constructed, would be at the most moderate computation from £3 to £4 per ton, while, I have good authority in stating, goods could be lightered through the canal at the very most at 15s. per ton. Four spirited new arrivals from Melbourne are at present engaged in bulding a flat bottomed bout of 30 tons burden, with which they will readily iindertake to lighter goods at the be-fore-mentioned rate. The other meeting was in reference to the establishment of a local paper. The bad weather prevented so large an attendance of shareholders as was expected ; notwithstanding which, however, the business was satisfactorily conducted, a standing committee, treasurer, &c, appointed, and soon I trust the Southern organ will be in full operation. 1 he " Geelong " at last made her appearance in the New Ri\ er yesterday ; the reason of her detension at the Bluff Harbour may be pretty acurately guessed from the following copy of a declaration by the New River pilot : — I, Lewis Acker, pilot at New River Harbour, in the Province ol Otago, hereby declaie that on the March trip of the steamer "Geelong" to the south of the Province, the bar at New River was accessible for her repeatedly, while she was lying at Bluff Haibourj that I walked over to that Harbour five times and made Captain Thompson aware of the state of the bar at every occasion, with the view of inducing him to come round, and stating that T would undertake to b'.ing her into the New River in safety, but was unsuccessful, excepting on the last occasion. And I further decinre that the said steamer, on her present trip, could have come in on many occasions during the fortnight she has been lying in the Bluff Harbour ; that in particular, on the Bill ciurent, I walked over to the Buff Harbour and informed Captain Thompson that the bar was perfectly smooth, and the tide answeied very well indeed, but he lefused to steam round ; that I went out over the bar this morning in my dingy, and met the steamer near to Baraeoutn Point, with the intention of going on to the Bluff if I hdd not met her. (Signed) Lewis Acker. Declared before me, at Invercaigill, this 14th day of May 1859. (Signed) A. J. Elles, Resident Magistrate. I am happy to see that the Dunedin papers are unanimous in seeing the necessity of at once opening a communication between the Bluff and Jnvercargill, it being simply ridiculous that the Custom-house should be removed to the former, at least before this is done. If we are to believe that the bar is more or less impracticable for steamers, it cannot be expected that boats can cross the bar, though it seems from the above declaration the attempt must be formidable indeed, when a dingy could cross without difficulty. Building is going on satisfactorily, all the carpenters rcho came down by the steamers having secured employment readily. > The auctioneer's hammer will soon set to work. Mr. Blacklock's auction-room is nearly finished, and the first sale of stock will take plnce next month. It is refreshing to see that in the absence of Government expenditure, a substantial and much-needed bridge has been made over the Pooni Creek by the energy and liberality of a few settlers. Owing to the unnecessary detention of the " Geelong," we have again narrowly escaped starvation. Should the Government not open a communication between the Biuff Harbour

and Invereargill, the settlers in this district will have to get a small vessel of their own to trade between Melbourne and the New River, to prevent such a frightful catastrophe, and therefore commercially dismember it from Dunedin.

The "Pirate" arrived on Saturday morning at the Bluff from Dunedin, but treated our good people here with the usual contempt. I hear that it is the intention to memorialize the Government on the subject. Whether the Government sees the necessity of at once opening up the communication between the Bluff and Invercargill or not, the public expect, and justly too, that something in the way of buoying and beaconing off the New River will be at once attended to, particularly as there is every prospect of a trade springing up between Tasmania and this port, some vessels being already expected. Captain Wilson's views on the subject of buoying are deserving of attention. Invercargill, May 16, 1859.