The Invercargill Times. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 1862.

Southland Times, Volume I, Issue I, 14 November 1862, Page 2

The Invercargill Times. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 1862.

It is usual, we believe, for intelligent men, when entering on a speculation, to base their operations on something more tangible than supposition. In other words, they generally count the cost. A. lays out twenty shillings in the purchase of a wheelbarrow, wherewith to hawk cabbages. B. and C, on the other hand, invest 20,000 J. in establishing a line of steamers. Now, if the fully developed scheme of A. turns out an ignominious failure, that individual can retire into private life with the consolation that, although unsuccessful, he has inflicted no aDpreciable injury on the community of which he is a part; bnt should the line of steamers in which B. and C. have tied up 20.0C0J. result in a loss, the community shares in that loss, inasmuch as that capital has been diverted from channels in which it might otherwise have heen profitably employed. There would, in like manner, b ? a loss amounting to the interest on the money laid out, supposing the line merely paid its working exponses. We are led into these remarks by two articles which recently appeared in our contemporary's columns, one of them beaded, " Why not a Southland Steam Company ? " Simply for the reason that it has not been shown in black and white that the immediate establishing of direct steam communication with Australia, bymeans of a local company, would yield a fair margin of profit to its promoters, or answer the purpose of men interested in the subject better than existing arrangements, or other arrangements which might be concluded with companies already in existence. It is a tolerable easy matter to make a string of assertions, and, taking them as facts, to jump at the desired conclusion ; but we, in common, as it is probable, with many others, prefer to have the facts well established, and the conclusion arrived at by means L-Khich are likely to bear inspection. says, — " The time with the aid of the subH^^^^^^^our Provincial Council, and goods tra fie as

ments see anything which would lead us to suppose that a Southland Steam Company would be placed in a better position than any other company who might choo?e to tender forthe service. We do not see that the subsidy voted by the Provincial Council is to be looked upon as the property of a local company — that they are to start into existence, and forthwith receive government aid in making their speculation pay. If the subsidy, combined with the passenger and goods traffic, would make the affait a very paying one, it is within the bounds of probability that some other company or firm possessing the requisite means, and perhaps at the present time having a boat suited for the service, may step into the field and by their tender bear off the first item, which our contemporary looks to for the successful working of a local company.

We would **rish now to inquire, without harping on a strine which appears to be almost worn out — we allude to the jealousy of Otago towards this Province (that awful bugbear to our contemporary) — whether it is impossible that some arrangement might be come to with the owners of the line now carrying the mail between Melbourne and Otago. It is true that they would, as far as the steamers of that line are cone rned, be unable to comply with the terms of the first advertisement ; but there is no good reason why the second one should not induce them to call at the Bluff, and deliver the mail previous to their going to Otago. We would advise such of our readers who have not already done so to take a map of the south coast of this island and glance at the route the steamers from Australia are in the habit of taking ; they will see that the deviation required, to deliver and receive mails at the Heads of the Bluff Harbor, is very trifling. We do not go on our own authority when we say that the risk attendant on such a course is not great — not more than in an every day occurrence with inter colonial steamers — ami | it remains to be seen whether the owners of the present line of mail boats will not think it worth their while to tender for the Southland service. The delay at the Bluff need not be more than two hours at the most. Should the Bluff harbor be decided on as the point for the arrival and departure of ottr English mails, a far smaller class of steamers will be necessary for conveying them from that port to Invercargill. A boat in every way adapted for the service will shortly be here — the Titania is expftcd (o arrive in a few days from Tasmania; besides whiclr; we have it on the best authority, thav •.'lie Guiding Star will, when she is raised and repaired, act in concert with her, and there is little doubt that an arrangement might be entered into with the agents or owners of these boats, so as to ensure the delivery of the Australian mails in Invercargill as soon, if not sooner, than they are delivered in Dunedin. So much for that part of tlie subject, but we cannot help alluding to the very much greater security which the fino boats now employed in the Otago Mail Service would offer, compared wiih any steamers which could come alongside the Invercargi 1 Jetty. For our own part, we would prefer the Aldinga as a mail boat to the '* pretty Lady Bird. And now we have mentioned the Lady Bird, we must in the first place state, with regard to our contemporary's assertion that she brought 120 passengers trom Melbourne, ■ that if she did they must have been stowed as cargo; and in the second place, we are sure she could not come alongside the Invercargill Jetty unless with an empty hold. Whether she could be bought as easily as he would lead us to suppose, is also a very doubtful matter. But this is, perhaps, a digression. Having spoken of the Mail Service, we turn to the " passenger and goods traffic." Now, we do not assert that direct steam communication with Australia by means of a local company would not pay, but we have great doubts about it, and we object to the hasty action proposed by our contemporary. To extend our system of communication by safe and legitimate means is an object which ever}' g"od citizen should be anxious to f irwarri ; and in the present case, if our contemporary can furnish satisfactory statis'ics upon which he bases his calculation of success (if calculation he has made) we shall be but too ready to join in forwarding a scheme, which certainly he has painted in very glowing colors. Every one acquainted in the slightest degree -with the working of ocean steamers knows that the expenses connected with them are enormous, and that the cost of equiping a boat in such a manner as to fit her for the service between Invercargill and Melbourne, and the arrangements which it would be necessary to make for coaling, and also for keeping her in good repair, would bear a very large proportion to her original cost. Would it be wise to entrust the carrying of the mails between Invercargill and Melbourne to a company possessing only one comparatively small steamer? We think not, and it is by no means a certainty that, without such a subsidy, she would pay. Whether, however, there is or is not a steamer or line of steamers running direct between this port and Melbourne, a large share of tne imports of Southland will come no as the neartr and more acwe look forward

" The Southland Sttam Company.'' When the time comes, and perhaps we shall not have to wait Lng, there is no doubt that the merchant of the Province, or indeed of an) British Province in the world, will not need the advice of the Editor of a newspaper to teach them what they lear-t as schoolboys.

In noticing the first issue of he Invercargill Times (which we ire happy to say had a very large emulation), our contemporary is please \ to find that we are following on his w.ke. We are requested to turn over th- files of the Southland News in order hat we may be satisfied that that jourrtl has advocated the formation of a Propp<t ing Association without success. "VVe do not for one moment doubt the c act. In the present instance we are wiling to accept his statement as literally tne, without undergoing the ipfliction wheh he proposes. But as to the effectsof our own efforts, we are perfectly sure tht comething will shortly be done in th> matter. In starting a project of thii kind, something more than ** talk" is necessary, and we are glad to be able to state that several of the influential men of this Province have declarod themselves very favorably impressed by our remarks on the subject, and willing to contribute their quota towards the necessary expenditure. However humble the first attempt may be, the public may rest assured that it will be a step in the right direction, and that, whether gold-discoveries of importance ore made in the Province or not, the result must be advantageous to the community, as much useful information will of necessity be gained, if the services of a good leader cm be secured. We purpose writing again more fully on the subject.

Wo are sorry to inform our readers that owing to some mismanagement, our shipping report from the Bluff did not reach us in time fur publication. The meeting in thosjhool house on Tuesday evening was a Jvery crowded ono. Our reporter was stopped at the door by an over officious policeman, who refused him admittance on the ground that the room was already full, *of course, he went in, the man not liking to keep him out by foice. However desirable il may be for police to attend in the vicinity of a public meeting, they are exceeding their duty, and stepping altogether boyound their proper sphere of action by becoming doorkeepers. The necessity of some building for public meetings, Supreme Court Sessions, &c, is becoming every day move apparent. > "'feting of the Town Board was held on Wednesday afternoon. A good deal of miscellaneous business was ivaiuiacted. Judging from tho number of tenders which were handed in for the ditching in Ythan-street, the Invercargill labor market is pretty well supplied. We bog to call the attention of the members of the Board to the necessity of placing two or three lamps in Tay-street. We have been favored with the following extract from the Immigration Agent': letter, d itcd August 26th:— "The Sir George Pollock, of 630 tons register, is the ship now loading in London for Southland direct, and to sail on 10th October,so as to anive out in January. She is advertised, and is taking in cargo exclusively for Southland. It is the wish of tho owners thnt she should load wool at the Bluff, if a sufficient quantity offer for Eugland direct." We have inspected the silver chalice which some of his friends are about presenting to Mr. Green. It is a very neat work of art and bears the fallowing inscription : "Palmam gui meruit ferat. Presented by a few friends to W. J. Green, Esq., of the Union Band of Australia, Invercargill, as a token not only of friendship and respect, but of regret at his departure. July 1262." Wo publish by request the folowing let to** from Mr. Stuart to his constituents. Better taste would have been displayed had it been written previous to his departure : — "To the Elect. ns of Invercargill — Gentlemen : I was obliged to leave Southland so hurriedly in order to catch the mail steamer, that I had no time to inform you of mv intention of going to Australia, possibly to England, for a short time. I now do myself this honor. All business of any importance in the Provincial Council had been transacted before I left Invercargill. If there is a short session held in December, it will be merely to pass an act enabling the govenmrnt to borrow money for a Railway to the Bluff. Should I proceed to England, I shall not be present. As, however, the importance of constructing a railway to the Port is a matter about which there can hardly be any difference of opinion, I trust you will agree with me, that my absence will not be a dereliction of duty or a sacrifice of your intetests for my private convenience. I trust to be back long before the I session which, I presume, will be held sometime in October next. I trust I shall still continue to receive and deserve your confidence. 1 am gentlemen, yours &c, Ac, James Stuart. Duendin, Nov. 8, 18G2." After reading our Otago correspondent's letter, the following extract from a communication addressed by the writer (who is well kuown in the Maldon district), to his father, wi'l sound absurdly enough : -"I have been up to the old diggings, and am sorry that I cannot now send you any good news. I found thero was not an inch of ground to be obtained up there on which a living could be got. Thousands had re'urned from the new diggings, and had taken up all the ground which had been left when the rush took place. Ihe Dunstan, or Hartly Diggings, cannot be worked until winter, as the snow is melting and is flooding the river ; and a great many think that even when the winter arrives, they will not be as rich as reported ; at all HHH|^ta*wse who do not go up now and claims all the summer, will chance, and to do that will be are so dear — flour 2s. much as lOs. has been given flour. The up the oountry — the Nokoregular 'duffer.' a fearful state men that

They ;)itch tents, and then cannot get w«d enougito cook with, without buying,'and tor what is called a load, whtch is about a fair barrowful, they have to pay 30s. A person may favel forty or fifty miles up country without setting enough wood to boil a billy ; the weather is cold, and the wind, al) sat, is the worst they cvei experienced in any part of the world. I was going up the road, and was often unable to walk against it, oreveii to stand still on my legs. Ido not tnow what I shall do; I cannot get anything oi to do anything-. I have offered to work for my hoard and lodgings,bnt cmnot get anything at thnt. Things here aie worse than e*er they were in Victoria. I liave hunted Dunedin over and over again. lamvery loath to return to Victoria, hut I fe.-tr I shall be obliged to do so if I canaot get anything in a few days; otherwise I may stop here and starve. The alluvial, or bank-sinking at the Dunstan is a failure.'"

There has been no business of any kind transacted in the Resident Magistrate's Court since our last issue.