OTAGO.

Timaru Herald, Volume IV, Issue 97, 23 March 1866, Page 5

OTA G O.

[FROM OCR OWN CORRESPONDENT]

Saturday, 17th March

Our harvest weather during 1 the whole past fortnight, with the exception of yesterday, has been truly A l, and the crops m all the best lying- parts are being- rapidly cut down, stooked and ricked. In another ten days or a fortnight the ground will be pretty nearly cleared, and farmers have reason to rejoice with the quantit} r of their cereals. Six weeks since, m consequence of cold and continued wet weather, the crops looked anything* but promising 1 , but since then the good weather prevailing 1 has wrought wonders. The wool ship Chile left Port Chalmers on Wednesday the 14th, with a large cargo of bales. She also conveyed away from our shores a good few cabin and steerage passengers, some of whom are gone hack to the old country for good, while more than one has left to return with his sweetheart m due and proper matrimonial alliance bound. There are two other wool ships now loading 1 , the Celceno and the Warrior Queen, and they sail early next month with lull cargoes. The steamers Alhambra and Albion arrived during the week, the latter to convey away our March English Mail to-morrow. It is a very fortunate thing for absconding debtors, the leaving of steamers on an 18th when it happens to fall on a Sunday, as then Mr. Bailiif cannot touch his much wanted friend, and he goes to Melbourne or where he likes scot free. A good few will doubtless avail themselves of the privilege to-morrow forenoon. Consequent on the Alhambra and Albion leaving on the same day, steerage passages and a week's good board and lodging, together with having all the advantages of being at the seaside are to be had for thirty-five shillings ! It is also a very fortunate thing for our unlucky diggers, as it enables many such to return to Victorian fields, where, they say themselves, they cannot starve, as m some parts of this wild and bleak Province they allege they sometimes do. Mr. Vincent Pyke, the Gold Field's Secretary of our auriferous territory, has been presented by a few of his friends (they must be his friends indeed) with a couple of silver cups m gratitude for his discovery of his great route to our West Coast via Wanaka Lake. Mr. Pyke, with that remarkable courage which goes under a bushel when truly -*seen, an aphorism against our common sense, but according to logic, thanks the donors and gratefully retires. Poor man and yet poorer discoverer. If the world had waited for your discovery of our West Coast route, it woxild have waited till the Millenium. Honour always, and above board, to whom honour is due. We know here, that we are the people for whom vonr quiet genial hearted eminent man, and" scientific scholar Haast, found a way to our West Coast, when Mr. Vincent Pyke sold coats, vests, and trousers m a certain obscure street m Melbourne.

Election matters are here at present all the go. A stump orator, Grant, of whom doubtless you have heard, and who has proved himself a pest to this City and the Province, having tried hard and without success to obtain a seat m our Colonial Assembly, has been sent to the rightabout, where all men ot a similar stamp must go, and Grant retires, having disgusted by his dirty personalities his Mends and. foes alike.

Commercial matters m Otago are improving, and they will be better after the nrrival of our English mail, which, as usual, is hourly expected.