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for the signification of his Excellency's pleasure thereon.

Now, therefore, I, the said Superintendent, do by this Proclamation signify and proclaim that the said Bills have been laid before the Governor of New Zealand, and that His Excellency has been pleased to assent to the same.

Given under my hand, and issued under the Public Seal of the Province of Otago, at Dunedin, this sixth day of September, one thousand eight hundred and sixty-one.

J. RICHARDSON,
Superintendent of the Province of Otago.

"DISEASED CATTLE ORDINANCE, 1861."

BY virtue of the powers in me vested by the "Diseased Cattle Ordinance, 1861," Section 4, I hereby give notice that the provisions of the said Ordinance shall cease as to the Provinces of

Canterbury and Southland,

and from after this date, but as far only as respects Cattle bred in these respective Provinces.

J. L. C. RICHARDSON,
Superintendent of the Province of Otago.

Superintendent's Office,
Dunedin, 14th September, 1861.

PROCLAMATION,

By JOHN LARKINS CHEESE RICHARDSON, Esq., Superintendent of the Province of Otago, New Zealand.

IN pursuance of the power and authority vested in me in that behalf, I do hereby fix and proclaim that the Thirteenth Session of the Provincial Council of the Province of Otago aforesaid, shall be holden within the Provincial Council Hall, Dunedin, in the said Province, and shall commence upon WEDNESDAY, the Twenty-third day of October, at twelve o'clock noon; and the Members of the said Council are hereby warned to give their attendance at the said time and place accordingly.

Give under my hand, and issued under the Public Seal of the Province of Otago, at Dunedin, this Twelfth day of September, eighteen hundred and sixty-one.

J. L. C. RICHARDSON,
Superintendent of the Province of Otago.

REPORT ON CLUTHA RIVER.

Harbour Office,
Port Chalmers, 11th Sept., 1861.

TO HIS HONOR THE SUPERINTENDENT.

SIR—I beg to lay before your Honor the following report relative to the Clutha River:—

The entrance lays embayed between Coal Point, bearing N.E. 1/4 N., distance 6 miles, and the Nuggets, bearing S.E. 1/2 S., distance 5 miles; the width of the channel across the bar (in which there is only a depth of 7 feet at low water) is about half a cable's length, with a constant current running out, consequently at the rate of 4 knots an hour; should be approached with extreme caution in the last quarter flood, not during the night, or against a strong ebb. To this error may be attributed the losses that have occurred. On approaching the entrance of the river, the mark to steer in mid-channel across the bar, is to keep the inner beacons in one, and to mark the extremity of a projecting ledge of rocks on the bar, extending from the southern shore. There are on the south side, at the entrance, two beacons, bearing S.W. 1/4 W., and two bearing N.W. by W. 1/4 W. on the outer rock. Should the wind or tide not admit of a vessel entering, there is safe anchorage within four cables' length of the shore in Wiltshire's Bay, having 7 fathoms water, good holding ground, quite sheltered from the prevailing S.W. winds, open to the N.E., which wind seldom blows strong, giving sufficient anchorage for vessels getting under weigh, and thereby secure an offing. During heavy S.E. winds it would be unsafe for vessels to lay; winds from that quarter are of very rare occurrence. The roadstead I consider as safe as any on the Otago coast, and might be used with advantage to settlers importing stock for the Clutha district.

Inside of the bar is a middle bank extending nearly across to the same spit, with only a depth of 5 feet at low water. Proceeding up the Koau branch of the river, there is nothing to obstruct the navigation of a steamer of the tonnage of the "Oberon" until arriving at the first manuku island, where the channel then narrows and becomes winding; requiring for easy navigation a smaller class boat, say of the following dimensions—90 feet in length, with 12 feet beam, 6 feet depth of hold, and 25 horse-power, which would give of carrying capacity 50 tons, in a draught of water more than three feet.

At Mr. Bowler's Bush the main channel is close to the island, very narrow, and several large snags much in the way; on the opposite side of a middle bank there is a wide channel, with 4 feet depth of water. At Mr. Anderson's Bush the channel is narrow, but presenting no difficulty to navigating; at the junction there is a good channel, studded with snags on the head of the Mutau; there is then no obstruction in the river until opposite Messrs. Hunter & Harvey's house, where there is a considerable width of shallow water, studded with snags on the one side, and a sand bank on the other; there is, however, a narrow passage on the outer edge of the bank, with a good depth of water, and a good channel crossing near the old danger. It is difficulty again occurs—excepting various snags strewed about the river—but all having good channels between them, until arriving at a narrow passage between rocks—about a mile above the Pomahaka—where the current is very rapid, and would require every precaution in steering a vessel through it. At the lower end of the island, Mr. Archibald's station, the channel is narrow, on both banks an extensive flat of shallow water; and about one-and-a-half miles above Mr. Archibald's house another danger exists, requiring the same precaution as above. The channel is rocky on the west bank of the river, very narrow, and current rapid; nothing then impedes the navigation until arriving at Messrs. Allan and Oliver's station, from that point to the mouth of the Tuapeka there are a great many rocky islets, but having good channels between them. About one mile above the Tuapeka there were found several specimens of quartz, apparently with gold, on the banks of the river. Proceeding another mile beyond, the river is very rocky, but having good channels between the rocks. The river then, for ten miles further, is altogether free from any obstruction—at which point it was not practicable to get the boat beyond, there not being a sufficient depth of water for it on any part of the shallow extending right across.

The Pomahaka is navigable two-and-a-half miles from the entrance—at which point there is only a depth of two feet, extending across the river.

The depths of water in the main channel, in the different parts of the river, are as follows—from