76

PORT CHALMERS TOWN BOARD ELECTION.

IN pursuance of the provisions of the Port Chalmers and Invercargill Town Board Ordinance, 1859, I, the Superintendent of the Province of Otago, do hereby appoint Monday, the 14th day of March inst., at twelve o’clock noon, as the day and time for the holding of an election of five members of the Town Board of Port Chalmers, in place of

THOMAS BREBNER,
JAMES LEES,
ANDREW WILSON,
THOMAS TAYLER,
JOSEPH MORRIS,

whose seats have become vacant, and I do appoint the School House at the corner of Grey and Scotia streets, Port Chalmers as the place for the holding of the said election: and I do appoint the said time and place as the time and place for the assembling of the persons entitled to vote at the said election; and I do appoint Tuesday, the 15th day of March inst., as the day on which the poll shall be taken, if a poll be demanded, and that the said poll shall be taken at the said School House: and I do hereby appoint Mr. WILLIAM REID, schoolmaster, Port Chalmers, Returning Officer, to preside at the meeting held for the said elections.

J. HYDE HARRIS,
Superintendent of the Province of Otago.

Superintendent’s Office,
Dunedin, 1st March, 1864.

OAMARU TOWN BOARD ELECTION.

IN pursuance of the provisions of the Oamaru Town Board Ordinance, 1862, I, the Superintendent of the Province of Otago, do hereby appoint Wednesday, the 9th day of March, 1864, at twelve o’clock noon, as the day and time for the holding of an election of one member of the Town Board of Oamaru, in place of

MICHAEL GRENFELL,

resigned, and I do appoint the Court House at Oamaru as the place for the holding of the said election; and I do appoint the same time and place as the time and place for the assembling of the persons entitled to vote at the said election; and I do appoint Friday, the 11th day of March, 1864, as the day on which the poll shall be taken, if a poll be demanded, and that the said poll shall be taken at the said Court House; and I do hereby appoint THOMAS WINDLE PARKER, ESQ., of Oamaru, Returning Officer, to preside at the meeting held for the said election.

J. HYDE HARRIS,
Superintendent of the Province of Otago.

Superintendent’s Office,
Dunedin, 16th February, 1864.

WEST COAST REPORT.
Capabilities for Road Line, &c.

Provincial Secretary’s Office,
Dunedin, 24th February, 1864.

His Honor the Superintendent directs the publication of the following letter and report for general information.

THOMAS DICK, Provincial Secretary.

Dunedin, 20th February, 1864.

To Thomas Dick, Esq.,
Provincial Secretary.

SIR,—I have the honor to forward for your information the annexed report from Mr. Arthur, written previously to his setting out again for the West Coast.

In forwarding this report I deem it my duty to mention that Mr. Arthur has been employed for several years in this department, in which he has risen from the grade of junior sub-assistant to senior assistant surveyor. During the period of his service he has been constantly in tent, and has carried out most satisfactorily surveys of the most rugged and difficult country yet undertaken. His qualifications are of high order, and his energy and intelligence undoubted.

I have the honor to be,

Yours most obediently,

J. T. THOMSON,
Chief Surveyor.

REPORT.
Von’s Old Hut, near Lake Wakatipu,
January 28th, 1864.

SIR,—I have the honor to report some further particulars regarding the line of communication which is practicable between Lake Wakatipu and Lake M’Kerrow on the West Coast and the valleys which it follows.

CAPABILITIES OF THE ROUTE FOR A LINE OF ROAD.

1. In my previous report I confined myself strictly to the description in general terms of the track or trail I and my party had to follow along in endeavouring to take the camp with tents, surveying instruments, and cooking utensils from this locality to the head of Lake M’Kerrow; of our penetrating—(two of us)—to the Lake—finding no vessel—want of provisions—nature of the road—and consequent return. I purpose now to give some details with regard to other matters. First in regard to the line of road; by a reference to the tracing which I also sent in, the following remarks which I shall make will be more intelligible. Of the gradients along the whole line I may state them as easy and offering no difficulty. From the mouth of the Greenstone River to near its junction with the Pass Burn the country appears very rough and confined, indeed it is pretty much of a gorge, and is nearly all full of bush. I had no opportunity of going through or looking sufficiently at this part, which is about seven (7) miles long, as my duty did not permit of that, but I am very sure that it would be necessary to make heavy cuttings all the way, the line running up the right (or at this point south-east) bank of the river. Onwards up the Greenstone it can follow on, and at a sufficient distance from the same bank to what I have marked as the “gorge”—no great work being here required, save bridging and culverts for several creeks. At this point (gorge) a good deal of cutting would be met with—the hills come close to the river, and no gain would be got by crossing. From the gorge to M’Kellar’s Lake the line is very easy, except at one point where the stream running close to the hills considerable cutting would be required or a couple of bridges. Along M’Kellar’s Lake the line should run on the same side, and when past the second lake it must cross to the opposite side and continue down with an easy fall till it run out into the valley of the Hollyford—a great amount of heavy cutting being at the same time unavoidable, and much of it through rock. Hence to the lake the line can run along either bank of the river, the left bank being preferable, but involving at least three large and bad cuttings round rocky bluffs, as well as a number of large bridges across big creeks or rivers which feed the Hollyford, also one for the crossing of the latter river, a work of no small dimensions. There are beside many more small rivers and creeks than those I have mentioned. I believe some parts of this valley are subject to partial inundations from the main river, but I cannot state how far these may extend from the banks.