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I hope to be able to attend the next meeting of the General Assembly, in order to watch over the interests of the Province in these and other important matters.

In pursuance of a Resolution, passed in the last Session of this Council, and of the object of petitions from different districts, it will be the duty of the members of Assembly for Southland to endeavour to obtain a rectification of its boundary in a way that will consist with the wishes and interests of the settlers near that line better than the present very objectionable boundary.

I have to inform you that Mr. Dillon Bell has agreed to act as arbiter on behalf of this Province in the adjustment of our accounts with the Province of Otago; having already shown that he quite understands our financial position with relation to Otago, and having ably sustained our interests at a critical juncture, we have every reason to confide in him on this occasion.

This Session of the Council, though short, has been laborious, and I have now the pleasure to release you from further attendance, and therefore declare this Council to stand prorogued...

Superintendent’s Office,
Southland, 18th January 1862.

I HEREBY notify that I have appointed Henry McCullom, Esq., J.P., to be a Visiting Justice for the Gaol at Invercargill.

J. A. R. Menzies,
Superintendent.

Postal Steam Service.

Superintendent’s Office
Southland, 7th February 1862.

THE Government of Southland hereby invite Tenders from parties willing to run a Monthly Steamer for the purpose of carrying Her Majesty’s Mails between the port of Invercargill and Melbourne for the term of Twelve Calendar Months. The Steamer will be bound to leave Melbourne for Invercargill within thirty hours of the arrival of the English Mail provided with two months’ previous notice given, the contract may be determined in six months.

The Government of Southland will not be bound to accept the lowest or any tender.

Tenders marked “Tender for Postal Steam Service,” sealed and addressed as above, will be received till noon of the 1st of May next.

J. A. R. MENZIES,
Superintendent.

REPORT

OF THE CHAIRMAN OF THE COMMITTEE OF INQUIRY INTO THE CIRCUMSTANCES ATTENDING THE GROUNDING OF THE “OCEAN CHIEF.”

Steamer Aldinga, Bluff,
6th February, 1862.

Sir—I have the honour to state that, from O’Shanassy Brown’s, his Chief Officer, and Mr. Everingham’s evidence relative to the late “Ocean Chief” grounding at Tewaiki Point, I do not find there was any great blame attached to the Pilot.

He may have erred in judgment in not keeping sufficient sail on the ship before coming to anchor, but the grounding was evidently caused by the wind shifting from S.W. to west, in what is called, in nautical terms, a “flaw.”

I think, also, that it would have been advisable to have waited about two hours until the flood tide made, under the circumstances.

I have the honour to be, Sir,
Your obedient servant,
Thomas Robertson.

To His Honor the Superintendent of Southland

THE following Notices are republished from the New Zealand Gazette, dated January 7th, 1862, for general information.

J. A. R. Menzies,
Superintendent.

CUSTOMS.

Governor’s Order, No. 17.
Establishing Port of Riverton.

By His Excellency Sir George Grey, Knight, Commander of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath, Governor and Commander-in-Chief in and over Her Majesty’s Colony of New Zealand and its Dependencies, and Vice-Admiral of the same, &c., &c.

IN exercise of the power in me for that purpose vested by the “Customs Regulation Act, 1858,” I, George Grey, the Governor as aforesaid of the said Colony of New Zealand, do hereby appoint that on and from the day of the date hereof, there shall be within the Province of Southland a Port to be called the Port of Riverton, the limits whereof shall be as follows:—

“From the mouth of the Waimatuku Creek, westward, along the bush to Jacob’s river or Aparima estuary, thence to the Aparima, including the township of Riverton; thence to the Omutu creek, thence to Reserve No. 4 on Howell’s Point, and to include Howell’s hill.”

Given under my hand, at Government House, at Auckland, this fifth day of January, in the year of Our Lord, one thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.

G. Grey,
By His Excellency’s command,
Francis Dillon Bell.

CUSTOMS.

Governor’s Order, No. 18.
Appointing Landing Places, Riverton.

By His Excellency Sir George Grey, Knight, Commander of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath Governor and Commander-in-Chief in and over Her Majesty’s Colony of New Zealand and its Dependencies, and Vice-Admiral of the same, &c., &c.

IN exercise of the authority in me for this purpose vested by the “Customs Regulation Act, 1858,” I, George Grey the Governor