483,677, showing an increase upon last year’s returns of 49,300, about 7,000 more arrived after September, and consequently were not included in the returns; taking the late season’s increase into consideration, and after making due allowance for casualties up to weaning time, we may calculate upon having, in May next, considerably over half a million of sheep within the Province. During my late visits into the interior, I made careful inspections of the whole of the sheep upon the late diseased stations, and am gratified to be in a position to inform your Honor that I have returned a clean bill of health for the entire Province, and beg to congratulate the runholders and sheep farmers upon the fact of the Province being now free from scab, for I firmly believe the risk of any diseased stragglers, or hermit sheep, appearing amongst the now clean sheep is at an end; however, the strict musterings made after the general shearing, for unshorn sheep, will quite decide the matter. I regret that I cannot report this season’s lambing as a good one, the weather at the time being anything but propitious, and I am afraid that at weaning time the average per centage of lambs will not come up to former years. Grass is abundant, and the stock are now looking well, making due allowance for the temporary drawback they sustain during shearing operations, which are now in full force. Some of our runholders this season have gone to great trouble and expense in erecting washes upon new principles, and on the whole greater attention is being paid this shearing, not only to the washing, but also to the proper classing of the wools, so much so that the season’s clip from this Province will command its due share of notice in the home markets, some of it being got up in really first-class style. During the past year I have passed over the borders, into Southland, over 40,000 sheep, and by sea, 1,400, those by land comprise some very fine young breeding sheep. The importations by sea include some first-class stock of both sexes for stud purposes, viz., two lots of Kermode’s Tasmanian Merino rams, one lot of fine rams introduced by Messrs Lowe and M’Grigor (of Burwood), chosen from Skene’s and M’Ersey’s flocks, in the western district of Victoria, and a really first-class lot of ewes and rams, brought over by George Webster, Esq., (Benmore), selected from Currie’s and Cummings’ fine flocks in Victoria. Mr Rich’s fine rams, “Old Perfection,” and “Young Perfection,” are now in this Province, purchased by F. Wentworth, Esq., of Wantwood. A few good long-wools, were also introduced by F. Wentworth, Esq., Wantwood; R. Hamilton, Esq., Morton Mains; and Mr Davidson, Mataura. Agriculturists here who are about turning their attention to sheep farming in paddocks, can now be supplied with good choice stock, and I believe at reasonable rates; There are two classes of sheep I should like to see introduced amongst them, viz.:—Cotswold’s and Romney marsh sheep. I feel convinced from actual observation that they are well adapted for the low lying lands of the Province, yield a larger return of wool, and produce a fine carcass at an early age, are of a strong hardy constitution, and not subject readily to foot-rot or scalds. I feel satisfied that, well selected in the first instance, and properly cared for afterwards, they would prove their value to the farmer in a very short time. Romney marsh sheep can, I believe, be procured from Mr Ludlam, of the Hutt Valley, Wellington.

I have, the honor to be, Sir,

Your obedient servant,

HENRY G. FIELDER,

Chief Sheep Inspector,

Southland.

His Honor the Superintendent of Southland.

Superintendent’s Office,

Southland, Jan. 26, 1869.

THE undermentioned Town Sections will be sold by Auction, at the Land Office, Invercargill, on the 2nd day of MARCH, 1869, at 12 o’clock, in terms of the provisions of the “Southland Waste Land Act, 1865.”

Township of Dipton Bush, sections No. 1 to 18.

Township of Wrey’s Bush, sections No. 1 to 15.

Township of Invercargill, sections No. 14, 15, 16, block LXXIV.

Maps of the same are open for inspection at the Survey Department.

JNO. P. TAYLOR,

Superintendent.

NOTICE.

THE undermentioned Town Land will be sold by Auction, at the Land Office, on FRIDAY, the 26th day of FEBRUARY, at 12 o’clock.

Section 10, Heddon Bush Township, containing five acres.

JNO. P. TAYLOR,

Superintendent.

Superintendent’s Office,

Southland, January 26th, 1869.