Invercargill.

A few minutes walk will take him to any one of the principal hotels, and he will find cabs, expresses, and porters, waiting to look after his luggage and convey it to the hostelry at which he puts up. Invercargill is a capitally laid out town of close on five thousand inhabitants. It has two ably-conducted daily newspapers, besides a couple of weeklies. A day may be profitably spent here in looking over the town, and inspecting its principal buildings, such as the Athenaeum, Sloan's Music Hall, and various manufactories; or if the tourist wishes to make a run into one of the most picturesque portions of Southland, he can take a trip to the pretty township of Riverton, a distance of 21 miles, and return the same day by train. If the tourist considers it desirable to complete the journey through to Queenstown in one day, he will require to make an early rise, and take the first train, which starts between 6 and 7 o'clock. As the tables are slightly altered now and again, we cannot mention the exact time page 18 to a few minutes, but every information can be obtained from the Union S.S. Co.'s monthly time-tables, which can be had (gratis) at any of the Company's offices.

The line to Kingston passes through a magnificent country. Richly-wooded tracts, with saw-mills established here and there along the route, are succeeded by broad green plains laid down with English grasses, and large fertile agricultural areas studded with comfortable looking farmsteads and cosy cottages. There are a few good, sized townships along the line, and there are several smaller hamlets on the route which give promise of becoming important places in a few years.

Several charming views are to be obtained as the train whizzes along through the beautiful basin of Benmore, and by the rolling uplands of Oreti, and then out on to Dipton Plains. Passing a range of downs leading by the Five Rivers, the Domes stand out like giant sentinels guarding the massive ranges in the back ground. The dusky Takitimos, and Mount Hamilton with its conical helmet, come into view; Castle Rock homestead, the property of the Hon. Mathew Holmes, is seen nestling under a green range, and far in the distance the snowcapped mountains rising above the romantic Te Anau Lake, attract the eye by their hoary magnificence. The thriving township known as the Elbow will be the point of junction for the traffic of the upper waters of the Waiau. Intending explorers of the beauties of Te Anau Lake will require to diverge here, and although a branch line of railway has not yet been constructed to this romantic portion of the district, the tourist, if lie be so minded, can procure a horse and guide at Elbow, and take a pleasant canter across a magnificent country. The Elbow people are pretty reasonable in their charges, and the tourist will not find the trip an expensive one to