DUNEDIN NOTES.

Press, Volume LIX, Issue 11491, 26 January 1903, Page 8

DUNEDIN NOTES.

(SPECIAL TO "THK PRESS.") DUNEDIN, January 24. Mr J. C. Thomson, tlie newly-elected member for Wallace, who delivered the address of the evening at the annual gathering of the Burns Club, in celebration of the 144 th anniversary of the poet's birth, is the first New Zealander who has spoken at these functions. He is a capita! speaker, and should prove a valuable acquisition to the House.

The City Council has decidfd to procure a temporary steam plant fw the generation of electrical power lor the tramways, at a cost of £9000. A splendid seam of coul has been struck at Fail-field, near the town. Arrangement* are being made to put the coal ill the market.

Mr Gilfedder ventured upon a prophecy at w meeting at wliich he was ent-erta ned at Otautau." He declared that he would vet return to the House, though it was very improbable he \vou!d# contest tte Wallace seat again. He also instanced some of the perplexities that members o* the "right colour" are subjected to, in the shape of demands horn their supporters. He read a letter in which the writer, after asking for billets for three brothers-in-law and some others, stated that just at present lie wanted nothing for himself, out ■a litt'.e later would like a seat in the Legislative Council.