DUNEDIN.

Clutha Leader, Volume I, Issue 6, 13 August 1874, Page 3

DUNEDIN.

(From oar own correspondent.) , The misdirected zeal of the Agent-!' General in despatching to the Colony at this period of the year such large numbers of immigrants, has, at least so far as Otago* is concerned, led {to an agitation anions , [ tbem for pron-ipt employment irom tbe Government,* and at the current rate of waees. The numher of ships which have lately arrived have temporarily supplied i the labor market. r The result was. that a large niimbef of the new arrivals could hot find employment. The locallmmigration agent, Mr. Allan, brought the matter under . the n-ptiee of the Governin'ent, and §ue- < gestecf that erayloyment Of a temporary character sh-jftfld bS found for the men in order to prevent any dissatisfaction^ breaking out among them. The Government apparently did not see their way to take time by the forelopk in this,* and therefore,* did not act, except to i v£ry UMtM extent, on Mr. Allan's suggestion: Therestfltwas that, on Tuesday evening last a crowded meeting of the unemployed was held in the Lower Hall of the AthenaVum. Several ofthe immigrants addressed the meeting at great length, setting forth their inability ' to obtain work and also coihplafoing bitterly of the treatment which they had received in the barracks at' Caversham: A series of resolutions were submitted and passed, the tenor of which was thai: the immigrants were reasonably , entitle<| to look to the Government for prompt employment on public works at a compensation in accordance with the promises which they alleged were held out to them Wote fhey embarked for New Zealand. . They aho resolved that in the event of their demands not being complied with, that they would send to the 'London Times,' what in their opinion was an authentic account of the state of the Colony. A deputation -fks appointed to lay their grievances before the Government. This they did oii the following day in an interview with Mr. M'Kellar, the Acting. Secretary of Pufelic Works. They were told that the Government would do all in its power to remove the difficulties under wnich they were laboring, but were informed that the rate ot wages which the Government would be prepared to give them would be somewhat below the current rate, as it could not enter competition with private employers. J&jpt plications have been received by the Government for o'OO men from Messrs, D. and G. Proudfoot for their railway works, and Mr. Abbott, of the Naseby Sludge Channel. A considerable niimber, especially single men, have been forwarded to these works,' their expenses to ife deducted by small: instalments from their wages. In yesterday's papers an advertisement appeared asking those wanting employment to=nfeke application to the Government. In all seventy- two responded to the invitation •?nd wiil be employed at Blackjack's Point, but the rate of wages is not ye? known. - . . ' . During the late session of the Provincial Council, a sum of L2OOO on account was voted for the erection of a building for .the Otafgo Mtteeum. It appears that the Government proposed that a piece of land in "the neighborhood of the new Botanical Gardens, should be the locus in quo for thirf institution. The Rev. Dr. Stuart and* others of onr leading men in matters educational opposed this and waited on the* Government in regard to the matter. ' They represented that in vfew of a mfedicaf school being established in Dunedin that it would be unwise to t have the Museum co far removed: froiia the centre of the city. A suggestion that th-** hM adj-oining the Dunedin Hospital was ad appropriate site was made and generally approved of, and is now under Consideration of the GovernV '■- ment. A, rather lifel^ meeting 6f the infemberlf of Committee of the Dunedin Athemeum was held on Tuesday evening last, to consider the question of abolishing the free table which had become a literary receptacle for all the trash emanating from* the most advanced enthusiasts and spiritualises of the present day. The result pf the meeting was that only the 'New Zealand* Tab!et,' the « Evangelist,' the '« Otago Chrisi tian Record,' the * New Zealand Church News,' and a spiritualist organ called « Common Senile,' are^hereaitefi to find a place on the table. Three of the chief organs of spirittfalism, namely the ** Banner - of Light,' the *Harbiagerof Light,' antf the j Boston Investigator/ were excluded 1 -/ During the discussion, Captain Hutton imputed blasphemy to the } Tablet,' add I see in Saturday's issue of that paper h6 is* taken to task for having done so*. Captain Young, of the Cartsbarn; ah# his first and third officers, appeared as defendants in the Magistrate's Court' on Friday and Saturday lafct in an action for damages for assault committed oh a passenger during the voyage from 1 London to' Otago. The plaihtiff had been an old soldier, and shortly after the ship Railed complained of the supply of wafer, ft apV pears that in coiisequencfe of his having done so that he had incurred the displeasure of the Captaihand the officers of the vessel. Thfe resmfc wasrtbat he was twice savagely assaulted hy^the Captain and the first and third 5 6mcer8.- A( -The plaintiff claimed LIOO, and recovered judgment for LSO. The Magistrate- commented oa the importance of- tfiV^ case,* and intimated his intention oi Jay fagftthe, whole of >the facts before* the Minister of Immigration, ■ A draiha lentitted ''The-Great WorlS ot London," or *•' Life in-VJthe! Nineteenth Century,^, has .been^in '.<Mii^yieheinO:' lately, and will be ; perfOTi^^fthe * Pnncess Theatre to-ii ijssr & TMisiay is/By a local author,* Mxl 3: JV Uttiug. theH i'Guardjan.' He is well known •as ; :a-<9fra-#s" ; matic critic . of " i *re.p-ajte;*|\'l»t6":-if§'-. ■ here and in ' Auckland; '*".* : :Bxpectat^ir i§; t 'therefore rife as to the raerits-of his coht& " bution to dramatic: literature. The Pressi t ; •* Drarhatic Club gives la; 4p>erf ormanceC oii^ •;'■ ' -> i Thursday; night on^behafc ?6f -^fief Scett^v A ; Scholarship FutM^^e ticke^are^llinj?^? fast, and I i-h^^nogddlibt button ItHui^^ as heretofereilthey^ will ha^e^;^ crowded house.' :Af''wAy " ■': 'yAAy :: A*A-AAA&