DUNEDIN.

Cromwell Argus, Volume I, Issue 18, 16 March 1870, Page 5

DUNEDIN.

(From out own Gon-eaponde.nL )

March 10th, 1670: Summer is now advancing rapidly 13* wards its close, f fear that ib will be a*» unfortunate season-for our farming popula< tion. I hear that in tho Taieri district A largo portion of the crops is still standing) and reports roach us from tho north, that) the grain there is in many instances hardlyworth cutting, and is being burnt standing. The Wesleyan Bazaar turned out a pet** feet Success.' Notwithstanding tho sad state" of the money market in Duuedin, the en" terprisiug ladies who had the management! of this affair contrived to extort the sunt df £BSO from their victims. The las!) night it was open several novel featured were introduced, sudi as the sale of sided of mutton, pigs, geese, ducks, &c. At live o'clock this afternoon, the Post) Office was removed from its former position to the ground floor of the Government) buildings. The arrangements are now' worthy of the town in which they exist. • Last Sunday afternoon, a diabolical at' tempt was made to destroy the new Wes> leyan Chapel in Stuart-street. Some" shavings in front of the Chapel had beeil ignited, and unless the mischief had been discovered almost immediately after its perpetration, a serious conflagration would have resulted.

The races at Tokoniairiro commenced to-day, and considerable interest is felt it* town as to the results. Telegraphic communication between here and Tokomairird is, however, at present suspended, so wrf are as yet without any news of the hist day's proceedings; Thatcher is still doing well here. Oiirt of his latest "locals" is on the subject of" the murdered goat, which caused such a sensation in Dunedin a few days a-'o. Early in the morning traces of blood were* discovered on Rattray-strflet jetty, and footprints of a man and others like thd small feet of a woman were descried in th<i) gore. The police were soon on the alert, and after a hard and exciting day's work; they succeeded in fishing up the carcase ol a goat with its throat cut! The unfortunate owner of this valuable quadruped had been fined on the previous day for allowing' it to stray, and had put a sanguinary end to its unhappy existence, in order to avoid the possibility of its getting him in.td trouble again. Mrs Thatcher is now performing with her husband at the Masonic" Hall. The presence of a lady amongst the* artistes has tended td raise the stamp of people patronising the entertainment] Ladies of position are now to be seen figuring amongst the audience. If Thatcher lias beep successful, I am sorry to say the Car'andiiiis have not. They have now left for the northern Provinces, where, it is to be lioped better fortune awaits them. I am" informed that in their tour through the South, they were) unable to clear expenses. It is with deep regret that I hear that circumstances have obliged Mr M'Glashau, a veiy old and much respected colonist, to vacate his seat as Councillor for Leith Ward. The nomination of his successor takes place on Monday.

The Supreme Court has now run through the criminal part of this session's catalogue. The verdicts returned were in some casefJ at variance with public expectation, as, for" instance, in the case of the man who was convicted of forgery and sentenced to three years' imprisonment. In this case' the evidence was by no means strong, find it was generally thought that he would have been acquitted. The Scotch verdict* of " ISTot Proven" would, I should have 1 thought, have been applicable to his case.Several cases of interest occur in the Civil List. That of Manning v. Bartk of Otagrt came off yesterday, and resulted in the' entire defeat of the latter. The Taieri election comes off next week.' The candidates are Mr James Allan, a genuine old identity, and Mr Henry Howorth. I hear that Mr Ho worth was* disposed to withdraw his name in favour" of Mr Allan, but a large number of the' Taieri electors were desirous of having this opportunity to testify their appreciation o{ the patriotic conduct of Mr Howorth, who, at the last meeting of the General Assembly, stood almost alone amongst the Otagd Representatives in opposition to the new" Hundreds Bill. As there is at present rt deficiency of legal talent in the Council, there can be no doubt that Mr Howofcli would prove a valuable' acquisition. The Provincial Hotel, or rather a portion of it, has been ro-oponed by its pro* prietor, Mr Sibbald. It looks a deserted and forlorn place, and how thb present management is going to make it pay is a mystery to all. In Mr Court's worst days, a brisk business was done there compared! to that of the last few days.