OUR DUNEDIN LETTER.

Cromwell Argus, Issue I, 8 June 1870, Page 5

OUR DUNEDIN LETTER.

(From our own Correspondent. ) Dunedin, May 26, 1870. Since my last letter, we have been favoured with a greater downfall of rain than we have experienced in Dunedin for the last two years. Its effects in town have been most disastrous. On the Water of Leith most of the bridges were swept away, and for some hours the lower streets of the town were under water. From the country districts, tidings of ruinous floods reach us, and it is impossible to estimate the amount of damage done. For the purpose of enabling country members to visit their homes, and ascertain the amount of injury caused to their properties, the Provincial Council was on Friday evening adjourned, and the session was only resumed to-day. Mr Ashcroft’s pet motion—that steps should be taken with a view to uniting the provinces of Otago and Canterbury—has been carried in the teeth of considerable opposition. Mr Donald Reid opposed the motion; aad Mr Haughton evinced his strong centralistic propensities by proposing as an amendment that the remaining provinces of the Middle Island should bo included in the proposed union. Considerable amusement was caused in the Council by Mr M‘lndoe jeeringly moving that in the event of the proposed union being effected the seat of Government should be removed to Oamaru. To-day the several items making up the proposed £650,000 loan were submitted to the House. I notice amongst them £IOO,OOO for water supply on the gold-fields, £20,000 for the Oamaru Dock, and £IO,OOO for bridging the Waitaki. Tuesday (the Queen’s birthday) was kept up right loyally by the citizens of Dunedin. In the morning there was a Volunteer Parade ; several Royal salutes were fired, and Major Bathgate distributed prizes amongst the members. Later on in the day, there were numerous excursions to Port Chalmers and Portobello ; but the Taieri race-course was the principal attraction. Mr Stephenson, who was appointed judge on the occasion, had the satisfaction of seeing his ' own horses win two out of the four races run. In the evening, there were various balls, soirees, and other social gatherings in various parts of the town. Strange to say, the weather on this occasion favoured the pleasure-seekers. On the gas question, our Town Councillors, afraid to trust to their own sagacity, appealed to the people. They appeared to be quite as diffident in expressing an opinion as their representatives, the largest number of votes on any of the issues at stake being onl} r about 250. The results of the plebiscite were : 154 for, and 92 against, the construction of gas-works ; 44 fjr, and 19G against, the purchase of the present works for £22,000 ; 162 for, and 86 against, the acceptance of a fresh contract for lighting the city lamps at a reduced rate. In pursuance of these resolutions the Council now invites tenders for lighting the city lamps by either gas or kerosene. The tenders are to be deposited before the Ist July. The present contract expires on the 31st August, so our worthy potentates will in all conscience have sufficient time afforded them for deliberation. “Dr Carr is Coming !” These words inserted times without number in the advertising columns of the Otago Daily Times have, during the last few months, been the cause of conjectures, many and strange, in the minds and mouths of the Dunedin public. Dr Carr, has, however, at last put in an appearance, and holds nightly seances in the Masonic Hall, when he lectures on and experiments in mesmerism, phrenology, and other darker and more incomprehensible sciences, labouring under the abstruse names of electro-biology, hypnotism, elec-tro-physchology, <kc., &c. Considerable disgust was expressed at the learned gentleman’s performance by a certain member of the medical profession here, who even dared to call the great magician an impostor. In the course of his next lecture, the electro-psychologist hurled down the gauntlet to the world at large, and defied any one to discover any imposition in his performance. Report says that Dr Carr intends to cut out the M.D.s altogether, that he can'cure stammering and other ailments by means of his magical powers, but hitherto the miracles ho has worked have not been so beneficial to mankind. The other night one of his audience, under mesmeric influence, tucked his top-coat xmder his arm, and sallied forth to the Bank of New Zealand, under the firm impression that he had acquired possession of a nugget of gold. Yesterday evening, in his lecture on phrenology, Dr Carr invited his audience to choose subjects from among themselves for examination. The choice fell, in the first instance, on the hon. member for the gold-fields, Mr T. L. Shepherd; but he, with his natural bashfulness, strongly objected to figuring‘thus before the public, and would not bo prevailed on to do so, although encouraged by the audience, who for several routes shouted out to him to ascend tho p'.- v ®orm, addresst ringhim by forcible epithet, Jhaving referand bfwiing ox pres-