DUNEDIN NOTES.

Cromwell Argus, Volume III, Issue 142, 30 July 1872, Page 6

DUNEDIN NOTES.

By O. P. Q. The contest for the Mayoralty took place on Monday last, and resulted in a complete triumph for Mr Fish, who was thus elected for the third consecutive year. His opponent, Mr Rossbotham, went the wrong way to work from the beginning of the contest, and spoilt his own cause by his intemperate language, and silly speeches and printed addresses, which indeed were quite sufficient evidence of his unfitness for the office. If a really good man had been brought forward in opposition to Mr Fish, there is very little doubt that the latter would not have been returned, as there was a very general feeling among the electors that he had had his full share of the honours and emoluments attached to the office ; and no doubt before the next election good care will be taken that there shall be a suitable candidate in the field, in order that a further monopoly of the office may not be established. Party feeling ran pretty high during the contest, and as usual the ‘ £ city watch-dog,” the “political coach-builders,” and an individual who has earned for himself the soubriquet of the “ raving maniac,” contributed their share of the electioneering fun. Messrs Mercer and Barnes have been returned unopposed as Councillors for High and Leith Wards respectively, and the polling for the election of members for Bell and South Wards takes place on Thursday next. During the past week rumours of cases of small-pox being in our midst have been floating about, but I do not think there is any foundation for them. There has been quite * a rush of people to the quarters of the public : vaccinator, however, truth or no truth in the report of small-pox being here ; and most people seem to have taken alarm at the prospect of it reaching us from the Northern Provinces. Great fears are entertained for the safety of the steamer Pretty Jane, which left Port Chalmers for Port Molyneux nearly a week ago, and has not since been heard of. The distance from the Heads to Port Molyneux is not more than 50 miles, and the coast is never lost sight of during the trip ; consequently it will be a strange affair if she has gone down without anyone having observed her, for there are settlers along the whole line of coast. She is not altogether given up as yet, however, for it is just possible that some accident may have happened to her machinery, and that in consequence she has been blown out to sea, as I understand there was a very stiff breeze blowing on the day she left the Heads. The Rev. Mr Watt, of Green Island, delivered a lecture on Spiritualism, in the Lower Hall of the Atheiunum, on Tuesday evening, to a very numerous audience. He is the first minister who has lectured on the subject in Dunedin, and did so in compliance with the wishes of the Mutual Improvement Society, who have endeavoured, and without avail, to induce some of our city clergymen to take up the cudgel in answer to the lectures lately delivered by Mr James Smith, of Melbourne, which attracted such very large audiences. Mr Watt did not attempt to throw discredit on the extraordinary manifestations which have taken place in nearly every part of the world, as indeed that would be almost useless, seeing the testimony which has been given of their genuineness : but he attributed these manifestations to evil spirits, whoso acquaintance man was much better without; and characterised Spiritualism as damaging to the Christian faith, and detrimental in every respect to man’s welfare and happiness. His lecture is to be reviewed tonight by some of the members of the Society for Investigating Spiritualism which has lately been established in Dunedin, and which is already a very numerous body, with accessions of new members every week. [I open mv letter to announce the arrival of the s.s. Pretty Jane. I have not heard the cause of her lengthened absence.]