DUNEDIN NOTES.

Cromwell Argus, Volume V, Issue 260, 22 September 1874, Page 6

DUNEDIN NOTES.

By 0. P. Q.

Mr Fish, one of the city representatives in the Provincial Council, addressed a largelyattended meeting of his constituents in the Masonic Hall last night, and was very well received. He spoke at great length on several matters of public importance, and animadverted in no measured terms on the conduct of some of the members of the Reid Government, and the means adopted last session to get rid of Mr Horace Bastings, who had proved himself most able and efficient in the discharge of the duties of the Goldfields Secretaryship while he held that office. Mr Fish’s remarks seemed to meet with general approval, and so far as they refer to Mr Bastings will awaken an echo in your district. There is no doubt that Mr Bastings proved himself a hardworking, painstaking, and thoroughly competent member of the Executive in which he held an important portfolio, and that his-retirement therefrom was not only matter of surprise, but of general regret amongst those who were acquainted with his great usefulness. At the conclusion of his speech Mr Fish received a vote of thanks for his address.

At the last Harbour Board meeting the offer of Mr George Proudfoot for the dredging of a deep water channel was taken into consideration by the Board. The offer provides for the execution of the work, payment to be made by the Board’s debentures, and it comprises the dredging of a channel sixteen feet deep at low water and either one hundred and fifty or two hundred feet wide, and also the construction of half a mile of wharfage accommodation with a depth of water alongside of 17 feet at low water. Mr Proud■foot’s offer was accompanied by a sealed letter

in which was enclosed the price for which he undertook to do the work, or such a modification of it as might be found to be fair by a committee of the Board and the Government,. After consideration of the offer, in reasons were adduced both for and acceptance, the offer was referred to the Works Committee. His Honor the tendont favoured the acceptance of the having in view the difficulty which the BoAril is evidently going to have in the raising of. funds to carry on the work, whilst, other members of the Board considered that it would be inadvisable to accept a private offer without first giving some chance of the work to others who might perhaps wish to tender. So the matter stands unsettled at present. I apprised you by telegram that Mr John L. Gillies had been elected Secretary to the Board, the other applicants being Mr J., W|. Jago and Mr Steward, who each recorded.one vote. In Mr Gillies the Board will have a thoroughly competent and energetic Secretary. .

The Smith Combination Troupe are drawing good houses at the Princess Theatre. The trapeze performaces of a member of the troupe who rejoices in the name of Airec are of the most sensational nature, and draw down immense applause from those who derive gratification from that class of entertainment. With the aid of a tolerably gbod ventriloquist, and other performers, the entertainment is a good one of its kind. The promoters of the projected railway to the Forbury were represented by a deputation which waited on His Honor the Superintendent to-day, the object being to obtain information as to the extent the Government would be prepared to assist the Company in carrying out the project and afterwarks working the line. One of the difficulties which seem to be prominent is the procuring of land for the main station. Bis Honor of course could not absolutely promise that the Government would grant the necessary land, but seemed to enter into the views of the deputation, and promised to render what assistance he could in the matter. Regarding the Forbury part of the proposed line, it was stated that the construction of it would be so easy that there was a probability of its being, .accomplished in time for conveying passengers to the next races at Forbury Park, if the work were undertaken without delay. The chance of the Portobello part of the line proving remunerative, I should not have imagined was so great as the promoters anticipate. There is no great extent of country to be opened up, the Peninsula being but a narrow strip of land, and the farm holdings of a correspondingly limited nature. And it is, I presume, to this source that traffic will be looked for, the terminus at the other end being unlike that of the line at the other side of the bay in that it has no shipping trade to look to for its employment. That the undertaking will be gone into without due consideration and calculation as to the prospects of a profitable return, I suppose, however, there is very little fear. The prospectus of the Company has not yet been placed before the public; but will, I understand, shortly be issued, and will no doubt receive its due share of attention at the hands of investors. The Deacons’ Court of the First Church have decided on paying a tribute of respect the minister who for so many years had the spiritual oversight of the congregation, and watched its rising from the pioneer band who first came to Otago’s shores in the John Wickliffe until it attained to the numerically strong body it now is. A tablet is to be erected to the memory of Dr Burns in the church, and as many members of the congregation have expressed their wish to contribute towards the work, contributions are invited from all who desire to assist.