DUNEDIN.

Dunstan Times, Issue 298, 10 January 1868, Page 3

DUNEDIN.

(from .oca owx correspondent;.) '•" • '"" "■ . ' Jan. 6th 186 S. We are fast recovering • from the effects of the holidays, and after the festivities the. usual reaction has set in. Merchants, tradesmen, and all business people are com-plaining-that the year just gone by closed in an unusually quiet ~mann,er ; that never has such a quiet- Christmas been known in Dunedin singe it was a city. To account for this state of things I will .not attempt, but it is not i improbable that the recent prolonged wet weather with its injurious effects, has agreat.deal to.rdo with;.it: .It is to be hoped that the year we have just entered upon may be. onff 6>f prosperity' throughout the province, ::and to its inhabitants, and although too late to wish- your readers a happy New Year, I" will (with your permission Mr" Editor) :wish them the compliments of the season... - ". By the Tirarua"which arrived on .Saturday, Captain Eraser who formed one of the deputation,'sen - to Meinour e by : the-"Pro-vincial Government to wait-upon Prince Al' fred and request him to visit Ot'ago, returned. The deputation was gracefully received, and the Diike promised that he would do his best to visit the Province. There cannot now be any doubt, that we shall receive a visit from His Royal Highness. The Commodore has written to the Governor that the Prince will reach New Zealand on the Bth March, and will remain in the Colony two months, so that he will have plenty of time to come down here. The "Evening Stat" says, that it is in a position to state that the Colonial Ministry will use every effort to induce the Prjnce to visit the Province, and with that view have com municated with Commodore Lambert on the subject. It is expected that should His Royal Highness determine to come down here, that he will extend his stay to ten days. He is still being feted on all,sides in Victoria, which he proposed leaving on the 7th instant. His, reception at Castlemain was as enthusiastic as at other Towns in Victoria, but the festivities were marred by two accidents—one an explosion of a model of the Galatea, used in the illuminations by which three little bpys lost their lives, and the burning of the Alfred Hall,. in which the Ball to the I like was to be given fortunately, the fire took place before the Ball commenced, for if it hafl taken place later, there is no doubt, that the loss of life would have been immense. The supposed leak in the embankment of the Waterworks has been so far repaired that all apprehensions of danger have ceased. The water is now in the City, at least on those streets in which the mains are laid, and the Company propose extending in a short time. The Agents and representatives of the various Insurance Companies held a meeting on Monday last, whon the advisability of reducing Insurance i ates, where the water was available for extinguishing tires was considere l ', and it was resolved to reduce the rates so soon as a full supply of water n the city could be depended on. * The Escort which arrived in Town last Tuesday last brought down 11,734 oz 19 dst of gold. The total yield of Gold in the Pro vinee for the past year was, 162,132 ounces lodwts., as against 149,349 oz. in 1866, and 156,221 in 1565. The average weekly return of gold obtained in 1566 was 3004 oz. 5 dwts., and during the past year, 3117 oz. 19 dwts. thus showing a weekly increase of 113 oz. 14 dwts, upon the average of" 1866. The Otago, which left here on the 20th. ult. with the Suez Mail, missed the ft.M.S.

Geelong at Melbourne. The Otago was sighted by the Tararua at 4 a.m. on the morning of the 29th ult. off Wilson's Promontory, so that it would be the evening of the same day before the Otago would reach Melbourne, just twenty four hours too late as the Geelong left Sandridge on the afternoon of the 28th. • The "Times" mentions that fifty three bales of wool were lately brought to Duneiin in one day from Mr. Dillon Bell's station at Coal Creek. This is a pretty goo ' in ieation of the condition of the roads, and the means of carriage afforded in the country. A few days ago, there were received in the City on account of the Otago Bible Society 300 New Testaments printed in the Chinese language. These, with a few Testaments in other languages, were procured in Melbourne, and will be distributed throughout the Province shortly, By the Melbourne papers, 1 notice that the Imperial Government has declined to approve of the Postal Scheme adopted by the Inter-Colonial Conference at Melbourne. The s.s. Pareora has again been heard of this time she was spoken on the 23rd Sept tast, by a vessel en route to Adelaide. The Pareora was then under sail 329 days out from Glasgow to Dunediii. She was out of fuel, and intended going back to Pernambueo for coals. It will be remembere.) that she left Pcrnambuco in July last for here with one hundred and forty Tons of Coal on board, and where she has been all this time it is hard to conceive. I expect that when she does get here, the Company will have been wound up, and her Master and crew old men. There were two buggy accidents on New Years Day, the most serious sufferer was Mr. David Ross, Architect of this City ;he his wife and family were pitched out of a buggy in Scotland Stre t. Mr. Ross had his right leg, broken above the ancle, and Mrs. Boss was severely injured. The second accident was to a buggy in Stuart St. in which, were Captains Dickie and Clark. Both were thrown out and slightly injured. The Caledonian Games on New Year's day was well attended, there being 5,500 persons on the ground. The second day was wet, and the remainder of the Games were postponed until the following Saturday, but the elements were again unfavorable, and in consequence the attendance was small. There were plenty of other amusements, but I do not think an account of them will interest your readers, and I there fore pass them over. A telegram from Wellington states that the prospectors sent to the Superintendent from Makara some better specimens of gold. Experienced miners are now on the ground, and they are sanguine of success. Sir George Grey does not leave by the next Panama Boat.