DUNEDIN.

Dunstan Times, Issue 307, 13 March 1868, Page 2

DUNEDIN.

PROM OUR OW!T CORRfiSPOXDEST.) 7th March. The setting of the Supreme Court, or at least the cases to be tried, terminated on Saturday last, when Ged des who was indicted for the murder of his wife, Jane Geddes at Tuapeka Mouth on the 2fith January last, was convicted of manslaughter, the jury eddiag as a sort of rider," under great provocation, " sentence was deferred ■until Monday isoraing. James Chas. Thompson, convicted of embezzlement, was brought up for judgment, and after several witnesses had been examined as to character, si ntenced to ' 12 months imprisonment with hard labor, the Civil sittings commence on Monday ; there are nine cases on the list, two being common ju-y, and the

remaining seven, special jury cases ; the hearing of the latter, has been fixel to commence on Thursday. Late telegrams from Wellington, announce that His Royal Highness, the Duke of Edinburgh will not arrive in New Zealand for at least a month after the time at which he .was expected, and that consequently ho need not be expected in !>unedin until about the 20th June, no signs of

preparation are as yet visit e hero.

In political matters, there is absolutely nothing doing and even- the Simmons' question appears for the time beuig to have been shelved ; hot 1 . sides are however girding up their loins far a renewal of hostilities when the Oouiveil sets.it is to be hoped that your district will speak out on the matter, for it is a question of vital importance to every member of the community, and my own experience of the goldfields, both in this and other 'countries leads me to believe that the miners, as a body, are the wron« class to submit to any description of priestly iiitoHei<aiice, or join in the Synodical howl for dismissal of a man who has had the courage to simply tell the truth.

The Dunedin Races are to come off on the 20th and 21st, and as the programme is a good one, I have little doubt of the meeting being a success. A good deal ofexcitement is at present being created by the rumours which are prevalent of the richness of the new diggings at Gympies Creek, Queensland, and the Albion, which leaves to morrow, will take away a good many adventurous spirits ; numbers are also said to be leaving the West Coast for the new Eldorado. It is at present hard to form an opinion of the merits of the new discovery, so many and varied are the reports in circulation, but the following extract from a letter written by a gentleman, who has been long resident in Queens land, and in the immediate neighborhood of the alleged discover e A presents anything but a favorable picture of the state of affairs ; it should be stated that the gentleman in question cannot possibly have any motive in preventing a rush to Queensland, but that on the contrary, it would be greatiy to his interest to send a mob of men there. He says that " in Queensland itself, there is no excitement whatever on the subject of the goldfields "and adds "permit me in the most earnest terms to advise no resident in New Zealand, whether lucky or unlucky, employed or unemployed, to risk the journey to Gympis Creek, in its present unsatisfactory and most unpromi ing state.'The sudden death °of Mr. Robert Heir, on board the Auckland, while on her passage from Melbourne to the Buff, Ins created a uinvc-rjal fielirg

;t>f sorrow here. £.Mr. .Heir wag in coin pouiy with his lady, on his -way to com- ; mence a .'.''starting, " engagement .at Invercargill when the melancholy ■event took place, and -was from that, to ■ come on to Dunedin, where he .was engaged to appear The Heirs .have long been favorites on the stage of the Australian Colonies, and his death has created a blank which will not be easily 'filled up. The ce'ebra ted Martin etti troupe have left our city for California, bearing with them the good «ishes of all the 'habitues' of ; of the Princess Theatre, and on Mon'day evening Mr and Mrs. John Hall will commence their engagement, so that a legitimate evening's amusement may safely be promised to any of ymir good folk visiting the metropolis. Mr. and Mrs Steele lwve also arrived here from Canterbury, and it is said will shortly appear. Busines-s during the past week has been pretty brisk, and altogether com 'mercia'l matters wear a better appearance than they have done for some time previous. The new Publication .*' The Illustrated New Zealand Herald " seems to get on swimmingly, 'and has won universal gdlden opini'ons from the press. Ihe "Mail" still drags out a miserable existence, but it has evidently lost its prestige, the undignified course • adopted l>y it with regard to the Simmons question having materially contributed to such a result.