DUNEDIN

Dunstan Times, Issue 320, 12 June 1868, Page 2

DUNEDIN

(FRO.M OUU OWN CORRESPONDENT.) June 1. The following letter from our correspondent at Dunedin, owing to the delayed arrival of the Tuapeka mail, came to hand too late for insertion in our last issue : Politics still continue to absorb a large share of public attention in this city, and I have no doubt that your country readers take an equal interest in the questions which have, tiuce the

commencement of the Session, furnished honorable members on both sides of tlie House to indulge in violent attacks upon each other, tor invading the .sanctity of private life, and for turning tin; Council Hall into an arena for the display of personal animosities and petty spites. Men, nut measures, appear to be the. war-cry of each of the contending factions, and who shall occupy the Treasury benches, and topick up the crumbs of office, is looked upon as of more importance than matters in which the most vital interests of the province are at stake. Within the short space of ten days Otago has witnessed the strange anomaly of three Executives, two of these being evidently the proteges of tho banks and runholders, and the third composed exclusively of those representing the agricultural districts. At none of their hands are the goldtields interests likely to receive that amount of attention which their importance demands, and it is much to be feared that, until effect is given to the motion of the member for the gohlfields (Mr. Shepherd), praying for a dissolution early in Decernher, the goldtields will not obtain the pi- minence which they deserve. This motion was carried on Friday night, it may be said unanimously, there being, on a division called for by Mr. Reid, in order, as he said, " that the result might be placed on record in the journals of the House," eighteen ayes and two noes, the latter consist ing of the seconder of the motion, and the other a strong supporter ot it. It now remains to be seen whether his honor will endorse the recommendation of the Council. Meanwhile public opinion tends to a belief that he will not risk the chance of defeat to himself in the endeavor to regain the Superintendental chair. Indeed, the present Provincial Secretary stated trom his place in the House that his Honor had informed him (the Secretary) that he would not consent to a dissolution. One thing, however, is certain, the time must shortly come when the country will be called upon to again exercise its privilege of selecting mouth-pieces to give expression to its sentiments; and, although as a whole the goldtields and goldtields towns members have proved themselves worthy of the confidence reposed in them by the electors, there are a et some black she. p among them whose services it would be well to dispense with, and I need hardly say that, prominent among these is the member for Clyde, who should never again, at least by a mining constituency, be placed in a position to assert (as he did on Friday night) that he was elected solely by miners, and that not a single squatter voted for him. The fact is, runholders cannot faithfully represent mining districts, fur they must either sacrifice their own interests or those of their constituents, the former alternative being one which, in the present state of affairs, I hold to be highly improbable. The business of the past week has been chiefly confined to assaults upon the Treasury Benches—which were re-taken by the Vogel Executive on Thursday night—the forces being led by Mr. M'Dermid, who had tal.led a notice of " Want of Confidence" motion on the preceding evening, the division list showing a majority of three against the Government, the ayes, including a pair, being seventeeu, the noes fourteen. Immediately afterwards Mr. Reid announced his intention of resigning, at the same time requesting the House, if only for the credit of the province, to take into consideration Message No. 18, sent down by the Superintendent, requesting that a short appropriation Act might be passed, to legalise the payment of a sum of £9.000, urgently required for salaries and payments on contracts. The House acceded to the request, went into Committee of Sup ply, and the Bill prssed through all its stages at one sitting. The reasons urged by the Opposition in support of thsir want of confidence motion were that the Executive was composed of representatives of but one class only, that no policy had been enunciated by and that they had simply availed themselves of the work done by their predecessors in the shape of preparing estimates. It was also urged that the stoppage of all public works, as contemplated, would be most disastrous to the country. Among the business brought before the House during the week, and which is most likely to interest tlie denizens of the goldtields, was the resumption, on Wednesday, by Mr. Duncan, of the deliate on Mr. Haughton's motion and Mr. Vogel's amendment relative to the VVakatip Buns. [The motion was to the effect that an address be presented to tlie Superintendent, requesting that he grant tho prayer of petitions against the s de of the leases of the Wakatip Buns, as far as regards those runs numbered 2, 3, 4, 5 fi 7 8, 12, and 13, and that, in the event of the sale of the leases of Buns 16, 17, and 18, he will be pleased to direct that they be offered to the present stockowners at a moderate bonus. Tho amendment was, "That an address bo presented to his Honor, requesting that he will he pleased to grant the prayer of the petitioners against the sale of fhe leases of the. Wakatip Bunp, so 'far an regard? Run 13."] L- tL- couree cf his remark*

Mr. Duncan stated that the opinions he liad expressed at the Lakes were based upon inquiries wliieh he had made into the subject during the recess, and on communications lie had received from bona-fjdo settlers stating that they would be satisfied with the netting aside of seventy thousand acres as commonage ; also to the fact that £IOO,OOO had been spent m the Lakes district for one thousand three hundred people. Mr. Logie's evidence had, however, caused him to considerably modify his opinions on the subject, inasmuch as that gentleman had stated that the runs would not sell if separated from the seventy thousand acres which the Government had proposed to set aside, and moreover that, if the runs were not let, but allowed to be occupied by sheep and cattle during the winter, they would realise more to the Government. Under these circumstances, and believing that selling the leases of the runs in accordance with Mr. Vogel's amendment would not meet the wants of the settlers, he should support the report of the Committee and the original motion. Mr. Main opposed the motion on the grounds that, if the runs were common to all, disease was likely to be engendered among sheep ; that when the country came to be fully stocked, there would be a scramble for the best parts ; and that, from men occupyin<» the ground in so primitive a manner, without a habitation or a name, it would be impossible to collect the revenue, and there would be no inducement to effect improvements. The Provincial >ecr«.tary supported the motion. Mr. Haughton replied, and the amendment was negatived. The original motion was then put and car lied, Mr. Main's being the only dissentient voice. It is really wonderful by what process of mental calculation Mr. Duncan arrived at the conclusion that £ 100,000 had been spent in the Lakes District, for certainly it would be most unreasonable to charge the whole of the £30,000 spent on the bridge at Cromwe'l, and the £40,000 on the Queenstown road, to the district. The remainder of the amount was a sum paid as compensatiun to the leaseholder of the run. On the same night Mr. Mouat brought up the following motion with regard to agricultural leases : " That the Council considers it desirable that an Act be introduced into the General Assembly, to provide that the system of agricultural leases should be brought into operation in hundreds that may be proclaimed within goldfields, or in any hundreds in which there maybe auriferoui lands ;" but while the debate was proceeding the House was adjourned. On Friday night the members of the re-moddled Vogel Executive appeared in their old places, the only change effected being that Mr. M'Dermidoeeupiel the place hitherto assigned to Mr. .Mollison, while a vacant chair beside him remained as a souvenir of the not-at-all times efficient services of another late non-otmi il member of the Executive, the honorable member for the Taieri, Mr. Burns, There was, as a matter of course, no new policy to announce, in d the time of the House was < ecu pied up to five minutes to 1 o'clock in mutual recriminations and offensive inuendoes. In connexion with the recent pro ceedings in the Provincial Council several rumors are flying about, one being that a requisition is in course of signature calling upon Mr John Miller to resign his seat for Dunedin, and another to Mr. John Hughes to adopt a similar course with regard to his seat for Lawrence. Ou Friday the foundation stone of the new First Church, Dowling-street, was laid by the Rev. Dr. Burns, the Father of the Presbyterian Church in Otago The arrangements made for the ceremony were in every wayeffective, and a very handsome silver trowel was presented to the venerable Doctor on the occasion. The attendance was very Lrge. In the evening a tea meeting was held, and addresses were delivered by his Honor the Superintendent, Mr. John Duncan, and several of the clergy. The opportunity was taken advantage of to present to the Rev G. Sutherland, the former Pastor of the Church, a handsome Bible and Prayer book, the gift of the ladies of the Congregation, a similar token of esteem being set aside for the Rev. Dr. Burns, who was jr'eluded from being present by his exertions in the earlier part of the day. On Saturday morning a deputation from St. Bathan's, consisting of Messrs Pyle, Taylor, Coates (mining surveyor), and Hansen, waited upon his Honor the Superintendent, for the purpose of advocating the placing on the estimates a sum for improving and lengthening the present sudgc channel, a work which lias already cost the district upwards of £3,000. The deputation was introduced by Mr. Hughes, and his Honor promised that, the matter should receive the favorable consideration of the Executive. Yesterday the Chinese residents in Flii ders-lane, off High and Stafford streets, celebrated the Queen's Birthday by a feast, and a liberal distribution of grog among themselves end their European neighbors. It is with much regret that T have to chronicle the death of ISIr. Htrbert A melius Julius, a* tho early age of thii-ty-pevon. Mr. Julius was fhe neuter for Oamarc County, and wbila

attending the sittings of the Council resided at the Criterion Hotel, where tho melancholy event took place on Saturday evening last, at G o'clock. Mr. Julius was an upright, honorable, and conscientious politician, attached to no party, and, although a squatter himself, he never allowed the interests of his class to sway him from the course which he considered most likely to conduce to the interests of the province at large. Although the representative of a country district, he had at all times a desire to do justice to the goldfields, and by his demise the miners have lost an earnest and honest friend. In private life he was the very soul of the social circle in which he moved. Open-hearted and generous to a fault, unostentatious and affable, he was the very model of that now scarce class, but to which he hAtimatcly belonged—the Irish country gentleman. The Council met at 2 o'clock this afternoon, but, on the suggestion of Mr. Speaker, it was unanimously resolved, as a mark of respect to tho memory of the late member for Omaru County, to adjourn till 7 o'clock tomorrow evening. The foundation stone of tho new Masonic Hall, about to be erected in Moray place, was laid to-day, with all the ceremonies suited to the occasion. There was a procession, at which two hundred and fifty Masons assisted, all of whom were well and many of them gorgeously dressed, indeed it is said that the paraphernalia of the Craft worn by one get tleman cost at home £1,500 guineas. During the ceremony from fifteen hundred to two thousand persons surrounded tho enclosure. The EW.P.6.M, S.C , Brother Vincent Pyke, presided. Tho event was celebrated by a dinner in the evening