DUNEDIN.

Grey River Argus, Volume IV, Issue 283, 5 November 1867, Page 2

DUNEDIN.

(from ouk own couresbondent.) October 26, 1867. Our Superintendent {Jas. Macandrew, Ssq.) has been enjightening his conr atituents as to the doings at the latf session of Parliament.' He addressed-^; crowded meeting at the BalcV-ha Hotel," on Tuesday evening, and his speech wap yery well received by those present. He went fully into some of the debateable questions, and showed up the conduct of the General Government, in their treatment of and hostility to everything Pror vincial. ..He defended his votes on some subjects, and explained, the course he had taken with regard to others. In regard to the general results of the session he expressed great dissatisfaction, and de? clared " solemnly, that a more rotten and corrupt Legislature did not exist under the wide canopy of Heaven, than the General Assembly of New Zealand, during its last session. The whole tln'ng, latterly, was utterly demoralised : as to principle, there was no such thing to be depended upon — it was merely 'logrolling.' He believed that there was nothing which- the most unscrupulous Ministry could have proposed, which might not have been- accomplished during the latter part of the session, if the Government had been so disposed." These, are certainly rather strong sentences ; but as Mr Macandrew was a good deal behind the scenes, perhaps he was. warr ranted in making use of them. He also spoke strongly of the unfairness in re? fusing a loan to Otago, which, in his opinion, was the only Province in a position to borrow ; and intimated, pretty plainly, that difficulty in carrying oi:t some of the contemplated public works might be experienced. After some queries were put and answered, a resolution, expressing the c mfidence of the constituency in its member, was put and unanimously i carried. ' At the meeting of the Acclimatisation Society, on Thursday last, Mr Murison, M.H.R., gave a digest of the " Protection of Animals Act." Notwithstanding all his protestations, however, it seems very like the small end of the wedge, which will some day result in a complete system of the obnoxious Game Laws, \yhich have produced so much crime aud misery in the Mother Country. Acclimatisation is all very well j but it would be better there should not be a single wild animal in the country than that such a s,ta.te of things be introduced. A- much beUer sort of Acclimatisation is one that is carried on by private enters prise, and is pretty well exemplified this week in the receipt, per the s.s. Onieo, of | a large number of superior- horses, and i short-horn cattle, of pure breed. The i ship Hydra has also brought a large, conr 1 signment of cattle. The City Council met on Wednesday, and got thrqugh about the usual amount jof business. A discussion ensued on the i report of the Reserves Committees parI ticularly as %o the management of the Town Belt, and the Town Gardener was appointed to superintend the clearing operations of the lessees, One very important work, undertaken by the Council, in conjur.otion with the Provincial Cq vernment — the filling up the Great King street Swamp — was very nearly upset by ; the captiousuess of some one or two of i the members ; but they were happily overruled, and the work is now likely to go ahead. The Finance Committee report spea'is hopefully of the Council soon being rid of its present impecuniosity, The question of providing proper accommodation for the Athenasum has again cropped np, and we lear.» from the correspondence which has appeared in the papers, that it is. proposed the Institute should have a suite of rooms in the new Post Office. The City Council is also to ] have rooms in the same building. ] The annual meeting of the Chamber of Commerce was held yesterday The report gave a resume of the business before the 'Chamber during the year, and detailed tho various efforts' made in th.c way of simplifying legislation, lowering taxes, &c. Mr- E. B, CargiU is the new chair- ] man. The works of ths Water Company are j in such a state of forwardness that the reservoir was formally taken over from the contractor yesterday, the sluicegate of the stor.n channel closed, and the water turned to the reservoir. From the quantity^of water at present running in the creek, a fortnight ought to see the big dam full. By that time the pipes will be all laid, and ready for the water. It is suggested that there should be some public ceremony at the first turning ontof the water.' The two prisoners in the gaol here who had sentence of death recorded against them at the late assizes, John Gere and Ah Leong, have had that sentence commuted into one of penal servitude for life. A warrant to that effect was received from his Excellency the Governor by the Gaoler a few days ago. Very good accounts from the various gold fields continue to be received. The miners are everywhere busy, the wet weather has filled all the races, and sluicing goes on briskly. The last Escorf, on Tuesday, brought down 71220z. Close on 5000oz were shipped for Melbourne by the Omeo yegterday.