DUNEDIN.

Grey River Argus, Volume V, Issue 341, 21 March 1868, Page 2

DUNEDIN.

(from our own correspondent.) March 14. The Supreme Court has been sitting throughout the week. W. Geddes, who was convicted of manslaughter last week, was sentenced to two years' imprisonment with hard labor. The most important of the civil cases which have come before the Court was that of the Commercial Bank (Limited) v. Hutchinson. and a very nice case indeed, well worth, your reading in full. It opens up some old transactions in regard to the Gas Company, which have already made some noise in this neighborhood. The evidence is very voluminous — letters and documents of all sorts being produced and read, as well as ledgers and other business books. The principal witnesses examined were Mr J. R. Mackay on-the part of the bank, and Mr Hutchinson, thegas manager and lessee of the works. The Bank wants to prove that large sums of money were advanced to Hutchinson t j buy up all the shares of the Gas Company which it was possible to get ; the Bank to hold the shares as security, and to charge interest on the amount. While Hutchinson makes out that all that he did was on the account of the Bank ; the shares were to be bought up that a new company might be formed in London, and a haudsome thing made out of it in the way of profit, of which his share was to be a neat L3OOO. There has been plenty of contradiction and crossswearing, and altogether the case is a pretty involved one, and will pay the lawyers well. It is not yet concluded, and will very likely last all to-day, if not run on till Monday. A conference of delegates from the different gold fields has. been sitting in town during the week, for the purpose of revising and altering, when necessary, the mining regulations. The delegates were mostly elected by the miners on the various gold fields, the other members being nominated by the government. Circumstances have so much altered since the regulations were first drawn up that it has long been found that j some of them were quite unsuitable, and others useless ; besides, recent decisions in the Courts had affected many, seriously altering their meaning. So, in many ways, it was thought better that a new code should be drawn up, and hence the conference, which, being mainly composed of practical diggers, and trustworthy men, will have the effect of putting to rest all the doubts, and solving all the knotty points which have bothered the mining community, and led to many disputes. The escort arrived on Tuesday, bringing down the moderate amount of 5900 ounces. The fine screw steamer Albion, which was built in Glasgow for the Otago shipping company, and which has lain so long idle in our harbor, has been purchased from Messrs Cargill and M'Lean for the sinn of L 12,400 by Messrs. Hoyt and M'Kinnon. She is to be placed in the Japan trade, and is advertised to sail for the West Coast, thence to Sydney (with passengers for the Queensland diggings), and thence to Hakodadi or Yokohama, under the command of Captain Kidney. I hear that a club is being formed for the cultivation of the ancient and honorable game of Golf, so much practised at many of the towns in Scotland. The implements have been brought from St. Andrew's, in Fife, and the game is to be played on that part of the town belt near the top of High-street, which is pretty lerel, and free from flax and other impediments. I wish it every success. Port Chalmers had a flying visit from the Earl of Pembroke this week. He came from the North in his fine schooneryacht Albatross, but he never came ashore, and spent all his time boating and shooting about the various bays in the lower harbor. The barque Bengal arrived in port the ' other day with a cargo of cattle from Newcastle. For convenience in discharging she was brought close in shore. When the tide fell yesterday morning early she was found to be leaking rapidly, and barely enough time was left for the removal of the balance of the stock, when she filled and sank. She is supposed to have fouled her anchor as she swung, and the fluke ripped open her bottom. She will be easily raised agauu

A case of very sudden death occurred this week. A gentleman named Hunter had been bathing in the baths at Pelichet Bay, and on coming out was observed to fall down on the platform. He was assisted home at once, but died shortly afterwards. A post mortem examination was made, and it was found that the deceased had been suffering from a tumor in the skull, which had broken and caused death. A curious anomaly is about to be perpetrated by the postal authorities here, viz. , the adoption of Wellington time in the despatch of mails and postal busmen generally. The difference is about 17 minutes in Dunedin, and there is no doubt the tendency of the change is to produce great inconvenience. Were the country overrun by a network of railways it would not matter so much ; but as it is with every means of communication in a backward or primitive state, and telegraphic communication very irregular , and frequently interrupted, the movement is at least premature. Besides, the shape of the colony is very unfortunate for a uniform system of time. Hardly any of tha parallels of longitude do more than cut across the islands at a more or less acute angle, so that a uniform time is almost impossible physically. In the Princess Theatre, last evening, a complimentary benefit was given to Mrs Robert Heir, whose husband died lately on his passage from Melbourne to NewZealand. The house was crowded in. every part by a most enthusiastic audience, The play selected was "Leah, the Forsaken." Mrs Heir performed the part of the heroine, and she was well supported. Miss Harriet Gordon sung two songs, and. then Mrs .Heir read an epilogue, specially written for her by Mr B. L. Farjeon, of Dunedin. The entries for the Dunedin races are published this morning. There is a pro* mise of good sport for the two days, over I which they are to test the year. Nothing has yet come of the movement for having a race-course nearer town than Silver* stream. Business continues very dull, although, the weather has been fine all week, The ship Viola has arrived from Glasgow with a full cargo and 125 passenger^ all well. The stud flock of Mr Rich, Bushy Park^ Shag Valley, was sold by auction by Messrs Driver, M'Lean and Co., this, week, for the large s,um of L 12,700. One, ram brought L 230,