DUNEDIN.

Grey River Argus, Volume VI, Issue 399, 4 August 1868, Page 2

DUNEDIN.

(PROM OUE OWN CORRESPONDENT.) July 25. At the meeting of the City Council on Wednesday, which is about the last meeting of the municipal year, the ejections for Councillors for the four wards coming off immediately, there was a good deal of routine business got through, the only item of more than usual interest being a. discussion which arose on a letter from the Water Company, about the price to be charged for water for city purposes. £175 is the figure, but the Corporation refuse this as too much (it ha.d been reduced considerably). Some of the Councillors indulged in a. fling against the Company, and the result was the rejection of the Company's offer altogether, one of the Councillors (Driver), offering to. supply water for the tanks, &c, from a. spring on his premises free of charge* Qreat progress has been made during the past week or two in forming and gravelling footpaths in various parts of the town j and not a bit too soon, for they really were very much needed. The damage done by the late fire considerably exceeded the estimate at first formed. There were five or six carriages burned, and three horses, and a large quantity of harness, &c, belonging to Messrs Reany and Williams ; Mr G. Duncan had an immense quantity of grain destroyed ; Webb, Russell and Co. lost a large portion of their stock of liquors; while nearly all the other tradesmen in the block lo3t more or leas by the hurried removal of their stocks. The cause .of the fire has not been discovered. There, were rumors that a man had been sleeping in one of the lofts, and had been burned ; but the ruing were carefully examined, without discovering any such traces as would confirm the rumor. The Fire Brigade worked hard and willingly j and to their efforts, and the plentiful supply of water from the. mains, *s it due thai •the tire did not spread far beyond the limits to which it was confined. The works of the Graving Dock at Port Chalmers were initiated on Saturday last. There was a great turn-out of the Port people, and the little town had quite a holiday look on it, The ceremony was simply the wheeling of a barrowful of earth along a gangway, and the tilting of it into the sea ; but it was made th§ occasion of a good deal of speechification and sentiment. The Superintendent was the principal actor and orator. The words are to go on with spirit, but it will be some time ere th^re, is much to look at, as the first part to be done is the necessary reclamation of ground from the, bay, Th« Rev. Richard Connebee preaches his Valedictory Sermon in Moray-place Church to-morrow. He is about to proceed to Victoria, to take charge of the congregation with -which he was connected before he came to New Zealand. A successor to Mr Connebee has not yet been named, but I have heard Mr Habens, of Christchurch, spoken of as likely. It may be some time ere one so well fitted for ths post as its late occupant is found. The Ward elections for City Councillors come off next week. There is no opposition in one or two of the wards. The Princess Theatre is to be closed for a n,oath or so, preparatory to a new lease. Mr Wilson, I believe, is -the name of the party. He is a painter of some eminence ; and one of the chief features of the new arrangement is the scenery, all of which is to be new. The house, also, is to undergo a complete renovation. Tile Carandinis complete their series of concerts to-night. On the whole they have not been successful Another new paper makes its appearance to-day, the Otago Argus, a weekly. It issues from the office of the Evenii\g Star. We have had a week of beautiful weather, warm and mild. The snow is fast disappearing from the ranges up country, and all the rivers are high.