DUNEDTN.

Grey River Argus, Volume VIII, Issue 526, 1 June 1869, Page 3

DUNEDTN.

(from our own correspondent.) May 22. The filling up of the vacancy in the representation of this city in the Provincial Council has been the absorbing topic of the week. At the nomination on Tuesday five candidates were brought forward — Messrs F. D. Bell, J. Bathgate, R. S. Dods, the inevitable Grant, and the wellknown Jock Graham ; several other gentlemen had been spoken of as likely to stand, but none of them showed up. Each of the candidates addressed the crowd, and afterwards answered the usu.il queries addressed to them by the electors. The show of hands was in favor of Mr Bell, and a poll was demanded by Mr Bathgate. There was about the usual amount of fun and good humored chaff going on — Grant and Graham being the standing butts for the time, although the antecedents of Mr Bathgate gave point to more than one joke. A rather shorter interval than usual was given between the nomination and the polling — Thursday being fixed for the latter. This interval was busily occupied by the various candidates in holding meetings and preparing for the poll. At one of these meetings (held by Mr Dods) Mr Bathgate intimated his intention of resigning in favor of Dods, having by this time found out that he had no chance of being elected, and so made a virtue of necessity. As to Graham and Grant, of course no one thought more of their candidature than as so much gas. j The real contest therefore lay between 1 Messrs Bell and Dods, though the former was evidently the favorite. Indeed, at a meeting held by him, he made a splendid speech, giving a masterly review of both ! colonial and provincial policy, and fairly • carried his audience with him. The prin- | cipal objection to Bell, made by the supporters of Dods, was that he (Bell) was a squatter ; but it was made clear in Bell's speech that though he was a squatter, and an extensive one too, he was also one of the largest freeholders in the province. The discredit then attempted to be thrown upon his candidature by the other party completely failed, and was turned quite the other way, as was shown at the polling, for Bell took the lead at once and kept it to the end. There was a good deal of bustle and excitement on Thurs- j day, the day being fine, and a considerable crowd was always present at the chief polling booth. Mr Graham made himself very conspicuous at time 3, and made a long rambling speech to the crowd. Some little time after the poll had closed, the Returning Officer, Mr J. Gillies, made his appearance on the terrace of the I Provincial Buildings, and read out the figures as follows :— For Mr Bell, 688 ; Mr Dods, 396 ; Mr Grant, 3 ; Mr Graham, 1. Mr Bell was therefore declared duly elected by a large majority. When the Council met in the evening Mr Bell was introduced, and took his seat on the Government side of the house. i The. doings in the Council during the ' week have not been very interesting, the ! time having been mostly occupied in discussing matters of £s. d. The Treasurer . laid his Financial Statement before the House on Monday. Supposing every- j thing to be spent as estimated, there j would be a small balance on the wrong j side of the book. Public works, roads, | bridges, &c, are provided for very liberally. In carrying out the much-needed retrenchment, the Government, with a praiseworthy sincerity, commenced the cutting down process by lopping-off a hundred or so from each of their own salaries. In Committee, however, none of these sums have been restored. Some question of privilege between the Speaker and the Executive, and as to the responsibility of a member presenting a petition for the accuracy or authenticity of the signatures attached to it — have also excited some discussion. The first was merely on a point of form ; but the second was of rather more importance, as it is obviously impossible that a member merely presenting a petition should be cognisant of the fact whether the signatures w.ere genuine or not. After some discussion a committee was appointed to investigate the matter and report to the House. In connection with the late discussion on the High School, the old agitation for a High School for girls has been revived. A meeting of ladies was held yesterday, at which the matter was discussed. A series of resolutions was adopted, and a memorial founded on them was drawn up for presentation to the Provincial Council, praying them to take the necessaiy steps to set such an institution agoing. There can be no doubt as to the want of such a school for the liigher education of girls, who are surely as much entitled to as the boys ; if the Council can only find the money to start it, there would be almost a certainty of success. A good many letters have appeared on the above subject in the papers lately. In other matters the town has been rather quiet during the week. There is no lack of amusement just now. The Theatre has been fairly attended during the week, and there is a Panorama of the American War exhibiting in the Masonic Hall, and a Wax Work Exhibition in the South' Australian Hall, both of which are fairly successful. The weather has been rather severe iij some of the up-country districts, and as a consequence the miners have had to suffer a partial suspension of labour. In -this neighborhood the weather has been fine, with a little rain on some days. The last Escort is about an average one, 5258 bz t