DUNEDIN

Grey River Argus, Volume IX, Issue 685, 9 June 1870, Page 2

DUNEDIN

(from our own correspondent.) May 30. The Provincial Council did not meet this week until Wednesday evening, having adjourned until that time from Saturday morning, in order to allow those members whose property had been affected by the floods an opportunity of inspecting the damage done. Since the Council met again the principal business has been the discussion of the Estimates, and in their efforts to keep down the expenditure the hon. members do not show much of either tact or principle. Without thinking of . what the duties attached to the office may be, or what the length of service or capabilities of the officer, some of the membere seem to think it necessary to reduce the screw by LSO or LIOO, and each item as it comes up is attacked indiscriminately. A good deal of money has been voted for roads, all over the province, including a road from Wakatip to the new settlement at Martin's Bay. By message, on Thursday, the Superintendent brought before the . House the proposal to apply to the Assembly for authority to negotiate for a new loan to the amount of L 650,000, to be expended on what are termed reproductive works. These include the Southern Trunk Railway, Water Works on Gold Fields, Immigration, Oamaru Dock, Waitaki and other bridges, wharf at Waikouaiti, &c. A long discussion took place yesterday on the manner in which public works generally had been carried out in the province, several of the bridges being particularised as almost failures, and a motion was tabled to the effect that an engineer of known standing and ability be engaged to supervise the construction of all public works. This was held to bear a reflection ou the ability of the present engineer, and he was warmly supported and the motion opposed. A warm discussion on the merits and demerits of the proposed Port Chalmers Railway took place last right. A bill was brought in to validate the agreement made between the Government and the contractors, by which the dues levied on the various jetties are made security for the amount of interest to be paid to the contractor for making the line. Mr Millar, F.S.A., member for the city, was the principal speaker against the scheme, and he certainly gave it hot to both the contractors and the Government. However, he got as much as he gave ; and after a protracted debate the bill was passed through Committee, read a third time and passed. Accounts from the country districts regarding the floods have continued to come in during the week, and from every quarter the same tale is repeated. The damage done has been very great. Roads, bridges, culverts, fencing, houses, cornstacks, <fee., have either been swept away or so damaged as to be useless. There was a cry for a few weeks about a scarcity of work, the floods will have cut out plenty of employment for labor for some time to come, So far as is yet known there has been no loss of life. The Queen's Birthday, for the first time for five years, turned out a very fine one, consequently the holiday was well kept. The Volunteershad their annual parade in the morning, fired a feu-de-joie, and a royal salute, the Naval Brigade firing their one at noon. The Tradesmen's Races were held on the Silver Stream Course, and attracted a goodly, crowd of sporting people, who generally j seemed to enjoy the sport provided, j There were four events, all well contested. The Harbour Company ran one of their steamers to Portobello and Port Chalmers, and carried a full cargo. There were several balls in the evening. A case of horsewhipping took place in Princes street on Thursday afternoon. It appears that some scandal had been put in circulation regarding a Mr M'Eenzie, of Deep Dell station, near Waihemo, who I traced it to Mr W. A. Low, of Galloway station. Both gentlemen being in town, M'Kenzie met Low in company with some other gentlemen, in Princes street, stepped up and asked him to step aside ; some words took place, which resulted in M'Kenzie giving Low a regular thrashing with his whip, which lasted until one of the bystanders, thinking he had had enough, interfered. The case was to come before the Magistrate, but was compromised. Dr Carr is attracting crowded houses at the Masonic Hall, His performance* are certainly very- wonderful, to say the least of them;, and are creating considerable excitement and curiosity. Business is improving: a little. The Sally Brown has'arrived from New York with a full cargo of ' c notions. " The weather has been five all week.