DUNEDIN.

Grey River Argus, Volume IX, Issue 753, 15 November 1870, Page 2

DUNEDIN.

(from odr own correspondent.) November 7. The polling for the vacancy in the Provincial Council came off on Wednesday, and, contrary to general anticipation, the list was beaded by Mr Fish, with a majority of 25 over Mr Bathgate, Mr Birch being a long way behind. This was the first time the ballot was used in elections for the Provincial Council, and it appeared to work very well. The poll took place in the Provincial Council Hall, which was divided off in compartments, by screens of green baize, the list of voters being divided into sections alphabetically to correspond. Each voter, as he went in, received a paper with the namt of the candidates on it, stamped and numbered. This he took into a recess, and then with a pencil scored out the names of those he did not vote for, folded up the paper, returned to the clerks, and. in their presence dropped it it through a slit into a box, and the thing was done. There was considerable excite* ment during the. afternoon, and towards the close of the poll a crowd gathered in front of the terrace to hear the result. The numbers were :— For Fish, 395 ; Bathgate, 370; Birch, 149. The usual speechifying took place, and the crowd dispersed. A meeting of the Water Works Company was held on Wednesday for the purpose of taking steps to obtain from the Government the amount of interest guaranteed on the capital expended. Eight per cent, is guaranteed, and so long as the water rate do not amount to that sum, the Government have to make up the deGciency. But then, for some reason or other, they decline to do so, and hence the meeting. After the Chairman and some of the shareholders had addressed the meeting, detailing the circumstances, it was agreed to memorialise the Provincial Council on the matter, rather than address the Executive, from whom it was deemed quite fruitless to expect redress. The Provincial Government invite tenders for a subsidised Cost-al Steam Service between Dnnedin, Port Molyneux, Catling River, Waikara, Toi-tois, and Riverton, with an extension every three months to Preservation Inlet and Martin's Bay. This is a step in the right direction, but why only once in in three months to the West Coast ? To do any good this voyage ought to be made monthly at least. It is, to be hoped the service will start soon, as. it is not so very long ago that the diggers and settlers in the Waikara District were nearly starving for want of supplies, There is no deubt that a regular communication will do a great deal to facilitate settlements at all the above-named centres. Good accounts continue tp be received, from the digging districts. Work is plentiful, and there is no scarcity of water. The rush to the beach at Port Molyneux has subsided, though the prospecting claim is turning out exceeding well— three ounces a day per man, and sometimes over that, is about the result. The gold is got in .the blacksand, and is as fine as flour. The Escort for the past four weeks totted up 14,5330z. The weather has been very fine all week, with about minutes' rain on Thursday afternoon.