DUNEDIN.

Grey River Argus, Volume X, Issue 762, 6 December 1870, Page 4

DUNEDIN.

";.'■: ■:• .■si '-^HROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) •-;.;::; -.•_■;.•■ ■;:■.. . ■ ; ; v.- November 26. I ■!••■■ The Provincial Council have been busy J cn:<i- yarning away all week, but it would be very hard to tell what is the amount of real work they have done. Motions have / been made and amended, and amendments have been proposed and rejected; . r . and all the while it does not appear as' if the members had any very clear idea of •■•■■-; how to dispose of the question before, .., them. One sensible thing they : have <;.;q 'done,, and that is to carry a resolution ' "affirming the desirability of union with the neighboring province of Canterbury. Of course this is a question of time, ■' <■ people must be educated up to it ; bqt it is well to take the initiation in a question of such vital importance as the simplifica- .!• tion ;of our system of government. sThe debate on the financial scheme of the General Government has been going on daily. Nearly all the Councillors have delivered their opinions on the matter, which has been considered in Committee, and their opinions are about as various as the men ; still there is a current of agreement among them, and this is, apparently, that it would be better to delay prbcet d- ,.-.-.; ing . with the scheme until after the elections are over, as the constituencies will •then have given their voices on the question. ;The debate on Thursday evening waxed hot and furious, and as midnight approached personalities, motives, ard recrimination, were freely bandied . about, the principal fignrers in the row being Messrs Driver and Pish, whey from being great friends, now seem to be something else. . Ultimately, after the debate lasting till .three o'clock yesterday morning, . and several motions had been proposed and rejected, the following amendment by Mr Calder, one of the Southland members, was carried on the voices and adopted. It read as follows •:' — "That this Council, having under its Consideration the communications" from'' the~ honorable the Colonial Secretary, encltsed in 1 his Honor's Message No. 2, h of opij ion that though it is desirable that works : , having -for their object the development of the gold fields, and the resources <*f the Province generally, should be undertaken withoxit undue delay, yet that it is inexpedient for this Council to make auy recommendation with the view to the initiation of any worksnnderthe 'Immigration and Public Works Act, 1870,' until the whole policy of' that Act *has been considered by the various consti-

tuoncies throughout ; the Province, and either connrmel by a new Parliament or modified in such a way as will leave the Middle Island free to deal with its own finances for the promotion of public works and immigration." At yesterday's sitting, among others, a petition was presented from a large number of residents in the Tuapeka district, praying that .the Council would, authorise \the : cons.truci.i6n: --of a "railway from Tokomairiro to Lawrence, in connection with the Southern Trunk Line., It was referred tb a select committee. A very able message from the Superintendent was also read at yesterday's sittings in reply to the action of the Council on the Public Works Act. In. it i lie combats the, prevailing idea of the Council that the Middle Ward would be saddled with the expense of the public works, carried on in the North, and shows the advantage it; would be to the Province to coincide with the General Government, and endeavor to get as much of the loan spent iv the locality as possible. This message will likely cause another long discussion in the Council. A; new light . ha" I ? "arisen in our political firmament. ■ Last night Mr Macassey, the well-known barrister and special pleader, addressed a crowded audience in the Masonic Hall, in answer to a requisition asking him to stand at next election for the representation - ; of^Dnnedin in theGeneral Assembly. He was' very well received by the meeting, and delivered a long and lucid speech in explanation of his views on things politically, both as regarded the Province and the Colony. Qnr,' present members — Reynolds and Birdh— lie completely turned inside out, and showed up, in fine terms, the inconsiafency of the first and the utter incotnpetency of tho second. He maintained that iv re-uniting with Southland, Otago had got by far the worst of tho bargain. In geieral politics he announced himself a supporter of Provincialism with some modifications, and would assi9t thoPuWie Works and Immigration Act as far a3 he consistently could. He was subjected at the close to a series of questions more or less pertinent, all of which he readily answered., His viewi, however, met with i * little disapprobation now and then, but on the whole Mr Macassey was very warmly received. During the week, the company at the Princess Theatre have been rewarded with rather better houses. Since Thursday Mr. and Mr 3 Steele (Miss A. Bowring) have been playing, in addition to the other members of the troupe. They have been very well received on their return to the boards of tine Princess. I notice that tonight they are to play Macbeth. The Gourlays are here too, and give a farewell concert to-night. The Hiltons have also been giving entertainments in town and in the country, but have not been very successful in their tour. ■ ...... - i - ; - i We : -ha've : liad another week of beautiful weather, with just enough rain to keep things growing. The fields and pastures are looking very fresh and green.