DUNEDIN.

Grey River Argus, Volume X, Issue 775, 5 January 1871, Page 3

DUNEDIN.

(from our own correspondent.) December 24. Our political great guns are still thundering away. , Last week the Colonial ■Treasurer had his say, and now Mr Donald Reid, the Provincial Secretary, has delivered his version of things political. Mr Reid spoke in answer to a requisition, to which about 600 names were appended, and fixed on the terrace of the Provincial Buildings for the scene of his address, and, Tuesday evening at seven for the time. At thathour there were over 1000 people gathered, and the Mayor took the chair, maintaining pret + y tolerable order throughout. There was a good deal of interruption now and then, but it did not hinder Mr Beid much. He spoke rapidly

for about a couple of hours, and ran over the principal points of Mr Vogel's speech, rebuting here and arguing Jhere ; and a,s he led the Opposition policy in the Provincial Council he could not very well*say anything inconsistent with his former (statements, so his speech consisted mostly' of a recapitulation of what he said when the Council was in session. But nevertheless he made a very fair impression on his audience. His most telling point was when he spoke of the Public Works' schedule, and the works being charged Provincially. IJe showed how utterly impossible it was for some of the Northern Provinces to pay a single shilling of the large sum proposed to be speat in them on railways, they at present being quite, or very nearly, impecunious jj: so that the cost was sure to fall, in the* end, on Otago and Canterbury, as the only Provinces which were in a position to expend money on public works of any sort, and if that were taken from them where would they then be ? Why, in precisely the same position as Wellington now is. Education, police, roads, and subsidies of all sorts, would all be stopped. At the close of the meeting there was a little confusion, but eventually three motions were proposed. The first was by Mr Grant :— " Resolved that this meeting has no faith in the financial scheme of the Fox-cum-Vogel Government." Mr Jago moved as au amendment — " That the best thanks of this meeting be given to Mr Reid for the address to which we have this evening listened, but that it is expedient that the electors should have time to make up their minds upon this subject, and give effect to their decision at the polling booth." Mr Sligo moved as a further amendment upon the motion— "That this meeting thanks MiReid for his statement this evening, and that it recognises the necessity of returning men to the Provincial Council and General Assembly who will pledge themselves to take care that under the Immigration and Public Works Act, v Otago and the Middle Island generally shall have their fair share." Those three motions were put to the meeting, and the first was declared carried. But it would require a much cleverer man than our Mayor to say which of them had most hands held up for it, as it was nearly

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dark at the time, and no attempt was made to couut them properly. Indeed, to one standing at the back of the crowd, as I was, there appeared to be as many hands held up for one aa for the other. It was a bit of courtesy to Mr Reid, I suppose. That gentleman has declared his intention of contesting the election for the Superintendency, as against Mr Maqandrew. Meetings of the supporters of both have been held, and committees formed to promote their interests. Notwithstanding that voting is by ballot, canvassing is still to be persisted in. The spring show of the* Horticultural Society came off on Saturday last, in the hall of the " University Building." The show on the whole was rather poor, and' far from being up to the standard of former years. Certainly" there were some magnificent individual plants ; but there was too much sameness in the general exhibition. The gardeners all seemed to have the same half-dozen or eight plants to show. This was particularly the case with the sowed geraniums, ; in looking over one you saw all the others, there was - so little variety. One or two good collections of pines and native plants, however, helped wonderfully, to redeem the monotony. But it the flowers were not up to the mark the visitors were, at all events the ladies were. The day was fine, and the pretty girls of the neighborhood turned out largely, and their bright eyes 'and fine dresses went a long way to make the show a decided success. In the suite of rooms attached to the hall mentioned above, the pupils attending the School of Art exhibited their sample drawings. It is wonderful what an amount of latent talent has been developed in the locality by this class. Mr Hutton, tlie teacher, certainly deserves great credit for the proficiency displayed. The drawings were of all sorts — chalk, water-colour, and oil, and the whole formed a very pleasing exhibition, where one might spend a very profitable hour. The distribution of prizes to the successful scholars at the "High School also took place on Saturday. The Masonic Hall was nearly filled with the pupils and their friendg. His Honor the Superintendent presided, and. distributed the prizes. Afterwards, the teachers and pupils adjourned to the North Recreation Ground, where a number of athletic sports were engaged in- ruuning, jumping, &c. These were all very well contested, the Ladies' Cup particularly, which is given for a mile race, for which, though only four entered, there \jas a very^gqod race. The receipt of the telegrams of the San Francisco mail on Tuesday evening caused, as usual since the war broke out, great excitement. , The Daily Tinus published an extra with the principal items, about a quarter past nine, just -at the close of Mr Reid's meeting, and when it became known there was a ■ regular stampede up the street to the Times office, where a crowd of some 3Q0.0r 400 people gathered immediately, blocking up the street, and fighting and struggling to get near enough to get a copy. The little den of an office was chock full at once, and the crowd behind would let no one out, so there was a scene. Windows were broken, desks smashed,, and sundry other damage done. Eventually the services of the police were called into requisition, and by their efforts the office was cleared and order restored. It. was nearly midnight before the demand for extras was satisfied. ._ The Robert Henderson arrived from Glasgow yesterday, after^rather a -long. passage for such a fast ship as she is.Unfortunately scarlatina has broken" out } on board, and there have been tjiree deaths from that disease. The Health Board met and decided to place the vessel and passengers in quarantine. The buildings on the island are', all in good order, and the passengers are to be conveyed thereto-day, *vliilethe vessel and the clothes of the passengers are to be fumigated. Great preparations are goiug on for the holiday season. The show of beef and mutton in the various butchers shops yesterday was very fine. The dealers in poultry had great shows of geese, ducks, &c, while the bakers -and pastrycooks ■vie with each other in the production of buns, cakes, &c. The streets were very crowded last night with people admiring the various expositions. The weather has been fine all week. I wish you and your readers all the season's compliments.