DUNEDIN.

Grey River Argus, Volume X, Issue 820, 14 March 1871, Page 2

DUNEDIN.

[prom our own correspondent.] March 4, 1873.

The political libel cases, of which there are no fewer than four before the Courts now, have not made much progress yet. In Regina v. Barton, the telegram libel case, a great number of witnesses have been examined, and great legal ingenuity and learning displayed by the counsel engaged ; but progress has been in the meantime suspended by an application being made to the Supreme Court for a rule nisi, on the ground that the magistrate has no jurisdiction, the information having been laid by a private person, whereas the offence is a public one, being laid against the Government of New Zealand. The argument of the rule occupied two days, and the Judge is to give his decision to-day. Another case is likely to arise out. of this telegram row— Barton v. Lemon. The first is the defendant in the above case ; the other is the manager of the Telegraph Department. The case turns on the question whether Lemon had any right, as manager, to transmit a copy of Stafford's speech at Timaru last April to Wellington, the speech being taken down and transmitted to Dunedin only by the special reporter of the Otago Bally Times. This case is to be heard on the 16th inst, before Mr Strode, Resident Magistrate. The other cases— Regina v. M'Leod, and Regina v. Diek — are to be heard again on Monday, the informant in both cases being Mr H. Driver. The fourth case is conneccted somehow with the last two, and is to be taken on Thursday next. Fine work for the lawyers ; whatever happens, they are sure to make a fine thing out of it. The coming elections for tha Provincial Council are likely to cause a good deal of excitement. No fewer than 18 candidates have already declared for the seven seats for the City, and there will likely be one or two more. The suburban districts will also be keenly contested, in most of + hese two or three gentlemen are actively canvassing the electors. In most cases it will just be the old battle over again — Macandrew v. Reid, the adherents of both parties" striving hard to send in a majority of their own way of thinking. The new Superintendent has gazetted himself into office, and is off to Invercargill to meet the Governor, who is expected here per the s.s. Stormbird, sent round to Bligh Sound to pick him and his suite off the wrecked Clio. The damage done to > this vessel is not so great as was reported, i and she is expected round in a few days I to be docked in the new graving dock at ! Port Chalmers, now nearly ready for the reception of any vessel under 300 feet long. Dr Hector arrived in town on Tuesday from Bligh Sound via Martin's Bay and Lake Wakatip. He was six and a half days from Lake M'Kerrow to Lake Wakatip, having been detained by bad weather on the mountains. The long- vexed question of who is to be Bishop of Dunedin bids fair to have at last a peaceful solution. At the late meeting of the General Synod the see was declared vacant, and it was left to the Diocesan Synod to proceed with the election of some proper clergyman to fill the vacancy. The Diocesan Synod, which met on Wednesday, having had the matter before them, formally and in a very solemn manner, on Thursday, per- ' formed this duty. The Rev. E. G. Edwards, in a short speech proposed, and Mr W. C. Young seconded, the nomination of the Rev Mr Nevill, Rector of Shelton, a parish in the Potteries, Staffordshire. He is at present residing in Dunedin, and is very well spoken of. The Synod was all but unanimous in their decision, there being only one dissentient in the voting. The Synod concluded their labors yesterday.

I have had an opportunity since I last wrote to you of seeing the practical working of the machine for raising water described by Mr J. T. Thompson, at last meeting of the Otago Institute. The trial took place in the Water of Leith, above the old Botanic Gardens. A small channel was* made among the stones in order to concentrate the current, which is at present very light, and the machine was placed so that the water just covered the screws, which revolved with a good speed, pushing the water up to a height of six or seven feet with great force. The machine was quite a success, and should come into large use among the diggers immediately.

The official declaration of the poll for the Snperintendency was made on Tuesday. Very little difference was made on the figures, which were given as : — Macandrew, 3242 ; Reid, 2950 — majority for Macandrew, 292. Both gentlemen addressed the electors. There was a little cheering and chaff, and the great fight for the Superintendency was all over.

A vacancy occurred in the representation of Bell Ward in the City Council, through the resignation of Mr Mansfield. The election took place yesterday, when Mr A. R. Livingstone was returned by a majority of thirteen over his opponent, Mr Woodland, who has thus been defeated five times in succession, some of them by very small majorities, and who now intimates his intention not to try again.