DUNEDIN.

Grey River Argus, Volume XI, Issue 1025, 8 November 1871, Page 2

DUNEDIN.

[FBOM OTTK OWN OOBBBSPONDiSNT.] October 28, A decision or vote in the House of Representatives the other evening has taken the good folks of Dunedin very muchby surprise. I mean that by which the next session of Parliament is to be held in pur quiet ;town. What can have led to this result 'is' very hard to tell, but looking at the division list perhaps some motive can be founds. All the Otago members are in favor of .the change, except Mr Reynolds, and likewise all the Auckland men, with a sprinkling of members from the other Provinces. To the Otago members, of course it was natural they should vote for anything which would benefit the locality ; and the Auckland ones have never forgiven Wellington for being made the seat of Government after it had so long been seated in Auckland. Adding to those the number in favor of what is called the peripatetic Parliament, and sufficient force is organised to overpower the Government and the Wellington members. But I question very much if the change will be made after all. For the Upper House has to be considered in the matter, and there is the natural unwillingness of the Government to make such a change, and last, and by no means least, there is the great expense to be incurred in shifting the various departments, and in providing for their accommodation here during the session, and then removing them to Wellington or elsewhere. Of course, it would be a very nice thißg for Dunedin to have all the legislators living in it for a session. A considerable spurt would be given to trade, and things would be uncommonly gay and lively while the Parliament lasted; the marriageable girls would be all setting their caps, and parties and sprees of every sort vrould be the order of the day. There would be a considerable expenditure also in providing accommodation for both as the Provincial Council Hall will only hold one body, and there is not room in the building for another similar hall. " Our Volunteers are still keeping up their reputation as crack shots. In a late competition between the local Artillery Corps and a company of the Hon. Artillery Company of London, the Dunedin -team beat the Cockneys coonsiderably, the number of points scored by each being —for the Dunedin team, 530 were scored; for the London, 478, the odds being 52 points iv favor of the Colonists. There were ten 'men a-side. ■■■"-- ■"'■■ : - - The Bonny Dunkeld arrived in port the other day from Foo-Chow. ' Like the Amphitrite, which beat her on the run by about a week, she is a three-masted schooner, and brings 318 tons of tea for Messrs Cargills and M'Lean. Both these vessels are alongside the town jetties -and discharging. Among the consignees of goods which arrived by the Union, which arrived lately from the same quarter, is a firm euphoniously styled "Jock, Took, Long, and C 0.," and another, which received new goods yesterday from. Melbourne by the Alhambra, rejoices in the nice name of Ah Fook and Co. The Peter Denny, ship, . arrived yesterday from London with a large cargo and- a few passengers, all well: Alongside the Rattray street jetty this morning are these vessels :— Barque Anna, threemasted schooner Bonny Dunkeld, brigantine Belle, and s.s. Maori, Stormbird, and Beautiful Star ; the Amphitrite in th« Bay, bound for Sydney^ -