DUNEDIN.

Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1178, 8 May 1872, Page 4

DUNEDIN.

[fsom our own correspondent.! April 27. . The past week has been a remarkably quiet one, nothing having occurred to disturb the "even tenor of our way." Eyen the weather itself, generally so changeable, has partaken of the monotonous, a iight north-easterly breeze having blown persistently day after day, accompanied by a drizzling Scotch mist. As a natural consequence our streets are sloppy, and a walk anywhere the reverse of plesant. Towards afternoon, however, the sun manages to shine through for an hour or two; and singularly enough, towards morning the moon succeeds in a somewhat similar feat — one result of this being that rainbows, both solar and lunar, have been frequent. Another peculiarity of this weather is that it only exists on this coast. Only nine or ten miles inland there has been no rain, and the roads are quite dry. At sea, the fog has been very dense, interfering somewhat with the regularity of our coastal traders ; the wind is easterly, and there has been a high confused sea rolling in. . The approaching meeting of the Provincial Council is as usual heralded by some of our political doctors delivering addresses to their constituencies. Away up country, among the diggers, Mr T. L. Shepherd, M.H.R., M.P.C. (Tommy delights in initials), has been holding forth at a great rate, and has been very well received indeed. Nearer home, Mr Donald Reid, one of the members of our Provincial Executive, and also their leader for the time being, has held two meetings j — one at Outram, West Taieri, the other | at Mosgeil, East Taieri, at both of which he entered largely into the various questions which now agitate the political world. At InvercargiU, Mr Dillon Bell, M.H.R. for Mataura, the Speaker of the House, has also addressed a meeting of the Southlanders, giving an account of his doings during the late session. Although there was rather a strong feeling of discontent manifested at Mr Bell's statements, a vote, of confidence in him was carried by a large majority. The vacancies in the Provincial Council for the Lakes District have been filled by the return of Messrs Inues and Hallen&tein, both wellknow n residents, there. The writ for the vacancy for Waikpuaiti in the House of Representatives has not yet been issued. Sir David Monro is spoken of, as likely to , contest the seat against the local candi i date, Mr Preston, who is the most likely, though some others have been named. The meeting of the Provincial Council takes place on Tuesday next, the 30th. The great fight of the session is to be on the' Clarke land purchase. The formation works on the Port Chalmers Railway are now nearly finished, the workmen having met in the middle of the Sawyer's Bay tunnel. The jetty at the Port is being' rapidly proceeded with, i and the other works are all in a forward state, so that the ballasting and platelaying will be commenced at once. A couple of months or so ought to see the line nearly ready for the rolling-stock. Tho works on the Southern Trunk line are not going on so rapidly as one would I like to see, but the tunnel under Look- ' out Point has made good progress of late. The workmen are now engaged at both ends, and will not be long of meeting, and then there ; will be a fair chance" of the first section— to near, Saddlehill— being finished and open for traffic. Mr Brogden has been down the line, and is now in Southland, going over the Mataura section.

At the meeting of the City Council on Wednesday, the Water Works Committee brought up their report on the proposed purchase of the works. They recommended that the whole interest of the company be purchased by the Corporation at the rate of Lls per LlO share. The Watery W;orks directors, on the other hand/ recommend that L16 16s per share

be asked. The Corporation are not likely to amend theirofFer, and there the matter rests in tho meantime. The shareholders of the company have yet to be consulted on the question, and there is said to be a gpod deal of difference of opinion among them, even to the length of not selling at all.- But it' is likely that,'; when they have had a little time to think over it, they will accept the offer made by the city, and so dispose of a question which promised at once to become such another nuisance as did the gas agitation. Two cases were heard before the Mayor's Court this week, in which two of our merchants were fined and a heavy forfeiture besides. By the terms of the Kerosene Uil Ordinance dealers are only allowed to keep sixty gallons of oil in stock at one time, ~but Inspector Nimon, from information received, made a search in the premises of Messrs R. B. Martin and J. T. Mackerras, in both of which he found a large surplus quantity, which he seized and. sent off to the bond. In the first case the excuse made was that the oil was stored in different places, so much in one and so much in another, though all in the one house or store ; but the Mayor held that to be only an evasion, and decided accordingly. In the other case, the reason given was that a carter had not come to carry the oil away in time, so it had to be kept in the store ; but this aho had no weight with his Worship, who gave the same decision as the other— Ll fine, costs, and forfeiture of the oil. Both cases were appealed, the points bein^ important.

A.grand ball in honor of the Volunteer representatives at the late colonial shooting, came off last night in St. George's Hall, which was decorated for the occasion. Fortunately, the night was a little finer than the rest of the week, so it allowed of a large turn-out of the fair sex. The room was well filled, and the scene was very gay indeed, the mixture of uniforms with the ladies dresses being very effective. Most of the staff officers were present, and the Champion and' most of the representatives. Dancing was kept up till an early hour. H.M.S. Rosario left for the North at the beginning of the week. While lying at the {Heads, waiting for a fog to clear up, her crew had' some practice at the old wreck, the Revival, lying on the Spit, with the big guns, and sent some bolts into it. Mr Tavares, the Mexican tragedian, has been performing during the week in the Princess Theatre to only tolerable houses. His engagement terminates to-night. Professor Haselmayer opens the Masonic Hall to-night with a sleight-of-hand, musical, and magical entertainment. He is well spoken of by the North papers, and will likely do well, to the detriment of the Theatre-people, with whom his agent has been at war through the papers, although it was only a case diamond-cut-diamond. Haselmayer is staying at the Criterion, and last night perpetrated what is known as a "free shout" to all and sundry for over half-an-hour, during which, as you may believe, not a few drinks were consumed. The St. Patrick's Band was playing outside, which were together a rather large crowd.