D U N E D I N.

Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1183, 14 May 1872, Page 3

D U N E D I N.

[FEOM OUR OWN COKBESPONDENT.j May 4. This haa been a lather more eventful week than for some time back, having been distinguished by the jneetfag of the Provincial Council, and the commencement of the second session of the University of Otago, as well as several other noteworthy occurrences. The Council met on Tuesday, and after the usual preliminaries the Superintendent was introduced, and read his Address on the business of the session. This was rather a longer document than usual, and dealt largely with statistics, reviewing the trade and commerce, and the progress of the various industries of the Province during the past year. On most of the points on which a difference of opinion exists, he was, as usual, rather vague, and left a good deal to the imagination or the discretion of the reader. On educational matters he spoke more plainly, and deprecated any interference with the Provincial system, which is to be improved CJnsiderably in some of its details. Regarding home industries, the Address spoke very hopefully, and intimated a wish for their extension in various directions. On the land question little was said, and the doubtful points treated very gently. On the whole, the Address was very well received by the Council. Some little business wes afterwards transacted, and the adjournment was moved. Next day, the reply to the Address was moved by Mr Tolroie, one of the newly-elected members. It was a very tame affair indeed, and was adopted with very little discussion. The business yet before the Council has been chiefly of a formal nature, mostly arising out of the late union of Southland, and consists mostly of assimilating the various statutes, treats of local matters, police, &c. Some warm work is expected when the Moa Flat land sale comes up for discussion, some of the country and gold fields' members having come down primed for the purpose. A Shire Councils Bill has been introduced,

which, if carried, will go far to settle the local self-government question. The University session waa formally opened on Wednosday evening, by an introductory lecture by the new Prof esßor, Dr Black. There was a great attendance, the large hall being coniplttely packed^ and hundreds having to go away. A large proportion of the audience was the ladies, who appeared to take a keen interest in the proceedings. The Chancellor, the Hon. Major Biohardson, was in the chair, and briefly introduced the lecturer, who entered at once on his Bubjecfc — the advantages of education to the community generally, and particularly to the student. He dwelt for some time on the mental culture derived from tho study of languages, and. pointed out that this branch of study has now given way to some extent in favor of the study of the physical sciences. He then went on to speak of the science to which he would especially direct the attention of his class —chemistry, and gave a short history of that science from the earliest times down to the beginning of the present century, mentioning tho names of tho principal discoverers and the influence they had on the after progress of the science. He also spoke of the immense influence which chemistry had on the manufactures of the world, saying that many manufactories were neither more nor less than chemical laboratories on a very large scale, carrying out to practice and to profit the experiments of the chemist. At its close a vote of thanks was moved by Mr J. T. Gillies, the Speaker of the Council, which was carried by acclamation. The Chancellor, in his usual happy manner, then made an allusion to the progress of the institution, and intimated that the Council would be most happy to receive the names of ladies as students, and spoke of the 240 odd iadies who had signed the memorial to that effect in a way which produced peals of laughter from all present. Among tho students who have matriculated are two ladies, so that now the ice is broken, it is likely there will be plenty more, and they may attempt to take tho shine out of the males. The various classes begin on Monday. A conference of the Mayors of the various municipalities in the Province has been sitting during the week. They were called together at the instance of the Mayor of Dunedin for the purpose of considering the matter of subsidy. For a year or two back, the various townships have been assisted in carrying out their improvement^, &c, by the local funds being subsidised from the Provincial Treasury at so much a £ on the rates collected. This is not likely to be continued, and it is proposed that each municipality should have the |money collected in the shape of licenses, fees, and the like, within their respective bounds. To this the Government are quite agreeable, but saddle the grant with the proviso that each of them maintain the main roads running through their township. To this some of the Mayors demurred, as costing far more than the fees would come to. But eventually, after a good deal of discussion and several interviews with the Executive, a resolution was unanimously carried that (the proposition be adopted, on the understanding that the Government first form and metal the various roads in a substantial and permanent manner. The course of lectures by Mr James Smith, of the Australasian, have been very well attended. The one on Sunday evening was on " Spiritualism," and in it the lecturer came out strong. From , beginning to end he was terribly heterodox, sometimes absurd, always infidel. He gave utterance to an entirely new system of physics, quite as base less as the visions of a dream. In short, Mr Smith, is a disciple of the most advanced school of Spiritualism. In his other lectures, Mr Smith is more successful. He is to deliver one on Dickens next week, and on Sunday evening he is to go further still into the absurdities of spiritualism, the Princess' Theatre having been engaged for the purpose. "Time and Tide" was produced at the Theatre this week, and has been fairly successful, notwithstanding the numerous counter-attractions. The scenery is very good, the acting so-eo. — Haselmayer, in .the Masonic Hall, has been performing to capital houses every evening during the week. His tricks are really very clever ; but as a talker and as a musician, he does not come up to Heller. The fair blink in the weather I spoke of in my last did not last very long. The rain came on again on Saturday night, and all Sunday there was a continual downpour, lasting till Monday, when it came on thick, and then cleared up. The next three days were fine. Yesterday morning there was a very heavy shower for about three hours, and it has been fine since. Our rivers have been in high flood, but I have not heard of any damage being done. The miners up the country are in full work, all the races being well supplied with the necessary element.