DUNEDIN.

Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1186, 17 May 1872, Page 2

DUNEDIN.

[from our own correspondent.] May 11. The Provincial Council have settled down to steady work this week, and have done something to show for their nine-teen-and-elevenpence a-day. As usual, a Land Bill has been introduced, and lias provoked the same weary amount of discussion a3 has been given vent to by hon. members in former sessions, only, on this occasion, it did not endure so long. It was enlivened, however, by a rather smart attack by Mr Barton (Dunedin) on a resolution proposed by Mr Macassey (Waikari) regarding the constitution of the Waste Lands Board, which the latter gentleman wished to be composed of certain officials in and about Dunedin. At this Barton (Blazes) fired up, and gave it very warm to the squatter party, specifying the various officials that were mentioned in a most humorous way, provoking peals of laughter from both sides of the House. In this way, he went on piling it up in the funniest way, till he brought up Macassey to a point of order, after which he subsided. Then Macassey got up and showed how thin-skinned he was, by his melancholy looks and tones, and by threatening to resign 1113 seat if ever the hon. member attacked him in that way again. At which members laughed again, and then the business went, on as usual. The Land Bill is made the same as the one before the Assembly last session, and rejected by the Upper House. The Bill for the formation of Shires and Shire Councils has been read twice and has passed through Committee with but slight amendment, so that it is likely to become law. ; But the question remains as to how the Shire Councils are to carry on without some revenue, how they are to take charge of all roads, bridges, &c, in their bounds, unless they each got a good slice of the land revenue.

Direct taxation, of course, for road and other purposes, looms bodily before the, community, but some - arrangement for. a: division of the Land Fund will, perforce, have to be come to, before the districts will be able to effect any good. The Financial Statement is to be brought before the Oouucil about Tuesday, the 14th inst. The past week has been one of presentations, such a number as seldom come together in such a short space. Men of all' grades, some' removing ; from one station to another, or to another town, or -to the home country, or to another colony, allhave had presentations of various articles of more or less value from their select circle of friends. In some of the cases the presentation has been accompanied by a public dinner, at which the usual amount of talk and fulsome flattery has been perpetrated, so that one can't take up a paper but he finds a paragraph to the effect that Mr So-and-so, being about to visit Britain, had been presented by his friends and audience, with a silver spoon, or some other article, more or less appropriate, bearing a suitable inscription, and which was purchased at the shop of Messrs Gold, and Silver, the jewellers of Princes street, &c. All that can be said for the practice is, that encourages trade a little, but its moral effect is bad. Mr Jas. Smith, lecturer on Spiritualism, has evoked a host of criticism. The papers teem with . long letters full _ of learned .arguments against the doctrines advanced in the lectures ; some of them again, siding with them. The discussion has cansed quite a stir in the polemical world in Dunedin, and it is not likely to subside for a little, as Mr Smith is the lecturer oh Sunday evening, on " Original i Sin, and the Resurrection in this Life," a.subject which is, likely to provoke even more difference of opinion than any other he could have selected. The chief defenders of the orthodox faith are the Rev. Dr. Copland and Rev. Mr Roseby, both of whom are about as able in defence as Mr Smith is in attack. A proposal was made for a public discussion of the variouß points, but it is not likely to lead to anything, as Mr Smith's evenings are all engaged up to Wednesday, on which day he leaves for Melbourne again. Altogether, Mr Smith's visit has been quite a success, and the great feature of the past fortnight. The Mutual Improvement Society must be congratulated on it, for this has given U3 something to think about. The Fish party sustained a defeat yesterday in the election for the vacancy in the South Ward. Mr Rosbothau was returned by a majority of 27 over Mr John Cargill, who had been nominated to fill hia brother's place — Mr E. B. Cargill, leaving Dunedin on a trip to the old country. The holiday mentioned above was very well kept. There was service in all the churches ; the 'shops were all shut, and the town had all the appearance of a Sunday during the fore part of the day. A good many people went to various parts of the district, and there were not a few pic-nics. The late rains have had. their effect on the gold fields in the shape of increased returns, the miners generally now being busy. The last escort brought down 14,0!r60z. ■■* • . The weather has been rather better this week. We have had some five days, and our roads are dry and traffic easy. During yesterday, however, the temperature has fallen considerably, as if more Karl Ytraaiiiai* Ttraa imminonf.