DUNEDIN.

Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1232, 10 July 1872, Page 2

D U NEDIN.

(prom our own correspondent.) June 29. The annual meeting of the Acclimatisation Society was held on Thursday afternoon, in the City Council Chamber. The report which' was read entered largely into the work of the Society, past and future, and spoke very hopefully as to the successful results of the different shipments of stock already liberated in various parts of the Province. In the next year the Society intend devoting their energies to the distribution of trout and forest, tree seeds. Of trout the Society expect to have a large number for distribution from the breeding ponds under the charge of Mr Young, at Palmerston; and the seeds consist mainly of a collection from California, embracing a variety of timber trees suitable for the' climate of Otago. The Society does not intend attempting anything jn rogard to salmon this year, bub leaves to the Sdiithlahd^Sbciety the management of the shipment of ova expected shortly from Scotland.

Four United Evangelical services were held this week— in the Wesleyan, North Dunedin Presbyterian, Congregational, and First Presbyterian Churches. Judging from the crowded audiences which attended the meetings, they must be pronounced very successful) but whether they have been successful in staying the "march of infidelity" is quite another matter, which remains to be seen. Indeed, a small advertisement in yesterday's paper asks the managers,' now that the meetings are over, to "Take stock, arid see how many black sheep have . been added to the white flock." The newly-started Society for Investigating Spiritualism held its first meeting on Thursday evening, at which the Presi- . dent, Mr T. Redmayne, delivered his inaugural address, from which may be gathered the creed of this new belief. It seems granted that all the members believe in what is known as Spiritualism, or spiritual communion. They class mind thus:—" God, spirit, idea, knowledge, law, power, force." Magnetism they make the lowest form of mind and the highest of matter, and they class matter, as follows : — " Electricity, atmosphere, liquids, animals, vegetables, minerals." They also say that " Spiritualism has no creed — each of its followers thought for himself." According to them "the religious teachings of the day are too antiquated, too much behind the march of civilization, and the people felt the want of food for their souls, preferring Atheism to hypocrisy." For the amelioration of the iace, Spiritualism is held out as a bond of union when " every man would become his own Ruler, General, Priest, Philosopher, and Christ, and he would acknowledge but as chief the Lord of infinite love and wisdom." Surely this is plain speaking, and from those who are united,only to investigate .Spiritualism, I am afraid the investigation witi. be a partial one. . The Supreme Court was to have met on Tuesday for the despatch:of the quarter's criminal business, but the long sederunt of the Court of 'Appeal prevented the Judge getting down in time to get through the calendar at Invercargill, which is a heavy one this time, soon enough to permit of the Court opening on the regular ' day, and it has therefore been postponed for a week. The calendar is light, and none of the cases of a serious nature. Some interest is taken, in a trial which is to come off among the civil causes — Macassey v. Ward, a libel case arising out of something said by the latter, who is the District Judge. .■-..• .-•'•.. At a special meeting: of the City Council, held yesierday, the report of the Water Committee, accepting the offer made by the Water Company to sell the works to the Corporation at the price agreed on at the late meeting, was discussed and adopted, only one Councillor dissenting. A Bill is to be introduced to the coming Assembly in order to give the transfer legislative authority. Another squabble about the Gas Works seems likely. ': A case of considerable interest to the sporting members of the community was heard before the Resident Magistrate this week. It arose out of a dispute at the late Forbury Birthday Meeting. Atone of the races the horse Saladin came in second, and was entitled to the sweepstakes. However, on retiring to the yard to be weighed, the jockey forgot his bridle when on the scales, and was so much under weight. Before the bridle could be got, the horse had been led away from the weighing yard. This was in direct contravention of one of the Jockey Club rules, under which the races, were managed, arid a protest was lodged by (jhe owner of the third horse, who claimed the stakes After hearing the evidence of a great number of witnesses, the Magistrate upheld the decision of the Stewards against the owner of the second horse.

The first locomotive was started on the Port Chalmers railway on Wednesday. It ran through the tunnel and on to Sawyers' Bay, as far as the rails have been laid, in a very satisfactory way. The beginning' of August is spoken of as the probable date on which traffic will begin, but I think another month may be given, for at this end of the line there is a great deal to be done before the rails can be laid. A fire, limited as to extent, but very destructive in its effects, took place yesterday morning on the premises of Calvert and Campbell, china merchants, Cutting. The Brigade were on the spot immediately, and there being a plentiful supply of water | (rather too much in fact, for a length of hose burst), the fire was speedily got under, but not before great damage was done to the magnificent stock of glass, china, and earthenware on the premises. Insurances cover the stock to the extent of LBOOO, but an inquiry is to be made as to the cause of the fire. A grand ball, strictly confined to the Masonic Lodges . holding the Scottish Constitution, took place in the Masonic Hall last night, and was very successful, notwithstanding the wet weather. . The weather has been very bad during the week. Rain came on on Saturday afternoon, and for only a few hours can we say that it has been fair during the week. «Not that much rain has fallen, for the creeks and other pluviometers about are not running much above their ordinary level, but there has been a constant drizzle, and everything is consequently in a state of puddle, and our streets are in a deplorable state. '