DUNEDIN.

Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1240, 20 July 1872, Page 4

DUNEDI N.

(FBOM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) :•-:'• July 13. .The Supreme Court sat on Tuesday for the despatch of the criminal business of the past quarter. The calendar was very light, and all the cases were finished early on Wednesday. There was none of the crimes of any particalar note, and the; Judge's address to the Grand Jury was very brief. True bills were found against all the accused.; Ewing, who was con-' victed at a late assizes of shooting the Chinaman who attempted to rob his tailnet), and who was on bail pending the settlement of a point of law by the Court of Appeal, surrendered, and was brought up for sentence. Testimonials, &c., as to character, were presented, and. Ewing addressed his Honor in mitigation; but he, -after making a few remarks on the offence, taking the law into his own hands and so on, sentenced Ewing to eighteen months' imprisonment, to run from the date of the trial. In reference to this case, a numerously signed memorial to the Govoruir, graying for a remission of Ewing's scn'c.i , LusWuprc ented.'.Tn'e miners up- 0 i .t y are very enthusiastic in favor of Ewiog being at once set at liberty. I see by the published telegrams that the matter has been referred from the Government to the Judge for a report, bo that it seems likely the prayer of the memorial will be granted. The quarterly meeting of the Chamber

of C jmmerce was held on Thursday. Mr ' Walcot presided, ttid e^merated the various subjects tbat had engaged the attention -of ; the j Committee duyJQg the terai. Among these perhaps the most important were the recommendations made by the Chamber regarding the new Bankruptcy Act which is to be introduced into Parliament during the approaching session— to the effect that an Act of Bankruptcy should! be more clearly defined; that the debtor should be depiiyed of tbe right of petition, that the manage' ment of the estate should be left entirely to the creditors, that no insolvent should be entitled to a discharge unless his estate paid JOs in the £,' that he should be allowed two years to do so, after which debts to rank., as judgment debts, &c. Among other items treated of were Banks of Issues, shipping telegrams, &c. Mr Bathgate, M.H.R., then entered into a long dissertation oh what lines of conduct he intended to pursue in regard to the various measures to be brought before the. coming session of Parliament; in .particular the bank question, the legal rate of interest, bankvaptcy, &c. In this the hon. gentlemen is evidently bidding for popularity. After a discussion . on the San Francisco mail service, in which a resolution condemning the service as at pre- . sent carried on .was adopted unanimously, the Chamber adjourned. A public meeting in support of the Permissive Bill was held in the Athenwum Hall oh Wednesday evening, i which was addressed by several clergymen and others. The meeting was unanimous enough in support of the resolutions proposed, but the arguments advanced by the reverend speakers were anything but in harmony with each other, as one advocated the total abolition of publichouses, while another went in for their reduction only, so that a better and more respectable class of publicans would be secured. The evils of intemperance are advanced ' on all hands, but it is very doubtful if this Permissive Bill will at all act as a cure for those evils. In America, where it surely has had a fair trial, it has completely failed in curing drunkenness; drink can' be had everywhere, even in the State of Maine and other of the New England States, just as before. In addition to this, there is the fact that the British Parliament has recently rejected a similar measure by an overwhelming majority. So in the face of aU that it is not likely that our Parliament will pass any Bill of the sort. Besides, the Ministry cannot afford to do so in the present Btate of the Colonial finances. A petition to the Legislature in fayor of the above measure has been industriously hawked about of late ; as well as another one, praying for the total abolition of all Sunday traffic cf whatever sort, whether by sea or land. A good many signatures have been adhibited to both. The nomination for the Mayoralty came off at noon yesterday. As Mr G. Duncan had withdrawn from the contest, it was currently thought that Mr Fish would have had a walk-over. Rumors'were" flying about, however, that another candidate was yet in the background, but these . were so indefinite that very little reliance was placed on them. Consequently, at the nomination everyone wasin the dark, and surprise, was universal when the Town Clerk -read out two nominations, viz., Mr Rossbotham and Mr Fish. The former gentleman is one- of. the members for South Ward, elected lately to fill the vacancy caused by the retirement of Mr E. B. Cargill. There was a good muster at the Provincial Terrace, and the proceedings were very animated. Mrßosbothamled off, with a sparkling speech, but he damaged his chance very much by indulging in a series of personalities, in which his opponent* got , it hot. He afterwards answered a lot of questions, and made numerous liberal promises. Mr Fish was more than surprised at the unexpected opposition to his return ; he was disgusted, ana let his annoyance appear moatunmistakeably. There was a great deal of chaff and fun generally. The poll is fixed for Monday week, the 22nd. The : result of the late examination for tbe New Zealand University Scholarships having been published, and the Otago competitors all found pretty far in the rear, has awakened a good deal of inquivy as to the cause of t&is, unexpected result. It is generally wfefeed for here that an investigation should take place, it being believed that our students were not fairly weighted . in the race, and that an undue value was placed on certain subjects, and sufficient notice of the nature of tbe ! examination was not given. But the defeat ought to act as a spur, and if the thing is to continue it is likely they will j not be left so far behind next time. As a result of the late Gas squabble, one of the workmen employed in laying pipes was brought before the Mayor's Court, charged with opening the street without first obtaining permission; a thing which was never done before. The man »was^finecL a small sum and, costs. The Corporation are thus cairying out their threat. But it is, bad policy, and very puerile on their part. The weather has been very cold and .changeable during the week, with- a good fall of snow dn Saturday afternoon, which ( disappeared from the low ground on Monday. It came on to blow hard from N.E. yesterday, right in the teeth of the s.s. Albion which sailed with the bulk of the Otago M.H.Rs. and their friends for Wellington, and it blows hard yet, this morning. ;' ! '/ • .