DUNE DIN.

Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1270, 24 August 1872, Page 3

DUNE DIN.

(from our own correspondent.) ' k August 17. The most pdptiltfr' event of the week has been the capture of Plummer, one of the long-sentenced prisoners from Auckland, who so cleverly escaped from custody last Thursday, and wfio had managed to elude capture, though a keen search was kept up all the time. Plummer contrived to throw -the authorities on. a wrong scent at the beginning, and instead of lying in the bush or making for the country, he quietly made his way into town, and hid himself almosfr'nnder ;, tire* "noses of the police. But he found the necessity of living as well as other people, and he proceeded to put his faculty for thieving into work by executing a series of till robberies in the northern end of the town, reaping a harvest of small sums of from a few shillings up to L 3 or so. With the money he bought cibtttes > hnd'btheY things, and took up his quarters in the Rainbow Hotel, vi George street, , passing himself off as a Mr Stewart, Wttler, near Blueskin. He turned out made up quite respectably, and strolled about town at his leisure, frequently mostly the north end. Among others he imposed on your correspondent by representing himself as a Mr flat ton, a cler.k, who was going to get married, and in that capacity took a house for six months, paying a fortnight's rent (For continuation of 'jtfews, see 4th page.)

in advance, measured the rooms for carpets, the windows for cuuains, &c, and conducted himso!f in a manner the most different from what a gaol-bird would be supposed to do* However, his liberty wa* vei/ summarily put an end to on Tuesday night about 9.30 by Detective Farrell, who, accompanied by Ranger Bain, happened to pass down George street, and saw Plummer standing watching some folks in a hotel bar on the other side of the street. He was at once recognised, collared, and in a few minutes was once more safe in her Majesty's gaol. The polling for tho C.;versham election was takon on Thursday, and resulted in a victory for Mr Stout, who obtained 149 votes; Fish getting 110, and LearyOO. The proceedings was very tame, although a close canvass of the district had been made by the various candidates. It was somewhat singular tbat Mr Cantrell, the late member, died on Sunday morning, and was buried on Wednesday. Having been Captain of the South District Rifles, he was buried with military honors. The writ for the other election has arrived, and the nomination is fixed for next week. Only three candidates are yet in the field.

Mr Fish was entertained to dinner on Monday evening, by a number of his supporters—(l was going to say his toadies, for the amount of fulsome adulation and flattery which is bestowed on the man is getting disgusting). There was the usual amount of frothy spoechification, aud some rather ugly sayings were uttered. It had been proposed by some of Fish's more immediate henchmen to get up a subscription to makeup the LIOO which had been docked off his screw by the Council at its first meeting ; but the proposal has been nipped in the bud by the magnanimity of the intended recipient, who advertised his wish that the subscription should not take place. There was a meeting of the Council on Wednesday night, at which the Mayor was not present, though very much wanted, as there was a row about something he had said about somebody, but the matter being ruled out of order, a special meeting is to be called, for ..the „ purpose. The Council's watchdog — Mr Barnes — made himself very prominent in the melee, by sticking up for his absent master. It is plain that the dungs of the Councillors are not going to be so quiet this year as they used to be.

When the centenary of Sir Walter Scott was held last year, the proposal to organise a Scott Schol irship in connection with the University was very popular for a short time. A committee was appointed, and some subscriptions were collected, and then the matter went quietly to bed, and no more was heard of it, though sundry attotnpts to wake up the committee by letters in the papers failed. However, the year rolled round, and the anniversary of Scott's birth came near again, and the committee determined to show that they had not slept for nothing. So a conversazione in the University building was set on foot and carried on to a tolerably successful issue, as far as the mere attendance went, on Thursday evening. His Honor Justice Chapman presided, and delivered a short but humorous address on the genius of Scott. He was followed by a musical melange by the Choral Society, which was well given and received, and then Professor M'Gregor was called on to deliver an address, which was given in the Professor's usual happy style, though quite unpremeditated, as Mr Anthony Trollope, who is now in town, wits expected to have taken part in the proceedings, but didn't. Professor Black also spoke, and then, the proceedings being over, the inevitable Grant got up to speak ; but the audience would have none of him, and the little man was fairly howled down. From a letter Grant ■lias sent to this morning's Times, he seems to have taken his treatment at the meeting very much to heart, and to be fairly disgusted with Dunedin and its people. He argues that this is a great injustice to him,. and as great a lo3S to the Province, for he says that he is about starved out, and his written his last letter to the Editor. But I am afraid the public of Dunedin, or at least that portion of it attending public meet : ngs, will look on Grant's loss as the public very great gain. The proceeds of the conversazione were to be givon to the Scholarship fund, and a public subscription is also to be made for the purpose.

A meeting of the Otago Institute was held on Tuesday evening, when the President, Mr Justice Chapman, delivered the inaugural address for the year. The night was disagreeable, and the attendance consequently limited. His Honor read a long and learned speech on the advantages of scientific study, and pressed on all, no matter what might be their occupation, the happy results and benefits to be gained from spending their leisure hours in Btich pursuits. Mr J. S. Webb read a short paper on a new fish to the district, and a conversational discussion followed. A meeting of the Conncil took place afterwards, for the transaction of some routine business. The weather has been very, severe* all week. Rain came on on Saturday night, and fell heavily for several hours. Snow fell on Monday morning, and at intervals till Thursday morning; the. total fall being very heavy for the town, while upcountry it has been still more so. It began to clear up on Thursday afternoon, and yesterday was a fine day. The snow has nearly all melted from about the streets, but on the hills around it lies in solid sheets of unbroken white.