By Electric Telegraph

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume VII, Issue 381, 30 June 1876, Page 3

By Electric Telegraph

(From our own correspondent-) Dunedin, Thursday Evening. A Medical Association has. been formed, with Dr. Hocken as President. ir Pope, lato English master at the Girls' High School, has been presented by his late pupils with a purse of 40 sovereigns. Only 5000 iuimigrantsjafe to be despatched to New Zealand daring the present year. Canterbury and Otago get 1300 each.

The report that the Union Company has purchased M'Meckan and Blackwood's steamers, with the exception of the Omco and Alhambra, bus received confirmation. Webb, Secretary of the Dunedin Chamber of Commerce, interviewed the Minister of Public Wo;ks on Tuesday regarding the line from Christchurch to Invcrcargill. Jlichard eon stated that the only two sections of the whole length not under contract were from Balclutha to Clinton, which was delayed solely by the action of persons locally inte. rested, who wished a deviation from the route chosen by the Engineers. This was now being prepared for contract. The other is ;i short length at Waikouaiti, which will be put in hand when the adjoining contracts are further advanced. The Dunedin Presbytery again affirmed the desirability of union with the North, and decided to remit the question to the Kirk Sessions for a final effort.

Cablegrams state that the Australian agricultural companies and miners have resolved to send a circular to England showing the crowded state of tbe labor market, and the low earnings. Other companies are expected to do the same. The ahipmeril, of Victoria wool eenfc to Antwerp was a failure. THE PIAKO SWAIIP DEBATE was concluded on Tuesday night. Macandrew faid ifc was deeply to be regretted that the Government; insisted on making it a party question instead of on its merits. He absolutely declined to treat it as a parly question. He moved an amendment —That the Swamp be surveyed into suitable allotments,' and disposed of. Larnach said it whs generally admitted that a fair sale had been made, therefore the House could not fairly or conscientiously interfere. Let further f'wamp questions be sent before a Select Committee. Pyke was of opinion that the conservation of the Piako Swamp was not necessary to the welfare of the affairs of the Colony. George M'Lean had visited Piako, with a view of being better able to give an opinion upon the matter, and wajs satisfied that 100 settlers, or n number, could notjbo placed on ihfl limd.- Wain-

tained that flto snle «vas conducted fairly openly, p.nd honestly. Stout's amendment was lost by £2 against 20 —the orijical motion being curried by 61 to J9, The Opposition tried their hardest to pat Rees on the Public Accounts Committee, but unsuccessfully, Rees' motion for disqualifying Whitakc*> member for Waikato, owing to his connection with the Piako Swamp, was rejected on the Toicaj;