DUNEDIN. (From our own Correspondent.) March 9th, 1864.

North Otago Times, Volume 1, Issue 4, 17 March 1864, Page 6

DUNEDIN. (From our own Correspondent.) March 9th, 1864.

Events teing so few and so insignificant I must betake me to gossip, the great refuge of "town correspondents." But before doing so, t may as well refer to a subject mentioned in my last —the Local Committee of the Exhibition and its finances. The endeavors of that section of the Commitce which undertook to be peacemaker between the Royal Commissioners and the Government, have been successful. The Committee is to have £500 out of the old grant at omce, and such further aid as the Provincial Council may chose to accord. Money being at length forthcoming, a Finance Committee has been appointed to devise how it is to be spent, especially in regard to the subsidies to District Committees, which is, I suppose, the one point specially interesting to your readers. Many fears are expressed that this protracted squabble about money matters will have an injurious effect on tlie prospects of the Exhibition. I confess lamof a different opinion. Otago will never allow herself to' be behind-hand in this affair, and everything that keeps public attention fixed upon it is so much to ensure success. Provincial politics are beginning to occupy more of men's attention than they have done of late. On Wednesday last, an extra number of the Provincial Gazette appeared, containing a proclamation proroguing the Council to 7th April, and another calling it together on that day " for despatch of business." As the time approaches when the Government will have again to meet the Council, its actions, and its want of action, are being canvassed pretty freely, and on the whole rather favorably. The Executive has been laboriously endeavoring to put the public service into efficient order, and has been decidedly successful, notwithstanding the fact that abuses still exist. The public is not slow to recognise this circumstance, though jealous of the expense at which it has been effected At the same time, as it is much more pleasant to speak evil of our neighbors than to sing their praises, the useful work accomplished by the Government is taken for granted, and its little follies, mistakes, and graver faults, are in the mouths of every one who cares about local politics, which includes, as far as I can gather, about one -fourth part of the community. The nepotism practised by our now members of the Government, which has occasioned the appointment of some very exceptionable individuals to Government billets, is a special subject of adverse and even angry comment. Many little petty matters of mismanagement reach my ears daily of such a character that it is* evident they would not have attained to the importance with which they seem to be clothed, if a storm of some sort, great or small, were not brewing on the political horizon. A small one, I believe, it will be ; or, more likely, only a series of squalls. The Opposition ranks in the Council are of too heterogeneous a character to effect anything by common action. Two seats in the Council are just now vacant; and Tokomairiro has already exchanged Dewe for Adams, so that there will be a little salt of new members next session. The nomination at the Clutha was to take place yesterday. No one in town knows who is to be Mr Steel's successor, but no doubt Major Richardson will not lose such a faithful follower without providing the constituency with a suitable substitute. No writ has been issued for the Wakatip up to this date, though the seat has been vacant some weeks. I believe that the electors of that little constituency are quite in a fix as to whom to honor with their suffrages. Mr Vogel has been giving his constituents at Waikouaiti the benefit of an •' extra-parliamentary utterance," to use the phrase now in fashion at homo. He lucidly proved that the present commercial depression in the Province is the direct result of the late Provincial Treasurer's incompetence. He had not much to say for tbe Government of which he is a half-and-half sort of supporter. He praise i the present Treasurer for the reforms effected in his department, and abused the Government for forcing the lands into the market " at an unsuitable time." But he had nothing to say about the future— either declining to show his hand, or, as is more likely, having nothing in it. I have drawn out my gossip to an unwarrantable length, and must reserve the rest for next week, when I shall perhaps be able to tell you with what measures and what policy the Executive will meet the Council.