DUNEDIN. (From our own Correspondent.)

North Otago Times, Volume II, Issue 29, 8 September 1864, Page 1 (Supplement)

DUNEDIN. (From our own Correspondent.)

One of the chief subjects of interest to a large class in Danedin lately has been the price of flour. Few things are of more importance to every class ia a place like this, where, at the best, every necessary of life is extravagantly dear. The high price which this commodity has ruled at for three or four months past has been a serious addition to the other troubles which have beset us as a community. Supplies have at length made their appearance from distant countries, and we may reasonably hope that no very great increase upon the present price will occur before a new harvest fills, as we hope, the land with plenty^ In connectionwith this subject, an amusing incident occurred during last week, which is worthy of being recorded. Two vessels arrived at this port some time ago, both flour laden from Chili. Flour at the time was worth more than L30 per ton. At the time the idea that a few cargoes from other countries would be sufficient to fill up the gap made by bad harvests in Australia was pooh-poohed here as it had been in Melbourne. It often happens, however, the thing which we pooh-pooh when it is at a distance, proves too strong for our nerves when it really makes its appearance. No sooner had these cargoes arrived here than a panic occurred amongst tradesmen, and no one would buy. The same thing occurred iD Melbourne, and the other chief ports of Australia, precisely at the same time and from the same cause. Until sellers and buyers here had satisfied themselves as to what course affairs were going to take in Australia, neither would give way, and no business was done. At length the English mail came in, and some unexpected cargoes from California at the same time. The mail brought news of large shipments of wheat from England, — a quite unexpected turn of affairs. At length, then, all parties had made up their minds that flour must come down, and the Chilian cargoes went up under the hammer. Part of the first was sold at L20. This did not satisfy that mysterious community called 11 the trade " They would not give this 1 price for the rest of the cargo. They would | not buy flour at all until the day when the i other cargo was to be sold at auction. They | had talked so much about flour for the fortnight before that when they met in the street, the "'subject naturally came uppermost. If report be true the talk led to a little combination, and some bold imagination conceived the idea of improving the little combination into a wide conspiracy which should include all " the trade." So on Thursday last all these astute gentlemen met at the auction room, confidently expecting to buy flour at their own prices. It was not likely, as you may suppose, that all this could be going on without any body getting scent of it outside the body of conspirators themselves. The opportunity was improved by those natural enemies of •' the trade," the speculators, who in this case were some of the principal holders of flour. When the auctioneer commenced his sale, he proposed to put up the cargo in one lot. This did not suit the speculative parties, who would thus have been pitted in a hand contest with a great combination of their own customers, who would buy the cargo in a lot and divide it amongst them. Some one in the room, a well known ■ buyer who did not happen to be "in" the ■ little conspiracy, protested in emphatic lanIguage that he and others came there to buy ■ 10 tons, and appealed to the advertisements ■of the sale against this proposition to sell in lone lot. So, after much noise and dispute, it ■was settled that the small buyer should have ■a chance, and the flour be sold in lots of 10 ■tons, the buyer having the option of taking ■as much more as he liked. The price ran up ■to L19, that being the bid of the noisy ■champion of small buyers. No one would ■bid any further, and the trade watched tri■urophant. If the first lot only fetched LI 9, ■no doubt their eventual purchase would be at m. much lower figure. So they waited until ■the small buyers who were not in the secret ■hould have satisfied their wants. What, ■then, was their dismay when small buyer, No. ll, demanded " the lot," and the sale was at In end. At rat was smelt at once, but smelt Moo late, and it was soon known who the real fcdder behind the scenes had been. It would Me well if all " trade combinations" should Mneet a fate like this. I have spun a long warn about this affair, other news being by no Mneans plentiful. No doubt many of your 'Meadere will find it as interesting as Dunedin -Molta did. The concourse at the auctionBoom on this occasion is described as being ?Mhe largest ever seen here. I The new Medical Board has at length held M meeting, and now advertises the names of 'Mil practitioners who have submitted their ■iplornas for inspection, and threaten all reMusants with a penalty of L50 if they fail to _Bend in their papers. Every one must view ■ith satisfaction the initiation of this longy Seeded reform.

The acutenoss of the sheep's ear surpasses all things i nature that I know of. An ewe will distinguish her •m lamb's bleat among a thousand others all at the me lime. Beside 1 ?, the distinguishing of voice is perctlv reciprocal between the ewe and the lamb, which, mil the deafening sound, run to meet one another. here are few things that have ever amused me more an a sheep shearing, and then the sport continues a bolo day. We put the flock into a fold, set out all the fobs to a hill, and then set out the ewes to them as ey are shorn. The moment that » lamb hears its m's voice, it rushes from the crowd to meet her, but, stead of finding tho rough, well-clad, comfortable >mma, which it left an hour, or a few hours ago, it Mti a poor, naked, shrivelling— a most deplorableiking creature. It wheels about, aud uttering a loud smulous bleat of perfect despair, flies from the frightI vision. The mother's voice arests its flight - it rems — flies, and returns again, generally for ten or a z'n times, before the reconcilement is fairly made up. kay Sermons by tho Ettrick Shepherd. A- Devout Damsel. —Deacon Martin, of Connecticut, »ge landholder, and an exemplary man, was exceedty eccentric in some of his notions. His courtship said to have been as follows :•— Having one day ranted his horse, with only a sheepskin for a saddle, rode in front of ths house where Betty Lee lived, % without dismounting, requested Betty to come to •). On her coming, ho told her that the Lord had it him to nmrry her. Bdtty replied, * The Lord's will done!' ' ': ' Stand upon the edge of this world, ready to take wing, ring your feet on earth; your eyes *nd heart in 1 Wesley."