DUNEDIN. (From our own Correspondent.) September 26th.

North Otago Times, 29 September 1864, Page 3

DUNEDIN. (From our own Correspondent.) September 26th.

The Bazaar in aid of the Benevolent Institution wna opened on Wednesday and kept open until a late hour on Saturday night. The male part of the community which as a rule hag the had hahil of requiring to be coaxed into doing lls work, wh< n the giving of money e%en for the best of objects lies in its path of duty, has once more been duly, and I hope willingly, fleeced. Cei tainly uo call could bo made upon us raoie worth of attention than that of the Benevolent Institution. Private chantv, given, as it generally i«, without investigation of the case relieved, is always to a largo extent wasted. It ia bad enough to waste our money, but tj was>te tho generous feelings which prompt our donation^ on unworthy objects is a double evil. The waste and the encouragement of dishonest mendicity are perhaps the least of the two evils, tho reflex action upon ourselves -when we discover or have reason to suspect that we have been dupi d, is a worse injury both to ourselves and to those really woithy objects of charity which may afterwards make demands on m. Chanty, however, dispensed by the almoners of tho Benevolent Institution almost invariably reaches worthy objects — it us not inconsiderately given, and when given it is in such measure as to afford some real relief, more sustantial than tho chance gifts cf the generous hearted could supply. Of all the objects for which the fashionable dissipation of a liazaar is indulged in nono are so worthy as that for which the ladies of Dunedin have lately working, and coaxing. Besides the product of the Bazaar, which has reached a very satisfactory amount, the Institution is toieceive the benefit of a grand conceit, to be given by Mr Lyster's Opera Troupe. This will be tho raoat graceful recognition which these artists can give of the '■patronage which tho public of Dunedin has accorded them during their short season here. The Supreme Court has been occupied during three days of the week with Insolvency business, which has interfered to protract tho Civil Sittings

beyond all reasonable length. The insolvency cases now before this court are so numerous, and their number is increasing so rapidly that it becomes evident that this class of busitiess must ere long be placed under the chargo of a Judge specially segregated for the work. I believe that if a Judge were appointed for the insolvent cases of this and the two neighboring Provinces, he would find that bis best endeavors could hardly keep pace with the public convenience. The Civil Sittings themselves have been on this occasion — so at least onlookers think — unnecessarily protracted by the displays which members of the bar have thought it necessary to make on the supposed interests of thoir clients. We usod to growl under the slow process of justice under Mr Greason, and felt the advent of Mr Richmond a great relief. If tho Bar is to take up the case which we thought was forgotton, our remedy is not so easy, for we cannot well get rid of it for another. The member for Port Chalmers has been sotting a good example to his fellow Provincial Councillors, by meeting the Town Board of that place at a special session to confer with it on the various subjects which interest his constituency. Perhaps this prai.se ought in reality to bo given to the constituency itself since the invitation was from the Town Board in accordance, I believe, with a veiy generally expressed desire of the rate-payers. Political apathy is the great fault of coloni il constituencies. Few who possess the franchise care who may represent thorn, and still less wh.it they raiy do in their character of representatives. Dunedin is not only no exemption to this rule, but is a glaring illustration of it,. We never hear of any opportunity bohig afforded to our ci'y lepi es.cn tatives, whfther members of Council or of tho Geneial Assembly. '1 he flour niaiket heie, of wIiojO ups and downs I lately gave you somo account, has again become firm, and those who would not buy thiee weeks ago when fl)ur wont a-begging, have now to pay nearly £5 per ton more than they might then have bought at. This is unfortunate foi the consumer: m the long nin all tho profits which are made by speculators in flour, must come out ot the pockets of those who oat the loaf. Our Sawugs' Bank pi onuses to be a decided success, the business is developing itself so rapidly that it is m contemplation to opou tho Bank for business on two evenings of the week instead of one. I ha\e lift to the last -what many of your readets will consider the most important event of the week — the Session of the Presbytery of Otago. The sitting* just concluded have a special impoitaneo attached to them, from the fact that the Commi.y-i .ners of the United Synod of New Zi aland have been recened at it, and a basis of union eminently satisfactory to a large majorit}' of the Pusbyteiuus of Olago,agieed with these functional v s. Thaso who ha^ 1 matched the contioveisj' which b, is been waged help dunng the past twelve-months in refeience to the manner in which the Pribb\ t< ry of the Piovinoe seeded from the Union wliikt it was m the MMy thioes of biilh, airl saw to what acrimony and ill-will ;t «as lendi'ier, will be glnd of this news. The session appeals to ha\e been altogether a happy one '1 lie iep nts of it which li'uc pecn published m our local papers a\ n exceedingly meagre. If the projected '' Pie&lntiri,in M i^d'ine" makes its appoir.inpe next month as piomi'-cd, I suppobo we may find in it soi to moie satisfactory account of tins mleusting meeting.