DUNEDIN.

North Otago Times, Volume II, Issue 35, 20 October 1864, Page 3

DUNEDIN.

(From our own Correspondent.) October 17, 1864. I was about to Bay that the most important eD t of the yveek has been the opening of the ssion of the Provincial Council. The words tne naturally because there can be no doubt at it ought to be so: I must confess, however, B t I hesitate to give it this prominence. The augUTtttion of the Otago Agricultural Society »n grand ploughing match and the inevitablo remonies of dinner and after-dinner speeches, v attracted far more of our attention ; and I ii almost disposed to say that it was the more iportant event of the two. It is certainly imusible to predict what may come of this session ' Council, but the prospect—so far as it can be aimed—is by no means lively. The opening ,reraony attracted very few besides the newsjper reporters. Even of the members, the lendance was very scanty. The Superinten!n t's speech yvas the least attractive document ' tbe sort which this or any previous Council lS listened to. His Honor himself seemed to l_ e anything but a hearty interest in what he 3S about —appeared to be unwell, and was deci- ;( ]ly very nervous. The Ministerial budget of lis is a shade worse than the Superintendential rjrjfret of discursive remarks, by yvhich the jsence of a ministerial policy was sought to be irered. Most of the measures as yet introduced c heirlooms from last session, or even from the ie before it, or technical emendations of Bills ready passed and disallowed by the Governor. ong as they have been hatching, they appear to c still in a very crude state ; and most of those hich have as yet been discussed, have received : vere handling from members on both sides the louse. The session is likely to be one of infinite etty squabbling; and unless something occurs, nt of yvhich a new ministerial crisis can be got p, will prove very uninteresting, and yield very nail results to the country. The new members, f whom there are already four, and who yvill lortly receive an accession in the person of Capim Baldwin's successor, may possibly enjoy it on :count of the novelty of the thing, but I do not link anyone else will. The members of the late linistry and their immediate followers appear to c uneasy, but not yet ready for a spring. The jisting Executive is understood to be growing ither tired of harness, and, as I have said, the nly chance of any excitement during the session es m the probability of some or all of its memer? "jibbing." Tbe eclat yvith which the Otago Agricultural ociety made its bow to the public was a decided ratrast to the dreary dulness of the Council protedings The ploughing match, which came off ii Friday on some ground of Mr Sidey's, near laversham, attracted no less than 32 entrances oda very large concourse of spectators, compui variously at from 800 to 1000 during the ntr part of the day. The weather yvas not all bat could have been desired for those whose sole o<iness yvas to look on, but appears to have suited te ploughmen admirably, the rain having renered the ground very workable. Amongst the ntnes I see three from Oamaru, viz.:— ' Mr J. Hassell - ploughman, Andreyv Gray. Jlf«rs Holmes& Campbell—ploughman, W. M 'Intyre Mr Peter Orr—ploughman, owner. iDother ploughman from Oamaru was on the round; but finding that his plough and team ould not stand a fair chance, on account of the ature of the ground, he very wisely declined to nter. The gentlemen chosen as judges were — Ir Robert Miller, of Tokomairiro; Mr John low, of East Taieri; Mr David Andreyv, sen., of Irten Island ;Mr M'Gregor, of Waikouaiti; and tr Finlay, of Dunedin. The first prize was L3O id a gold medal; the second, L 2 5; the third, •20; the fourth, Lls; the fifth, L 10; the sixth, S In addition to these, a seventh prize—a chly plated cart harness bridle—was offered by Ir Mitchell, of Dunedin. The judges, as is iial on such occasions, did not make their ppearance until the yvork, for which five hours walloyved, yvas complete. Much of the ploughigwas so thoroughly workmanlike in character iat the decision proved to be no easy matter. lit result has special interest for your readers, nee, though the entries from Oamaru were not ne tenth of the whole her representatives car - iedoff two out of the seven prizes. The first nze stayed at home, being won by a farmer in in neighborhood; the second went to the North aieri; the third to Oamaru—W. M'lntyre, I'ws Holmes and Campbell's ploughman being i! winner. Mr Peter Orr came in for Mr Mitiell's donation of a plated harness bridle. The iliowing is a list of the prizemen :— t Pnze -William Paul, for D. Warnock, Dunedin id do—J. Paterson, for C. Whyte, North Taieri 'ddo— W. M'lntyre, for Holmes & Campbell, Oamaru li do— W. Grant, for Blair and Bisset, East Taieri ido—W. Henderson, for Thos. Henderson, E. Taieri 1 do—John Mills, for John Barnes, Dunedin r Mitchell's donation—P. Orr, Oamaru The dinner was not so well attended as it would ire been had the weather been favorable enough i allow the country members of the Association imuster. The members of the Provincial Council we also occupied at an evening sitting, and were arly all absent except Mr Reynolds, who had % chosen to respond to the health of that %. The Superintendent filled the chair, and oked much more comfortable in it than he did i Tuesday at Mr Speaker's right hand. His ueches, too, formed happy contrasts to the sening address to the Council, were well worth fling, and worth reading too, even in the imffcct form in which they appeared in our daily pen. Mr Bathgate, yvho, since he came amongst lis rapidly taking here the same well-deserved Wion as a public man which he occupied in ft'des, was the vice-chairman, and spoke well id to the point when the duties of his oflica 'flight him to his feet, fhe reunion was a samnt success—auguring, I hope, a prosperous ture to the Society, which will I have no doubt ng outlive the body whose prosy proceedings I i p e contrasted with its own. We were startled out of our beds on Sunday orning about half-past three by the ominous inking of the fire-bell. A fierce fire was &ing at the top of the steps yvhich lead into n«ling-street from the Princes-street Cutting. n abominably ugly erection calkd Priscilla Mage, and the house of Mr Millar, the city jineer, which was perched on the very brink the cutting, were in flames. A rather brisk teze was blowing, and much fear was entermed for the Oriental Hotel yvhich, hoyvever, f aped without any very serious damage, or the Sequences might bave been very serious. As the upper part of the building occupied by f Walsh as a boot shop was much injured, Mr dlar's house almost over hanging it. This is ot the structure known as Farley's buildings, which, as I ought to bave mentioned, the 'ge hall has been fitted up for the use of the 'oyiucial Council.