DUNEDIN.

North Otago Times, Volume II, Issue 36, 27 October 1864, Page 3

DUNEDIN.

(From our own Correspondent.) October 24th, 1864. We cannot escape many weeks without the oceurence of a suicide. An inquest was held last Jfonday on the body of Joseph Lyttelton Griffiths, who had destroyed himself in so wilful jnd deliberate a manner that the Coroner's jury bad some difficulty in agreeing to their eventual verdict of temporary insanity; several jurymen having been anxious to revert to that old barbarity felo de se. The deceased was an architect by profession, but has for some time past been doing little or nothing, having, I believe, led a dissolute life, and being addicted to intemperance. He has relatives in Dunedin, but having wearied tbeir patience by repeated relapses, had apparently been left to shift for himself, which he has cow finally done by ''shuffling off this mortal coil." This he did by drinking off a quantity of prussic acid, or a mixture containing some portion of that deadly poison, in the presence of several people, with whom he had the moment before been jesting. His manner however appears to have excited some suspicion, so much so indeed is to induce one of the persons present to taste the liquid, with the intention of taking it from him should it appear to be poison. No clear {<idence was given at the inquest as to the exact nature of the mixture, and how any other person could taste it without injury. The glass it was taken from and the phial from which it was poured —and which was labelled " Acetate of Lead, 30grs. to the oz,"—both smelt strongly of prussic acid: this appears to have been all the tvidence which it was thought necessary to obtain vn the subject. The deceased had been in the habit of taking photographic portraits, and had in his possession—so the medical witness at the inquest stated—drugs from which he could have manufactured prussic acid. I am sorry to say that the sufferers by the fire which I reported last week were uninsured. Mr Millar lost what no insurance, however, could replace -the casket in which the instruments and gold medal he received from the Shipwrecked Mariners' Society were sent out to him. This honor was conferred upon him for his exertions m saving life when the fine ship Schomberg was lost on the coast of Victoria. The casket itself ■was the most beautiful thing of its kind that I ever saw. A competition was called in London for the design. Fortunately the valuable instruments were safe in Mr Millar's office, and the gold medal was recovered uninjured, save in the |o«s of the ribbon, from the smouldering ruins in which it had been buried.

At the next meeting of the Town Board, Mr Millar's weekly report contained only one paragraph. He had nothing to report save the stern fact that some of the Board's property, in the (orm of plans, &c, had been destroyed at this fire. Notwithstanding this "stern fact," he had " the inward satisfaction to state that they were of little comparative value," seeing that they could be replaced. Mr Millar's reports are always amusing, but it is a pity to sep a man of so much genius and of such untiring industry make himself a constant laughing stock by his bombast and bathos.

During the past week the proceedings of the Provincial Council have been of a more lively character than was expected. Mr. Frederick Walker, the new member for the Lindis, brought forward a motion for the appointment of a Civil Service Commission. The motion was ill-timed, and after a smart discussion the Government finding themselves masters of the position, refused to allow either it or an amendment by Mr Brodie to be withdrawn, insisted on a division, and came off with flying colors, and a majority of 19 to 9. Before this Mr Moss had taken up the meat question, and moved that the ports should be reopened for cattle. The debate on this subject occupied many hours, and was adjourned from Monday to Tuesday. A very large majority of the House was arrayed against the motion. Mr Biodie moved an amendment, which he appears to have thought likely to meet both parties half nay, recommending the admission of fat cattle only, to be slaughtered in floating abattoirs at the Heads. It was possible that this would have been agreed to if Mr Vogel had not brought forward another, which suited the Government better. Its construction is so peculiar that I give you the original, instead of attempting to define it in fewer words :—"That the Council considers the Government should be guided by the circumslances of the price of cattle and the amount of population in deciding whether to reopen the ports to the importation of cattle. But in any case it sees no objection to allowing cattle to be imported for slaughter on arrival, in abattoirs constructed for the purpose." Mr. Brodie'a amendment was negatived by a large majority, and a tie occurring on Mr Vogel's, the Speaker gave a casting vote in its favor. The House was \ery full, only four members being absent. The people of Dunedin, who are groaning under the famine prices of both bread and meat (barracouta being out of season), hold the Cowncil in contempt for this decision. They look upon it as entirely the result of self-interest, so large a proportion of our representatives! being directly interested in maintaining a high price for fat stock. I believe, however, from all I can gather, that the risky remedy for our long butchers' bills which Mr Moss suggested is not required. Should the season piove moderately fine, home produce will find its -way to the market in sufficient quantity to reduce prices, and render importation unprofitable quite as soon as the opening of our ports could have any effect. A petition presented by Mr Moss from a large number of citizens, praying that the Markethouse which is about to be used as an Exhibition Building may be utilized hereafter, by being converted into Government Buildings, brought Mr E. B. Cargill into the field. He presented a monster petition, praying that the Government Offices remain in their present locality. This was signed by about 2000 people in a single day, md was about seventy feet long. He then moved for the consideration of the petition, and upon this an animated debate ensued, in the course of which Mr Adams brought himself into disgrace by saying that the Market building was unsafe, md had settled unequally upon its foundations. 1 his assertion turns out to be utterly without bundation, or the semblance of it. When the lebate was resumed on the following day, Mr (/"ogel took up half the time in badgering the tinortunate non-official member of Executive, 'horn he at last reduced to such a state of temper iat he mended matters by declaring that though c acknowledged that his statement had been ade only in a joking way, •' so far from retractg at the request of the hon. member, he would rtainly rather die firat." Peals of laughter folvved this piece of bathos, and I have no doubt r Vogel derived from it all the satisfaction he as seeking. The question in favor of retaining c Government Offices on or near their present c, was carried by a large majority. A sugstion thrown out during the debate that this lilding, which will be useless aa a Markefc>use, should be converted into a Hospital, pears to mc well worthy of consideration. Of ! the public buildings we need, a good Hospital the most wanted, and ought to be the first atnpted. Everything else can wait better than is, The floor is laid ia the building which has

caused so much debate, and the Commissioners expect to be in possession this week. From all sides we hear of wonderful activity in the way of preparation for the Exhibition, now that it is almost too late. At the last meeting of the Otago Committee, a communication was read from Mr W. L. Legaatt, Betting forth what your neighbors, the people of Moeraki, propose to do to make a name for themselves. Amongst other things they wish to erect a monumental structure to exhibit some of the wonderful boulders found on their beach.

At the nomination on Wednesday at Tuapeka, five candidates were proposed. One of them being a Tuapeka man, he is likely to be returned, that district being amply supplied with pollingplaces, whilst two-thirds of the electors elsewhere on the gold-fields are left without accessible places at which to record their votes.