OUR DUNEDIN LETTER.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4434, 5 June 1875, Page 3

OUR DUNEDIN LETTER.

(from our own correspondent). Dunedin, June 2. Tho recent carryings on of provincialism, as exhibited ia Duueiim for the "last lew days, afford a most convincing proof, if any were needed, that the time is now fairly come for sweeping away those rotten institutions which have now in many cases degenerated into so many little Pedlington squabbles for the possession of the town pump, and the appointment of Bumble as beadle of the parish. Really and truly, provincialism is played out, and notwithstanding the loud cry among a certain party that abolition is all very well in the North, but that it must not be applied to Otago, the great majority of people, even in this province, wish the old tree removed, root and branch. The telegraph will have informed you of our political situation. As I predicted, and as was pretty generally expected, the new Executive had a short but a merry life. It was known from the first that they could never stand. On the very day of the Council re-assembling, and the new Executive bringing down what may very fairly be called their "no policy," Mr. Steward gave notice of his intention to move on the following day a "no confidence" motion. Noses were counted, and it was found that as the new Government had got in by two votes, so would it go out by the same number. But it was felt that for Mr. Steward to rush into the fray at such an early date and constitute himself the leader of the Opposition, was a mistake, and he was therefore induced to withdraw his motion " in order to give the Executive an opportunity of bringing down a statement and also the Estimates." A statement was brought down at the end of a few days, andyesterday morning Mr. Reid intimated that he would move a want of confience motion. The Government then stated that it would be useless for them to bring down the Estimates or try to carry on the business, if they were to be met in this " factious" way, and that they would rather try the strength of the House at once, and that decided, go on with the business of the province. The other sideaccepted the gage of battle, and it was resolved to commence hostilities at 7 o'clock in the evening. Some minor business was then got through, and the House adjourned until that time. But before doing so, Mr. McGlashan intimated that he would move the following as an amendment to Mr. Reid's motion :—" That, as much delay to business, and great expense to the province, are occasioned by unreasonable scrambles for place, power, and patronage, and other sweets of office, and have a tendency still further to lower the character and status of provincial institutions, which now are becoming effete, and seem tottering to their latter end in other provinces, from impecuniosity and other causes, it is therefore desirable, so as to end this delightful state of confusion becoming worse confounded, to pass the Estimates in globo, and that, to administer the same, Mr. Willis (Under-Secretary), Mr. Sperry (Under-Treasurer), Mr. Arthur (Provincial Engineer), and Mr, Livingstone (Auditor), the present working bees of the provincial establishment, be appointed to see that the necessary works specified in the Estimates are faithfully carried out, so far as means and contractors' engagements are con-cerned—-and that it be an instruction to them not to over-run the constable by contracting for more works than there is likely to be revenue to meet, so as not to sacrifice lands—the heritage of our children and our children's children. That the above gentlemen send in a report from each of their departments to Mr. Sessions, Clerk of Council, prior to the next meeting of the Provincial Council, and that his Honor the Superintendent be requested to take the general supervision of the whole, that gentleman having on several occasion said that the whole work of the province could be administered by himself and a few clerks." I need hardly say that the reading of this proposed amendment was received with roars of laughter by those who were best able to appreciate it, but the Speaker ruled that it could not be received, as it was out of order. And surely he is no mean judge, for the sweets of office have been for a long time enjoyed by Mr. Gillies—in fact, I may say the sweets of many offices—still he has had bitters with, his sherry, I have no doubt, for now and then the Press has made it rather lively for him. The Council reassembled at seven o'clock, when the strangers' gallery was crowded by an admiring audience, who had been drawn together to witness the highly interesting, extravagant and expensive farce of " Ins and Outs," or " A Fight for the Loaves and Fishes." What need to go further? The performers for the most part were but sorry actors, and, with few exceptions, caused but little amusement to the spectators. At two o'clock tho bell was rung and the doors locked —the " ins " were out, as I have no doubt the " outs " to-morrow will be in. The division resulted in the motion being carried by 24 to 19. So, give a final flourish of trumpets, lower the curtain, turn out the light, and let us retire to drink success to our victory, or to grieve over our defeat and concoct fresh plans for the future. And so it will be to the end of the chapter. At our annual licensing meeting yesterday a large number of publicans' and bottle licenses were granted—indeed, far too many of the latter, in my opinion. Why bottle licenses are ' required by storekeepers living in the middle of tho city is beyond my comprehension. But the powers above us make these laws, and we must be content. I might here remark that "publicanism " flourishes and grows fat in this city. Next to being an attached member of a bloated Provincial Executive, I should say tho best thing is to keep a "pub." The sixth

annual meeting of ".publicans and sinners was held last-night, when, after deciding to celebrate the Anniversary by a supper, ten guineas were voted to the Benevolent institution. As a class the publicans of Diraedmare a very respectable and highly intelligent class of men. ■' ' „ .' „ <A cabman who was yesterday nned m o shillings for furious driving "and knocking a man down by the same token," pleaded a most ingenuous defence. "Is it furious drrvrng, your Worships t Why, I couldn tdo it My poor horse is that weak that he cant stand widout being supported by the shafts. . Why, I've been trying to sell him for the last three weeks, but I can't do it. Would your Worships go and see him, your Worships He is propped up agin the lamp-post outside, with my Tommy ahould of him to keep him from falling. He is a living witness agin furious driving your honors." . But the Bench fined this poor man five shillings, nevertheless, and the travelling public pay four shillings an hour for the use of this cheerful animal. ; One or two strange jjhings have occurred here lately in the way of robberies,or attempted robberies. A few days ago a bundle of_ bank notes were missed from the clerks' office in the ■ Treasury. It was thought they were stolen, -but after a loud hubbub had been made, the notes were found all right in one of the boxes used for placing the gold, in which arrived by the escort. And yesterday it was found that some one hod broken open the desk in the bailiff's room of the Kcsident Magistrate's Court and stolen the sum of £l3O. This court is in the same building .as the Treasury, and it seems a strange thing that such a large sum should be left in the bailiff's room, seeing that there must have been more than one safe on the premises, particularly as a window was left open, by which any burglar could have entered. ... There has lately been a contest for'civic honors, a vacancy having been created in the City Council through the resignation of Mr. • Albert Beck, a very worthy man, who has been ruined through a too credulous friend who is now far far away. By the way, a meeting of this "gentleman's" creditors will take place to-morrow, when I am told some astonishing revelations will be made. lam now alluding to Mr. H. Campbell, of whose somewhat hasty departure for Hongkong I 'apprised you in my last. Ah ! where are the songs of my childhood? "You may go-o-o—you may go-o-o —you may go to Hongkong for me !" or, as my elder brother used to have it iu his version. " You may go-o-6 ! —you may go-G=C ! You may go to the for me !" And if the two versions were mixed up together, I think they would about fit our late much respected citizen. But speaking of the election, Mr. R. H. Leary was returned over the head of his opponent—Mr. D. Stewart—by 35 votes. A meeting was held last night for the purpose of taking steps to erect a tombstone over ths grave of the late Mr. Wilson Gray ; but in consequence of every one and his brother being- at the'Citv Council witnessing the farce I as aforesaid, only three gentlemen attended. So a secretary and convener was appointed, and the meeting adjourned. Dr. Coughtrey, who by the way is now called " Professor " Coughtrey, delivered a lecture the other night, on anatomy. It was one of the most cheerful things I ever listened to. In length it was about a furlong. The Times gave its readers three columns the next morning, and promised to repeat thedoseon the two following days. Nine columns in all ! And can people read this and still live? I know not. 11know, not; but one thing I. do know, that if the" Times' report was remarkable for its length, the Guardian's was remarkable for its brevity; as thus : "Professor Coughtrey then read a long lecture, which, though probably interesting to a few savans, is quite unsuitable to the columns of a newspaper." And really, Sir. I think you will agree with me that out of two evils the Guardian chose the lesser. A remarkable statement was made at an inquest the other day. A man blew half his head off, and as a natural consequence did not long survive. For seven years he had been a hard drinker. He had lately been in the lunatic asylum, having drunk himself into a state of insanity. Then when he improved and was discharged, to correct the tone of his stomach, which seemed to have got enervated during his stay in the asylum, he commenced a course of drinking that very soon put him on his back in the hospital, suffering from delirium . tremens. Between the time of his discharge from the asylum and the time of his admission to the hospital, he had amused himself at his own house with pointing loaded firearms at his young children, of whom he had four—motherless. Two rifles were kept by him, for he was a member of a Volunteer corps. A neighbor became alarmed, and informed the police that this semi-lunatic was pointing guns at his own children. The police said they could not interfere—and did not ; so that he might have shot the whole of his four children and no one would have been to blame. Fortunately, however, they were taken from him, as he neglected them systematically, and placed in the Industrial School. But the two rifles remained, and plenty of ball cartridge ; yet no one could interfere. So left to his own devices the poor devil blew his own head off, and it's a miracle and a mercy that he blew nobody else's off as well. And when all this was explained to the coroner, that here was a man in a state of madness living in a house by himself, and with firearms within reach. What did he say ? Why, that he did not see how the police could have interfered, and that if the man wanted to commit suicide he would have done it anyhow. And this is a Christian country, and we a Christian people. I had some other matters to mention, but as the Phoebe leaves on Saturday, and it is within about five minutes of the post closing, I will reserve my further remarks until then.