OUR DUNEDIN LETTER.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4437, 9 June 1875, Page 3

OUR DUNEDIN LETTER.

(from odr own correspondent.) Dunedin, Juno 4. In my last I informed you of the fate of the Bastings- cum-Fish Government, which had been ignominiously turned out ot office a few hours before the despatch of my parcel. On the “ House” resuming at 2 o’clock in the afternoon, Mr. Bastings announced from the Government benches that after the adverse vote of the previous night tho Executive had thought fit to place their resignations in the hands of the Superintendent, by whom they had been accepted. Before sitting down, Mr. Bastings said he believed that his Honor had sent for Mr. Keid, but no doubt that gentleman would be in a position to answer for himself. Mr. Eeid, thus appealed to, stated that the remarks of the hon. gentleman, so far as they had gone, were perfectly correct; that the Superintendent had sent for him, and that he believed he should be able to form a Government with which the Council would be satisfied. During this time the members of the Treasury benches were evidently chafing over their late defeat, and ready to be up again and make another fight of it. And this despite the beautiful prayer which “ Mr. Speaker” had just read, exhorting them to “ peace, and iustioe, religion and piety.” Why cry “peace !” when there is no peace ? Alas ! it is sad to think that many of these Provincial Councillors were doubtless thinking of flying at each other’s throats even while the prayer was being read. Some hon. members might well have said, with Macbeth, “ The amen stuck in my throat.” The House then adjourned until two o’clock the next day (yesterday), when the new Government occupied the benches. Of the constituent parts of this Govemmant you have already been informed by telegraph, I have no doubt, so that X need say no further on that head, except that I believe it commands the confidence of the Council, Mr. Turnbull was asked to go in with his old colleagues, but declined to do so. It is thought, however, in a good many quarters, that to have been thoroughly strong and efficient the new Executive should have included the name of Mr. Bastings. The Council got well to work on the Estimates last night, and I have no doubt a week or less will now see the labors of tho session brought to a close. I very much question whether there will be another strong party fight, and perhaps it would have been better for the province—it would at all events have been a saving of the current coin of the realm—if neither of the two fights wo have had had taken place. The question of the Princes-street widening still remains in statu quo ; but notice has-been given by the committee appointed at the recent public meeting, not to pay the arbitrators’ award. On the other hand, the lessees have sent in notice that unless these amounts are at once handed over they will take legal action ; so that the City Council are on the horns of a very pretty dilemma, and have, so far, done nothing—probably tho beat thing they could have done under the circumstances. In the meantime a public subscription is being made to take some definite steps in the matter, and I am told that one gentleman alone has given £IOO. This looks like a big fight. At a recent election meeting Mr. Stewart (a lawyer) was opposing Mr. Leary in the race for a city couueillorship. Mr. Stewart gave it viis his opinion that the entire City Council ought to resign in a body after what they had done in this matter. The next morning- a letter of thanks appeared in the Guardian, signed by Mr. Isaac, one of the Councillors, who thanked Mr. Stewart for his advice, and further informed that gentleman that if he would call round at his (Mr. Isaac’s) office, ho would receive the usual fee of • 6s. Bd. for the same. This Mr. Isaac is the gentleman who, on being asked by some of his constituents to call

i a meeting to consider the question of the ■ Princes-strcet widening, said he should do nothing of the kind ; that he was sent to the Council as an independent member, and not as a mere delegate or mouthpiece of the rate- , payers, and finally that he considered the requisition to be as uncalled for as it was impertinent. Whether my friend will ever be returned again remains to be seen, but I very much doubt it. . Although a searching inquiry has been made into the robbery of the £l3O from the Eesident Magistrate’s Court, nothing as yet has come to light. The inquiry into the loss of the notes that were supposed to have been stolen has also been going on, before Mr. Strode, E.M., but as it was conducted with closed doors nothing has come to light in that case either. It appears to me that too many of these inquiries, which ought to be open to the Press, are conducted with closed doors. The Fakir of Oolu finishes on Tuesday and departs for Christchurch. The Bates at present have only partially opened, because, in consequence of severe indisposition on the part ofMr.Bates, Mrs. Bates only has appeared. No new pieces have consequently been produced, and as the weather for the last two nights has been wretched, the attendances at the Princess’s have been ditto. And ray impression is that, unless during the coming season new dramas are put on at the Princess’s, neither the Bates nor any other “stars” will bring much money to the treasury, for the Dunedin playgoers are quite sick of the old stock pieces. And Mr. Hoskins, if he is wise, will add a few new plays to his repertoire in Wellington if he wants to make money, as I have no doubt he does. I see some exception has been taken by one of the Wellington journals at iny complaining of the constant change of mail days. The writer states that when tho steamers leave every five days it is impossible that tho mails can be despatched once a week as heretofore. That may be, but I have yet to learn that they do leave every five days. For instance, tho Wellington left on Wednesday, and the Phoebe leaves to-morrow (Saturday). This is hardly five days ; but it is a matter of little moment. On the question of rabbits we are at once to have legislation; that is to say, Mr. Manders in the Council has moved for a select committee to inquire into the best way of putting a stop to the rabbit nuisance. If rabbits are so frightfully abundant, and are such a nuisance, it is certainly a strange thing that they are not more plentiful and a little cheaper in town. , The ship Earl of Zetland arrived yesterday, after a slashing passage of seventy-seven days from Gravesend, and brought 341 immigrants. They appear to be a very superior class of people, and will, no doubt, speedily find employment. A pretty specimen of an immigrant was brought out by the Wennington a few days ago, and for fear the demands for her should be too numerous here, she was desnatched to Oamaru. She still remains in the barracks there, waiting to be engaged—and she is likely to wait. This “pet” of Dr. Featherstou’s was described as a “ single girl ” in the immigration list. It is quite possible she is a spinster. I know not; but she : s said to be 63 years of age, is bent double, quite decrepit and scarcely able to walk ; and it is for such “ free immigrants ” as these that the people of New Zealand are taxed. We had beautiful Queen’s weather here on the 24th; it was raining in torrents all day (as it is doing at this present writing—midnight), and the amount of holiday-making was at a minimum. The publicans seemed to do the most business —not that I ever drink myself. Yet this must be a magnificent country—at all events, the sailors of newly arrived ships appear very desirous of remaining here, for desertions are very numerous. The other night, seven of the men of the Andrew Eeid got into a boat early in the evening and succeeded in getting clear away, the ship at that time being anchored some distance from the shore. The captain, determined that none of the other men should follow, remained on deck for nearly the whole of the night ; but early in the morning, having occasion to go below for a minute, two of the other men lowered a boat and were off in the twinkling of an eye. And none of them have been recaptured since.