OUR DUNEDIN LETTER.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4457, 2 July 1875, Page 3

OUR DUNEDIN LETTER.

(euom oun own coiiuEsroNiiEN'r.) Dunedin. Juno 2S. ' As I informed yon in one of my telegrams, after tho sea of troubles with which Dnnodin was afflicted during the sitting of tho Provincial Council, there was a perfect calm in tins city for abont a week, tho only topic of conversation being tbe Smith and Macasscy controversy. As your -readers are aware, Mr. Maeassey bad a very warm letter in tbe Times, in x-eply to that of Mi-. Smith in the Guardian. Mr. Smith replied to this again, but this letter was so particularly hot ami strong that the Times refused to insert it. It was then taken by Smith to the Guardian, but this journal also, and I think very properly, refused to have anything to do with it, seeing that the matters to which it alluded had appeared in the Times. The Star also declined to have anything to do with it, and so poor Mr. Smith was left out in the cold. I informed you by telegraph that there was a cessation of this wordy warfare, but that it might be expected to break out in print at any moment. In this I was mistaken, for instead of breaking out in print the next clay, it broke out in blood. Mr. Robert Gillies (and not J.L., as was erroneously reported by some of the country papers) and Mr. Smith were dining at the Criterion Hotel. After the meal was finished and washed down in the orthodox way, Mr. Smith asked Mr. Gillies if he could see him for a few minutes in private. The-reply was in the affirmative, and the two gentlemen adjourned to a small parlor, away from the turmoil and bustle of tho bar and dining-room. Mr. Smith then taxed Mr. Gillies, as one of the directors of the Times, with keeping his letter out of that journal. Words waxed high on both sides, and at last Mr. Smith called him a “ d scoundrel upon which Gillies collared him by tbe throat, and threatened to keep on punching his head until he apologised. And then they tussled together, and Smith, getting the worst of it, did apologise, and said he was sorry that in the heat of the moment he had lost his temper aud applied such a term to Mr. Gillies. Whether they then shook hands and parted after a friendly drink I cannot say, but I rather think not. The next morning the little affair was made public in a local in the Guardian, but the Times was dumb upon the subject; so that the matter ended here, as it is understood that no court proceedings mil follow the fracas. But Mr. Smith was not to be thwarted, for, finding he could not get bis letter inserted in any of the local papers, he forwarded it to the Timaru Herald, in which it appeared on Thursday, accompanied by a stinging leader—-which I shall not further refer to, as no doubt you have long ere this received the copy referred to. It was known here on 'Saturday that the letter was in the Herald, and last night the newspaper offices were besieged by crowds of people anxious for a look at the now famous letter. But by some "accident tbe Heralds had not arrived, and so their curiosity had to lie over. ’ However, this morning they have come to hand, and those greatly interested have no deubt had the opportunity of satisfying their wishes by reading the correspondence. We shall see the result. Will it remain as it is ? I doubt it ; for a man who could rest under the stigma cast upon Mr. Maeassey by Mr. Smith —but there, I will say no more, as I just remember that the law of libel is in full force in this colony, and that it is one of Mr. Macassey’s penchants to “ go” for the Press. Independent of this squabble the Bar have been having rather a rough time of it with Judge Johnston, and the general impression is that he is just a little too hard upon the poor lawyers. Some people think that his assumption of all these airs and dignities is an insult to his predecessor, Judge Chapman Still, on the whole, knowing how the Bar have of late had it all their own way, how they have fumed and bullied, and in fact done much to bring a high and honorable profession into contempt, it is thought altogether that the way in which his Honor has “ jumped” upon them may have a beneficial effect. It is not necessary for me to give you a risumA of the little episodes which took place in court, as you will find them fully reported in your usual files ; but I think I have telegraphed you from time to time a very fair summary of the “ sayings and doings” in the Supreme Court since Mr. Johnston’s arrival. I might, however, mention one little incident which was more of an amusing character than otherwise. Your readers must know then that there are two Mr. Bartons, both barristers, and both practising at the Supreme Court in Dunedin. One is Mr. G. B. Barton, a tali, sedate, dignified Englishman, standing about six feet six or more ; the other is a fiery little Irishman, full of energy and humor, but not standing more than about five feet high. On a case in banco being called the other day, Mr. G. B. Barton commenced to address the Court. “ Stay !” said the Judge, stopping the learned gentleman in his arguments ; then addressing the registrar, he asked the name of the speaker. “ Mr. G. B. Barton,” was the reply. “But,” said the Judge, “ that is not the Mr. Barton who usually attends here, and his name is G. B. too. How am Ito make the distinction ?” The registrar was 'explaining that one gentlemen was named “ G. 8.,” while the other was “ G. E.,” when the latter gentleman, who had been quietly sitting down conning his papers, rose hurriedly, and addressing the Court, said—“ The difficulty can soon be got over your Honor, put me down Five Feet Barton, and the other gentleman as Seven Feet Barton.” This raised a laugh, the Court observing that it would hardly do to put these names on his notes. The names were then explained, and the business proceeded with. Dr. Bake well' and the Times have been having a rare aet-too lately, and I am informed on good authority, that the worthy doctor has commenced an action against that journal. In answer to a leader which appoai'ed in the Times a few days ago, Bakewell sent a long letter to the Star, in which tho Times most certainly got the worst of it. In the course of this letter, Bakewell said he had been born a literary man, that his father was a literary man, and that both his mother and sister were writers for the Press. In fact, judging from his language, tho doctor has mistaken his vocation. He ought to have been a Dickens or a Thackeray, hut ho candidly admits that lie finds that medicine pays him better. And X have not the slightest doubt that he is right—it pays him better, much better than writing could possibly do judging from the few specimens he has already put before us. But there, I quit this subject, for what with libels brought by doctors against newspapers, tho Smith cum Maeassey cum, Gillies affair, the chaotic state of the Bencli and Bar, and the diatribes of the Timaru Herald on the Times and Guardian, I feel quite dizzy. Therefore will I turn to other subjects.

I think I told you that some time ago a series of Saturday night sixpenny concerts had been started, and I think I also told you that, in my opinion, they would prove a failure. Well, so far as the object for which they were started is concerned, my words have come true, for they have degenerated into mere sing-songs. There is a lively attack upon them in to-day’s Guardian. That of Saturday appears to have been particularly lively. Among the choice things gone through by the “ performers," was that elegant half-drunken ditty, which ends with the charming chorus of “ Rolling Homo in the Morning Boys ” (sung by a lady,) a local song by a local poet, bettor known than respected, who strung together a tirade of doggrol about tire Dunedin barmaids, which ought to have caused the fellow to have been kicked out of the room. Ho then sang another slanderous song, tho people applauded, the larrikins shouted and hooted, stamped their foot, and made night hidequs, and in fact the so-called concert had all the worst attributes of a “ free and easy.” Therefore tho sooner those “ intellectual treats ” are done away with tho bettor. Tho Orangemen arc going to celebrate what they term tho "glorious" anniversary of thcbattle of the Boyne by a supper. Agood many tickets have boon sold, and it is said by those enthusiastic in tho cause that about 200 will sit down to dinner. The question of keeping the centeunary of " tho great O’Connell" has been mooted by tho Tablet. In all probability it will assume tho shape of a public dinner. The Times and Oaardian have sounded tho warning note on tho question of drainage, and pointed out that unless something is speedily done, wo may expect awful decimation in tho population next summer from the effects of typhoid fever. Tho Slur, on the other hand, rathorpooh-pooha tho alarmists, and says there is no cause to raise such a cry about tho matter, that wo have suffered from typhoid before, so wo must expect to suffer from it again. AYo had rather a lino dry week last week, but it has now set in trot and druary again, and it has every appearance of keeping in tho same mind for some time to come. lam told by Mr. -Bradshaw, M.H.R., who was last week up the country addressing his constituents, that for two nights ho was unable to sleep in consequence of the intense cold, and this notwithstanding the fact that tho bod was piled up with blankets. A very enthusiastic meeting of cricketers was held tho other evening, when tho sum of a thousand pounds was mentioned as being required by the Australian team to pay tho expenses of their visiting New Zealand. It was considered that £750 would be amply sufficient, and this sum is to be made up as follows ;—Dunedin, £175 ; Christchurch, £175 ; Wellington,£l7s; Nelson, £112; and Auckland, £ll2. It will be found that this comes to something over the £750 ; but I am really such abadhandat figures that I must ask your readers to reckon it up for themselves. But fancy poor Attckland being placed cheek by jowl with Nelson, and only asked to contribute £ll2. When it is remembered that she stands at the head of tho cricketing provinces, it is to be regretted that she cannot pay a larger proportion.