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Otago Daily Times, Issue 316, 24 December 1862, Page 4

At the meeting of the Town Board yesterday, it was agreed to advertise for tenders for the supply of a large number of street Limps.

The Town Board at their raee'ting yesterday' came to a resolution to reduce the present assessment of the town by one-sixth, provided the necessary arrangements could be made with the Government. .

We observe that a ball is to take place at the Oddfellow's Hall, on Friday evening.

Too late for the Exhibition we have received samples of alpaca wool from Sydney, and of a variety of minerals from Victoria. A copy of the official letter from the TXuder-Seeretary of Lands in New South Wales to our Sydney agent, on the subject of the alpaca wool, will be found elsewhere. r Iv a late issue of the Dnilt/ Times an allusion was made to an alleged case of sticking up at theliough Ridge, on the Dunsfcan road. We are happy to be able to state that the police in the district have made every inquiry, and that they report that there has been no foundation for the rumour. The usual fortnightly meeting of the Dunedin Total Abstinence Society, was held last night in Dr Burns' Church. There was a good attendance.' Dr Purdie occupied the chair, and Mr Jago and other gentlemen addressed the meeting, in support of the principles of the society.

The steamer which caused so much excitemen on Monday evening, from the seemingly very dangerous position which she took up, off the Ocean Beach, proved to be the Corio, 116 tons, Captain L. Carte, from Port Albert, with 60 head of cattle. The Captain's account is that when he opened Cape Saunders, on Monday afternoon, he found the wind so strong a-head, that he could not weather it. He was under steam and canvas but some of his sails were split by the furce of the wind ; and therefore he put about and anchored off the beach, in, as he contends, a place of perfect safety. There he remained until some time before daylight, when the wind having abated, he got under weigh again, and was snugly anchored in Pelichet Bay about breakfast time. It can be understood from the statement of the facts, that Captain Carte was much astonished—and certainly not much pleased—upon learning the excitement he had caused, and the sympathy that bad been expressed for the safety of his ship, him self and his crew. The occupation of the even-" lug, on board the Corio, was—fishing ; not running distractedly about, or working pumps, or trying to stop leaks. It was rather enlivening to sec horsemen come dashing upon the beach ahout sun down, and to see pedestrians tramping vigorously over the sand-hills ; but whether there waf a review of volunteers afoot, or a match to come off seems to have been, to the captain and crew, a puzzling but not unpleasant subject of speculation. " All's well that ends well." The Corio is still afloat and staunch and sound ; but Captain Carte may. be assured that very many of the residents of Dnnedin anticipated that the new? yesterday morning would be of wreck and oi lives sacrificed. The distribution of helmets to the Duneclin Volunteer Fire Brigade took place last night a arranged. The helmets are very strong and ser-s viccable. The charming play, the "Unequal Match/ was repeated last night at the Princess Theatre, with even better effect than on the preceding evening, Ifc was followed by the pretty musical piece " the Loan of a Lover," in which Mr Harry Jackson was capitally humorous as Peter Spyk while Miss Emma Neville, as Gertrude, was a\\ that could be desired. She dressed the part admirably, and rendered the pretty Bongs t with which the piece is embellished with excellent taste. We observe that a grand Christmas pantomime, the " Babes in the "Wood," is to be produced on Friday ev6ning.

- The committee are making strenuous efforts to secure the success of the first annual soiree of the Young Men's Christian Association, which is to beheld this evening, in the Oddfellows'. Hall George-street. The programme shows a judicious admixture of addresses, "music, and refreshments ; and the decorations ought to be truly effective, considering the earnestness with which they have been set abcufc. " Self-help" is the motto of the committee, so instead of paying for what might possibly please no one, they have turned decorators ; and last evening two of their number might have been seen trudging along the North-Eatt Valley, each bearing a fine specimen of the cabbage tree, which they had cut a couple of miles off, and which will this evening be found somewhere near the dais or chairman's seat.

There are two steam-boat excursions announced for Christmas Day. The Samson is to start at nine o'clock for the Heads, proceeding thenoe to "Waikouaiti ; and •at half-past nine the Lady Barkly will leave for the Heads,-where the pas. sengeis will be landed, for dancing and other amusements. "Boxing J)ay" (Friday^) is fixed for a repetition of the Old English Sports, which were bo successful in the Provincial yard last year, Mr S. E. R. Jones having again offered liberal prizes. The pure fun of the games will be prefaced by a display of skill in quoiting, there being a match for .£SO aside, " between two wellknown Sandy Creek players." But the great event of the season will be the Caledonian Gathering on the Grange Estate, on Thursday and Friday, the Ist and 2nd January. We should have to repeat the printed programme to give' anything like an idea^of the games ; but we. may say that it vould he a mistake to suppose that they are purely Scottish. A grand stanza band, and "refreshments on the grounds," are amongst the announcements. The Society has secured a long list of patrons, headed by his Honor the Superintendent • and the Committee, from what we hear, are determined, fo to manage their nrs "gathering" as thoroughly to establish the Society, and make its annual display of ;< games pne; v of our Provincial" institutions." "•

It was pleasing to observe an improvement in the attendance at the Theatre Boyal last night, which may be attributed to the attractive programme. The pieces produced were " Jenny Poster," a pleasing melodrama, the comic >bur,letta, "The Artful Dodge," in which was included a duet and dance, by Miss Hart and Mr Dale; and the good old farce of " More Blunders than One." In each piece the cast was well selected, and the whole Vent off amid hea,rfcy plaudits. The Christmas pantomime at this bouse, to'be produced on' Friday, has a promising title, ," i&arJeqnin and the Fatal jSgpon, or ihe-J Maid and the Magpie." ' * v'\-' \f )\ - \ 7 ' * '

j JtiMl WieeiiT* an advertisement which appearFeTsewliere/that the Governmenlfare pre. 1 pared to receive tenders for the carrying of mails bet ween *fhe Duuatan Township aud the Cardronaand Airotv Riveis.

On Monday evening, at the Port Chalmers Hotel, Miss Harriett Gordon gave the first of a series of musical and dramatic entertainments She sang.<,with,. great effect & -number of well selected song, the execution of which was warmly applauded. .Mr J. P., Hydes also. sang anumothers .a local song entitled "Emigration to Dunedin," which gained an encore. The performance was altogether of a character uncommon in Port Chalmers, and was highly appeciated by the audience.

The Sydney Steam Navigation Board have passed regulations compelling every steamer plying in harbour to carry an efficient beat for the securito of passengers in case of accident. Tins regulation has been necessitated by the habitual overcrowding of steamers on holidays and other times. A similar provision would be suitable for Dunedin Harbour, the steamers plying on which have frequently been overcrowded to a most alarming extent.

The following item of military intelligence "we extract from the New Zealand Advertiser (Wellington) 12th instant :—" Orders, we understand, have been received for two companies of the detachment of the 14th stationed here, to be held in readiness to remove to Wanganui, and two companies of the 57th Regt., at present at Wanganui, will go to Taranaki. It is also, we understand, in contemplation to remove the headquarters of the 14th Regfc, to Wellington. Siuce the visit of General Cameron, morning parades at the Mount Cook Barracks have become the order of the day. No drills or marches are to be undertaken after nine a.m. The Sydney \Empire says, « The inexpediency of attempting to support public worship by grants from the public funds, is now acknowledged by both deliberate branches of the Legislature. The Act only awaits the Royal assent to be enrolled amongst the laws of the land.'' The large and indiscriminate immigration that has taken place to Queensland has already been productive of a good deal of distress. The North Australian reports that some families who arrived at Brisbane by the Great Britain, from positive destitution have been compelled to sleep in the open air. Large numbers of female imiiui grants had been received ac Brisbane, amongst whom were 96 governesses who had come over under thlr auspices of Miss Rye. The conduct of the crews of some of the emigrant vessels appears to have been unsatisfactory, for a telegram in the Sydney Emgire states 70 seamen were in. gaol on charges connected with the female immigrants. The same amount of reckless haste to reach gold fields difficult of access appears to have pre^ vailed in British Columbia as was witnessed in Otago on the first discovery of the Dunstan. Professor Bushell writing to the Columbian says : —" Amongst the green hands there is a general stampede ; 40 to 50 turning back daily. 1 counted 62 one day. They complain bitterly of the country, and curse the day they started for Cariboo. The mutter is easily accounted for; | they rushed in to Antler regardless of the voice of the press, or the vorce of disinterested friends ; i they find themselves a month too sooii,provisions 1 shamefully dear, and their pockets to let. Noi thing then is left tor them to do but to beat a : hasty retreat* Down they come growling about the country being a hard one, when they thernj selves have made it so. Had they been persuaded, I and taken it easier on the road, they would have I told a different tale, had more money in. their pockets, and fewer blisters on their feet.'' ■

Wo have frequently had to notice singular co incidences in legislation which have occurred in Xew Zealand and the Capa Colonies. We have just come across a letter from Port Natal, by. a correspondent of the Sydney Empire, from which we extract the following avert unoccupied lands :

—" A great evil existing hero is the number ot unoccupied farms, owned by absentees from the colony, who are in no way assisting its progress and are indeed a great burthen to it iv many ways ; roads have to be made through their 6000 acre farms with the public money, for instance, and the distance to be travelled is necessarily increased without any benefit to the colony. A few years since an Ace was passed by the Legislative Council to tax such lands ; it was, however, disallowed without any reasons assigned that 1 can learn.