OTAGO.

Southland Times, Volume I, Issue 47, 21 April 1863, Page 2

OT AGO.

fFUOM OUU OWN COItRESPONDENT.J DUNEDIN,

Saturday, llth April.

Thursday and yesterday were two days which absorbed the whole attention and interest of the Dunedinites. Ou. the first of these the election for Superintendent took place, but as the poll did not close until four o'clock in the afternoon, and none of the officials inside the Court-house dare give any information how things were going, all, up to some time after this hour, was sheer conjecture or reckless assertion. Bets were made and taken, and amouats doubled and trebled on the event, as the hour for closing drew near. At one period the Major was a-head ; then he wasn't, Judge Hsrris having polled three to one. The fact was, that up to four o'clock nobody knew anything for certain, and consequently people got very excited, as they always do when there is no particular reason why they should. However four o'clock came at last, very much behind its time, when the announcement was made that Judge | Harris was sixty-nine votes a-head of Major Richardson. This, however, was the majority only for Dunedin proper, J and the Major's supporters declared that they fully expected it would have been much larger, but they looked for the outlying and up-country districts to bring up town arrears, and set all to rights, with from two to three hundred j votes to spare. When the state of the poll in Dunedin had been officially ascertained, attention was directed to every scrap of intelligence coming in from the other polling-places. A telegram was sent to Port"Chalmers after four o'clock to learn how the polling had gone there, but the clerk, under the overwhelming weight of his immense importance, and possessed with a deep aud mysterion3 sense of his duties, refused to say how the poH stood at the close- The intelligence might and should have been telegraphed up within a few minutes after the voting had closed ; but no — in the dead hour of the night, in a sealed dispatch, by a i messenger mounted on horseback, was the news brought to hand, and when made known, lo ! Major Richardson was benefitted some seven votes ! All night mounted messengers were galloping in and out of town, bringing reports of divers kinds, but nothing official. The returns from Tokomairiro had not come in. Nothing was known what had been done at JVest Taieri, nor at the Taieri east and north. So, throughout the whole of yesterday, people speculated freely in opinions formed upon an entire ignorance of facts. There was also an increase upon the previous day's betting, and there was a good deal of work done at pub-lic-house bars, in back parlors and upstairs rooms. As the day passed away } and night set in, the knowledge of how matters really stood became more and more uncertain. The hundreds of reports flying about in all directions, knocking each other over with strong

; contradictions, so puzzled aid plexed people that, what with J and tobacco, and conflicting j, nies, I believe Dunedin last was completely fuddled, menta] physically. However, this u has brought out matters clear e there is no doubt now that Judgj is our Superintendent, and that Richardson will be compelled to into that privacy which has \ desire of his later years. Vhe ing shows how the election stai to an early hour this morning • Kames Votes.Jj Polling Districts, on 8011. Harris. $; Dunedin 691 ... 252 ... Port Chalmers 79 ... 16 ... Oamaru (Town) 52 ... 11 ... North Harbor 110 ... 12 ... Peninsula 80 ... 25 ... Waikari 64 >.. 23 ... Green Island & Caversham ... 95 ... 20 ... Taieri 237 ... 82 ..I Waihola 58 ... Tokomairiro ... 114 ... 21 .., Matau (Kaitangataand Inch Clutha) 29 ... Clutha 114 ... Lindis 9 ... Manuhevikia ... 19 ... ... Wakatipu 5 ... Oamaru (Country) 69 ... 8 ... Waikouaiti 71 ... 23 ... Totals 1,896 493 Majority for Harris ... 128 Business is remarkably bris and a very large trade i with the Dunstan and La tricts. Trade with you, we is anything but what you like it to be, and this ca to rejoice thereat. The fad have been taking too much up self of late altogether, and i like it, and won't have it, \ another thing — that is, if we it, and we think we can. Tin and William Miskin have been j passengers to your port, wl have been sending to Victoria eatables and drinkables, whicl to be contraband, and contrat usages of trade. It may be well for you, but does not an i purposes. If you want anytl and you shall have (upon proi ment) ; but don't attempt I on your own account, until I served your indentures, as I done before you. You ha aforetime of a very old provei one fool make's many,'' and in ation of this, several of ouri blished houses are " cuttin settle down at Invercargill, be or two who left here have I favorably of you. Beware of say, for, if they do not know « are well off here, what cal pected of them when locatJ you. I

A report came in here t before last, that a goldfield promise had been discovered Province. Will you let us this be correct. One man, says, had got into a gully, washed out ever so many pem to a tin dish, and a rush hasj upshot. This information ca'i Titania. Is it true, or a reji got up to allure away our brei meat-consuming, nobbler-drin ulation ? People here, who d Invercargill, suspect the j don't go to Invercargill, the &c, &c. — you know my i from the premises.

The murderer of Eldon hi been captured, which rathe upon the sharpness of our < It is considered that the should not have been permit so long at liberty.

The weather very change one day, and wet and cold aj