DUNEDIN,

Tuapeka Times, Volume VI, Issue 287, 31 July 1873, Page 8

DUNEDIN,

( From our ovm Correspondent.)Mb, Andrew Mercer was to-day elected Mayor of Dunedin by a majority of 340 over Mr. Thoneman, the second highest one in the polling; Mr Barnes being in the place which it waR but right he should occupy. The numbers respectively polled by each caudidate were : — Mercer, 970 ; Thoneman, 030; Barnes, 500. The most strenuous exertions were made by the friends of each candidate to 'fiecuro a victory. Notwithstanding the heavy showers which fell throughout the day, and the sharp wintry wind with its accompaniment of biting sleet, the partisans of the respective candidates were abroad in numbers, and the streets were thronged with cabs and waggoncts bearing the usual calico-bill invitations to vote for Mercer, Barnes, or Thoneman, as the case might be. The citizens were very enthusiastic when the poll was declared, and the cheering when Mr. Mercer made his appearance to return thanks was loud and long continued. At the inquest on the body of the unfortunate man who was run over by the 5,30 p.m down-train to Port Chalmers on Friday last, a verdict of accidental death was returned. Another addition to the long list of lives lost through intemperance. It appears that the poor fellow's body was frightfully bruised and mangled. Our new daily, the " Guardian," is to make its appearance on Wednesday morning, and will be received with very great favor if it is at all up to the mark. The Company's share list comprises the great majority of the business people of the city, and the shares have been distributed as widely as possible, in order to make the success of the speculation the more certain. Opposition has already had a noticeable effect upon the " Daily Times," which has come out for tho last week or so with two or three short Bub-leaders daily, while a gentleman of first-class literary ability is advertised for to take an appointment on its staff. The advent of the new paper is certain to affect in a very material degree the value of the " Daily Times" as a property, for it has been patronised by a large class in the community simply because they could not help themselves, and while at the same time they have not been blow to express their disapprobation of its peculiar views, and of the very common-place, and uninteresting style of writing which has for such a lenghb of time made it so unmeritably notorious. It was only by rare accident that anything brilliant found its way into the lead- ! ing columns, and the •' gentleman of first-class literary ability " who is now advertised for should have entered upon his duties several years since. The Directors of the " Otago Daily Times and Witness" Company have only been doing what many others have done (and regretted) before them — -abused their chance of keeping a good thing while they had it in their power by adopting a short-sighted and parsimonious policy which the public was eventually bound to resent. " Daily Times " shares will not now coairaand the high price that they would have done a few months since. In the Provincial Council this afternoon (Jlonday) the Government intimated that they did not intend at present to take any steps to re-pur-olmse the .lui'iferous land at Switzers sold to Mr. Allan M'Donald. The (xoverruneufc exchequer seems to be at rather low water just at present, and as His Honor graphically told a deputation which waited upon him the other day to urge upon him the necessity of proceeding with some road-making, "it is impossible to make bricks without Btraw." So the deputation's pet road will have to remain unmade, and Mr. Allan M'Donald's auriferous land will have to remain in that gentleman's possession for the present.