DUNEDIN.

(PROM OUR . OWN COREESPOIfBfiNT. ) April 24. The Provincial Council met on Thursday in the Council Hall, which h.ajs no.w^ been permanently fitted for the accommodation of lion, membera. There was a. vejFy fair muster, nearly all the members, being pres6nt. The Speaker took the cfiatf " 'aT * noon, and immediately after the Supenn-* tendent was- introduced!, and read 7 tho usual opening address. This document is rather longer than is generally the case, and ireats shortly of most of the leading >; topics of interest, giving a pretty favorable f view : of the progress of the province during the year. It speaks of, b»at does not detail, the failure of Mr W. C. Young's negotiation regarding the Clutha railway, , and intimates that another scheme for constructing the works will be laid before the House. Some alterations on the present-. system of Road- Boards are intimated, notwithstanding it has worked so well, : no less than ,£40,000 having been spent on roads during the year. A dock at Oamam is promised, also harbor works at Moeraki and Waikouaiti ; and a scheme for a railway to Port Chalmers is also to be pre-> pared. Another thing is. mentioned,, which may be interesting to folks on your side of the island, a subsidy is proposed^ for a fortnightly steamer between Dunedini and Hokitika, calling at all accessible ports, on the way. After alluding to the expected visit of the Duke of Edinburgh, the. speech concludes by proposing that an address be given him on landing. Altogether, though his Honor by no means mention everything he might" have done, he mustbe congratulated on having sketched out a very fine bill of fare for the Council to* work out during the session. Afterwards, some Bills were introduced, the usual Committees appointed, and then ensueda| slight sensation in the shape of some ex-' planation regarding the changes in the personnel of the Executive during the recess, in which Mr M'Dermid, of North Harbor, figured principally- \ Yesterday,, , the' reply to the Superintendent's address was moved by Mr J. Tj. Gillies (Toko-* mairiro), and a debate ensued. The reply is rather a mild affair, and was pretty, well torn to pieces, during the discussion.;' One of the members, suiting the action to the word,, actually tore up his copy and threw it into the fire. Eventually, however, the reply was adopted with, only a trifling alteration. After voting the sum of LSOO to defray the expenses connected with a visit of H.R.H. the Duke^ Ijhg . Council adjourned till next Thursday. ;. ; : The town is now in a state of active*. preparation for the reception of the Duke. Arches, flagstaffs, and illuminations are, going up in all directionsv The banks and, other pubh'c offices, as well as most of the* merchants' premises, are having gas de-. vices or transparencies erected. Some of them are very fine things, and will requirea large quantity of gas ts* display them properly. It will be remembered that th§ last attempt at Sluminatijon failed from this cause ; but I believe that since then, the works have been enlarged, and? th» power of gas 7 makiHg increased so that the risk of failure from want of light is so far obviated. If we have any good weather we will do very well. ThePtino* is expected on Mooday, which is pro-, claimed a holiday. The Reception Com-, mittee are very busy,, and have plenty of work before them. „ The new Masonic HaH was formally consecrated last night. There was a, full attendance of the Brethres, about 250 being present, and the proceedings were presided over by R.W.P.G.M., Harris of the i English, and Pyke of the Scottish Constitutions, assisted by P.Gr. Registrar White, IC. All the local lodges were present, most of those in the country were represented, and the brethren were all appropriately attired, the various officers wearing the jewels proper to, their rank. The ceremony was very solemn and impressive. A banquet was afterwards held in the lower hall, and the evening spent in the manner usual with the brethren, Brother Pyke filling the chair. • . . ' Mr Julius Togel, who has so long fiHed a prominent position in this prxmnce, is about to leave us. It is said he has accepted a sittration in Auckland in connection with the Southern Gross; Much, as he i3> disliked in some quarters, it will be a very difficult matter to find another man to till his place. ■■:.:.-.;•■ By the Tararua this week we received our telegrams of the ' English mails, but no letters. This steamer brought a large accession to our mining population in the shape of 196 Chinese, who have, during 1 the last day or two, given our streets a rather unusual appearance: Digging matters are ratfter Sat, and things are going on very quietly. The last escort brought down some 47786z. gold. Tfte next escort should be better, as a large quantity of rain has fallen on most of the fields. The weather this week has been rather better ; the last two or three days have been fine. . , • Business is dull, pending the Holidays next' week. None of the overdue home ships have arrived yet. The Mindora, having on board the new -lot of saltaon ova, is very anxiously looked for.

General Grant, in response to the formal notification of his election to the Presidency, declared that he would faithfully discharge the duties of his office and call around him men .who. would earnestly carry out. the principles of economy, retrenchment, and honesty, adding, however, that he declined to announce the names of the members of his cabinetruratil the nominations were sent to the Senate. A boat's crew,' consisting . of six men, who attempted to relieve the lighthousekeeper on the Calf Rock, near Dursey Island, on the southern coast, but were unable to land, owing to the violence of the storm, on Feb. 12, were unfortunately drowned while endeavoring to make their way back to the mainland. | Two of the companions of " Captain" Mackay, the Fenian, who were convicted as accomplices, were released on Monday, Feb. 8, after completing their full term of twelve months' imprisonment. On leaving the gaol they were met by a number of associates headed by a band, who escorted them amidst cheers, while their ears were regaled with the familiar airs " Johnny, I hardly knew you," and "We'll rally round the green flag." By way of keeping their hands in practice, the party broke the window, of Mr Richardson, the gunsmith^ in the evening.