DUNEDIN.

Auckland Star, Volume VI, Issue 1626, 3 May 1875, Page 3

DUNEDIN.

(Per Press Telegram Agency.) Sunday,

Suicide of the French Consul.

M. Langstine, French Consul and woolbroker, committed suicide on Friday through taking strychnine. The body was found yesterday in the paddock near his residence. Deceased was involved in pecuniary matters, but only to such trifling extent that many of his numerous friends would have assisted him. He was high up in the Masonic craft. A meeting of that body was called last night to take steps for his funeral. Winter Weather.

It has been raining, snowing, and thundering during the day. The weather is intensely cold. The water supply is all right.

This day.

Opening of the Provincial Council. The thirty-fourth session of the Provincial Council was opened to-day, by the Superintendent, at noon. About 26 members, and all the Executive, with the exception of Mr Stout, Provincial Solicitor, were present. The Superintendeat's address was very lengthy. It stated that 12,311 emigrants had arrived during the year. - The great drawback was a want of house room. £12,000 had been borrowed from the Colonial Government to erect cottages repayable in four, years-tthe amount was in deposit. in the Savings Bank. The revenue for year was £244,766, the traffic on the railway £57,000, Compared ..with £35,000 last year. > The Clutha; line will be opened in July on the completion of the Chain Hill Tunnel. He considered the general question of Education would become inoperative^ £21,000 had been spent ■j on L school buildings during the past year. ~He: hailed with very great pleasure- the -construdtion of branch railways by public enterprise with private capital. He alluded to Mr. Conyer's retirement as manager of the Railway, and stated that to his exertions the improvement in the traffic receipts is mainly due. He paid a tribute* of'respect to the late Mr. Auld, agent for the province. 'JEe stated that the province lost a valuable public servant. He intimated that a school of mines would be established. The Superintendent concluded by alluding to the proposed abolition of the provinces. He admitted that a change in the present Constitution waa necessary, but he was altogether opposed to the modus operandi propose^- H e instanced that Otago and Canterbur7 contributed more than half the Consolidated revenue of the entire colony and averred by abolition, their resources would be still more drawn from^'He expressed himself favorable to unity of colony, but submitted that the surest course to obtain that end would be by every province being depenent on itself, and contributing a fair share toward the support of a Federal Government at Wellington, and also fair a share of the debt already incurred by the colony by consistently pursuing ftia course, the provinces would draw together as in v the case of Otago and Southland, and so the unity aimed at would eventually be brought about and get the financial separation of the North and South practically accomplished.