DUNEDIN. ( FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT. ) Dunedin, February 26th, 1866

North Otago Times, Volume VI, Issue 106, 1 March 1866, Page 2

DUNEDIN. ( FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT. ) Dunedin, February 26th, 1866

A variety of important cases have recently been decided by tho Judges of the Supreme Court in Bauco. Most of them require too much explanation to bo rendered interesting to the general reader in a newspaper letter. One, however, decided during tho pnst week is so peculiar in its character that it is worthy of mention. Tho Olngo Steam Shipping Company sued the lessee of tho Dunedin Jetty for tho recovery of a sum paid as Jetty dues. Tho argument relied upon was that the Ordinances of the Provincial Council under which jetty dues are collected are in themselves illegal, being a contravention of the Constitution Act. The Judges decided against the appellant 8 — the case came on as an appeal from the Resident Magistrate's Court — on the ground that from the nature of the port the Jetties are the only places suitable for landing goods, yet tho use of them is voluntary, and the dues demanded are simply a payment for services rendered. Mr Smith was counsel for the appellant, and argued his view of the case very closely. The Judges went so far as to aJmit that if diili.ri.siti <1 dues were charged, that is, if goo Is from one fount ry or colony were charged at higher rales than those fiom another, it was doubtful if the Court would hohl such a proclamation to be good. This admission was, however, based rather on tho nature of the Ordinances themselves than on any doubt as to the powers of tho Provincial Council. Wo are shortly to have a regatta here, under the auspices of some spirited young gentlemen who have formed themselves into a regatta committee. A programme including ten races has been adopted, modeled, so far as tho circumstances of the port, and of tho fleet belonging to it, will allow, very much after the fashion common in other colonies. There will be six pulling races, three sailing races, and the usual " duck hunt ' to wind up the regatta. Our collection of sailing yachts is not a very extensive one ; but for a fii'Bt pffort I undei'stand the affair is likely to be successful. A fair collection of tho needful has been made, so that the prizes are likely to be almost too good for tho character of work which may fairly be expected. Thirty guineas is named as the intended value of tho prizes for the three principal races, viz., the yacht race, tho sailing-boat race, and the amateur four-oared race. A number of Cliinamen are already at work in tho Province, say fifty or sixty altogether. It is still uncertain whether any large number will follow thorn — it depends, in fact, in a great measure on tho success of those already here. Though bo small an immigration has taken place, even thoso most anxious to see a Chinese population settled on our goldflelds must have admitted that wo had one too many of them the other day. One of them was, on tho information of some of his fellow-countrymen, apprehended the other day, and started on his way back to Victoria, as no case to secure a conviction could bo brought against him. Our celestial friend had brought with him a lot of spurious gold, and a neat little apparatus for tho manufacture of that article. The imitation of Tuapcka gold is said to have been so perfect that there would have been littlo chance of its detection when passed off in the usual way to tho country agencies of tho Banks. Tho hitch about tho Waikouaiti election is settled, so far as Messrs Dick and Vogel are concerned. MiDick's supporters, who, as I before hinted, only wanted sonic one with whom to fight Mr Vogel, left him in the lurch ; and he has therefore, as arranged, left tho field to his rival. Port Chalmers being in want of a candidato in place of Mr Ba^hgate, who has retired, has secured Mr Dick. Except at Koslj n, thero is no promise of a contest in this neighborhood. Mr Brodie is not a candidate for tho Assembly again. Ho has retired upon his laurels, which now ornament his brow in the shape of an Inspectorship in Bankruptcy. I have used tho phraseology current, which, like other slang, is not supposed to be reasonable ; but it is difficult to understand how laurels can be retired upon if they must be worn on tbo brow.