DUNEDIN. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) Dunedin, 25th Dec., 1866.

North Otago Times, Volume VII, Issue 167, 28 December 1866, Page 2

DUNEDIN. ( FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT .) Dunedin, 25th Dec., 1866.

To take up my tale where it broke off last week, I have to tell you that our City Council seems to have been rather too precipitate in offering leases of the Town Belt. The authority to manage the Belt, has, it appears, never yet been granted to the Corporation, as by law it must be before any such step as that which has been attempted. The Council have been subjected to unmeasured abuse, although very few seem to understand the real merits of the question. The meeting at the Theatre which I mentioned in my last, proved both noisy and amusing. Mr John Barnes appeared there as the Champion of the Council, and was very racy in his wrath and indiguation. Two or three yean ago the same gentleman appeared on the same stage as a colonial Devonport, and extricated himself from a knotted rope with sufficient skill. But ropes of hemp and ropes of talk are different things, and our worthy Councillor instead of extricating himself and his colleague?, only got more and more entangled, and finally got out of temper, and declared that " he would not be abused by a set of people when he worked for them for nothing." The question of the Belt leases is not finally settled, as we have yet to see what course the council will take, but the Superintendent has announced that he agrees with the malcontent citizens and will have nothing to do with the leases, and that before the management of the

Recreation Reserves is vested in the Mayor and Council, the conditions of the vetting will appear in the " Gazette " for a month. The Session of the Council is at an end, and a speedy dissolution is promised. Never did a body of men display more anxiety to put an extinguisher upon themselves than this Provincial Council. The impression appears to have been strong enough amongst the members that the Province was tired of them. There may be some truth in this, but it is also true that a considerable section of the public prefer to see men stick to their duties and do them, rather than shirk them even on the pretence of humility and diffidence of their own powers. After working together for three years and-a-half; the Council was in a far better position to deal with the important business which has been deliberately sent to the wall this Session, than the new Council will be in its first session, when, as former experience has shown, members will be like a troop of half- broken colts, not to be led or driven, ready to kick out behind in any direction whatever, and to go forward in a steady practical manner in no direction at all. I am perhaps repeating unnecessarily what I said last week, but there is a decided feeling here on the subject in the tame direction as my remarks have tended, and the dissolution before a proper readjustment of representation had been made is looked upon as (and it likely to prove to be) a positive evil. The Bill appointing an Immigration Agent was debated in Committee on Thursday evening, when, on coming to the clause in which the name of the Agent had to be inserted, at the instance of the Treasurer, strangers were ordered to withdraw. Two hours and-a-half were consumed in canvassing, balloting, Ice. The Government candidate was, I believe, Mr W. G. Rees, of Wakatip, that of the opposition, Mr Jas. Adam, whilst a third section, anxious to defeat the Tokomairiro pet, and not satisfied with any of the i other candidates (there were several) persuaded Mr James Macandrew to allow himself to be put forward. The process of election was that of balloting out, by which the number of candidates was gradually reduced to three. Mr Adam had the highest number of votes in the ballot before the final one, Mr Macandrew the next highest, but when it came to be a question between these two, there was a combination against Mr Adam, and it is generally stated that many voted for Mr Macandrew on the understanding that if he should be elected the Government would allow the Bill to drop. After all, we were only saved from the indignity of having Mr Jas. Adam sent home to represent the civilization of Otago by a majority of one. There was a fine scene thereafter, quite melodramatic in some of its points, as most things are in which Major Richardson mingles when he lets nature get the better of art, and gives the reign to his temper, funeying it a patriotic fire. After rating his naughty children soundly, he committed abdication and resigned his speakership. After this the business of the business of the Council was very quickly brought to a close, His Honor was introduced and dismissed his agitated councillors, and told them that the Governor had promised him that they would be councillors no longer. Thus ended the last session of the fourth parliament of Otago. The conduct of the Government in not taking the important question of the appointment of an emigration agent into it* own bands in a decided manner from the first is the subject of general and grave animadversion, which is certainly not unmerited. This being the last time I shall address you in the year 1866, 1 wish you and your readers, each and all, " A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year."