OTAGO.

New Zealand Herald, Volume I, Issue 286, 12 October 1864, Page 6

OTAGO.

[FROM OlTtt OWN CORRESPONDENT.j Dunodin, September 29. The comparative reposo, not to eay dulness, which has characterised tho even tenor of life in Dunodin for the laßt month or two, has at length been rudely disturbed by the appealnnco of a vile and scurrilous article in last week's Saturday liiritv, and the wellmerited horse-whipping of the Keviewcr, in l'rincesstreet, the day before yesterday. Ido not design to dwell on tho baso attack itself, or the scandalous insinuations in which it dealt. Indeed, it would bo quite opposed to good morals, and not at all to the credit of my craft, for me to do so. It will be quite sufficient, for tho present occasion, if 1 say that the article was entitled "Tho School for Scandalthat it was calculated to give full swing to an unlimited number of Lady Sneerwells, Mrs. Candours, and Sir Benjamin Backbites; that it was worthy of the Satirist and Mr. Barnard Gregory in its most palmy and pitchy days; that it assailed thoprivato character of a mender of souls, a dispenser of justice, and more than one lady "of positionthat it spoko ol a " swinish roue," a " reverend slanderer," and a married lady who "prefers tho society of a young fellow of her own ago, and Saturday night to visit tho Opera or, to say all in a word, that it defied public opinion, and sold tho publication in which it appeared like smoko. Of course tliero could be no member of the fourth estate worthy to fill his dignified functions who did not feel deeply tho disgrace brought on tho legitimate members of tho Press, by gross misconduct such as this. Nay, I will go farther and assert that there was not one, from the ablest leader-writer to the veriest paragraph-monger amongst us, who did not cry shame on the pen that wrote and the heart that dictated the foul slanders. The unanimity of public opinion was really something extraordinary. It manifested itself first in a general hand-shaking and fraternization with Mr. G. K. Turton.tho son of your worthy citizen, H. H. Turton, Esq., after ho had operated upon Mr. A. G. McCombe, the writer of the article, at noonday in Princes-street, with that hardy flagellator, a horse-whip, and it displayed itself afterwards, tho same evening, in tho rough, honest, but ill-regulated indignation in which the caluminntor was expelled amidst a multitude of blows and kicks from the dress circle of the theatre. I need add very little to what I have written on a very •nasty subject. Ono can scarcely touch pitch and not be defiled. I must not omit to mention, however, that this sigher away in print of ladies' reputations, who stands some fivo feet ten inches in his stockings, took his whipping as Izaak Walton hooked his fish, "as if he loved it," and that his assailant of tho horse-whip, who is a gentleman hitherto remarkable for his urbanity and mildness of demeanour, has now, of course, given tho plainest possible demonstration that if he acts on tho suaviter in motto principle the fortiter in rc often goes along with it. With regard to the " horsowhippee" ho may bo disposed of in a few words. He has first .stubbed reputations in'tho dark, and then, to prove himself ono of those who talk and write daggers, but use none, ho has shown the white feather. He has not yet appeared in public since his expulsion from the theatre, if he should again, everbodj'will fight shy of him. He may bo recommended in his own interest to " hie away to the rocky dell or to tho soft sea shore," without a day's delay. At all events, the sooner he hies away from Dunedin the hotter.

It has been arranged by consent of counsel on both aides, that the case of the New Zealand Banking Corporation v. Cutten and Yogol, (of which I promised you particulars in my last), shall be taken on Monday next. My letter from here of the 10th proximo shall contain all particulars. The Ladies' Bazaar in aid of that excellent charity, the Benevolent Institute, has proved a great succcss. Above £1100 have been taken iri the gross at this Bazaar, to which has got to be added £50, presented by Mr. Farjeon, being the proceeds of a complimentary benefit given to him at tho Princess' Theatre. A concert by Mr. Lyster, and a ball in aid of the same good cause, are also on tho c:irds, to it may fairly bo expected, that the most substantial advantages will accrue to the funds of the Benevolent Asylum. The substraction of so largo a sum of money by reason of the Bazaar and the Opera Company, lias hower acted very prejudicially on trado, sand if it were not for the necessity of ringing the changes a little, the following might almost bo stereotyped as our Dunedin daily Commercial Article: —

" This has been the quietest day in business for a long time past, and not a single transaction worth recording has taken place." This is the last and an extra week of, tho Lyster Troupe, and although it is devoted principally to benefits, the houses are very thin. Tho truth is, that they.have made the mistake of out-stopping their welcome in a limited community like ours. At first, the opera was all the rage, but people aro now beginning to sound their poekots. It was a matter of notoriety, that in Melbourne at tho time of the fancy ball, several heads of families mortgaged their furniture to purchase dresses for the important occasion. In Dunedin, I could name not a few young sprigs who would iain bo in the fiishion, who have pawned their jewellery to attend at Mr. Lyster's levees. Tho Lyster Opera Troupo have arranged fur a visit to Christchurch. A committee of the leading inhabitants has guaranteed £1500 for twelve nights, with a right to six nights more for an additional £700. From Canterbury Mr. Lyster thinks of proceeding to Auckland.

An address numerously signed by inhabitants of Port Chalmers, has been presented to Mr. S. E. 11. Jones, expressing warm sympathy with him in tho circumstances under which he has ceased to be proprietor of the Provincial Hotel, Dunedin. The address, which is neatly engrossed on a sheet of vellum and which was presented to Mr. Jones by a deputation from those whoso signatures it bears, refers in complimentary terms to tho public spirit and enterprise which he has exhibited as proprietor of tho .Provineiiil, as an extensive employor of labor and as the chief cateror of ainltsements for the inhabitants of the Province.

I have little to tell in the way of mining news. Every one you see from up tho country concurs in describing a very bad state of affairs, but tile last escort which arrived in town on tho afternoon of the 20th, brought down 13,716 ozs. o dwts. In bad times ol course, creditors begin to look up their debtors, and the application lor debt summonses at tho Resident Magistrates court, is now so oxtensive as to render it necessary, in many instances, to make the hearing ten and fourteen days in advance ot the day of issue.

Ainid the sober solemnities of our police court there are occasional eases of fun, which contribute in no small degree to relieve the grave monotony of the business on hand. Such a scene occurred tho other day among tho gentlemen of the long robe It is thus narrated by tiie Daily Times:—" The calling on of the civil case of Me Kinty v. Dick, was enlivened by some proceedings on the «,t-civil side of the Court,

A\hich took place at Ihe same tima between Messrs Wilson and Ward, the combative counsel on tho occasion. Tho bone of contention was as follows :— Mr. Ward, who represented Dick, applied to the Bench to have the case put down to the bottom of the list on tho ground that his client was at that time engaged as a juryhnui in tho Supreme Court. This delay Mr. Wilson, on the part of M'Kinty, strongly objected to, saying that the ease could easily be got through beforo Mr. Dick's services as a juryman wore requited, and adding that he himself would pay Mr. Dick's fine if he got lined. In the course of his remarks Mr. Wilson said that "It was no use Mr. Ward's attempting to throw dust in the eyes of the Court." Upon this hint that gentleman lired up, and look' his brother of tho long robe to task for speaking as ho had done. Mr. Ward added that, nn ill-feeling existed towards Dick ox; the part of Mr. Wilson, and complained of tho latter having " hurt his (Mr.Ward's) feelings." This caused Mr. Wilson to say that " lie did not- think he could hurt Mr. Ward's feelings," andtlie unseemly altercation ended. Mr. Ward did not appear in the case after all, but instructed Mr. O'Meaghcr for the purpose.