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Otago Daily Times, Issue 1962, 14 April 1868, Page 4

We understand that a requisition is now in coarse of signature, inviting Mr Henry Driver, member for Leith Ward, to beconio a candidate for the Mayoralty. The quarterly meeting of the A.O.F. Court Pride of Dunediu, will bo held at the -Boyal George Hotel, thia evening. Tho Princess Theatre was crowded last evening. "Love's Sacrifice," and the burlesquo of "Midas," were produced; and from what we were abl« to ace and to hear, wo conclude that each wa3 played successfully. The same pieces are announced for this evening. The prisoners in the Dunedin Guol, at the close of the week ending 13th April, were— Awaiting trial, 4 men ; pcn.il servitude, 15 men ; hard labor, 40 men, 10 wointn ; imprisonment, 2 men ; debtors, 4 men. Total, 65 men, 10 women.' I'uring the week, 5 men and 8 women were discharged, and G men and 3 women were received. A Silver Cup, presented by Gunner Fish, was competed for last week, by menders of the Dunedin Volunteer Artillery Co i ps. It wan a condition of tho gift, that tho competition should bo confined to the members who had not been winners in any previous match; and there wore 15 competitors. There were to be three competitions—First, at 20f), 400, and 500 yards; second and third, at 200, 000, and GOO yards. Five shots were allowed at each r.-.nge; Wimbledon targets, and Go- ; vernruenfc rifles ; the highest aggregate soorer to be the winner. The result was, that Gunner J. Curie won. His score was j 114 ; made up of 41 iv the first competition, 32 in tbo second, and 41 in the third.— Another series of competitions by members of tho Artillery sorps was completed last week. Two Silver Cups and a money-prize^ were subscribed for ; and it was agreed that the competition'should bo open to the corps. There were to be 12 competitions—each to consist of seven shots at 2t)i), at 500, and at GOO yards ; tho- other conditions to be 28 stated for the match for Gunner Fish's cup. There was to bo a weekly competition ; the highest scorer each week standing out, aud tho twelve ultimately shooting for the prizes. This final contest took place last week ; and live of the twelve having retired during the contcit, tho other seven stood thus :— 200 500 600 Tl. Gunner Chisholm 2-1 25 18—1.7 „ Cato 21 10 20—GI Sergeant Muir 23 10 20—59 Gunner Hannah If) 21 10—5G Capt. M'farland..... 15 22 IG—53 Corporal Ogilvie IS 11) 1(5—63 „ Smith 20 J8 13-51 Gunner Chisholm consequently took the larger of the two cups; Gunner Cato the smaller one ; and Sergeant Muir the money- < prize.—The shooting c-ff between Gunner Ogilvie and Cnpt- M'Farland, for possession of the Challenge Cup during tho next »>x j months, has been postponed until Thursday morning. On Saturday morning last No. 1 Company competed for their Challenge Cup, which was won by Corporal M'Gregor. Ranges, 200, 300, 500, and CO<J yards; standing at 200 and 300 ; any position at the other ranges; Wimbledon targets. The weather was dec.dcdly unfavorable, the wind blowing in heavy puffs from the right. This will account for the low scores made at the longer ranges, the strength of the wind varying almost every shot. Sixteen mom- [ bers of the Company fired for the Cup, and the following are the scores of 30 points and 2 0 300 500 600 Tot Corpl. M'Grcgor 16 .12 12 13—53 Vol.Creagh 15 11 15 10-51 Sergt. Wedderapoon .. 14 12 14 9-4!) Lieut. Wales 15 12 15 2—44 Vol. Shepherd IS 11 17 0-43 CorpL Goddes 11 10 11 o—4l Serfei". Douglas J3 11 12 3—39 Corpl. Stalker 14 14 7 0—35 Vol. Mael'-o -13 11 8 2—34 „ Reid 12 5 14 3—34 „ Nasmith 11 7 8 G—32 „ M'Neo 12 11 4 4—31 The first four in the hat are consequently the prize-winners, Mr M Grogor gaining tho Cup. Volunteer John Gibson, of the Cadet (High School) Volunteer Corps, has won the position of representative of Otago, in the Cadet Corps Match for General Government Prizes at Wellington. The conditions were that each Cadet corps should send one representative; and that he should be tho ono who made tho highest score with five shots at each of two ran gee—loo and 150 yards. We have been favored with the scoro3 made by the Dunedin corps. They are :— 100 150 Tl. VoL J. Gibson 17 10—33 ~ A. Fulton 15 16—31 ' „ H. Muir 16 15—31 „ H. Willis 1G 14—;>0 „ A. M'Lellan 18 12—30 „ A. Palmer 14 14—28 „ E. Tamo 17 If—2S Sergt. W. Stewart 13 12—25 Vol. P. Williama 13 JO—23 Lieut. H. D. Bell 14. 0-23 Vol. A. Str.ido 10 7—23 „ A. MKenzio 12 9—21 There are two prizes offered for Cadets— First, a medal, and L 10; second, L 5 —We hear that the Otago Representatives in the Colonial matches will leave for Wellington on or about the 22nd inst. The New Zealand Gazette of the 3rd iost. contains announcements of various new polling places, on the occasions of the election of members of the House of Representatives or of the Provincial Council. The following are the places appointed in this Provinces, for the election of members of the House of Representatives :—District of tho City of Dunedin: the Provincial Government Buildings ; the School-room, Korth Dunedin. District of Waikouaiti: the Court-house, Hawkesbury ; the School-house, Palmerston; the station of Messrs Douglas, Alderson and Co., Highlay.; The District of Eoslyn: the Drill Sheds, Kaikorai and Gairersham"; the Schoolhouses, North-east Valley, and 'Mornington. District of Mannherikia: the COnrfc-hdnseS —Alexandra, Cromiarell, Hamilton; Clyde, Roxburgh, Naseby, St; Bathans. 'District of the Goldfielda: tho Couit-honaea— Clyde,

Lawrence, Quoenstown, Alexandra, Cromwell, Arrowtown, Hamilton, Waipori, Maori Point, Havelock, Roxburgh, St. Bathans, Naseby, Macrae's Flat; Police Station, BI&c1:b No. 1 ; the Cainpc—Nokomai, Cardroua, Nevis, Switzcrs, Hyde. The following are abolished as polling places for th-j election of members of the Proviucial Council :—The Court-houses—Roxburgh, Maori Point, Cardro la; tho Post office, Macatowu —and the follo-.-.-ing are appointed, !?s additional polling places in the districts undurmeiitioned :—District of Taieri : the Schoolhouse, Mauugntua. District of Clutha : the School-house, Popotunoa. District of Dunstan : tho Conrt-houso, Blacks No. 1. District of the Lakes: the residence of Mr Braden, Frankton. District of Manuhorikia : the Court house, Masoby. District of Tuapeka : tho Court-houso, Waipori. District of Wakatip: the Court-house, Moa Flat. District of Waikouaiti: tho Court-house, Macrae's Flat. District of Waikari : tho Drill Shed, Kaikorai. District of Port Chalmers : tho School-house, Port Chalmers. Mr Warden Stratford furnishes the following report of the mining district of Nokomr.i for the month ending 31st March : — " At Switzers, there has been a great exodus of miners thin month, some prospecting, and others returning to the districts thuy came from. Stores are being built yet here, and of substantial material. The water supply has begun to be more regular, and employment, cons'qucnt'y, more general. Estimated population—Miners, 450 ; Chinese, 30 ; others not following mining pursuits, 150 ; total, 630. Prices current and wages —Beef, 8d per lb; mntton, ssd ; potatoes, LlB per ton ; flour, L 35 per ton; loaf, 41b, Cd ; wages, L 3 12a per week. Owing to a slight rainfall on the depai turo from tho Jetty, yesterday, of the steairer Wallace, on an excursion to the Heads and Ocean Beach, very few persons availed themselves of a sea trip. Tho weather afterwards cleared up and became fine, continuing bo throughout tho day. The Wal'.nce arrived at the Port (shortly after noon, waited tho arrival of the Company's steamer Golden Age, and then proceeded outside. In running along tho coast, Capt. Malcolm, kept the steamer close in shore, thus affording a fino view of tho different bays and boat harbors, as also of tho many little farms which have litely sprung into existence on tho Enat Coast of tho Peninsula, which a few years i ago was a dense forest. Tho steamer rounded White Island slioitly after four o'clock, having made the run from the Heads in the space of two hours. Tho same time w:s occupied in tho run back, and she arrived at Pert Chalmers at a qnatter past seven. Remained half an hour, and steamed on to DuDedin. Tho trip throughout proved a most pleasant one. Tho Gazette notifies the appointment of Mr K. P. Kenyon as Eevising Officer for tho electoral districts of City of Dunedin, Boslyn, Caversbam, Port Chalmers, Taieri, Bruce, Clutha, Oamaru, Waikouaiti, Hampden, and Gcldfields Towns. From tho Dnnstan district, Mr Warden Robinson reports, on the 31st ultimo :— " Tho approach of winter is causing many miners, especially Chinese, to leave tho highlying gullies and seek the river banks and beaches. Numbers of Chinese are beginning to come in to this district from distant places, and it is expected that there will be a great many leave this winter. A Chinese store i» about to bo opened at Clyde. Work is commenced at the Frenchman's Point, and a | good season ia anticipated. The numerous I sluicing parties along the rivors Ciutha and [ Kawarau continue to do well. With the added experience of each year, the men are enabled constantly to improve their method of working Tho first great improvement in sluicing, was the introduction of the iron ripples ; these were, in the first instance, made by screwing flat iron bars into wooden frames to fit into tho bottom of the sluice boxes—soon, iron castings were introduced, but other experiments have been tried. At the Pioneer Company's claim steel bars have beeu used with marked success. At Hartley's Beach, Barkin and Party have procured castings in imitation of tho oldfashioned false bottom, which consisted of planks with auger holes bored through them. Those castings are jnade only half aa wide as the bottom of the box, the object being to shift them from time to time, so that they may wear evenly, instead of bung cut through in the middle, ay invariably happens with the wooden planks. The crops this season have, as a rule, turned out well, notwithstanding the broken weather, which had caused some gloomy anticij ations. Produce of moat kinds will probably bo at rolueed prices, with the exception of potatoes, which are expected to be dear. Provisions rule at Clyde, at the fallowing rates : Adelaide flour, per ton, L 37; sugar, per lb, G.^d ; tea, 3s ; candles, la GJ; oafs, per bushel, Cs 6:1 ; chaff, per cwt, ]0s; potatoes, per cwfc., 12s. Estimated population—Miners, European, 8 0; Chinese, 300 ; others, 900. Total, 2000." In consequence of a rumour having reached Switzers that the Government intend removing Mr Warden Stratford from that district, a meeting of miners took place, and tho following petition was adopted, to which 2GO signatures were attached : —"To Ilis Honor J. Macandrew, Esq., Superintendent of Otago—The petition of the undersigned, miners, storekeepers, and other residents of the Switzers GoldnVid, humbly sheweth—That your petitioners have heard; with unrningled surprise and the deepest regret, that) your Honor's Government havw in contemplation the removal of the respected Warden of thi3 Goldfield, H. Stratford, Esq. Y^ur petitioners would, therefore, most respectfully submit to your Honor, that should your Government persist in carrying out the above object, it will thereby prove a great act of injustice, both to the "Warden and the inhabitants of this Goldfield generally. The following reasons "wo do sincerely hope will prove the same to your Honor, and your Honor's Government:—lst, That during the shoit period the Warden : has been j stationed hero, ho has fully identified himself with.this place and its inhabitants, both* Officially arid Booialhf,; and that his decisions na Magistrate, and Warden, have given ahnofct universal satisfaction. 2nd, That the Warden has worked

hard, and has imcceedtd in fully posting himself m to tho requirements of this par- | tieular Goldfiold a^d its inhabitants. 3rd, Your petitioners would most earnestly desire to impress upo/* you*1 Honor's notice, tLat yonr petitioners ft ol perfectly justified ; in making tho asscitfovi that, should any other gentleman be stetii ned here for tho namo number of years £fc' oar respected Warden has been months, h^ would not bo capable of giving more si'.tisfactiou, in proof of which we beg to caJI jvmir Honor's attention to the number of aignatu a%a attached, viz., nearly every readout of this Coldiield. —4th, and lastly. In the event of Your Honor's Govornmcot carrying out tuo contemplated removal, tho care aud troubio our respected Warden has taken in all matters connected, withtbig Goldtield will be entirely thrown away, and a new Warden would have tho work to begin afresh, thereby caus>og a great amount of trouble and inconvenience to your petitioners. Your petitioners do, therefore, most sincerely hope that Your Honor wi'l be pleased to grant our prayer; and that Your Honor will at once take steps to havo our Warden retained here. And your petitionera, as in duty bound, will ever pray." A meeting to consider tho necessity for establishing a Cattle Market, wrs held in Green.lsland School on Saturday evening. The Chairman (Mr Ai'an), said that a Mar kct centrally situated, and contiguous to the City, would provo of great advantage to the tcttlers generally, and thought, by petitioning tho Provincial Council, there could bo no doubt £i suitable site would be selected for the purpose. From statements mado on many occasions by hia Honor the Superintendent, ho would .look favorably on a movement in this direction. The initiation of any matter proving bentficial to tho public, and this undoubtedly was an important one, would find favor, and was certain, when the matter camo before him in a tangible shape, ho would lose no time in seeing tho necessary arrangement carried out. A snccesaful precedent wts before them in tho Anderson's Bay Market. Although the people and ca! tie had to wade through bogs and quagmires to reach it, there was a f.\ir proportion of the cattlo; and ho waa told that the desire for intor-changes was &o keen — roviving old association—that a cow which attained a venerable age before the foundation of the Province, found a purchaser. Mr Waltace narrated bis own experience ; the expenses incmred in buying and selling in yards being most disadvantageous. Mr Welsh was aware all the settlers would bail with eatisfactiou tho present movement. By establishing a Cattle Market, under G ovornment supervision, the difficulties now experienced by tho seller seeking a buyer ; and vice verm, would'be entirely obviated. Resolutions to petition the Council for the selection of a suitable site wero unanimously carried, and the proieedings terminated by a vote of thanks to the Chairman. The second of the series of Draiiotic Readings and Recitals by Mrs Robert Heir, was given last evening, at the Polytechnic Hall. It was an observable feature of the i a.tendance, that the part of tho Hal which might naturally be expected to bo well-filled, was the least occupied—aß bnt unoccupied. Otherwise, the entertainment wri fairly attended, and the audience waa an appreciative one. There was an alteration from the programme of Saturday evening, but some of the readings which were then given, and which were received with most marked favor, were repeated—the gentleman amateur who then took part in dialogue again giv';ig his services. Tho programme was divided into three pirte—a fact which apparently escaped the notice of some, for though admiring listeners to the readings, they left at the conclusion of tho second part, under tho impression that, with the letter scene, from " Macbeth," the readings had. terminated, [ncluding it, there were seven readings or recitals from Shakespeare —the otherj from "Romeo and Julift," "Hamlet," "The Merchant of Venice," and " As You Like It." Alternating with the3c, the readings from tho "Ingoldaby Legends," and Edgar Allan Poo's Poems, wore pleasmt and effective as an element of variety. j&l m fJeir does not resume her readings until Wednesday .evening, when they are to be given in character, tho programme also being entir ly new. The ninth of the series of Monday Evening Popular Concerts was given last evening! at St George's HalL The tKikction of pieces was excellent, and the performance was well carried out. The attendance waa good. In addition to a number of choruses, which, on the whole, were fairly aung, there wore a large number of son'j3 and dneta by lady vocalists. Among the moat noticeable were tho songs, " Happy be thy Dreams," " I cannot bear to say farewell," " To-morr-ow," "No homelike my own ;" the ducts, "Wandering Stars," "Friendship," "Ah, could I teach," and "O'er the hill, o'er the d:tlc." The duet, " The two cousins," wes also very spiritedly given. Of tho songs by gentlemen, the boat was " Good-bye, sweetheart, good-bye." Two trios by male voices were a'so very we?' sung. One—"A little farm well tilled "—being made especially effective and amusing by the manner in which the action was sustained by each who, took part in it. In addition to the vocal portion of the programme, there was a piano.lortt! solo, iv which some brilliancy of execution waa displayed ; and an organ fantasia— t>ne of the gems of the entertainment. For j the next concert, several novelties are promised. .