Local Intelligence.

Otago Witness, Issue 474, 29 December 1860, Page 5

Local Intelligence.

TRI-CENTENARY OF THE REPOR- • MATION IN SCOTLAND. A meetihg was held in the School-house, Dunedin, on Thursday evening, the -20th inst., in celebration of the Reformation in Scotland, which was consummated 300 years ago, on the 20th December 1560. On that day the Reformed Presbyterian Church having been formally .established by the Scottish Parliament, the reformed ministers and leading Protestants met in Edinburgh "to consull upon those things which are to forward God's glory and the weil of his Kirk in this realme,"— thus constituting the first General Assembly of the Church of Scotland. In accordance with suggestions emanating from Edinburgh, it was arranged to celebrate this remarkable event by commemorative meetings of Scottish Presbyterians in all places where congregations of them are established. It is good to take such an opportunity of recalling to mind the leading incidents and the worthy promoters 'of this great work of our ancestors, who thus laid the foundations of that civil and religious liberty' which we now enjoy. It is to ba regretted that the weather proved most unpropitious to the meeting in Dunedin, and that in consequence many were prevented from attending who would otherwise have given their hearty assistance. Nevertheless, the attendance was larger than, under the circumstances, might have been expected, and the addresses of the gentlemen who appeared on the platform were listened to with great attention and interest. It was perhaps to be regretted that the late hour of assembling, and the number of addresses to be delivered^ pre vented the several subjects to be spoken to being treated at such length as any measure of j'istice to them, would demand. As it was, Mr. Burns judged it better to.omit the opening address, which it was arranged that he should deliver, and JSIr. Banncrman, who was placed last oil the programme was obliged to .abandon his address also, beyond offering a few short remarks merely suggestive of the heads of what he intended to have said. Between the addresses the Choir of Mr. Burns 1 , congregation sung some hymns and pieces of sacred music, which thoy did in a manner highly creditable to them.

Dunudin Representatives.— On Monday last the polling took place for two members to represent the city of Dunedin in the House of Representatives, which event passed off without the usual excitement as on former occasions, from the" State of the poll not being known under the' new law until the close of the poll. At 4 o'clock the poll was closed, and shortly after John Gillies, Esq., the Returning Officer, announced the result as follows :— For Mr. Thos. Dick 9G f Mr E. M'GlasJun S3 „ Mr. W. J. Dyer 34 Our arrivals this week have been numerous. i „£ y tlle "tetimcr "Pirate" cume in from Melbourne with the English October Mai , having been only absent from- Port Chalmers some 21 days She brought 12 passengers and a large cargo, including 100 sheep and 4 horses. On Monday, the " Chile " trom London, with 114 passengers, all well, and 1 a large miscellaneous cargo. We have SSL °? c " A rmia>? fr6ia Melbourne, with 4Mb sneep T 7 horses, 1 and an emu, a. rather singular. importation 5 al?o, another steamer for rheSTorttt coast, the ss. "Storm Bird," with 10 passengers 'and, general cargo; the „" Sultan nnd " Lizzie Spaldmg" with sheep, aud the " Adelaide "with general cargo.

Prßi; Stock. — A step in the right direction has been taken by Mr James Gardiner, of the firm of ftoriou & M'Manter, who has imported, per "Aimin," ?ev. i n'ren pure Saxony rams. This lot is from ihe flocks of the celebrated German breeder Mr. Stieper. and are well v.oilh looking rt by any gentleman who intends si. 1 r y -iarniing. The "Armiri" also enriches the Colony by the importation of 3300 well-selected maiden ewes.