OTAGO.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XXII, Issue 2196, 25 April 1874, Page 2

OTAGO.

April 23. — The total population of Otago is 84,000, showing an increase of more than 15,000 persons since the last census. In the case Porster v. Darling, tried at the Supremo Conrfc, for a breach of promise of marriage, a verdict for the plaintiff for £250 was returned.

The result of the polling to-day for a ' seat in the House of Representatives for Dunedin City, rendered vacant by the resignation of Mr. Bathgate, was as follows :— Wales, 632 ; Barton, 542 ; Grant, 39. A great many bottle licenses have been refused to storekeepers. Several public bars have been abolished, as the law distinctly laid down that no public-house should have more than one bar. At a meeting of the Town Conncil of Port Chalmers, all the tenders for the water works were rejected, and new plans are likely to be prepared. At the Licensing Court on Tnesday there was a full bench. Mr. Bath gate was in the chair. He spoke nearly an hour, very generally against the prevalence of drunkenness, which, he said, led to so much crime. He said any private householders might take steps to shut up public-houses if they were nuisances. He spoke in favour of tbe establishment of an inebriate asylum, which would be less cost to the Government than having to keep drunkards j i constantly in prison. The remedy should not be wholly of a repressive nature. In addition to our schools and University, our Museum should be improved. A gallery of fine arts should be added, a public library established, and the places of public recreation should also be improved. Two points deserved immediate consideration, viz., very proper machinery to check adulteration, and a thorough system of supervision to prevent illegal traffic by a special revenue officer of approved fidelity. A large number of applications were refused.