DUNEDIN.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 175, 15 June 1871, Page 5

DUNEDIN.

(From a Correspondent.)

The first debate of the session in the Provincial Council took place on the honorarium question last week, and of so much interest was it that though all the members did not speak, yet every one was in his place. The resumption of the debate was made by Mr. Thompson, whose argument was that the more the honorarium was reduced, the more the Council would fall in public estimation, and the higher it was, the more people would think of them. He used other arguments of a similar cast, but said he only spoke to keep the debate open till the arrival of Mr. Barton, who had, on a previous evening, promised to " set them all in a blaze." Mr. Bathgate followed suit with a speech intended to be of an economical character, which, however, would not go down, and the honourable member was put down by the House while attempting to urge the

superiority of the claims of Dunedin over all the rest of the province. He made one heavy hit at '" the member ! for the Dunstan, who can go about with his hands in his pockets, and not soil his fingers to make a living." Mr. Bastings considered it absolutely necessary that members should be paid, and that twenty shillings should be continued. Mr. Haughton, in a scathing speech, said this was the first instalment from a namby-pamby Government, which estimated the value of its supporters at 15s. a day, when very likely the country would put it down at 6s. He cut up Bathgate severely as an infant legislator lecturing the Council ; and compared Mr. Cutten, the only member of Mr. Eeid's Government who had any experience, to Rip Van Winkle, who had been asleep for fifteen years, and had suddenly woke up. Mr. Cutten looked on the question as one altogether of finance, and certainly did not put down his own value at 15s. per diem. Mr. Duncan made a veiy incoherent and rambling speech, the idea of which was to fix the sum at 205., but limit the number of days to be paid to the average of the last six sessions. Mr. M'Lean wished the mileage reduced, and the cost of travelling allowed to the actual rate at which it could be done. Mr. Barton, for whom the House and galleries had waited patiently, and with expectation, next spoke, but his speech, in the opinion of friend and foe, was a miserable failure. His attempts at wit were not appreciated, while his uncalled for attack on the squatters called forth marked disapprobation, and ultimately he sat down, having wearied out the House instead of setting it on a blaze. Mr. Cargill followed him, and in a well delivered and pointed speech raked Mr. Barton fore and aft for his having raised a cloud of smoke and failing to make the slightest blaze. Messrs. Blacklock, Shand, and one or two others followed, and the debate was concluded by Mr. Eeid, who. in a short address, hit very, hard and with much indignation at those who would attribute to any honourable member the idea f obtaining a seftt in the Government for the sake of the pay. He also severely handled Mr. Haughton for characterising his Government as " infant politicians," and said that he would rather have the infants than those who had been vitiated by being brought into contract with the mem" ber for the Lakes. The division which followed, fixed the honorarium at 15s. per day, and it is notable that no exception is made of the Speaker, Chairman of Committees, or members of the Government, as formerly was the ease. Mr. Shepherd, after the dmsJon, made one of his extraordinary speeches, explaining the reason for his not having recorded his vote, which was that he wanted to prove to the House and to his constituents that he was in earnest for retrenchment, and . therefore did not vote with the Government for the proposed reduction. It is proposed to fix this oft debated question of honorarium as also of the 'principle salaries of political offices. The land question is now being keenly debated. A majority" of 30 to 7 carried the repeal of the Hundreds Acts, and the other clauses of the resolutions will likely be also adopted. As, however, the whole question will come to be decided in the General Assembly, a much heavier pressure will de brought to bear there, and if an alteration is made, I feel satisfied it will be in favour of free selection unencumbered with the present Hundreds system. Turning from political to religious matters, a considerable stir seems to be taking place* among all the leading denominations. Dr. Moran and the Catholics strenuously advocating the inalienableness of their rights and infallibleness of their decision in matters of education as well as of religion ; the Episcopalians getting the first bishop ordained for Dunedin as an independent diocese, and the Presbyterians proposing to erect a new church and bring from home a first-class presentable preacher, guaranteeing a stipend of .£BOO per annum. As the projectors are the loading men of this body, the proposal is likely to be carried out, especially as a feeling of dissatisfaction seems to exist with regard to the present pastors. The display in Princes-street of" the Gold of the Period " has caused *a little sensation. The metal is very like colonial gold in appearance ; the pattern and style also correspond, while the price compare as almost one shilling to a pound. The weather v for the past few days' 1 had been very thick and hazy, with a nasty drizzling rain, the result being that the metalled streets are ancle deep in ".glaur," and the outskirts unsophisticated mud. An interesting experiment has been tried this morning. Along the main south road, from the Anderson's TJay Road to the top of Cargill's Hill, has been nicely coated over with gas tar. It is not generally known whether the experiment is being tried under the Contageous Diseases Act as a disinfectant — for if you don't remember, many of your readers will, that on the first outbreak of cholera in Britain, one of the principal means used to purify the atmosphere was carrying through .the streets blazing tar-barrels, and certainly there is some colour given to this speculation from the fact that the tar has been spread in front of the cemetery ; or whether it is a new attempt at asphalting which has not yet 'been discovered; but whichever it be, the

author is deserving of highest success, as a more questionable stenuh than gas tar on a raw foggy morning can scarcely be conceived ; and to have to wade through mud rrpamed over with the same delectable liquid, and carry the flavour on your boots for the remainder of the day into whichever house you enter, is certainly pleasant, not to say anything of the ultimate saving of the celebrated Day and Martin's blacking. Amusements are not very varied at present. Barlow, Dr. Carr, and the pedestrians are principals in the field.