DUNEDIN.

Tuapeka Times, Volume VI, Issue 290, 21 August 1873, Page 5

DUNEDIN.

(From our ovm Correspondent. ) The first fhow of the Dunedin Canary and Poultry Association, held on Thursday la3t in the spacious Volunte-.* Drillshed near the Octagon, was a most successful affair. There were a large number of exhibits of various descrip- j tions of prize birds, and the songsters in the show attracted much attention by the flood of melody which they poured forth during the two days of the exhibition. They really seemed to be trying to vie with each other as to who should gain the honorable position of first prize-taker. Some of the prize fowls exhibited also attracted much attention, as they well deserved to do. Altogether, the Association should feel much gratified at the success which has attended their first show. Among the local industries which are worthy of notice by the press, is the factory lately started by Messrs. Sargood, Son, and Ewen, of Stafford-street, for the manufacture of boots and shoes. They have lately gone into this business on an extensive scaJe, and have now employed at their factory about fifty men and lads. With the aid of first-class machinery, imported by the firm expressly for the work, they can now turn out a large quantity of boots and shoes every month, and doubtless will gradually command the trade of the colony, for the articles which they produce get the credit of being of first-rate quality. The new tariff will give a further impetus to industries of this description, for our local tanneries will doubtless be well able to J keep the market supplied with leather, ! thus saving 10 per cent, on the raw material used in the manufacture in question. The unfortunate First Church congregation seem to be no sooner out of one dificulty than they find themselves in the j thick of another. Since the departure of the Rev. George Sutherland, or as soon thereafter as the necessary arrangements could be niado, a fresh minister has come I over from Victoria each month to fill the j vacant pulpit of the Church ; and from amongst those ministers a portion of the congregation became favorably impressed i with one of the earlier of the number — the Rev. Lindsay Mackie -while others of the congregation considered that they should send home for a really first-class preacher, and offer a salary of L7OO ayear, in order that one might be obtained. This amount they considered would have the effect of inducing some preacher of hi&jh attainments to accept the offer ; and with a really good preacher, they argued that there need be no fear of raising the salary, as a large increase to the congregation might confidently be expected upon the new church being opened. In order to decide as to which course should be adopted in the procuring of a minister, it was announced from the pulpit of the church that a vote of the congregation would be taken on the subject. A meeting was accordingly held in tho church one evening last week for this purpose, and on the vote being taken, it was found that a majority of something like thirty out of about 150 votes T«rere in favor of a minister being procured from home. It will be observed from the numbers I have given that the meeting was very Bparsely attended ; and here is the point the minority nave fixed upon as giving their reason to complain of decisive steps being taken in the matter. They consider that in view of the small attendance at the meeting, a matter of such grave importance — involving such a large, yearly expenditure — should not have been so hurriedly settled ; but that further steps should have been taken to secure the opinion of the whole of the congregation. The majority, however, acted with promptitude and decision, and despatched a telegram by one of the Melbourne steamers which sailed on the following day, giving Dr. Dykes, of London (with | whom the congregation had already been in communication on the subject) full authority and power to select and engage a minister without further delay at a ! salary of L7OO per annum. The opposition seem to consider themselves ill-used, and instead of joining hand-in-hand with the majority, are adopting the nsual course of oppositions — predicting all sorts of evil results, difficulties in the way of meeting the increased expenditure, &c, &c. It seems to me that the authorities of the church have done about the very best thing they possibly could do ; and I do not think they need have any fear whatever as to the future. In a very short time they will have at their disposal one of the finest churches in the colony, and with the pulpit of that church filled by a popular preacher, the congregation, already a very large one, will assuredly increase in numbers, and be well able to afford the salary which has been authorised. Ifc is really time that these people settled down with something like a spirit of unanimity, and yet here they are, almost as bad as ever again. Discord and ill-will walking hand in hand with professed humility and brotherly love — their obstinacy and coritamacionsness bringing discredit upon themselves and on the religion which they profess. With regard to those who did not think it worth their while to attend the meeting, knowing full well as they did that the question was, to be settled at it, surely they have no reason to complain, for if they are apathetic enough to take so little iuterest in the matter, they ought to be only too thankful to those of the congregation who did. It is to be hoped also that the fractious few of the minority, who are creating discord by their action, will see the error of their ways, and assist to bring about something like harmony and plt.asantness in this the congregation which of all others in the province should bo a pattern to others. New townships in the environs of the city seem still to be very profitable speculations, for fresh names continue to meet the eye, with glowing accounts of their unparalleled advantages as sites for villa residences, home 3 for the working man, &c, &c. The neighbourhood of Caversham seems to be at present selected for cutting up into allotments : and in one of the townships them situited, the modest proprietor is samncins; allotments of the immense acea of one-sixteenth of an acre for the ridiculous sum of L 30 1 , or in other words letting his bind go at the mere bagatelle of L4BO an acre. He ought to bo the working man's idol for the remainder of his days, for providing I them with extensive freeholds of their ' own for auch a trifling consideration.