December.

1.—Deputy Registrar of Births, Deaths, and Marriages (Mr. R. Chapman) appointed. Also appointed Clerk to the Bench of Magistrates.

Leading article in News adverting to presentation of petition to House of Commons by Sir W. Molesworth, praying for the immediate introduction of representative institutions to New Zealand.

At the Police Court, Mr. John Cargill summoned W. Mosely, A. Chalmers, and J. Salmond for pigs trespassing.

5.—Arrived, ship Pekin, Whitby, from London, with 116 passengers, chiefly for Nelson.

First anniversary dinner Hand and Heart Lodge of Oddfellows, Mr. S. Gibbs, P.G., in the chair; Mr. H. B. Graham, G.M., vice-chair. Secretary read report showing the membership to be 33, and overplus funds to be nearly £50.

22.—W. Underhill, secretary, notifies formation of the Dunedin Cricket Club, and weekly practice on Tuesdays.

Publication of Statements of Receipts and Expenditure of Otago, New Minister, for year ended 31st December, 1848; for quarter ended 31st March, 1849; and for quarter ended 30th June, 1849; also from 2nd July to 29th September, 1849. For the last-mentioned period the receipts were as under:—Customs: Spirits, £275 2s. 11d.; cigars and snuff, £7 17s. 6d.; tobacco (manufactured), £62 4s.; unmanufactured, nil; ad valorem duty £107 17s. 11d. Fines and. fees: Fines, Police Court, £4; fees, £3 8s. 6d. Licences, Auctioneers', £40;—total, £500 10s. Expenditure—Civil: Customs Department, £229 0s. 8d.; Sub-Treasury Department nil; Post Office, £1 10s. 3d.; Deputy Registrar, births, deaths, and marriages, nil; Police Department, £116 18s. 4d.; Pilots' Department £20 12s. Miscellaneous: Police, £20 4s. 6d.; miscellaneous, £2 5s. 6d. Total expenditure, £420 18s. 3d. John Macarthy, Sub-Treasurer.

The Customs duties at this time were:—British and foreign spirits, 5s. per gall.; tobacco (manufactured), 1s. per lb.; unmanufactured, 9d. per lb.; cigars and snuff, 2s. per lb.; wines, 20 per cent.; malt liquors, 15 per cent.; munitions of war, 30 per cent.; British goods and produce, 10 per cent.; foreign goods and produce, 12½ per cent.; glass bottles (full), specie, bulbs and plants, live animals, printed books, duty free.

26.—Arrived, ship Mooltan, from Greenock. The Mooltan had 9 deaths from cholera and 6 from various other causes.