Thiii is the " silly season " for the newspapers, and in the absence of big gooseberries and two-headed calves, the papers have had to get up an occasional shindy. We have, accordingly, every now and then a row, such as that about the Maori Knik affair, an opportunity which the " Guardian " improved so far as to ohtain matter for four or five leaders ; first " pitching into " the Bishop, and thon into Professor Salm >nd ; and in both oases, so far as I can form a judgment, unjustifiably. However, it seems to be the rule of society here that whenever a man gets his head raised an inch above his fellows, he gets it hit ; we are an essentially democratic community. With the exception of these occasional eruptions of printers ink, and that horrible episode at the recent fire, which one Ikes to forget as soon m possible ; there is little of incident to mark the onward march of time. The people having been " subjugated under the new rule of Centralism," seem to hug their chains, and to be quite willing to allow the new regime to be established quietly. Mr Macandrew will get his well earned testimonial and fall into the background, until time and opportunity once more bring him to the -front. Mr Donald Reid will do some good wound work, I do not doubt, and render good service to the Ministry. Economy, I have reason to believe, is at last being studied, Pro vincial officers find themselves compelled to aeoept lower salaries, and to take compensation on the difftrenoe ; thus, if a man had been seven years in the service ; and had • salary of L3OO a year which was reduced to L 260, he would received only seven months' pay, a month for a year, at L5O per annum by way of

DIOGENES IN DUNEDIN.
