Port during the year, outside and beyond coasters, amounted to 52, of which nine were steamers; and the departures were 47, bound for Britain, America, India, China, and the adjacent colonies. Some of the immigrant ships arriving brought complements of from 263 to 375 passengers each; the total for the year coming close up to 3000. The larger portion of these found their way to friends in the country, still a good many tradesmen remained in Dunedin. Although there was, during a portion of the winter, a number of these out of employment in Dunedin, for whom work was provided on the roads by the Government, by far the larger number were readily absorbed by the developing resources of the community.
Dunedin had greatly improved during the year. A large number of houses had been built, every day new ones were being commenced, and an improvement as regards size and stability was also noticeable. In Princes-street a two-storied stone store was in course of erection, and a two-storied stone dwelling house was in progress at Elm Row, and stands there still, being the oldest stone building in Dunedin. The Club House, too, in Maclaggan-street, which, although of wood, is still to be seen in proximity to the Police Station, will give an idea of the more advanced style of architecture of the period. The state of the streets was the great cause of complaint, particularly during the winter; nothing could be finer than the climate overhead, but on the ground under foot progress was hardly possible from the state of the streets.
The shipping trade demands particular notice.
The first direct ship from Dunedin to London.—On the 22nd May 1858, the ship "Strathallan" cleared the Customs, and two-days after got to sea. The cargo consisted of 780 bales of wool, valued at £19,010. It was much regretted that for want of co-operation among exporters, the ship had been detained much longer than expected, and did not carry a full cargo, thereby entailing a very heavy loss to the enterprising charterers, Macandrew and Co. Trade jealousy was at the bottom of the affair, engendered and kept aflame by petty spleen on the part of one or two offended politicians. Had the merchants been actuated by a desire to further the interests of the province,
