OUR DUNEDIN LETTER.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume V, Issue 467, 14 January 1881, Page 2

OUR DUNEDIN LETTER.

(From ouH own Correspondent.)

Dunsdin, January 10

The holiday season on this .occasion passed much more quietly than usual—not that there was any lack of amusement provided for Ihe public, but the weather has been so wretched during the last three weeks that people have generally been forced to content themselves indoors.which stale of things must have been especially severe upon tho young ladies of the city ; aye, and on some of the older ones, too ( whose gossiping propensities were thus bo cruelly curbed for a time. Two excursion trains left for tho Lake district, one of them conveying about 00 passengers from town, while (he other was but poorly patronised. The special trips of the various steam-boats were i'aiily successful.. So far as the city itself was concerned, the enterprising tramway proprietor had, notwithstanding the recent destruction of his stock, succeeded in ereciing sufficient cars to enable him to resume the former timetable, and on New Year's Day 23 cars were in readiness for running. The Caledonian Society's annual sports hail to be postponed till Monday, as there were about three inches of water on the ground. They were consequently not attended with so much success as on previous occasions. However, as the programme extended over three dayp, the Mayor decided to proclaim half holidays on Tuesday and Wednepdny # The entertainments supplied at the theatres and elsewhere during the Christinas and tfew Year festival have been of a superior character. Simonsen's Opera Company, comprising several well-known perfoimers, opered at the Princess Theatre on Dec. 15 with "Martha," and lias been playing ever sinco with a frequent change of programme including " H.M.S. Pinafore," which was repeated on four successive nights, and attracted full houses throughout. The performances of the company are of a firstclass nature, and the comments of the Press are highly complimentary. The • farewell performance, which is intended as a benefit for Madame Fanny Simonsen, will be given to morrow evening—The Queen's Theatre was re-opened on Tuesday last, when a- strong dramatic company under the management, of Mr Walter Reynolds, a gentleman well known both as actor and author, appeared in Shakespeare's play of " Hamlet," with Mrßsndmann in the title ro/e. Sir Rnndmann lias a world-wide reputation as >\ tragedian and British, American and Colonial journals ppeak highly of him. Indeed, hia performances in (his city have been attended by people who are rarely or never seen within tho dooici of a theatre, and they are regularly witnessed by crowded audiences. Several of Shakespeare's plays have been

put upon the boards, and these will be followed by more modern dramas.—We had

a visit from Colo's circus and menagerie during Christmas week, As the readers of I The Mail have already (if I mistake not) i been treated with a full account of that mammoth travelling show, I must confers my inability to add anything further. Suffice it to say that, after performing here for a week, during which time it was visited by large ninmbers of people, it let for more southern climes.—Edwards, the great Australian ehamp : on, began on Thursday the marvellous feat of walking 180 miles in 48 hours at the Garrison Hall. As ibis is the first time the feat has been attempted here, the result has been looked forward to with great interest. Edwards accomplished his undertaking 28 minutes before time was called, and during the interval he had added over two miles to the score. He was enthusiastically cheered towards the finish by a large number of spectators. To morrow he leaves for Chriatchurch.

An arrangement has been entered into with the Australian cricketers for a New Zealand tour. They left Melbourne on Jan # 4th for the Bluff, and will probably arrive in Duncdin to-morrow. The Otago Cricket Association has resolved to forego all charges in connection with the match at Dunodin.

On tlic 15ih of last month our new Mayor (Mr A. IT. Hoss) was installed. Tlie occasion'was the cause of one or two of those little scenes which have recently been of such frequent occurrence within the Council Chamber. The retiring Mayor has been disgracefully treated by several of the councillors during his term of and these concluded tlieir igno.ble game by refusing to grant him his salaiy. Mr Walters, to whom I refer, has filled the chair most honorably during the term of office, and on his retiring the ratepayers presented a petition containing 1,400 signatures, praying that he be granted !he nsn.'il salary cf £400. However, fclie.s wish of ihe ratepayers was ihrown fisid<> find (lie Council voted him tho sum of 4-1. Tlv

oiiizens have, resolved io asserf i]\'-'.<-riizlitf--, , and tl»<* ireent vAciiii'-ics I , •: v o 1 < v\ filled up by independent candidates, mud' to ihe ('ingiiKt of (lie clique, wliifh hn« lonjr I'p.itiiwf! s'M>vi-tn'\ av-d Ihr iipm! l " , ! , ' of

of Billingsgate. One of them was actually about to assert his rights in a pugilistic manner on a worthy member who opposed his line of action the other day ; while another heated ihe Council to a quarter ft an hour's oration on " How to bring the editors of newspapers to renson," and on being called to order worn d up by out threats of personal violence on the editor o£ a morning contemporary. Tl.is mode of treatment of refractory editors was evidently the conclusion to which he wished to bring his fellow-councillors.

The criminal sittings of the Supremo Court bogan on Wednesday last. The calendar was an unusually light one, but the decision arrived at in one «£ the cases is somewhat singular. A notorious horsethief was charged with having stolen a horse at Naseby. The loss of the animal was clearly proved, and a few days afterwards prisoner was arrested in Dunedin, riding the horse, which was identified by the owner. The prisoner said that he bought the horse .some time ago from a man up country. He lo.st it foratimo,and hearing it was at Naseby went and brought i bick. Ec called o witnesses to corroborate his story, but the jury evidently believed it an 1 acquitted the prisoner.

The crops in iho country districts are looking well, though the yield will not be 80 hea\y as that of last year. The potato crop is, on an average, a success, but probably the recent heavy rains will be attended with injurious effects.