OUR DUNEDIN LETTER.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume V, Issue 477, 18 February 1881, Page 3

OUR DUNEDIN LETTER.

[FRO3I OUa OWN CORRESPONDENT.]

DuNrcniN, Feb. 14. " Opposition is the lifo of trade " is nn adage strikingly applicable to the enterprise of Dunedin at the r.rjaenfc moinen'. Hitherto, the price paid for the Times whh threepence, a sura probably beyond the general daily reach of hard times when people could get all the news they wished

in the penny contemporary, the Herald. Finding that there is virtue in a penny, the former paper has accordingly reduced its price, with the result that both are How on the same plattorm, struggling ftr the mastery, and our broadshecta are much improved, lliva ry in a weekly column or so of jokes is one of the most noticeable features, and is apt to remind us of the days when every paper kept an author who was hound to furnish it witli witty paragraphs for 'sixpence a joke."

A sad accident happened last week to a young man named Thomas Geoffrey, employed at Messrs Gutlirie and Larnach's Woodwork Factory. While removing a belt attached to one of tlio pulleys of a circular-saw, he is supposed to have incautiously placed his foot upon it, and he was thus carried several tim<\s round the shaft with frightful velocity. At each turn his body was dashed against the ceiling which is only 18 inches from the shaft. Finally his legs were wrenched from his body and thrown some distance from the fatnl spot. H ; s trunk whs utterly mangled and dashed upon the floor. Geoffrey was 18 years of age and was the sole support of a widowed mother, for whose benefit a public entertainment will be held. Already the employes of the Factory in which the lad worked have subscribed over £50 for a similar object.

A curious resu t of Chinese gambling was elicited at an inquest recently held at the Lunatic Asylum on the death of a Celestial named Back On. The deceased was admitted into the Asylum about three weeks ago when he was suffering from acute manin, caused by the loss of £200 in gambling. The lose affected him so much that he made an onslaught on all the men in the tent with a knife and barricaded the door. Great dificulty was experienced in getting him nut. Since he was admitted to the Asylum he refused to partake of food which had to be supplied him by means of a stomach pump.

Towards the end of last week we had a visit from the representatives of the Christchurch Howling Chi'>. Though we came off second-best with ths cricketers of the sister city, revenge is taken on their bowlers, for thoy were beaten by the loca teams in both mutches. On Thursday they played the Dunedin Club, who were victors by 5G to 54. The match with the Fernhill Club on Friday also resulted in a victory in the local team by G3 to 46. The visitors returned home on Saturday.— The Intfrprovinti il Cricket Match will he pl«yp«l oil tln» 24ilt 25th and 2b"(h of the present month.—A good deal of interest is manifested in the- forthcoming pedestrian contest lietwtvn Scott and Edwards. The articles are believed to be signed and the match will probably take place aliout the end of the month.

Now that the far-famed Hcrr Bindmann with the excellent dramatic company which h<lß been performing , for pome time at the Queen's to crowded niuliencfs has left the city, theatrical matters are at a standstill, and there only remains for the entertainment-seeking portion of the populace a poor substitute in the shape of ft waxworks exhibition. This exhibition w&i only very ie.-cully opened, and is very good in its wuy. containing as it does the representations of n number of European and oilier celebrities. The notorious Ke'.ly gang with their victims are a special feature, and arc said by the Australian Press to he faithful likenesses.

Our municipal finances are in an awkward conditio ,- , and the Mayor states that the cost of work undertaken for the current year will exceed the revence by £15,000. Another loan is Advocated, but surely we already groan beneath a euffi ciently heavy burden of debt : and yet there seems to be nothing else for it. Still the Council are more generous than just, and in their wisdom they have decided that the registration fee, for instance, Fhall be 7s 6d instead of 10s as required by the Act. The neighboring Borough and County Councils have token up the cue, and Otage curs are let off easily for once.

The local Chamber of Commerce held its half-yearly meeting on Friday. Among other topics the recent commercial depression formed a subject of discussion, and it was A'tribtited to the undue restriction of the Banls, together with the fact that the population of the colony—about 400,000 —was called upon to fork out to the extent of £3,000,000 sterling in the course of twelve mouths or so. The Chamber expreFsed its desire of erecting a Hall of Commerce in Dunedin,and twenty gentlemen offered to subscribe £100 each towards that object. Finally, it was resolved to form a limited company in 50 shares of £100 each.

Harvesting operations are now in full swing in the adjoining country districts. The early crops aro good, but the late ones eii-ffitei greatly from rust. Sparrows and greetrcnehes are doing much damage and many a field of grain looks as if i( had been thrashed by a heavy gale of wind. The potato crop is to a great extent a failure.

Tlio Education Board lias a nice little curiosity in tlie shape of a teachers' •' Character book." 'Ibis volume is rendered all the more interesting inasmuch as it in kept under lock and key. Yet pome naughty mrmhur of the School Committee lias managed to grasp a few of the sentiments contained in it and hiving let the cat out of the hag the teachers are indignant, and their cncoelhes scribemU is thoroughly excited. One young wdy lost a situation throug'i being recorded in this dire honk as "cold and unsympathetic.' . This time the hook was right, for I knew the lady in question sufficiently well to be in the vicinity—or rather in the next room —when she banged the door in the face of her lover—a young gentleman from Canterbury, who had somehow not happened to fall in with her dictations as to liow he should conduct himself. licit there is just a doubt as to whether the book is infullible.and the matter has given some School Committees an opportunity for testing the views on the "Characterbook " before proceeding to ths election of candidates for the present vacancies in tin , . Education Board.

First Gael :—« What's the matter, Tonalu ?" Second ditto (who has been out with old UriggH):— Matter! bur leggs is lull o' shoott!"

A man lately made a wager that he had seen a hoise going at, his greatest speed and a dog sitting on his tail ; and strange as it may seem, he won—but the dog sat on his own tail!

Ilorraro Greely wrote a note to a brother editor in New York, whose writing was equally illegally with his own. The rtci'ipent of the note not being able ot read it, s-nt. it back by thee same messenger _to Mr Gnuley for elucidiation. Supposing it to bu iin answer to his own not», Mr tmvnley looked over it, but was likewise nimble U) re.-.d it, and said to the boy :--Go lakf it book. Whnt does the I Owl m>. ;ili V '-• •• i t-.s, ;,!i, ; -;,i;,j the boy " *.!;;;!. ;>• wluv.' h<: BjiJ,"