DUNEDIN

Cromwell Argus, Volume I, Issue 19, 23 March 1870, Page 5

DUNEDIN

(Pivmour own Gorrwpmut&tt, )■ March 17 th, 1870. If the number of amusements finding patronage in a town could bo considered % fair criterion ot the gaiety or prosperity of its inhabitants, Dunedin might at the time of my writing this bo looked upon as a peculiarly jubilant and thriving city. Mrs Thatcher has re-joined her husband, and their talent nightly draws a thumpin'? audience to the Masonic Hall. Ancones* trian company (Bird’s Hippodrome) has taken the Princess Theatre, and manage to command a fair attendance. On the wnst* plot of ground adjoiniug'theokl Post-offio , the “ Dogs and Monkeys” (under the title of Barlow’s Cynodrome) have established themselves ; and so eagerly are they run after that the other night the whole amphitheatre of seats came down with a running crash. Like the Athenians of old, a Dun • edin populace lend willing ears and eyes to any new thing, but should ar'tistsa of a higher class (witness the Carandinis) attempt to draw a few paltry shillings out of their pockets, the result is likely to be a failure.

The police at Port Chalmers have been getting themselves into sad trouble. Tim kind and tender manner displayed by these officials in the manipulation of the inebri ated has often been remarked upon, an i now that they have been brought to task, for their cruelty, we may fairly expecsome little improvement in the conduct of those members of “the Branigau clan,” n.v Thatcher calls them. The Bench fined the Sergeant £5, with the option of Id days' imprisonment, and the constable £2, or 7 days. An important discovery has been mad* in the vicinity of Dunedin, A party of surveyors out at Fine Hill came across an extensive deposit of petroleum shale, an T I hear that oil of good quality has boon distilled from it. Our colonial industries and products are rapidly increasing in number, and this at anyrate is one cheer ing sign of the times. Without a Utrii occasional encouragement of this nature, 1 fear that the general depression of business of all kinds would cause most colonists to have gloomy forebodings as to the probable future of Otago. With regard to flax:-—The last sales were unsatisfactory in the extreme ; a spleudio sample which before had realised £29

only brought £23 ss, A small parcel prepared by Booth’s patent machine brought. £29 15s. On the strength of this, should the Otago flax-dressers be down-hearted : I think not. The capital available for the purchase of this commodity is very limited, and speculators wish to see ihs result of former investments before sinking rnor* money in the same venture. But to convince one of the value of the material, k is only necessary to examine to what state the fibre is capable of being brought bv extra and careful dressing. Equal iu k ; glossy appearance to silk, and possessing fibre at once firm, strong, long, and capable of still more minute subdivision, it, must be evident to all that it will always fetch a price in the home market, failures in flax speculations are anticipated bv some. No doubt there will be many, for a large proportion of the mills now working hawbeen staite-d witn only a very small amoimof capital. It is some time before a mill can turn out its first few bales of undressed flax, and then this most likely has to In sold at once at unremunerativc prices t.■ keep “the wolf from the door.” I final.believe, however, that success will awak those who take care to get up the flax carefully and well, and are able to send i; home, where, in the course of time, it will be properly appreciated, and meet with a

market worthy of its merits. The councillorship for Leith Ward (va catad by Mr L. M'Glashnu) is being c m tested by Mr A. Hill Jack mid MJacob Fogel. The eleation will take placj to-morrow. A horticultural show took place in th-s New Post-office Buildings last Frida, evening. There was a splendid display A fruit, and a few very good collections ol' native ferns were exhibited. Giant pu;n,» kins, cabbages, and melons were there d;. played, and I could not help envying t't ■ happiness of certain turnips and potato:.-, which, although seemingly unconscious m the distinction bestowed on them, war being admiringly gazed at by sundry pd-.-. of lustrous eyes, belonging, I need hard!-, say, to members of the fairer sox. Tii musical part of the entertainment was con

ducted by Mr Roichardt, t!i j pus.ai.-jt, uu i Mr Smith, the flautist. Next week is the race week here. Is ■ Devine’s lior.se Captain Scott has b-y- ---_ withdrawn from all his ong.uruinonts. Tin will prove a disappointment to some, :i Wils a favourite in many quarter There was a sale to day of sundry privi leges in connection with the mooting, n which nearly £3OO was realised. % gates alone brought £37 10s, The rcfreV ment booths were all purchase! by X Muir, of the Old Kngknd Hotel. The boiling down establishment at Kuk, nui Mouth lias now commenced activ ■ operations. Meat is cheap enough th’-r. t in all conscience. Two hundred legs < * mutton, which were useless in the process were sold by auction at O.nmini, thp ,r.vrage price being 0 1 each.