DUNEDIN NOTES.

Cromwell Argus, Volume V, Issue 228, 24 March 1874, Page 5

DUNEDIN NOTES.

«M .i- ! - ?1i By 0. P. Q. : Several of' the mom'prominent of those members of the Duuedih AthenaMin who opposed th 6 opening of the reading room «-f the Institution on Sundays, and who wer« not satisHed as to the legality of the radical change in question being carried out, have lately had the opinions of four of the more eminent of our city solicitors on the subject; and these gentlemen- Messrs Macasscy, Bartfhi, Haggitt, and Smith—are a'l atone ou the perfect legality of the proceeding, Mr Barton, however,' expressing his opinion that change was brought about in an illegal maliner.■." The question will now, I presume, be allowed to drop, although the large number 'of members of the Institution who opposed the innovation so strongly will doubtlesi be far from satisfied that the wishes of s > great a minority "have been so little taken ii t» consideration. The attendance at the reading room on Sundays is I believe pretty good, and, (uiiless it ialls off to such an extent as to

warrant,the Committee in taking steps to again close the room,) the orthodox party must under 1: the circumstances just submit with as good a grace as possible. It will be a great pity if it is the means of inducing any break-up among the members, for the Attic* luenm may now be faiilv said to hive got over the worst of its difficulties, and to have before it a prosperous future if tilings only go on in a satisfactory manner in future, ~ ,a Although with plenty of water-space eminently suitable for the purpose within a few yards of the main street, Duuedih citizens have had good cause to growl at the long distance they have been compelled to travel for a, swim' during' the summer months. The Pelichet Bay baths will, however, shortly give place to more centrally situated ones,

His Honor the Superintendent having granted permission for their erection on the northern side of the Rattray-stree't retaining wall. It may reasonably he expected that swimming will now become tine of the most favoured of bur summer .athletic exercises, and certainly a more useful'one could not be practised. The opera company at present performing in Dunedin hardly come up to the standard which lovers of this claBS of music could have wished. They are woefully deficient in so far {is regards a tenor, Mr HalLim, who officiates as leading tenor, having unfortna very weak voice. He is very painstaking, however, and sings the music of the parte allotted to him ina most faultless style so far as expression and the correct rendering of of the airs are concerned, yet the want of body in his yo'c is painfully manifest when listening to many of the beautiful tenor solos which are familiar to most of us. Miss May, the prima donna, is a charming actress in addition to the very sweet voice she possesses, and her rendering of the parts she undertakes is always most enjoyable. Among her greatest successes, so far, have been the Grand Duchess, the Queen in Balfe's charming opera, the Rose of Castille, and Amina; in I"I a Sonambula." TJ e other leading singers j ore MissE. Lambert, contralto, Mr Bainford, j basso, Mr Templetori, t mbr. Mr Raiuford I is well-known in Dunedin, and considering the short acquaintance he has had of the ope-

ratic stages, certainly gets through his characters in a very creditable planner, while Mr Templeton has given evidence in one or two of the parts he has filled that he has a voice of no ordinary quality—much better indeed, I think, than that of the leading tenor. In the matter of chorus, the company is fairly represented, the majority of the chorases being given with most creditable correctness-and fair power. The Hibernian Australian Catholic Benefit Society celebrated its anniversary on the evening of S J . Patrick's Day, in the Schoolroom attached to St. Joseph's Church. There was ja very large attendance, and the usual patriotic and special toasts were proposed and I duly honoured. The entertainment partook of the nature of a concert and supper, and it was anticipated that the usual satisfactory wind-up of a jolly dance would take place. The pleasant anticipations indulged in in this respect, however, were doomed to disappointment ; for unfortunately His Lordship Bishop Moran entered a protest against "round" dances being danced in any ediiice connected with the church, and therefore no tripping of the light fantastictook place.