OUR DUNEDIN LETTER.
(from ode own correspondent.) Ddnedin, May 17.
The departure of the mails for the Northern provinces seems to be lately conducted in a most irregular manner. The usual day for the despatch of the ordinary weekly mail toWellington used to be Tuesday, then it got shifted to Wednesday ; following close on that the steamers left for a couple of weeks on the Saturday, and now the mail is advertised for to-day— Monday. In fact, two mails proceed to the North at the same time—that by the s.s. Omeo, and that by the s.s. Phoebe. As these steamers will probably leave Port Chalmers within a few minutes of each other, there will be an excellent opportunity for a race along the coast. The great feature of the week has been the presence and " junkettings" of the Governor, if I may be allowed to use so homely a phrase in connection with any person representing royalty. But as his Excellency is a most homely gentleman, the word is not perhaps inappropriate. He. and Lady Normanby have made a most favorable impression ; and I have no doubt if they visit Dunedin next summer they will receive a much warmer and more enthusiastic welcome on their entrance to the city than they did on this occasion. After our experience ■of Sir James Fergusson we fight shy of strange Governors. His Excellency has held a levee, and his lady a reception ; he has been feted at a luncheon by our Provincial Councillors, and lionised by our citizens, who gave him a ball, which was a very successful affair. On the whole, he has been made much of during the week, and can have little to complain of, .on that score at least. Apropos of the levee, it is said that one of our great medical luminaries, who was for some years attached to an hospital in one of the West India Islands, which partook of a military character, appeared at the levee in a most gorgeous uniform, with sword and military cocked hat. After having duly ducked his head and passed before his Excellency, the latter inquired of one of our local magnates who the gentleman was, and what was the nature of the uniform he wore. " Oh," wasthereply," that's the celebrated Dr. B , formerly attached to the hospital corps at T , and at present medical attendant to the fire brigade." "Ah," retorted the Governor, " I thought he looked like a fireman ; but why the sword?" And echo answers why. During the week the Marquis has not been idle, having visited most of our public institutions. He has on every side expressed- great surprise at the progress we have evidently made as a province. It is not exactly known when he leaves here, but as he has given his patronage to a performance about to be given by the Press Amateurs on the 26th inst, ,and as his Excellency has expressed his intention of being present, he will not leave Dunedin for gooot until, at all events,-a£ter that date. Dr. Sylvester, the "Fakir of Oolu," opened at the Queen's Theatre on Friday, and on that and the following night the house was crowded. On the night before the first public performance he gave a private "dress rehearsal," at which about a hundred persons were present by invitation. The doctor has taken the Queen's for a month, but I very much doubt whether he will be able to fill it for so long a period, for good as the entertainment undoubtedly is, it is one of those of which the theatregoer soon tires—because after seeing it about twice, it becomes very monotohous. : The water difficulty is all over, and the complaint now is that there is far too .much rain. The newspaper offices were put to considerable inconvenience by the stoppage of their supplies, but by means of relays of handpower they were enabled to carry on. And now another difficulty is staring them in the face: the compositors in both Times /and Guardian have demanded another, penny a thousand, which the employers have refused to give. The men talk about " going out" if their demand is not acceded to ; the masters say, "go out, but another penny a thousand you shall not have ;" and so the matter stand.?.. This increase in wages has only been demanded by the night hand 3. I believe, at a full meeting of printers on Friday it was resolved not to force the question for a week at least.
Accidents still continue the order of the day, and unless there is a cessation in this direction before long, the accommodation of the hospital will have to be increased. A dreadful occurrence took place on Friday night, putting one in mind of the'scene in "tinder the Gaslight," where Byke is tied down to the rail and the train comes thundering down towards him. A laboring man was returning from his work about seven o'clock, and was crossing the line at.Pelichet Bay (about a mile from the city),, when his right foot caught in the rail, or between it and the ground and one of the sleepers, and he was unable to extricate himself. At this moment the last train from Port Chalmers was nearly due, and the unfortunate man knowing this, and being unable to release his foot, shrieked out in fearful accents. As he did so, the train came round the curve, and appeared in front, coming towards the doomed man at full speed. " Again he shrieked, and some passers-by, after frantically trying to release him, rushed towards the train and shrieked out likewise for the driver to stop. But the night was a dark one, the train a long one, and the noise of the men was drowned in the roar of the approaching cars and engine. The train passed over the unfortunate man's knee, smashing his leg to pieces. He was removed to the hospital, had the leg amputated, and was delirious till death released him from his sufferings.
A very lively meeting is anticipated to-night It is convened by a number of citizens to protest against the action lately taken by the City Council in the matter of the awards given to the lessees in Princes-street as compensation for removing back their premises [chiefly wooden shanties] a few feel; Something like £30,000 has been paid to a few people, whose
losses will not be so many hundreds. And one of the gentlemen who is "to receive between £2OOO and £3OOO happens himself to be a City Conncillor. Not that the' matter was left to the Councillors themselves to settle, —not at all, —it was placed in the hands of " arbitrators," who, by the bye, require another '* four hundred " for themselves. The meeting promises to be an exceedingly cheerful one for all parties—particularly for the members of the City" Council, who are invited to be present. The people of Port Chalmers are in a great state of mind at the action of the Dunediu Harbor Board, and not without reason. The Harbor Board is borrowing a considerable sum of. money to dredge the upper harbor, so as to allow of the admittance of large ships and steamers. This once carried out -will play " old Harry " with Port Chalmers —at present the port of the province. And in order to provide for interest and sinking fund of this debt, it is proposed to levy an additional amount on all goods either landed or shipped at Dunedin or the port. This is looked upon by the port people as a most iniquitous proceeding, because the latter are simply being asked to provide funds to purchase a razor to cut their own throats. So a public meeting is to be held at the port, to take the whole thing into consideration.
The Provincial Council is getting through its business with despatch. After the Financial Statements recently delivered by the Provincial Treasurers of Canterbury and Auckland, we have indeed great reason to congratulate ourselves upon the condition of our finances. On one or two occasions the Councillors have evinced a disposition to talk about matters in general, and of no particular interest, at considerable length. The other night Mr. K. G. Turton, our former Provincial Solicitor, rebuked them by telling them they would better serve the interests of their clients—he begged their pardons—he meant constituents by not " so unmercifully knocking down time." We have had a Church of England bazaar for the last few days, on a very novel principle. It is in aid of the organ fund of the new church of St. Matthew. A large number of really nice-looking girls Btand behind the various stalls, all dressed alike, and with a distinguishing " mop cap," of a very pretty pattern ; but the feature of the bazaar is, that no one is importuned to buy this article or that. You can buy anything you like, or leave it alone. The result has been a large audience nightly, and when the bazaar closed on Saturday over £7OO had been received in four nights. This should be an example to all church people desirous of holding bazaars throughout the colonies.
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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZTIM18750521.2.19
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New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4421, 21 May 1875, Page 2
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1,529OUR DUNEDIN LETTER. New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4421, 21 May 1875, Page 2
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