VAUXHALL GARDENS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 316, 24 December 1862, Page 5

VAUXHALL GARDENS.

To celebrate the opening of the Vauxhall Gardens yesterday, Mr. I<Viey, their proprietor, iavifced a number of gcnclemsa to a col.! collation. Tiu little stcara -s, dudigne 1 to specially ply between there and Dnnedin, was called into requisition for the first time, and the guests, to the number of about thirty, were pleasantly conveyed across the Bay in something lesi than ten minutes. It is unnecessary to tell the inhabitants of Dunedin where the gardens are • situated,-, as for some weeks past they have had them continually before their eyen. They, are located immediately in front of tli6 town on the opposite aide of the Bay on a prominent and not very low [■ A. As the ri-past did not take place till late in the day, we may proceed with our account, by first taking our readers a short stroll through the gardens. It is necessary first to premise that they are by no means finished. It is only some few weeks since they were first commenced; and some idea of the great deal which has been effected may be conceived when it is considered that the hill on which they are situated was covered with a dense bush, and was besidts so steep as almost to be unscaleab'.e. The first thing the visitor-notices is a small jetty thrown out from the base of the hill, alongside which the litrle steamer approaches and lands her passengers. Immediate yin front of the jetty a tramway has been cue into the hill side. One truck ascends whilst the other descends. They are worked by simple machinery. A weight of about five hundredweight is drawn up at one time. The tramway has, however, only been lately finished. The greater part of the building material was carried up along the winding path to the left, which was formed for the purpose of enabling visitors to ascend the hill, without over exerting themselves. The ascent, however, is still sufficiently steep to make one feel pleased when he reaches the Rotunda. This, as its name implies, is a round building, of considerable size. The sides are open, but the top is roofed in. It is to serve the purposes of dancing and promenading. In the centre a place is enclosed for the band, winch we should mention, by-th;:-bye, lent the aid of its enlivening strains during the passage by the steamer, and also at intervals in the progress of the subsequent repast. Leaving the Rotunda, a slight ascent leads to the hotel, which consists chiefly of a hall or room of great length and width, and of about eighteen feet in height. In this immense chamber a long counter is erected, behind which appeared a goodly array of choice liquids, presided over and dealt out by a fair goddess, wjho put the finishing stroke to the prettiness with which the bar was arranged. The hall is lighted by very large windows, partly of colored glass. In wet weather the visitors to the gardens will find in this retreat a comfortable ami capacious shelter. Venturing out into the open air again, we find close to the hotel a considerable piece of cleared ground fenced in, which wa3 originally arranged for the Caledonian games, as it was thought the Society would have used the gardens lor the coming Gathering. Another selection has however been made, but the cleared spuce at Vauxhall will be available for all kinds of games and spoits. It is contcm plated to open an archery ground, a rifle gallery, a Lawn bowling green, and other amusements. Swings are already erected. All round the fenced clearing little bowers or summer houses are to be erected, which will offer nice retreats to visitors seeking refreshments, or rest. Several pathways have been made into the land surrounding, and the lovers of trees and ferus, may enjoy the sight of as beautiful a collection as they could wish to see.. Some of the Fern trees are exceedingly pretty, they would be worth a great deal in a botanical garden. A few efforts at embellishment are beings made, including the erection of various pieces of statuary at different points. If we add that the view from the hill is charming in the extreme, we have done our best to give a description of the place. The sight of the town on the opposite side of the Bay, with the lofty Mils rising at its rear, and the vaiied scenery around is indeed very striking, and we expect the gardens will prove a favorite resort during the day time to parties in search of picnic pleasuies. A road is being formed over the hill from the Anderson's Bay road. It is already a; cessible to horses, and will shortly be so to carriages. In the meanwhile, the latter can approach within two or three hundred yards. It is to be hoped that with so man/ means of reaching thegardens,they will receive a fair number of visitors. Though new to New Zealand, gardens of the. kind are" . amongst the favorite resorts of other places. The Cremorne .'.Gardens of London are visited by immense numbers of people. During the day no one need scruple at being seen in them ; and even in the evening, whim the excitement rises to a post-prandial pitch, fast young ladies of un xceptionable chaructt r think it a " knowing thing" to visit the gay scene, shaded only from the public gaze by spotted veils dependent from pork-pie hats ; and love to whisper their exploit the next day to their dear friunus, and teil of how they s.iw that quiet cousin who always bushesvhen in the drawingroom whirling round like m»d to the exciting strains of the dance music. Mr Farley instead of Cremorne has called his place the Vauxhall G.tiddnr. P rhaps he wishes to recall tiiut old Vauxhall, that {:ay resort which lovely belles and brilliant b.aux would visit to talk o\er the t.iuniphs of the Court Ball they had just left—where " the finest gentleman in Europe"' would launch his incomparable bows, and forget the bioken clown friends of his gay hours; where,-but if we begin thus, we shall never stop. Who shall imagine, much more pouitray, all the romances of real life, the trials, the disappointments, the happiness, and the joys that owned Vauxhall as their theatre. The utilitarian spirit of the age has swept the old place away. Dull streets and unsightly architecture are the substitutes for the walks lighted by a thousand lamps, and resounding to the joyous liugh of the glad beings who thronged them. In 1833, 20,000 persons visited the Vauxhall Gar- j dens in one night, in 1859 they weve sold for j building purposes. Sic transit gloria mundi. But to resume, fiom our long digression, there is no reason why the Vauxhall Gardens should not be visited by all classes in Dunedin. We speak especially of the day time, in the evening doubtless they will be somewhat less select. To pass on to the collation, which was sometime delayed owing to it being found at the last minute that the forks had been forgotten, and that it was necessary to send to Dunedin for them, we need not say that it whs we'll seived, seeing that it ■was provided by those well-known ciusirncrs, Messrs Waters, Moitou and Robertson. After justice had been rendered io the gcod things, a yariely of toasts were proposed, and were drunk with enthusiasm, especially those of Mr Fariey, the proprietor, Mr Hetherhmton, the manager, '■ The Old Identity," and " Tho Victorians." The company well pleased, then returned to the steamer, when the ceremony of christening it was perforn c.l by a bottle of champagne being broken over the bows, whilst the name " The Nugget" was proclaimed. The steamer, though small, seems admit ibly efficient She moves through the water with perfect steadiness, and can do the passage in eight iainutes. She can carry fi.rty passengers easily. The Gardens are opened to the general public today.