From Gisborne to Melbourne.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume X, Issue 1089, 20 June 1882, Page 3

From Gisborne to Melbourne.

[Written for the Povbhtt Bay Standard.] No. IX. DUNEDIN (Continued). Vj continued my walk, in the bracing atmos-p-phere, along the reclaimed land, and, as a I wnatter of -course, drew comparisons between f 1 he past and the present. The Otagans of the I primitive -age sang from their hearts, if not F from their pockets—- **• Let wit and learning, art and commerce, die, “‘But spare, oh spare our great nobility.” J n fart 4, «ur noble selves ** was motto of eveiy <lny life, and the standing toast of all conviviality ; but what a ehimge’ What a maguilicent city, the premier of New Zealand, has reared itself, er 1 as been reared, by the industry and toil of the amounted bloods, of home ®nd foreign climes, in tlie sjiace of 30 years, w! ile those who kept not up with the great ■advancement of the world’s accelerated forces in the surging struggles of life, or gone to that bourne whence no traveller returns.” The panoramic view of the city, as seen from my standpoint, is ennobled, if I do not rnistinderstand the word, by the conspicuous presence of many spires and steeples that tower their heads towards Heaven, and tend to relieve the place of that extreme monotony noticeable in tlie uort hern towns. Not having «pent a .Sunday in Dunedin, I know nothing •of the interior of its churches ; but from what I saw the ‘‘First Church,” as it is called, is the most commodious and handsomest. I saw none approaching to the name of “ cathedral,” -although, when I find that even such a wealthy -and populous place as Melbourne cannot boast ■of anything even half so good as Dunedin, and not a patch on that of Thorndon at Wellington —sorry apology fora Bishopric as this is— I am not so much astonished that, apparently ■the world over, ecclesiastical architecture is one of the last things people care about spending their money on. The First Church is a recent erection in the vicinity of where stood, in my day, the topographical “ bell hill,” which has since been carted away for improvements, -although there is a kind of pi<ce-mcal work about them, and something more requires to be done before that neighborhood is out of the hands of the workmen. The first church is built of stone, and is a costly edifice ; it occupies a commanding position, forming a landmark for miles round, and is at once the pride and admiration of the Scotch communion to ■which it belongs. I could not visit any of the public institutions, therefore I shall not attempt to describe them. But there are some few other items I remember which may be interesting as the unbiassed opinion of a visitor. To one who, like me, had been absent so many years, one of the first things in the shape of street improvement, that is noticeable, is the widening of the northern portion of Princes Street, which is now a really noble thoroughfare, as compared with the narrow strip, which never could have been more than a lane, originally laid out as the main street of the town. Undoubtedly we may look for this to the presence of men of wealth from other latitudes, who, in the governing bodies have made their voices, and the town’s wants heard with good effect. I hava not been to the historic city of ancient Scotia, whence the name of the street is derived—indeed, after which it is specially called—but, although it was a longing desire of the “ Pilgrim Fathers ” of Otago, that Dunedin’s pet street should resemble that of Edinburgh, I am informed by some chiels who ken, that it is as much unlike it as possible. But it puts me much in mind of Collins, Bourke, and other principal streets in Melbourne, only that the latter preserve their name from one end to the other, while the former must needs have George-street tacked on to the northern end running into the North East Valley. Taken together it forms the longest thoroughfare of any in the New Zealand townships, and on a fine week day evening presents a very lively scene. All the streets have a cleanly, well-cared for appearance, and generally speaking, they are broad and welllighted and drained ; the footpaths are paved, and a good width. The travelling traffic is mostly carried on by means of tram cars, the being monopolised, to the almost exuse of cabs or omnibuses, the latter only being in requisition for those portions of the town and suburbs where the lines are not laid. The cars run from between termini, distance about five or six miles apart. They are drawn by both steam and horse power, anp

are extremely comfortable and pleasant, although the noise that is made owing to a faulty construction in this respect, is anything but agreeable to the ear. The engines go up and down the hills with perfect ease and safety, and, on either gradient, are under instant control of the driver. The charge for any part of the journey is only threepence, in return for which fire, a passenger gets a ticket, duly numbered, and, if he is in the habit of so travelling he saves all the tickets, which bear corresponding numbers, and takes his chance of winning a prise in a kind of Art Union, which generally take place at the end of every three months or so. This is resorted to as a device, or means to induce travellers to patronise the train system of locomotion, and I heard that, as the management of the lottery is in the hands of responsible, well-known settlers, th a utmost satisfaction is given, and some valuable prizes are awarded. (To be Continued.)