DUNEDIN.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2161, 21 February 1880, Page 2

DUNEDIN.

[from our orvx correspondent.] I have it on the authority of an “ oldest inhabitant ” that never before was there such a summer in Dunedin as the present. Since Christmas little or no rain has fallen and all classes whether on pleasure or business bent have made the most of the fine weather. The municipalities on the Flat —under water in time of flood —arc commencing to run short of water, and it is probable their present extremity will force them to join with the Dunedin corporation in getting a supply from the Silvcrstream. If it had not been for the conduit latelylaid between the Silvcrstream and town, w t c should have run out ere this, and been reduced to the straits of previous years, when water carts from the levels supplied private houses. To the two small creeks already tapped into this race, a third has just been added, and the work has been further extended.

Our farmers are making the most of their opportunity, and from all accounts a very good harvest is being gathered, although the low- price of oats is a very serious drawback.

About 20 members of the Dunedin corps have entered for the Nelson meeting,includingliichardson, Dalziel,Peake and Black. I expect to sec our Otago men higli up on the prize list. The district prize firing took place on Saturday, at Anderson’s Bay, when 135 men competed, the conditions being seven shots at 400, 500, and 600 yards; and to give y r ou an idea of the work got through, no less than 2,835 shots were fired during the match. Corporal Webster of the Guards secured, the highest prize with a score of 68—very good considering the unfavorable -weather. Of the £4-1 competed for, the City Guards secured withlseveu prize-takers £24 10s, but it must be remembered the firing was at (heir own range. Between the North Dunedin Company and the Guards a very strong feeling of rivalry exists. In team competitions the Northern Company usually prove the victors, and the fact of ihcir only winning one prize of the value of 30s has given occasion to a a large amount of cock-crowing. Since my r last a meeting has been held to consider the “ excessive salaries paid to corporation officials.” Mr Bailiff Brown was the acting spirit of the movement, and he assured me that Councillors Fish, Isaac, and Barnes were hacking him. If so it is a pity r that they did not help him out of the state of fogin which he became enveloped at the meeting. There were about 80 rate-

payers present, and after some discus- , sion it was decided to adjourn pending j the report of a Committee of the City Council appointed to inquire into the matter, when organised meetings will be held in the different wards of the city. The following are some of the salaries complained of :—Town Clerk, £GOO ; Engineer, £700; Treasurer, £-100; Gas Engineer, £4OO ; Inspector of Nuisances, £2OO. Perhaps it is not so much the amount of their salaries as the dissatisfaction given in the discharge of their duties which causes the trouble. Ihc unpleasant part of civic retrenchment hitherto is that the blow has been aimed at those least able to bear it, and _ the unlucky dayman, with his few shillings a day, has been operated upon, whilst the higher officials remain untouchcd. Our tire alarm annunciators arc not proving the “ correct card.” Four of these are conspicuously placed in the several wards of the city, and the public are invited by an annexed card to “ break the glass and pull the handle,” of course only in case of lire. A short time ago a lire occurred in Tomlinson’s coalyard, and the alarm was • givcn_ at the instrument immediately opposite at the Imperial hotel. At the same moment one of the newspaper reporters coming out of the Post Cilice, saw the smoke, and stupidly gave the alarm at the instrument lixed there, thus interfering with the action and destroying the guide as to the locality of the lire. Then again last Sunday evening some drunken fellow politely acceded to the request ‘'Break the glass and pull the handle ” at North Dunedin, and the Brigade were well on the road in that direction when the lirebell tolled out a lire in the South Ward. The police are endeavoring to lind out the culprit. Our Presbyterian Churches move but slowly in the matter of musical improvement. At Knox Church the Presbyterian hymn book has been in use for some time, and last Sunday a vote was taken on the introduction of instrumental music, the result being 2% for, and 200 against. It has been decided to let matters stand over for the purpose of allowing some of the ancient obstructionists to accomplish their decease. Some two years ago Dr Copland’s Church introduced organ music into their service, hut the choir—at no time a good one—has travelled in a backward direction. The First Church is much in the rear of progress, Its congregation will have nothing Jmt the Psalms ; even the Paraphrases, according to some of its members, should not be sung, because there is no command whatever in Holy Writ to sing them. I notice Pastor Chiniquv will deliver his opening address in Dunedin on Sunday morning, Feb. 21), at this church. Mr Proudfoot deserves all the credit and profit accruing from his tramway. Yesterday the line to the Ocean Beach was opened, and it is now possible to take a straight run from the North-east Valley to the Ocean Beach, a distance of 54 miles, for the very moderate sum of Gd. Quite a number of people take a run down on the two-decker cars of an evening merely for the sake of the ride. Property in all directions along the route has risen in value, and it is impossible to overestimate the importance of such an easy, cheap, and speedy system of communication. The people on the hill at Hoslyn and Kaikora have long hail in hand a project for tram communication along the hill and over to the Half-way Bush. It is proposed to take the carriage up the long, steep hill to Hoslyn by means of an endless wire rope, but the idea is a novel one to most people, and the project is not meeting with hearty support, although it is reported this system of haulage is very popular and successful in San Francisco.

A lady, accomplished in things educational, has just parted from us and we are not unhappy at her going. This estimable person had contracted a very pompous style, which so far assisted her, that she was unable to get upon the debtor side ot the lodgers of several tradesmen. Her method, on contracting a debt of a few shillings, was to write out a cheque for £l, pay her account, and pocket the balance. Those cheques were invariably dishonoured, and the lady for a time feigned great indignation with her banker, but the end had to come, her fraud was too palpable, and so she “skedaddled.” Once more has the adage proved that “ All that glitters is not gold,” and our shop-keepers have learnt that a commanding style, and an acquaintance with the aristocracy, docs not always keep company with the ability to pay.