DUNEDIN.

Tuapeka Times, Volume VI, Issue 295, 25 September 1873, Page 5

DUNEDIN.

..<(.frar?t owr Atm Oorrespondcni.} ..Messrs. M'tiandress., Hepburn, and06., last week submitted to auction the c(srporatioh leases of, several valuable, busjhesp Bites in Manse-Btreet, viz., thai 1 at pfesent'occupied by' Mr. John Healeyj grotjer; Messrs! Oliver and Ulph, M'Lan-i direst, Hepburh,. and' C 0..,' and' Wright,. Stephoftson, and Pq.',; t with assessed.valuation for buildings. . With the e£ce,p,tion, of the site, occupied by M'Landress, Hepburn, and 00,, the lease of which was' again secured by that' firm, th,e hammer' fell to the bid of Messrs. Connell and ■Moodie for "the other properties, at what' must certainly be considered very high rates,, the average being about £8 35.- per, foot frontage per annum, the highest price given being. £9 15s. per foot. It is said that the leases have in reality been purchased by Mr. W. S. M. Larnach arid others, j one site for the purpose of starring an extensive ironmongery warehouse to compete with a' large establishment in close proximity ; aud another site ■ for the purpose of a stock exchange. This is as rumor hath it, although the, speculators seem, to be at present keeping their own counsel in the matter . The present lessees have at anyrate" to leave at an early date. Practically, a monopoly has existed in the iron trade for a considerable time, and with the starting of an establishment able to compete, in the keeping of an extensive and varied stock, considerable redactions in the price of hardware .and general ironmongery may be .looked forward to by the smaller traders who have to rely upon importers" for their stocks. Tho Stock Exchange idea is 1 rather an ambitious one, far a comparatively small city like Dunedin, I should think, hardly requires. one. However, Mr. Larnach is a keen business man, and probably knows his own business best, and if, as is stated, this is the idea in view, he will doubtless have sufficient data to go upon^ ' " " ' ! The City Council had under consideration at its la"st meeting a letter from Messrs. Webb and Fulton concerning an offer they had .made on behalf of a company to lay down street tramways in Dunedin. The idea is likely to be carried out before very long,, as a majority of the councillors seem to be in favor of the proposed work Councillor Barnes is. however, particularly strong in his objections, and looks upon the - proposed innovation very • unfavorably. The facts Messrs. Webb and Fulton adduce as to the success ' of street, tramways in many of the large Continental towns, most of them with streets much narrower than those of Dim l edin, .are, however, tolerably ' conclusive with regard to the very liitle inconvonience occasioned to traffic in comparison to tlie great boon which the iramway carriages hare been to the inhabitants. Further correspondence has taken place with regard to the asserted mismanagement of the Dunedin Hospital, the editor of the " Evening Star " having published a letter which' he addressed to his Honor the Superintendent, i>rging that au investigation should t&ke place without further 4elay in order, that it mightbe ascertained whether the assertions of the mismanagement of the institution have any foundation in fact. Mr. Bell also enclosed in his communication to the Superintendent copies of letters written by subordinate officials in the hospital in refutation of statements made by one of the members of the legal profession in Dunedin regarding, the mismanagement alluded, to.- The.' reply ./tthich Mr. Bell received to hisle,tser exonerated the hospital employe's from haying committed any indiscretion in writing to the papera on tae subject,' the propriety of which proceeding Mr. 801 l very -much questioned. No notice what-! ever- ia taken of Mr. Bell's, request for an ! inquiry, and evidently the Government have no, intention of instituting one. This is to be regretted, as it is highly necessary that public confidence should to the fullest extent be placed in those "who; have thejmanagement of, and also those who hold subordinate positions .in,, our provincial hospital.. At present a feeling of dissatisfaction prevails — whethergound-i less or- not remains to be seen-T-arid tlie Government should certainly make it! their duty to- satisfy the public mind on the matter [ The National Insurance Company, has I gained the confidence of . the public itf a most unprecedented manner, if one. is. to judge from the applications for shares which have poured hi. I understand that about 90,000 shares liave been applied, for i in Otago, and yet aiiofch&r day remaina for the receipt of applications,, l so it is only reasonable to presume that the total will rim up to 100,000. . Considering that 40,000 are to be allotted to Otago resi-. dents, and that the applications in other proviuces seem to have come in- almost similar proportions to the number to be allotted, the company should be a con* siderable success. ■ • • • < . The Hoskins-Colyille dramatic company are giving their farewell performances, prior to, taking their departure for the Northern Proviuces. The season, has on the whole been, a very successful one, good houses having been the rule ; and so far as the publio- are concerned, much enjoyment' has been derived 'from the many qapital performances given.' • ' . , •