DUNEDIN.

Tuapeka Times, Volume VI, Issue 308, 29 November 1873, Page 3

DUNEDIN.

(From our own Correspondent.)

The winning of the cricket match at the South Recreation Ground j'esterday by the Auckland team will no doubt act as a sort of emollient upon the inhabitants of the province from which the victors hail, for the Aucklandevs seem to be in a dreadful state of perturbation re the allotment of the National Insurance Co.'s shares, and are calling the action pf the Southrons in that matter, by all sorts of ugly names. The defeat of our local knights of the willow at the hands, of the doughty champions of the North, or in fact any circumstam eby which Otago will suffer by comparison with Auckland, is therefore likely to be regarded with some degree of satisfaction and rejoicing, and no doubt triumphal p£eon9 will arise on the occasion of the return of the conquorors. Well, they deserve it. They played under disadvantageous circumstances, landing as they did from the steamer and playing the match only two or three hours afterwards, on a strange ground, on which they had had no practice. It is not pleasant to see our local men having to take second place, yefc it is only fair to give honour to whom honour is dve — although it is only for the winning of a cricket match. It is paid in town that tho Directors of the National Insurance Company are not going to allow the hbelloijs acoupqtiana raa4e in several of the Auckland papers to pass without taking steps at law to vindicate their characters, Adverse criticism on the greed evinced by the Directors.in allotting themselves shares out of all proportion to the number which in fairness to the other applicants they should have been content with, was justifiable, and met with a reciprocal feeling in this province; but the Auckland journals have gone beyond this, and made accusations -which reflect in no measured degree on tho character of the Directors. As might be expected, these gentlemen feel much annoyed, and doubtless if they carry their present intentions into effect they will receive a solatium far their tarnished honour.

The reported' resuscitation of Mon Ti, who died from an overdose of opium, turns out to be a delusion on the part of the Chinese watchers, as was generally anticipated when the report obtained currency in town last night. The firm of which deceased was a member are, I believe, boarding-house keepers, not merchants, as has been stated.

The action of His Worship the Mayor in proclaiming a half -holiday on the first day of the cricket match, has given a number of grumblers in the community an opportunity of coming out in their congenial character, and declaiming against the absurdity of people being requested to close their places of business, and neglect their trade for the purpose of doing honour to a number of young men who came dawn to Otago " to knock aJeather baU about for a day or two." Notwithstanding the sneering of the grumblers, it must be admitted that it would tare been showing a very great want of courtesy to our visitors not to have shown Borne public recognition of their presence; and whether people liked to close up or not, the Mayor only did his duty in making the request that the holiday should be observed. && chief citizen, he has placed in his keeping the good name of the citizens as a hospitable and courteous community, and any action on his part which would detract from the reputation of the community it is clearly his duty to avoid. Rumor says that his Worship' waited upon his Honor the Superintendent to, ascertain whether he could not "compel" the business people to close up. Here our worthy Mayor had evidently allowed his feelings to get the better of his good sense. The excursion trip made by the Golden Age last Sunday, round the shipping at Port Chalmers, was largely ta.feen advantage of, the steamer being crowded from stem to stern. The day was a beautifully fine one, and those on board enjoyed the trip very much. After reaching the Port, a tour of the shipping was made, and a visit of about hftlf-a^-hour's duration was paid to- the Lady Jocelyn, still lying at anchor in the stream. She is a noble ship, and well worth a visit. Her saloon is very much larger than ajiy of those of the Patrick Henderson line, and is beautifully fitted throughout, the polished mapl© panellings and dodrs with which the saloon abounds being universally admired- Everything on board waa in the trimmest order, and scrupulously clean. Her officers wero very obling to the visitors, notwithstanding that there was a crowd of something like 3.00 persons wandering about the decks and in the various lower regions of the vessel. The French man-of-war was also an abject of general attention, while the steamer was passing and re-j)assing her, and some of 'Our w.ell-known. citizens, natives of la belle Franco, who were down paying their countrymen a visit, were duly saluted as the Golden Ago went by. Shall I say that the excursionists were landed just in time to. respond to- th© appeal of the chuFch-gorag bells j or are the excursion and attendance at church in the evening incompatible ? Well, that I leave your readers to judge.