DUNEDIN.

Tuapeka Times, Volume VI, Issue 310, 6 December 1873, Page 3

DUNEDIN.

(From our own Correspondent.}

For a considerable time past, Dunedin, like many other, colonial towns, has been pestered with considerable numbers of those plagues to respectable citizens who are known in colonial parlance as larrikins. We have them of all faizen, from the great hulking fellow of seventeen or eighteen down to the diminutive ureliin of eleven or twelve, though the Bize of the younger branch of the species is by no means a guide to their mischievousness'. Things are certainly coming to a crisis in respect to this nuisance, however — it is absolutely impossible that respectable people can submit to it much longer. Hardly a day goes bj but some further complaint is heard o£ annoyance and vexation resulting" from what are no doubt termed " larks " by the members of the fraternity under notice. Anything more deserving of severe chastisement than the wilful throwing of a large stone into St. Andrew's church while Dr. Copland was preaching last Sunday, for example, I can hardly imagine. It was only by the merest chance that serious injury was not inflicted on some member of the congregation ; as it was, the dangerous missuVpassed in unpleasantly close proximity to the head of His Worship the Mayor. Of course, the larrikin made off as soon as he threw the pie^e of metal, and there is very little probability of his identity being discovered. Another instance of larrikinism was made known tome last night, by some friends who have just returned from two or three wpoks' visit to the country. They had locked all their doors, and as they imagined stored away the keys in a spot where it -was hardly possible for anj-one to lay their hands upon them ; and as an additional security tliey invebted in a piece of chain, and pa-lloclced the garden gate. On entering their home after returning to town the other day, everything in the house ivas in confusion ; — boots' taken down from the bhelves, and scattered about the room, antimaccassars lying in all directions, chairs and tables turned upside down, sofas and beds covered with clay through having been walked upon with dirty boots, groceries and other things on the floor — in fact, the whole place presenting a very uninviting appearance, and. entirely changing the pleasant feelings predominating before the door was opened and consequent on the enunciation of two or three musical lines to the effect that " Tliere's no place like home." Windows are smashed with the greatest impunity as soon as a house becomes untenanted, people walking along our principal street in. tho evenings are edified by hearing observations eouchecl in tho choicest larrikin slang, and females are leered at and insulted when they are" alone and happen to meet any of the bands of youths who horde together with pipes in their mouths and parade the- streets, as it seems for the special purpose of making themselves obnoxious. Thero is no chance of the evil being checked until some .severe punishment is awarded to one of the fraternity, and the sooner this is done the better. Let some of the young rascals be caught and sentenced to I BOrne severe corporeal punislnnent, and I have no doubt that larrikinism will be checked ; until something of the sort is done, wo shall continue to be subjected to annoyance. The lovers of music in our city have had a gi*eat treat for the last week in the concerts of fcljie talented Carandini family, assisted by a baritone singer new to Dunedin — Mr. Henry Gordon — and Mr, George Cotterell, who treats his audiences to some amusing and interesting sketches. Madame Carandini haß still a clear, sweet voice, and Bings nany of her old songs as pleasingly as ever ; while the ; Misses Carandiui win,fr^shj^ureliat«ach successive per-

formanoe. They ftfe to have a season of three or four weeks, arid have up to the present had very good houses. Wellington is ,to havo opposition in the sugar refining business. No sooner had the advertisement appeared in the Olago papers announcing the projected Wellington company, tlian it was followed by one embodying the prospectus of an Otago company with an iulluential directory. Under the cireumstauces the 2000 Wellington shares allotted to Dunedin are not likely to be very rapidly taken up. Shares in the National lffeuranco Company are changing hands a good deal in Dunedin at present, the ruling rates being 9s and 10s premium. Although these are the prices obtained, it is generally considered that higher, rates will be obtained ere long ; and many have great confidence in the company being a great success. The latter class hold their shares, and would not sell at anytJiing like ruling prices. The prospects of the new company, the Standard, are not considered to be of the brightest, andjpnost people are chary of entering into the venture. It is, however, most probable, I believe, that the company will be floated.

From remarks which fell from His Honour the Superintendent, yesterday, in answer to the petition of a deputation which waited upon him, it seems probable that their h&te noir, the Hillside toll-bar, will shortly be removed to a more satisfactory distance from the city. It has long been a source of complaint that it is not possible to take a ride or a drive of a mile without having .to submit to the imposition of an obnoxious toll. The projected alteration will certainly be hailed with satisfaction by a very large number of the public.