DUNEDIN.

Tuapeka Times, Volume VII, Issue 340, 21 March 1874, Page 2

DUNEDIN.

(From our own Correspondent.)

The forthcoming meeting of the Dunedin Jockey Club is expected to be the best that has taken place in the Province for years. Very great interest is manifested in the horses that have accepted for the various events, and betting is much more general than usual. The very large prices which the various priviliges in connection with the meeting realised when put up to auction by Messrs. Wright, Stephenson, and Co., will give 6ome criterion as to the attendance expected. Between £-400 and £500 for the gates alone is a large sum, and shows how sanguine the speculators are of the autumn meet of '71 being more than usually brilliant and well attended; while to go to a lesser item — the race cards — £70 seems not a bad sum for this minor privilege. Given fine weather, and the running of the horses strictly on their merits. I anticipate a brilliant result. The Jockey Club certainly., deserve substantial recognition of the energy and spirit which have characterised their efforts in connection with the approaching meeting, and it is to be hoped that expectations will be fully realised, and a stimulus thus given to induce renewed exer- ,

tions to make the Dunedin meets the races par excellence of the Colony.

The Otago Turkish Bath Company have evidently not been idle during the short time it has been in existence. It can be but little over a month since the preliminary meeting in connection with the affair was held at the Criterion Hotel, and yet it is satisfactory to bo able to state that they have already secured central premises, and intend to have the necessary alterations made and appliances procured to enable them to start operations with as little delay as possible. They have purchased the premises in Dowling-street at present occ-.pied by Messrs. Hudson and Co. as a biscuit factory, the latter firm being about to transfer their manufactory business to the Masonic Hall, which has recently been added to and. altered in order to suit the requirements of Messrs. Hudson and Co.'s business. The want of Turkish baths in this Colony has often been referred to, and it is to be hoped, now that we are about to have this desideratum supplied, the patronage accorded will show that? the promoters have not miscalculated the amount of support anticipated. Although the efforts made some time ago by the Early Closing Association to establish the Saturday half-holiday among the shop assistants in the various drapery and other establishments in the city, turned out a failure, the association does not seem to have allowed that fact to entirely damp their ardour in the cause they have at heart. By posters and advertisements they have for some time past been urging upon the public not to shop after one o'clock on Saturdays ; but I am much afraid their '• urgent appeals " will have not much more weight with the objects of their solicitation than those of a reverend gentleman (in another cause) who created 6ome little stir in Otago a year or two ago. In Dunedin the people see-m to think it a part of their existence to do all the shopping they have to do on Saturdays, and to wander up and down Princes street on the evening of that day in evident enjoyment of the brilliantly-lighted shop windows and the unusually busy aspect of tho Btrcets. It will cost the Early Closing , Association much patience and the expenditure of no inconsiderable amount of hard cash before they can hope to meet with success in their efforts. It is not an easy matter to induce people to break off habits for which they have an especial liking, and I think it will bo admitted on all sides that I have only stated the truth when I say that Dunedin people have an especial liking for their Saturday evening ramble along the principal streets, with, its attendant result or' an expenditure of some of their week's earnings.