DUNEDIN.

Tuapeka Times, Volume VII, Issue 345, 8 April 1874, Page 3

DUNEDIN.

(From our own Correspondent.) j [Received too late for publication in our last.] I hear that the Good Templars are not going to allow the approaching licensing meeting to pass without an endeavor to restrict the indiscriminate granting of licenses, which has prevailed hitherto in the province. In reality, however, there is not, I fancy, so much occasion for the action they are about to take as there formerly was — for the coustitution of the new Beuch of licensing justices leads to the impression that no more licenses will be granted than there is absolute occasion for. The justices who have been appointed are Mr. John Bathgate, R.M., Mr. A. 11. C. Strode, J.P.. Mr. William Mason and Mr. James Fulton J.P.'s. The selection, it will be generally admitted, is a very good one, and 1 think the interests of the com- | m unity may be very safely left in the hands of the gentlemen named ; not that I blame the Templars, however, for doing their utmost to stop the sjjread of the frightful evils which are the results of over indulgence in intoxicants. No One who gives the subject a moment's consideration cau say anything j against the efforts made by any pei'son or set of persons who put forth their energies to suppress intemperance. The question of what is to be done in order to counteract the frightful evils of the too free use of intoxicating liquors is puzzling the brains of the most eminent of our home statesmen. The gigantic strides the evil has made arc appalling, and the amount of crime, poverty, misery, lunacy, and destitution which have resulted is beyond human* reckoning. Thero .can^be uo doubt that before many years are over, the apathy which at present characterizes public opinion on this vital subject will be changed to intense interest and a desire by all to do their utmost to further the temperance cause. As giving an indication of the large trade now done by somo of our leading grocors, it is perhaps not unworthy of being notified that last week one of the principal retail grocery firms in town sold over the counters -of the two shops of which they are proprietors no less than 600 mats of sugar, or about fifteen tons. It seems almost incredible that such an enormous delivery of small parcels could be made in oue week, but as my informant had the information direct from a member of the firm, it is no doubt correct. As' this item alone would represent a money value of some | £600 or £"700 the total weekly takings must j be of considerable magnitude. Mentioning this fact leads to consideration of the question j why grocers should sell sugar at no advance on the price they pay for it — for this I believe j is generally tho <aso in Dunediti, whatever it j may be elsewhere : in fact, grocers have been known to sell this parlicularmrtiele of their trade at even a litllo under wholesale cost, j What the reason of it is I don't know, but a j Dunedin grocer will always t*»ll 3ou that lie ; gets no profit on his sugar. Perhaps somo of your readers can throw some light on tho subject, for I confess it is beyond my fathom- | ing. Much information concerning "ye manners and customs " of certain classes in the community which otherwise would not be generally known is disseminated by means of the Police Court reports which appear in the 1 papers. I think Dunedin police news can as a rule vie with that of most other communities hi point of tho edifying disclosures as to, the mode of life wbL-h many wretched creatures oi the female sex lead. Hardly auy one in town but is familiar with the names of a number of those unfortunates through constantly having them paraded before their eyes in the daily papera. A well-known lane in Walker-street, and an equally™ well-known hotbed of immorality in Ciimbei-laud-streeV regularly produces case 3 for the .Resident Magistrate to adjudkate upon ; and on Tuesday the Bench had a full complement of cases from the latter quarter, in which a person familiarly known among her particular " set " as Lady Monson, sought to recover damages from several other ladies in consoquence of damage sustained by breakage of glass, &c., in a drunken spree, and to mulct them ia fines for making use of indecent expressions, which the " lady " prosecutor conveyed to,the R.M. by means of initial letters, t"he complete words being too bad . even for her not \ery particular mouth to utter. The evidence disclosed the life which these women lead — an. existance in degradation immeasurably below that of the worst- savages of the Polynesian or any other group, and which indeed should claim the attention that is uselessly devoted to those missions. It is very- Questionable whether permanent good hoR ev.er or will ever result from mission to heathen lands. There has been very little evidence of it hitherto^ and while thero is such crying ne..d for the labours of the benevolent among certain classes in the Queen's realms, it will, always bo the general impression, as it mostassuredly is by the community at large, that missions to- heathen lands might with great benefit give place to a more pressing need of reformation nearer home. •

• -The opera people have been drawing excellent houses during their fitay r and have every season to be satisfied'" with' their Dunedin , season. Last night waß.no exception to the rule, a crowded houses having' assembled \ to witness the production of Offenbach's opora, '\ Bjn'be ; Blep.^' I cannot say tLat. lam partial' 1 €6*" operas 'of* tiro " Geneviete- do Brabant " auot " Barbe'Blen" style ;- in fat t operas they cannot with_.any degree of ju&tieo be called — they are simply burlesques ; and the former, to improve matters, has a plot which, to m* the least of it, is of a highly indelicate nature. They have been well put upon the stage, however, and the dresses have been really handsome ; aud as they have drawn good houses 'l presume the management are perfectly well satisfied iv the matter