DUNEDIN.

Tuapeka Times, Volume VII, Issue 412, 28 November 1874, Page 3

DUNEDIN.

(From our oion Correspondent.) Madame G-oddard's concerts »re of COUTBO ' thft main topic of conversation in the city this week, and without a passing reference to them my letter would not be complete, so I begin it with a few words on her performances. As might have been expected, she has drawn ' splendid houses, and will no doubt be highly satisfied with the result of her visit to Dunedin. Her performances are doubtless the very acme of perfection in pianoforte playing, and as no one can listen to her delightful rendering of the beautiful music of the great masters without being charmed; yet there is no doubt that tO 111116 persons Out of *en the playing of— we will say just for illustration, Mr. Alfred Anderson, alth«>-6 n he is only one among others T coui <J mention — would be equally ebar>""<g a Q d acceptable. I have been as™*^ 1 w ith in the expression of - -opinion I am giving utterance to by so many that have been at one or the other of the concerts, that I do not hesitate to put it on paper, notwithstanding the ridicule which the correspondent of another provincial journal is held up to by one of the morning papers, on account of advancing opinions to the effect that Dunedin was paying rather too dearly for the privilege of listening to itinerant stars in the theatrical and musical flrerld, who honour us with their presence, and in return take away their hundreds of pounds from the colony. There is no denying the fact that it is trifcli Madame Gfoddard as it !h&9 been with many another star in the SuOW world : people have been led to expect so much, that some little disappointment has in the majority |of cases been experienced. If does not in the least detract form her reputation as a player that such is the case, for ' there can be no doubt that in the art in -which she is so proficient, she is as near perfection as any person possibly could be. However, to conclude, I may safely say that, -the " Daily Times " to tlie contrary notwithstanding, the opinion expressed by the correspondent I have previously alluded to, viz., that " we are paying rather too dearly for our whistle," is one that will be reciprocated by a wery large majority of those who have attended the concerts. At last night's sitting of the City Council the Mayor informed the Council that satisfactory arrangements liad been made "with tho Bank of New Zealand, wherby the Bank agreed to advance the money required by the Corporation to complete the purchase of the Dunedin Water Works before the beginning of next year. Mr. Walter's motion affirming the desirability of purchasing the Gas Works was to have como on for discussion last night, but owing to the very large amount of business before the Council,- consideration of it, Among other matters, ivas adjourned until this evening. The shareholders of the Shotovcr Terrace Co., which was floated with such flourish of trumpets by the brokers, are anything but satisfied with the investment of their money in the claim which was once so celebrated. The last report of the manager is not at all reasuring, and shares are now at a di'count of something like 75 per cent. The Dunedin applicants for shares in the Bendigo Deep Lead Q. M. Co., are very irate at being excluded from participation in the allotment, and justly ho. So far as I can learn there was nothing to warrant the action of the directors. The shares were applied ■for in the ordinary manner, and would have been accepted by the applicants had the prospects of the Company become unfavourable instead of being considered so bright, and in all fairness, an equtlable distribution should have taken place. There seems to be a thorough determination to enforce recognition of the claims of the shareholders, and doubtless the Directors at Cromwell will yet see fit to reconsider tho matter, and if they .can, do something to effect a more disinterested allocation.' The immigrants who arrived by the Auckland are spoken of as a superior' class of people, and they are rapidly finding employment at remunerative rates. Single girls especially are in great demand, and at the Immigration Barracks yesterday, the whole of those iin the huilding were engaged at wages ranging from £25 f o £35.