DUNEDIN.

Tuapeka Times, Volume VII, Issue 423, 6 January 1875, Page 2

DUNEDIN.

(From our own Correspondent.) [Received too late for last issue.] There si-ems every probability that. th« Turkish baths, which were opened in due form by his Honor the Superintendent, and the" Hon. W. Fox on Monday last, will prove •a 1 decided success, if the large amount of patronage which has been bestowed upon the undertaking for the past few days is to be be taken as a criterion of fnture support. ' It .may be, however, that the charm of novelty has a god'd deal to do with the pressure of business at present experienced, and that when this wears off the attendants will not hare to complain of the excessive labour they are at present subject to. As a health restoring agency the Turkish .bath is. recognised by the profession as of, considerable Value, and ife is to be hoped that the steady patronage of the public will be accorded. In addition to the bath, for the more particular supply of which the company wasstarted, as wiming bath has been constructed on the premises, which also is apparently well supported. The much argued teetotal question-has b.e«n the subject of further contreverey in Dunedin during the past week — the Hon. Mr. Fox, the champion of the temperance cause in New Zealand, and the Rev. R. L. Stanford, having been .pitted against each other, on the teetotal battle ground. In the eloquent lectors delivered by Mr. Fox last week, he nude allusion to the success of the prohibitive liquor legislation of some of the Amariean states as an argument in favour of the extension of the system, saying that the triumph*

attained by the states' in question were beyond ' dispute. A day or two after the delivery of the lecture the Rev. Mr. Stanford replied to Mr. Fox's assertion of the success of the American prohibitive legislation, and quoted t> number of high authorities who pronounced it an utter failure. Mr. Stanford has since been backed up by the leading columns of the " Daily Times " in an article which as likely unot emanated from the pen of Mr. Fox's reverend opponent himself as it is generallyunderstood he is a regular contributor to the journal in question. Some of the dignataries of the newly instituted Grand Lodge of New Zealand South' are at present on a visit to Dunedin from Christchurch, dealing with matters connected with the transference of the , powers and business arrangements of the Provisional Grand Lodge to the new body. It seems to be generally considered among the Good Templar bodies that now that this matter is satisfactorily settled, and provided that energetic and efficient management is displayed by the new officers at Christchurch, the organisation should have fresh impetus given to its movements, and advance its powers of doing good in a satisfactory ratio. To-day the closing scene in connection with the transfer of the Dunedin waterworks from the company to the City Corporation took place at noon. There was a general meeting of the City Council held, and on the motion of Cr. Fish the Finance Committee was authorised to pay over to the water company the amount of the purchase money — in all £94,247. A little over £40,000 of the amount was paid in cash, and the remainder in . debentures, this being the manner of payment which the shareholders of the Water Works Co., elected to accept. After the necessary cheques hay been signed, and the other arrangements settled, Mr. W. H. Cutten, one of the company, handed to his Worship the Mayor the keys of the Company's storeroom and of the water-tower at the reservoir, and the Mayor then exprsssed his pleasure in accepting the transfer on behalf of the city. The Council, Directors, and solicitors, of the Water Company who had - been present at the transfer then adjourned to the Council Chambers, where an excellent luncheon had been laid out by Mr. Jones, the new lessee of Wain's hotel. The chair was occupied by the Mayor, and there were also present a large number of our principal citizens. The usual toasts were proposed, and made the usual excuse for the exhibition of an unusual quantity of champagne, and the company then separated. - ; The public are occasionally treated to comical advertisements in the papers. The following is one of the latest, which appears in the " Star " of to-night : — " Wanted, by a bachelor a lady between 18, and 26, to accompany him to a pic-nic on Saturday. Address W. T. " Star " office." It is to be hoped the poor fellow got mated. We ar« promised the issue shortly of a new illustrated paper to be called the "New Zealand News," to be the same* size as the '"Australasian Sketcher." Its success I should think will be rather doubtful.