From Capetown to New Zealand.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume III, Issue 130, 30 March 1901, Page 3

From Capetown to New Zealand.

By C. A. Wilson

( Concluded)

The Canlfteld races took placa during my stay in so I ■wonfc oat'in time to see the llrand iViaional run. It was, of course, lunch of a innchnoss with other rice meetings, except on a larger scale. What cbieiiy struck mo was thi! absence of the toUlisaS.ir (forbidden in Victoria) and the presence of numerous bo >kies laying the oils. Everyone wa.-i betiing young and o'd women and m--n and small boys. It did nor, appear b>m ' to bo any worse than the '• rote, ' in fact, without any special knowledge, I thougui it better, for the 10-,v of gambling could ba indulg al in at an

expense of a shilling ;i _ race u one so desired or could will it so. A visit to Albert Lake, a couple of miles oat of the city, is very rdeasaut. T'm lake is mainly artificial and is a miio roan i. An old Kew Z blander his a b >at shed on the 1-iko and he took us for a sail round in one ox bid boats, a trip v»G

much enjoyeit. La ohe evenings there was always the theatre. Nance O'Neill was pUying in the Royal, the in She* tVmeess, ••mil a branch of Harry Kick trds' at the Tivoii, so that there

*was plenty choice. Coles Book Arcade was a neverf ailing source of pleasure. This co:iC-".'n, which runs through tba-J blocks, sells ail wares. Ii; has a sni-iil printing oHb--, a watciimiker's shop, two photographic studios, music shops, large confectionary stalls, penny in the slot machines of all sorts and kin vis and ho on ai> iNFiviTL-:.r. This, of course, is outside the very large Book Arcade where one can buy any b.)jk, new or second band. In the evening a tine oreh >sira plays in the inp'H" giliery, U which threepence admittance is caarg>d. However, if vn;i buy anything from that value Uji'vour entrance money is returned. Toe gallery is thronged every night, find the basinet lone -mist be enormous. It would need to be to support the great oLa.il' kept, as well Hi the number of private detectives who mingie with and watch the crowd.

Fin il:y our ten flay.? stay came to an end, :ui.l, taking" leave of good iirijtils found on o.ir ail-too short visit, we went on board the Waikare, find departed for New Zealand. V.'e had wn a good d'-ai during outvisit, but much remained to be seen. What we did see lam afraid is iin perfectly described bore, but throughout my trip I mado no notes .6XO .yt when visiting the Mint, which I will describe idtor. Written iu this distance of time, much has b'.m forgotten. The Waikaro we found to bo a good sea-boat, wall appointed, but vary unsteady iifter the huge bulk of the Persic. Coming through the '" rip " bad ,n rough tiuiH, but reached Ilob.ti't on ttic second day in fine weather.

[iobart is a very prettily situated place, and the town itself £3<mis very prosperous. During our few hours' stay we had a good lookround, but saw nothing of more

than passing interest. Embarking again, we bad an uneventful passage to the Bluff. The captain, on behalf of the Uuion Steam Shipping Company, gave the -throe returning troopers soloou passages and we lived very well. At oho Bluff we were quarantined for thirtysix hours au 1 then after iin enjoyable run ashore we left for Dunediu. At the Bluff I tawr an .old Wannateite in the person of I\ir St. George, formerly postmaster horee. He was looking very well and was able to give 1113 much Waimate news. A large building combining Post Office, Courthouse, etc, was in course of .erection and in this Mr St. George would bo much more comfortable than in the small building which at present exists. At Port Chalmers •we finally left the vessel and its genial officers and proceeded by rail to Dunedin thus terminating what was to us a most interesting and instructive voyage from Capetown to New Zealapd.