AROUND DUNEDIN.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XV, Issue 4905, 18 December 1894, Page 2

AROUND DUNEDIN.

.[By Scotch Mist.J Since carnival and show week things i havo been very quiet, a re-action, however, has set in this week, and everyone seems to be making preparations and ' decorations for the festive Christmas • season. Herbert Hayucs' (draper) put the ] last finishing touches to their windows i to-day, which attracted hundreds of juveniles. There are two' windows entirely given up to toys. The most attractive of the two contains a life-size figuro of Santa Clans, one arm full of fairy dolls, the other of "boats, Noaharks, etc., and on his back is a sack bursting with toys of every conceivable shape, A beautiful doll's house surrounded by gardens, ponds, and swans, etc, is another special feature. In fact, I think few exhibitions of Christmas toys will beat Herbert Hayncs' show. It is only tho last two or three years that I have noticed that large drapers include toys among their goods, but only just during tho Christians holidays. Now Christmas time is tho harvest of fancy and toy shops, and I think it hardly fair that large old-established drapers' shops should be so grasping as to take custom away from those establishments whose business it is to look after toys, _ ■ We have had quite a surfeit of school closings.and tho speeches of headmasters I and MO.'s, who pciously consent to be present at those ceremonies. The Arthur School Committee held a hobby show at their breaking up, which was quite a novel idea. Tho boys had a stall of fretwork and carpeutry, tho girls |made "useful fancy things; pot plants I reared by tho children, and pets .were i also introduced. The children found a (ready sale for almost everything, and tho money collected wont to improve the school grounds. Our Flower Show was held yesterday in the Garrison Hall, and was a great success. The show of roses was tho 1 best held hero for years, Chrisfcliurch ; uud 'lnvorcargill taking most'of. the ; honours from our local men. A new ■ pelargonium (Empress of Russia) was much admired.' It is almost blacksuch a dark. purple. The Show was i very much better patronised than usual. 1 There seems to be a good many visiI tors in town for Christmas, ; Cyril Tyler, tho boy soprano, has net : been drawing such large audiences as his wonderful voice deserves One i would think it was a woman simjing—- ! his voice is oxactly like ono, i Twice ' when taking .1 high _ nolo iiliia voice gave way.. It isa.pityho j should not bo allowed to rest it now.' : , j Tho Brough and Boucicault Company ; drew immenso "audiences, hundreds JI turned away every night. "Tho Second , 1 Mrs Tanquoray " thoy played for two j nights, There has been much said and ' written of this piece, but I can't'rccoih. mend it, if you want to spend a -happy.| ) 1 evening don't go and see "The Second II Mrs Tanqueray," she is in trouble from >„tho minuto sho puts hor foot on the stage I. until she commits suicide in the last l i scoiio.. The dresses, acting and details ! arc all perfect and most artistic, and . ! there is no doubt. Mrs Brough has much f i improved since her last visit toDuucdiu. 1 Pbllarcl-'s Lilliputian "Company, lire I playing to fairly good' houses' consider- \ ing the bad times everyone is turning of. 1 Atanyrato there aro more signs;oi pros- . perity this 'Xmas than there were, last. ;■ • Bazaars wo. are having wholesale, ho > less than..three'a'jweek,--'and 1 they all r seem ■■ to-ibe - doirigr ; a- eatisfactory busi. :'.))#./;:.,/X- ■];;•;."':'■■•■:■;■: "+■■"

Wo had rather'Vliyely earthquake' kstweek.and liave hnd iriitenselyhot weatlierßiaccßiidforsome'dayspreccetlingit. [Eyeryone is beginning to pray for.rain, as it is no joke, to liavoto pay:for water 'to be oartcd up tho hills. ; Thc hot dry | season has brought the fruit on earlier ! this year, but the raspberries are suffering by tlio drought. It is proposed to make another tram lino to Boslyn,- straight up from the Octagon up Stuart St. This lino would he a groat convenience to the Maori Hill people as. well as Kaikorai and Nortlvltoslyn, The second meeting, in connection yrith this now line is being held to-night,' au'd'ought to bo a success as it is one of the largest ofDuuediu suburbs, and; lias had no tram- convenience There is noMouot that the shares will soon be taken up.