AROUND DUNEDIN.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XVI, Issue 5123, 3 September 1895, Page 3

AROUND DUNEDIN.

[BY " SCOTCH MIST."] )' Excitement of various kinds ami i degrees lias been the order of the week. Tin; state of the Bank of Now Zealand lias caused quite a flutter of commercial excitement to those who were depositors and those who had overdrafts. Therehns.nodoubt, been a rim on the Bank in a quiot , way, very many having withdrawn , their accounts, etc, and everything in tho commercial world is at a , standstill, waiting the result of tho banking legislation now pending. ( "The Land of Moa Company" struck oil here, and no wonder. Mr Loiteh certainly is supported by a ■ clever and novel dtuma Company, and the introduction of the ningiii- ( licent scenery of Maorilandis superb, . The view of Duncdin from Hoslyn j was greatly applauded. The Pink | Terraces, too, with their sulphur - baths, were nmcli admired, but tho last scene—the Tarawera eruption —was too realistic if anything, ; many ladies shrieked as the to]) of the mountain was blown up in full ( view of the audience. Mr Leitch . was the life of the drama, causing ( roars of laughter at times. One scene especially was most ludicrous, when a Maori hag stole all his clothes, when he was supposed to be asleep, he came out on the stage in very scant raiment, the remains of a shirt and a blanket in which he had cut a square hole to put his head through, cutting a very sorry spectacle. I'm sure quite a furore will greet the Maoris in Old England and Scotland, as Mr Leilch, after taking his Company through Australia, intends going Homo and playing in all the large towns. livery Hall, Theatre and large room we have here has been engaged the last ten days. The City Hall is occupied by the Collet Dobson Dramatic Company; in the Choral Hall lectures have been delivered by Mr Dixon on Japan, and a Mr and Mrs Parker are all lecturing on missionary work amongst Mongolians. In the Garrison Hall last Wednesday a large military concert was given in aid of the band fund, when the stage was arranged as a camp, with tents, sentries, etc, and all the different Companies were permitted to attend the concert in uniform. After the entertainment a bugle contest was engaged in, Bugler Ure gaining first place. To-night the Highland Rifles are holding their Annual Ball in the Garrison llall The town has also been enlivened by the Salvation Guards' Band, last Saturday, having gained permission from the Mayor (Mr. Fish), they played inside the railings of the Octagon, and tho money thrown over the rails amounted to tho nice little sum of £l2 lis •!(!, which was handed over lo the Hospital Trustees. The members of the Guards' Band are louring through the Colony and have left here for the South. The visit of the Auckland footballers was a very happy one. They had delightful weather all the time, and quite a stir they created as they drove in a four-in-hand, followed by our Otago hoys, also in a four-in-hand, through I'rincos-strcet on Hie way to (he Carisbrook ground. Nearly 'IOOO people assombled to see the match played, which was well fought out in a pleasant and goodhumoured maimer. Our boys won (ofcotir.se) Otago 11 points, Auckland 8, but the Aucklanders played well, and were a line-looking lot of fellows. Nearly £lu'o was taken at the gate. After tho match, the teams dined together, and then attended the performance of the " kind of tho Moa," at the invitation (if Mr Leitch.

Tho last ten days we have had delightful spring weather, so the drapers have been busy dressing their windows with their new goods. Herbert llnyiics has a magnificent lot of new millinery, and the fashionable headgear for summer wear is to bo tremendous hats, which will almost serve as parasol and hat too, thoy are so large, and such a profusion of Howers and colours on them, that I'm afraid the ladies this year will have to learn the art of balancing a large hat on their head, before airing in the streets. 1 don't think the new headgear will suit Wellington girls, as I hear that it is such a torriblc place for wind, but I expect they will in vent something to strap them down, rather than be out of the fashion, The weallior has broken and we are having heavy rains. Floods are 'feared, and the Molyuoux and several other riveis are reported as rising fast. Fortunately the snow on some of the high levels, is frozen so hard that the rain will only melt it gradually; but still, people in the Clutha district arc anxious,

Influenza is very rife again in our midst, many families Buffering for the second and third time this winter. Gentle spring will be hailed gladly.