Our Dunedin Letter

-«ci ; ■: ; - ■■ = '■■-• - !i y- ■ 1 ; (From Oijk Own OoBBKfIPOHDBHT. ) . - -„. • Monday. morning. "THE OTAGO A. AHD P. SHOW. .: Lovely weather prevailed for our t Snmmer Show, and it is reckoned that the number of visitors to Dunedin was exceptionally large. There waa ■ a record attendance of the public, and •despite repeated warnings pickpockets and gentlemen of that genre - plied their itrade with excellent results^-to themselves. I only attended the show for an hour or so on People's Day, and consequently am not in a position to discourse learnedly on the array of stock. As regards entries, however, although there was an increase in sheep, horses, • and pigs as compared with last year, and a falliDg off of cattle and dairy produce; the .figures did nob reach ' those of previous years except in the case of pigs. While there were 39 pigr shown this year, and 27 last year, there were none in 1896. The Dairy Produce was but poorly represented, and it is probable that dairy rproduce will be. withdrawn from the Summer Show and the prize money ,j»dded lot the earn© clsbs at tbe Winter Show. The feature of the Show was the display of horses— the it is said, that has ever been .seen at any show in the Colony. The draught horses were remarkably good. DEATH 0! MB DOWBTE STEWABT. No less, than five members of the Legal Profession have passed away within the past 12 months, the fifth being the Hon. W. Downie Stewart, M.L.O. who died at a comparatively early age lat»t week. Mr Stewart was a leading member of the Presbyterian Church and though he never loomed large on the public horizon fie was as well-known in Dunedin as anyone. He held a position of very high standing in his own profession and he took an active interest in matters pertaining to the well-fare of the city. He was the first to introduce a measure providing for the settlement of labor disputes by arbitration and conciliation. His funeral took place yesterday and was largely attended. BOOKMAKBBS AND THE POLICE. The police authorities are apparently determined to make use of what power Parliament has given them in suppressing the gambling evil, not content with the prosecutions recently entered upon against the legal fraternity for lay in g tote odde, one o£ the leading bookmakers here is likely to be called upon to answer a charge of suborning witnesses. Tbe specißc charge will be, I understand, that he offered money to a witness to induce him to give false evidence. If tbe charge is proved I will be very much surprised if tbo metallician escapes imprisonment. A THEATBICAL SEASON. The Pollard Opera Company are again in our midst, and as usual are playing to crowded houses. An audacious, effervescing comedy of the French type and entitled the Gray Parisienne is the attraction just now, and the theatre being nightly crowded with an eager, enthusiastic audience, the management have deemed it advisable to modify the tone somewhat to suit the tastes of Dunedin andiences. From all accounts, tbe next production," The French Maid," will have to be still further "reduced."