Our Dunedin Letter

Bruce Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 3098, 12 September 1899, Page 5

Our Dunedin Letter

— » (Fbom Our Own Correspondent.) Monday Morning The Pollards are no longer the despised company they once were. To many of ua the name Pollard suggests half grown children with cracked voices and attired in very mediocre frocks, but the scene is changed, and now Pollard really has an almost first-class company, who act the most up-to-date operas, and who wear the most fetching costumes. "La poupee," which ia very good, ran for ten days when staged and the theatre was crowded every night. The music is not very catching, but Mr Carter, the man who takes the part of The Novice, has a very sweet voice. He was greatly applauded for the very effective way he rendered " So timid and modest am I," also " A poor little novice am I." Miss May Beatty was the character to the life as the " Doll," Mr Fitts sang "To-morrow will be Friday," and "A jovial monk am I ", in splendid style, and received encores each night. "The Belle of New York" is now being staged, and judging by the enthusiastic reception it has met with the public will wish many more nights of this latest effort of the Pollard Company. Over 100 performers take part in the piece, and the dresses of tbe girls are something superb. Still the keen interest in dredging operations and the fluctuations of the share market go on. Ten years of great prosperity for Otago is prophesied. We may be all exaused for taking a vivid interest in this boom, seeing that the results are not the inriching of companies elsewhere, but of practical value to the country generally, and Dunedin in particular. To begin with the finding and saving of the gold of our own land, is, in itself, a lucrative operation, and so the golden medium circulates comfortably, and a healthier tone prevails commercially. Already arrangements are in full swing for the Agricultural Show, which as usual, will be held in November. Several committee meetings were held last week to fix up some minor details in connection with this annual meeting. The Railway Department is a body which always seems to come in for a good deal of abuse from the public ; whether deservedly or the reverse I should not like to say. The local grain merchants are in favor of a reduction of the weight of sacks of wheat, and the proposal of the Department of Agriculture to recommend the Railway Department to reckon 12 bags of 2001bs each to the ton meets with general approval. It will take two years, however, to effeot ehe change, as next year's bags have already been ordered, and are ot the same capacity as those objected to sa being excessive. I hear— andi daresay lam not alone in hoping — that the day is not far distant when passengers will be able to travel with more comfort on both our North and South railway lines. The new corridor trains, which are in use in all other parts of the world, I believe, are to be introduced here this summer. The opes I haye seen were most luxuriously and comfortably appointed. Between the carriages composing the train is a covered gangway co that passengers may walk when tired of sitting. In the dining carriages the passage runs dp.wn the centre, sq that passengers may enjoy the scenery as well as a well-cooked meal. The kitchen is placed in the middle of the train and contains a large gas cooking stove. Ot course, even if we do got new trains this summer I suppose they will be on a less extensive scale than the one described. Last week in the fashionable world those w,ho were not hockey plaj'ers must have wished they were, for such words as "bully," "bunker," &c, seemed the principal feature of the English language, and to those who were nob in " the know " Maori would have been more intelligible. The Christchurch, team of girls wqs completely beaten by the "Qunedin girl?, who won the m^tch by two goals to nil at the Andersons Bay grounds qu Monday afternoon. The visiters wore navy blue costumes and pale blue ties and belts, and blue tarn 0' shanters, while our representatives wore navy blue skirts, white shirts and navy blue tif s and hat band, on bhe latter was em ; braidered th 6 initials of the clul}. It is reported that Mr Swan is anxious to be re-elected as Mayor for another year. Alpq tfyat Mr Q. L. Denniston .to oft'er himself again as a candidate for this municipal prize.

The passing of the noble steed is not yet ; for wg Jearn {.hq-t tb^e demand for bqrse ipeat has gfq\y*n. tp suph ai} extent yi Germany that it is beginning to be difficult supply it. Horsea for butchering now cost frßm |5 to $1$ w^e formerly t^ey co^ld have been purchased for one-tenth of that amount,