DUNEDIN NOTES.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 13009, 10 January 1908, Page 3

DUNEDIN NOTES.

(SPECIAL TO "THE PRESS.") DFXEDIN. January 9

Mr C. G. Wilson, captain of the Otago cricket team, who spares neither time nor trouble in the interests ot the game, says the introduction of good cricketers from "the other side" •will benefit Otago cricket a great deal, and perhaps something might be done before next season. He has something in view, at any rate. Everybody seems to be making for the Lakes, and should the present fine weather continue, there promises to be a record number of visitors to Queenstown this summer. So far they are mostly New Zealand people. From enquiries made, among leading hotelkeppers, it appears that the tourist traffic to this part of the Dominion so far this season" has been very poor. '"In fact," said one," for this time- ot the jear I have never before had so feu- people staying at my place. Last year I had time times as many people in Tt!y house." Tho Exhibition, ot course, ivas responsible for such large numbers Coming to tho Dominion last year, but taking the summer before, for instance, the '•trippers" staying in tho hotels hero at that time exceeded the present number by twice as many. Mr John Fuller, jun., interviewed on the '• Yellow" danger, says:—''Tho solo pastimes of the Japanese are the army and the navy. Contrast these conditions with those of Britain and her colonies, where drink and over-, indulgence in 'sport' are factors in tho workers' thriftlessiuss. 1 tell you that we in Now Zealand are living in a fool's YVe make an Asiatic Restriction Tict with but a tissue paper defence to enforce it. Japanese feoling rums very high over those restrictions. It is" a canker sore adroitly covered by them till it comes to a hracl. When the moment comes, it will hurst, and at that moment wo in this country want a citizen army of 100.000 men. I canuot express my admiration jit the quick awakening of the United citato-, and their feverish haste in making tho Philippines impregnable, :\a they are now doing. Is not that sufficient -warning to New Zealand?" -Mr Fuller suggests that a representative party of New Zealand editors .should investigate tho situation at close quarters, and ho offers £25 towards a fund for that purpose. Compared with other days and according to the cabmen who are said to know their fare, tho cab trade in Dunedin is going to the dogs. "A bare living," said on© man forcefully in response to a query. Another looked angry and caught his questioner by tho arm, crying bitterly, "Come with •mc and see my bankbook. I lost £150 last year." The next cabman pointed to the wellequipped landaus on tho rank, and said, "Do you see these? They are only used for funerals and weddings." Then ho added, half regretfully, "and they don't happen too often." The fourth Jehu went into details like this: "The price of feed is sickening. To feed a working horse as it should bo fed costs a 'quid' a week, and most of tho big people here use the rotten trams. I tell you, there is only a bare living at this game." When all 'the views are shaken up and looked at in a piece, it appears that the price of feed has increased from £3 to as high as £6 15s during the past two years, and that tho electric trams attract thrifty travellers. It is said that tho number of Chinese in the goldfields district of Otago is steadily decreasing, and that in a year or two fhero will be very few indeed where formerly they were numerous. In tho goldfields towns there are now only about 200 Chinese.