Our Dunedin Letter.

Clutha Leader, Volume XXI, Issue 1041, 6 July 1894, Page 6

Our Dunedin Letter.

[Fiiom Our Own ConnE.sp<->NDEXT.I The decision ennio to at the meeting of subscribers re the Stuart memorial has not, satisfied the advocat.es of the Free Library. Several of them have been agitating the matter in the newspapers but the only result likely to accrue is to lesson the subscriptions in aid of the object, which seems to me a great pity. But I hope such will not be the case and that a fair amount will be realised so that a satisfactory memorial will be erected. We are to have a visit from the great De Witt Talmage this week when he will deliver three lectures before -leaving. On next Sunday evening he will occupy Knox Church pulpit, and I expect there will be such a gathering of people to hear him as never before assembled within its precinfs Evidently the Premier was not sincere in his assurance that if the City Council would withdraw their objections to the present site for a new gaol, such erection would be proceeded with at once. Mr R. S. Fish consequently moved in this direction and a resolution was duly carried withdrawing all objections. The Premier was at nnce communicated with but his answer was not at all a, satisfactory one. and it looked as though the matter would hn shelved, but the Mayor displayed his usual pertinacity and communicated again and also got Messrs Pinkerton and JEarnphaw on the job, and after some delay tho Premier has replied that an endeavour will be made to have the arrangement gone on with as soon as can fairly be done. The surprise of the week has been the financial news from Wellington anent Bank of New Zealand affairs, and it was the topic of general conversation on Saturday. The action of the Government and Parliament in the course adopted meets with the highest commendations. The Tuapeka eleciion is causing a good deal of interest among our local politicians, and the consensus of opinion seems to be most favourable to Scobie Mackenzie. Itis felt that the Government are quite strong enough at present, and that a member of his standing will bean acquisition in Parliament. At the last meeting of the. Education Board, Mr R. L. Stanford sent a letter complaining of the distribution by the

pupils of one of our large schools of a number of handbills of an entertainment by Mr R. N. Adama of " Ten Nights in a Bar-room," and stating that some of the scenes depicted were indecent and not fit for children to witness. Such an accusation as this roused the ire of Mr Adams and his friends who evidently considered, their entertainment was like Arteinus Ward's waxworks exhibition, "a great moral show," and the newspapers contained a lot of correspondence on the matter, but Mr ' Stanford maintained his "round and although he had not seen the show he relied on the statement of a friend whose .judgment] he was satisfied of. Mr Adams exhibited in the Choral Hall on Monday evening last and the report in the Daily Times next day went a long way in support of Mr Stanford's contention, and I notice your ICaihiku correspondent in referring to a, similar exhibition in his district strongly emphasises the fact of its untitnoss for the young, by saying he was glad he had not taken his children to see it. The weather during the greater portion of last week was very fine for the season of the year, but on Friday night and Saturday it changed, and we had a large quantity of rain, but Sunday was a lovely day, and the people enjoyed it immensely by turning put in large numbers, both in the streets and in the usual places of resort. The following may be interesting in your district just now on account of prohibition. Mr Mechall Oooney, a haberdasher, at Coalbrookdale, West Coast, was fined L 25 and costs, for being unable t« give a satisfactory explanation respectin" the extraordinary nwmbor of empty l»ottles outside his premises. Twenty two of the hotels were closed on Monday, and those left behind closed their doors at 10 o'clock at night. This latter may cause some inconvenience for a time, but no doubt will right itself in tiu?e. It is estimated that the City Council lose in annual revenue about LI6OO on account of the above. Business people complain generally of dull times and seemingly all the drapers are having great clearing sales, three firms in Princes Street and seven in George Street being on the job. Messrs Nimmo and Blair, of this city, have presented to the Otago Agricultural and Pastoral Association a silver challenge trophy of an urn value 50 guineas. It measures 2ft hisrh and lOin across at the broadest part, weighs 116 ounces, and is very handsome in design. The trophy is to be awarded for the host half-ton of factory butter suitable for export exhibited at the annual winter ahow, and to become the property of any person or firm winning it three times, not necessarily in succession. The city schools are now in courso of their annual examination and the results have boon very good, varying from 90 to 99 per cent.