Dundin Notes.

Dunstan Times, Issue 2000, 21 December 1900, Page 5

Dundin Notes.

[From Our Own Correspondent.] December 19. After all our worry, preparations, and telegraphing Dnnedin has yery wiaely decided to abandon anything in the nature of a universal holiday and jollification on the return of the troopers by the Harlech Castle. We have been humbuggd far too much over the matter. When it was first stated that she was coming here with over 100 men, we all felt that something' out of the ordinary must be done, and that even as Sydney and Melbourne had enthused so also would we. To this end large committees were appointed, big prizes offered for exhibits, subscriptions solicited, and the town turned topsyturvy, And all this, mark you, under much inconvenience. We had all the schools breaking up, folks arranging to go away and the Christmas holidays close upon us. Further, we met with most unsatisfactory news every day. First the men wanted to come home by the Moana, ther* some, cithern wantad to stay over the Commonwealth celebrations in Sydney, then some came over on their own responsibility, and o'her- ronrle, up then- mj ; nds s 'to. sUy wi AustialiH, ■•■(>. iyattir,, uv g>eatVaniandr.uiu s;-\id y»f. ordered Now. all this was most depresshv*, and looked a< though we were going to make a mountain of fuss over a small body of unwilling troopers, and the people looked arou-;d for an honorable way out of it. It came frojig the Premier. On Thursday \nat hewirea.tlie mayor that the leaving Sydney until the 20th. 'This' would : throw their arrival in Dunedin on to Jonas or

j mayor decided to put off anything extraj ordinary, to let the men go their own sweet ' way, and to leave everything to a more fitting occasion, lti the meantime, however, we determined to welcome back the Moana boys from Wellington with much acclaim, and this we duly did. The relaying Dunedin streets with a newpermanent way, and the inauguration of an up-to-date tramway service, has advanced a stage. On Wednesday last (the 12th inst.) the mayor was in the position to submit a scheme which had received the unanimous support of the committee for the introduction of an electric tramway service at a cost estimated at about L 216,000. This sum includes the cost of the purchase of the old plank from the ! Dunedin Company, the laying down of new I and extended lines, the erection of a power house, the substitution of the overhead electric system for the present horse damage, some twenty five modern cars fitted with every necessity, and the bxinging in of water power either from the Taieri or Waipori. Power was given the mayor to have a roll of?the ratepayers for the borrowing of the necessary funds (L 200.000) and this vote will be taken during January. Of course we have been a good many, years in slow going old Hunedin getting to Jthis pitch but we have got there. It is questionable, however, whether we should have done so had it not been for the splendid # object lesson set us-by the Roslyn Tramway Co. in their Maori Hilll service. Nor. must we forget ijhat we have a long row to hoe before we complete bu>- task.