"OUR OPENING DAY."

New Zealander, Volume XXII, Issue 2471, 1 July 1865, Page 3

"OUR OPENING DAY."

To-dat, no fewer than upwards of thirty new houses in Auckland and the suburban districts will be opened lor the retailing of wines, spirits, and beer, tbe situatiou of which, together with a short outline of the accommodation afforded by the principal of then, we shall now proceed to furnish to our readers. Commencing with Shortlaud-street, we meet with the Crescent Hotel, for which a license has been obtained by Mr. Samuel Brown. As regards situation, this hotel is central, which, with the comfort it is likely to afford, will no doubt commend for it a fair share of the public patronage Further down the street, and next door to tbe Q.C E., is the City Club Hotel, kept by Mr. E. G. Steers. Hitherto the house, »lthnugh a commodious one, was not licensed, but the proprietor has lately gone to eonsi ierable expeu.te in making alterations in order to make his establishment second to none in Auckland.

Proceeding up Queen-street for a short distance beyond the Prince of Wales Theatre, we come to the Exchange Hotel, the proprietor of which is Mr. Richard Henry Cox, a gentleman who recently held the position of stage manager at the above theatre, and was held in general esteem by the play-going public. Outwardly, the build ng, which is of brick, hears a neat, substantial, and wel -finished appearance, and the internal arrangements are of a firs -clas order. The bar is very spacious, and equal to any in town. The decorations hare been executed by Mr. Burhary, scenic artist of the Prince of Wales Theatre and all who may happen to favor the Exchange wit' 1 a visit will bear us out in saying that in point of artistic merit the paintings are highly creditable. Upstairs, and overlooking Queen-street, is a large well-lighted commercial room, which will be stocked with the local journals, and the principal newspapers of New Zealand and the adjoining colonies. The billiard room is also a large one. The cellars appear to be well stocked. Every part of tbe bouse is lighted with gas. 'The next house in the same street which will be opened this morning is that occupied by Mr. Henry Adams, and named the London Hotel. Standing out prominently at the upper end of Queen-street is a three-storied house owned by Mr. Benjamin Hayles, and styled the Army and Navy Hotel. This hotel contains nine well-sized bed rooms, sittingrooms, bar parlour, and a billiard roorr. The latter is fitted out with great taste, and is lighted by five door windows, which open on a wide verandah from which a capital view is obtained. The dtoiutions were carried out by Mr. Blakeny. The Market Hotel is situated at the junction of Grey, Queen, and Cook-streets, and is a large building, constructed with every attention to comfort and convenience. There is an entrance to it from each street, two of them leading into the bar. The bar is scarcely completed yet, but of coarse the counter and its fittings are in their place, and these deserve particular notice. The counter, which is semicircular, slopes inwards from the top, so that any one standing at it runs no chance of grazing his shins against the ornamental work ; * and it is fitted with duplicate cocks, so that one barman can serve at both ends almost at the same moment. The house is lighted with gas. At the opposite side of the hall to the bar are two rooms, a dining and a smoking room, and beneath these again are placed the cellars, kitchen, and servants' room. On the upper storey is a commercial room, 40 feet *y 20, and lofty in proportion, which is not yet quite completed, bat is to be fitted up with detached tables for the convenience of visitors ; and on the opposite side of this storey are the bedrooms. The. building is scarcely completed yet, as Mr. Mills has had great difficulties thrown in his way by that universal marplot, the City Board, who have left this part of the town to take care of itself until it is al■•■ oat impassable. At the last moment they are beginning to lay down facines, so that, judging by the usual activity of their movements, it may be expected that the road will be in some sort of repair by a year or so hence. Mr. Mills, how. ever, intends to put the immediate approach to his hotel in order himself, having given up in despair any hope of moving the Board to do anything. At the opposite side of Upper Queen-street is the London Tavern, of which Mr. Richard Taylor is the proprietor, and which in no way attempts to rival i;s larger neighbor, but is nevertheless a very fair specimen of a small hotel.

The Princess' Hotel, of which Sir. Peter Jam's M'Kenna is proprietor, stands at the comer of Wellesley and Albert streets. The house is very roomy, and is sab-divided with every attention to comfort. Access to the bar is obtained from either street. The bedrooms, which are five in number, are lofty, well-fur-nished and ventilated ; and trom the lobby the flagstaff is visible. To the back of the bar there are one or two sitting-rooms of a very snug appearance. The dining-room is of good extent. Messrs. Found and Barrett were the d. corators. Crossing over to Victoria-street, we come to a house which for comfort is not surpassed by any other in Auckland. The hotel is very happily named the Cottage of Content. It consists of a neat bar, eight bed-rooms, three sitting-rooms, and three . bar parlours, all of which are well furnished. There is good stabling on the premises. Mr. Robert Evans is proprietor. A few doors beyond, at the corner of Victoria and Hobson- street, stands the Sportsman's Home, kept by Mr. Win. BruceThe house is in every way well suited for the business, but we fear there are too many houses of the same character in the immediate locality. The Governor Hobson Hotel is situated on (lie opposite side oi the street. The house, though plain, is comfortable. Mr. Wm. Aney is proprietor. The Coaster's Home stands at the foot of Drake-street, overlooking Freeman's Bay, and has been fitted np in a very tasteful and commodious manner by Mr. Edward Walker, an old colonist, who has laid in a capital stick of good liquors. The bar is not large, but is very neatly arranged, and the rooms tbrougiiout the house have an appearanee of thorough cleanliness, light, and ventilation. Farther np the same street, and on the same side, is the Bed Lion Inn, kept by Mr. George Akers. The Claremont Hotel, kept by David Evitt, and the Globe Hotel, by Patrick Flynn, are situated in' Wakefield-street, and are both new buildings, the former being scarcely finished, so far as some of th« internal arrangements are concerned. The Alexander Hotel, Mr. Hennessey P. Downes proprietor, standi at the corner of Durham and Chapel-streets. At Parnell a new house is to be opened by Messrs. Naylor and Casey. • The building is not yet altogether completed. When finished the accommodation will be very extensive. In Newton we have the Harp of Erin, kept by Daniel Lorigan, the Queen's Hotel, by Aitcheson Oliver, the Star Hotel, by James Spry, and the-Glouce*ter Arms, by Andrew Perry, none of which require particular description, being all in the usual style of public-house architecture, well-lighted, and neatly-famished.

STEERS' CITY HOTEL. Own of the foremost amongst the many new hotels which will be opened this day is that presided over by Mr. E. G. Steers -the City Hotel. Mr. Steers has been known to the public of Auckland for the past eighteen months, and, from small beginnings, has at length raised himself, if not quire, almost to the top of the tree in his own peculiar line of business. Mr. Steers commenced business in Auckland as a, Restaurattur in the Shortland-streut, in the building now occupied by Mr. Posseniskie, tailor, and which was designated," The Chariot of Fame Dining Room*," He very shortly enlarged the premises, hut his business increasing he at. length rented the {.remises lately occupied by D. Graham and Co. for their wholesale business. .

Enterprise teems to be Mr. Steers's forte, and not satisfied with haying supplied one of the greatest desiderata .which existed in Auckland not very long since, viz., the providing of • 'luncheon or dinner at a moderate cost, he went on adding and improving, until at the last general licensing meeting he obtained • publican's license, and, judging from the efforts he has made to Tender his house complete in every respect, most deservedly so. The kitchen is replete with all modern appliances, and comprise! a splendid range, capable of cooking for a very considerable company. Adjoining this is. a pantry, with all the necessary requirements. The bar is, without exception, the finest at present in Auckland. The counter u of polished kauri, supported by carved pinasters of tht same wood, both being French polished.

I We are unable at present to speak of this portion of the establishment as a whole, as at the time of oar inspection the carpenters and other artisans were busily engaged in getting it ready for opening this morning, but we venture to predict that as a whole, when completed, it ! will be as near perfection as can be. We observed some side tables with an iron framework, covered by marble slabs, which, when placed in their intended position, will, no doubt, add to the effect. One of. the principal teaturt-s, however, is an ingenious contrivance for healing water, which in the present un propitious season is certainly net to be despised. There are upstairs private rooms for families, and a smoking and reading room, iu which may be found all the papers, home and foreign, of the latest dates, together with the leading periodicals. The bed rooms for one or two persons are lofty and well-ventilated. The Restaurant is pretty generally knewn, and a luncheon or dinner may be obtained at very short notice, and at a reasonable price. The whole of the rooms are, as also the staircases, well carpeted or covered with floor cloth, and Mr. Steers seems to have spared neither trouble nor expense in endeavoring to render his house second to none in Auckland. Indeed, judging from results, and the small beginnings; we should say that Mr. 3teers could well claim the application of the quotation—" 'lis not for mortals to demand success, but we'll do more, Semprouius!—we'll deserve !•."