HOW DUNEDIN STRIKES A NORTHERNER.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 3367, 20 November 1872, Page 7

HOW DUNEDIN STRIKES A NORTHERNER.

A ■writer in the Nelson Colonist furnishes that journal with an account of a trip lately made by him to the South. Ho gives a pretty full description of Port' Chalmers and Otago Harbour, and of tho most important public buildings in Dunedin. We take up his narrative at that point;— The streets are rather narrow, and of ton inconveniently crowded. They are all well paved, and the footways either flagged or asphalted with Btone curbing. Water and gas are laid on everywhere. Vehicles of all sorts are constantly passing, and business is evidently rampant. Tho banks and principal merchants' offices are all handsome structures ; mostly situated in Princes - street between the Octagon and the University — that part of the street is singularly line and striking. The street itself extends fully two miles, with an unbroken lino of shops and offices on each side. There are numbers of other thickly populated and busy streets, but this is the principal thoroughfare. There are no fewer than five extensive wharves, all perpetually crowded with the Bmaller steamers and coasting craft. There is a charming Botanical Garden on the north side of the town, and a cricket and recreation ground almost as pretty on the south side. There are immense warehouses and stores, sawmills, breweries, distilleries, &c., &c., all on an imposii)gsaile,and to appearance prosperous. There are hundreds of "most eligible family residences " —some very grand, and requiring an occupant with at least £5000 or £10,000 a year—others pleasant villas for the men of £500 to £2000 per amnini, and again pretty little "cottages orntSes" for those of ismaller means. Everyone can suit himself according to his individual taste and means. Delightful and homelike houses and gardens are plentiful as blackberries, if not more so, and were it not for the disagreeable climate, no pleasanter town to live in, as certainly none enjoying more picturesque scenery, j could be found in the Colony. j j

Somewhat reversing the usual order, I have left the description of'the situation and natural features to the last, instead of treating it at starting. Like the majority of New Zealand towns, it is built by the water's edge, skirting the shore of -the bay, and is surrounded by highhills, some of mountainous proportions, Mount Cargill for example, which is over 2000 feet high. Moat of the hills are thickly wooded, and the trees are generally of small size, and mora suitable for firewood than for timber. The winter frosts being very slight, spring frosts rare", and the climate, though cool and wet, mild on the whole, both fruits and flowers flourish exceedingly, especially the niorebardy kinds.' Blue gums have been' planted in great numbers and thrive vigorously.

In short, jDuncdin is not only the finest city in New Zealand, but the most picturesquely situated, and I only regret that time and space do not permit me to do ife anything like justice in this Brief description. Perhaps on some future occasion I may be able to enter more into detail,' and also to give some acconnt of the many inland towns, goldfields, agricultural and pastoral districts, and other fe%turea of interest in that great, prosperous, and progressive Province —Ofcago.