THE Otago Daily Times. "Inveniam viam aut faciam.” DUNEDIN, SATURDAY, JUNE 14, 1862.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21979, 14 June 1933, Page 4

THE Otago Daily Times. " Inveniam viam aut faciam.” DUNEDIN, SATURDAY, JUNE 14, 1862.

SEVENTY-ONE YEARS AGO.

The inhabitants of Dunedin, in ordinary matters, are not deficient in business aptitude and shrewdness, indeed they are commonly reputed to be particularly fortunate in having, to use a cant expression, “ their heads screwed on the right way.” But there is one particular, and that by no means a slight one, in which their mental vision appears wholly obscured; they seem quite unconscious that, in the midst of their prosperity, a remorseless deadly enemy hovers oyer them, ready at any moment to consign the devoted City to ruin. The horrid monster, tire, may be on them at any moment; thousands on thousands 'of agencies are at -work to summon him, — not one to bar his progress. ._ . Dunedin is a city which invites fire. The character of its buildings; the crorvded state of its houses; the mode in which these are lighted up; and the constant use of fires, are all so many pressing invitations to the great enemy. That he has only come once; that in that instance his ravages were promptly stopped, are not due to any precautions taken by the inhabitants. . ~ . We observe that a number of men have been put to the work of cutting Highstreet to the permanent level. The new theatre next to the Criterion Hotel is rapidly approaching completion. It will be an elegant and admirably adapted structure when completed. . . . In connection with the Chinese ques-; tion, which is being agitated in Victoria, it is stated that in rather over four years, no less a sum than £66,360 has been paid by the Celestials in Victoria, in the tax upon opium. A gentleman informed us yesterday that while walking along the banks of Pelichet Bay, he distinctly saw a snake gliding amongst the scrub. He described the snake as being about 18 inches to two feet long, and stated that on attempting its capture, it darted swiftly across the road into the bush. There arc no reptiles of this species indigenous to New Zealand, but it is just possible that small snakes may have found their way in some of the vessels from Australia. If our informant was correct' in his opinion of the reptile, it is to be hoped that it will be destroyed, as the naturalisation of two or three snakes in New Zealand, would soon lead to a large number of these unwelcome visitants, the dense underwood of this colony affording so much protection and concealment, DUNEDIN GASLIGHT AND COKE COMPANY. The provisional directors of this company met at their offices yesterday, to receive the report of progress in the undertaking. Messrs. John Cargill, chairman, Thomas Dick, J. Hyde Harris, Edwin Jones, and E. De Carle were present. Mr Hutchison, the engineer, laid before the meeting detailed statements of the expenditure necessary for carrying out the intended works, and also an average account of the income and expenditure to be derived from the operations of the company. . . . The engineer was authorised to obtain forthwith a supply of gas pipes for immediate laying. The first allotment of shares was then made, and the directors resolved that a meeting for the second allotment should take place in the course of a few days.