DUNEDIN.

Tuapeka Times, Volume V, Issue 228, 13 June 1872, Page 7

DUNEDIN.

(From our Own Correspondent.)

For* several days past the Upper Harbour, even to within a very short distance of the Dunedin jetties, has been visited by quite a number of seals. They have had, to all appearances, quite a season of enjoyment in their now haunt ; and have been observed dashing throtigh the water at a great rate by parties crossing to Anderson's Bay in boats, evidently quite unconscious that they are in dangerous water, and liable to pay the penalty ef death for their temerity in venturing so near man's habitations. A pursuit party is talked of ; and if they are still in the bay for the next day or two, some of their valuable skins will most probably before long afford a warm covering for other forms than those which 1 ature intended them to envelope.

The ground in Piinces-street upon which the proposed new Foresters' hall is to be erected has been cleared of the small wooden buildings which have hitherto stood upon it, and the new building is to be commenced without delay. It will be a notable addition to the tine buildings of t c cit} r ; and I have no. doubt that, as a puMic hall, it will become most popular, and will soon leave the company by which it is being erected little reason to regret their venture in the building of it. The 'use of the indiarubber stamp has of late become very general by business people in Dnnedin, and I persuine in Lawrence and other up-country towns as well. The invention is decidedly a handy one, but it has its disadvantages ; and for the benefit of those interested, 1 will mention one of them. In the "Daily Times" of a recent date there appeared a long description of a really fine building recently erected by one of the principal firms of hardware merchants

in Duner'in, together with eulogies on the extent, variety, and valuable nature of their immense stock. The San Francisco mail steamer being just about to depart with the English mails, of cour-e a largo number of copies of the i«. c vie containing tho article in question wero procured for the purpose of sending homo to principals, relations, and friends*. They were duly addressed and stamped to the number of something like 100, and of course the inevitable india-rubber v.is brought into operation, and they r.lso received its unlucky impress, and wore posted. Judge of the surprise of, well say A. B. C, upon shortly afterwards receiving a note from the Postmaster to tho efl'v ct that, iv consequence of the newspapers having the stamps of the firm upon them they would e;ich be treated as a book packet, and requiring tlie addi tional postage to be paid. TJie Postmaster was waited upon and remonstrated with, but ]io waa inexrable, and tho cash had to be paid. The india-rubber stamp is handy, but it proved rather too much so in this instance.

Dolly Green, who has been for many years a resident of Dunedin, and is familiar to all theatre goevs here as a painstsiking and deserving ach'os«,. took her farewell benefit at the Masonic Hall the other night, and has now loft our shores for good in the banjue Eleanor, for ISTew South Wales. Murray's circus has bsen drawing crowded audiences for about a fortnight at their amphitheatre (or t«nt), in Fillen lstreet; and a sensation was promised the other night, in the shape of " Youiw American " walking across the street on a telegraph wire. The successful carrying out of the daring feat was, however, frustrated by the wire breaking and percipitating him to tho ground. IJe fortunately landed on his feet, and escaped without injury.