DUNEDIN.

Tuapeka Times, Volume V, Issue 234, 25 July 1872, Page 8

DUNEDIN.

(From our own Correspondent. ) Held ever from our last week's issue, July 15th. Considerable consternation was caused in Dunedin on Monday, by the rumor that a case of small-pox had been discovered in the city, the first report being to the effect that one of the men who had been engaged repairing the Nevada's boilers, while she was laying at Port Chalmers, was the vie tiui. The dread scourge is, however, happily not yet amongst us, the report being without foundation. Everybody talks about getting vaccinated, though, and if all I have heard speaking about it, curry out their intentions, the medical fraternity will have a rather busy time of it for a week or two.

The honorable and gallant Major Eiohardson has been staying at one of our principal hotels, not a mile from the City Council Chambers, for a week or two p'ior to his departure for the North ; and I hear of rather a good thing in the way of a repartee in which the gallant Major came off second best. Active, sprightly, and youthful for his honoured years (if the latter part of the sentence does not savour of Irishbullism), the Major soorns the use of top-coats and mufflers, and on one of our seasonably cold evenings, at the tea-tible, last week, he expressed his astonishment at the " young fellows " requiring such huge top-coats, and wandering about as if they had not a drop of warm blood in their frames. Says a gentleman present, who fancied he was selected as one of the Major's examples of the un-Spartan like nature of the " young fellows": "Well, Major, you must remember I am not a politician, and you are." "And what may that have to do it with V " Oh, only that I am consequently not 80 thicje-skmned as politici ins get the credit of being, and therefore, perhaps, require extra clothing." A reply, which, placed the honourable Major hors de combat, and caused infinite amusement at his discomfiture.

A happily-conceived method of advertising their performances last evening, adopted by the Dunedin Coloured Opera Troupe, created quite a little temporary excitement on Saturday. A very cleverly .written summary of of sham telegraphic news, in the form of an extra, was issued, and the usual knots of people congregated at the various places where they were posted up, to read the English news, all heartily enjoying the " sell," which was of course detected after the perusal of a few lines, and laughing at such extra ordinary items of intelligence, as " the news of the Dunedin Police Strike causing great consternation in London," the fact of " the American difficulty being settled, Earl Granville having stated in the House of Lords that the American Government had agreed to accept two tons of Kakanui preserved meat in satisfaction of the Alabama claims," &c, &c.

It is currently reported that arrangements are being made for the starting of a second morning newspaper in pnnedin, under Roman Catholic auspices. I cannot say whether there is any truth in the report ; if there is, however, someone's pockets will sure to suffer to an alar ming extent, for a daily sectarian newspaper such- as the proposed one would be, could not, I firmly believe, weather more that two or three quarters, unless zealous projectors and supporters could be found, who are prepared to sacrifice "small fortunes to keep it afloat, ' Daily newspapers and quartz reefs, which tnrn out not to have any gold in them, stand preeminent as methods calculated to very rapidly absorb all the spare cash of those who are connected with them. I should certainly say to the Roman Catholics, Don't try it,