EIGHTY-FIVE YEARS AGO

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26531, 5 August 1947, Page 4

EIGHTY-FIVE YEARS AGO

FROM THE FILES OF THE ©tago S>atl\> Unites DUNEDIN, AUGUST 5, 1862. “ The sale of sections in the township of Kaitangata, Molyneux, commenced yesterday in the auction rooms of Messrs H. E. Nathan and Co. About 25 were sold at an average price of £l4 per section. The frontages to the river were withdrawn, the highest offer being £25 per section.” # * # According to the Daily Times the billiards match between Mr Lamb, a veteran, from Melbourne, and Mr Townsend, of Dunedin, for £SOO-a-side, 1000 up, created great interest. About 100 persons witnessed the play, which took place on a table erected on the pit floor of the Royal Princess Theatre. Play started at half-past 8 on Tuesday and finished after 5 o'clock on the Wednesday morning, the scores then reading—Lamb 100, Townsend 915. The night was very cold and the table slow, and, according to the Daily Times; this accounted for the poor rate of scoring. Lamb led all the way, but there were few breaks of any size. The Daily Times devoted a great deal of space to the match, at times describing the game shot by shot. “ The reserved seats —the entrance to which was two guineas—had about 30 occupants. The boxes—the tickets to which were one guinea—were tolerably well filled.” * * # “A correspondent writes to us as follows:—While up at Waihola Lake last week I was shown a sovereign and a sixpence that had been taken out of the gizzard of a hen killed by Mrs Grey on her farm. Both coins are very smooth and thin, and you can faintly perceive the head on each. It is quite a mystery to Mrs Grey and family how they could have been picked up by the hen.” * # * ' A correspondent, “Quiz,” writes in satirical vein criticising the Town Board, and says that he thinks the members of the board should receive a testimonial. He continues: “ I forward you the enclosed sum of £0 Os -Jd, being the amount of contributions which I have collected from a number of residents on the banks of the Hanover.” The Daily Times records receipt of the half-penny. $ # * The special, reporter of the Daily Times describes at length the scenes he witnessed at Farley’s Arcade on a Saturday night. He says that “ Farley’s Arcade is like no other' in the known wide, wide world. It is a thing of itself—the creation of a bold speculator and deep financier—a universal emporium—a public mart—a commercial multum in parvo, and a depot for the reception of every description of merchandise, edibles,' drinkables, wearables (anji, if the word be good English) smokeables. It is an inlet and an outlet—a rendezvous—a trysting place.” One of the side shows-, which attracted the attention of the reporter was a small galvanic battery connected to a basin in which reposed a halfsovereign. “ Innocent people were, on the payment of 6d, dared to take it out. . . . The sixpences were sacrificed. but the half-sovereign remained intact.”