EIGHTY-FIVE YEARS AGO

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26689, 7 February 1948, Page 6

EIGHTY-FIVE YEARS AGO

FROM THE FILES OF THE ©tago IDatl'e tTtmea DUNEDIN, FEBRUARY 7, 1863.

“During the intense mid-day heat of yesterday the pavement in Maclaggan street became so soft as to take the size and pattern of every footmark. We observed a number of lads wilfully engaged in manufacturing gigantic cribbage boards on the pavement by swinging round on their ironheeled boots, and making holes about two inches in diameter and of the 6ame depth. Such wholesale destruction of our footpaths should not escape the notice of the police.”

* “A very pretty specimen of ingenious workmanship, in Dunedin, may be inspected at the office of Mr Lawson, architect, Princes street. It consists of a relieved chain

cut out of the solid of a piece of p Caversham stone. Each link, though loose from its neighbour, is connected, but Without any joints having been made to obtain the result. The work has been executed by Mr McDonald X with the object of showing the superior . working quality of Caversham stone.”

The commercial column of the Daily Times contains the following:—“ We are unable to report any marked improvement in the timber market, which remains dull at last quotations. There havd been one or two failures of no account. Messrs McLeod and Gibson, the old-established house, have also

found, it necessary to resign their ■■■’ estate; liabilities stated at £9000; ” assets, including book debts, estimated at £16,000. The stoppage was caused ■ ’ by pressure of creditors and the diffi- > culty of collecting money due, but the ■ estate is expected to turn out well.”

" The new arrivals from Sydney, Hobart Town and Melbourne have pretty well cleared out for the diggings. Yesterday the road between Dunedin and the Taieri was dotted with parties slowly trudging along, some of them equipped in a way which indicated a decided . unacquaintance with a digger’s life. We saw one man carrying nothing but a daintily rolled swag and a brand new carpet bag, and it was clear that he thought much of himself.”