EIGHTY-FIVE YEARS AGO

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26692, 11 February 1948, Page 4

EIGHTY-FIVE YEARS AGO

FROM THE FILES OF TH! ©tago 2>a(l)2 XKme* DUNEDIN, FEBRUARY 11, 1863. “ The new steamer, Golden Age, has resumed the passenger service between Dunedin and Port Chalmers, and having undergone a few necessary alterations and improvements connected with her machinery, she now steams even beyond the rate which she formerly achieved.”

“As an instance of the absurdity of the Government advertising only in the Government Gazette, we may point to the District Road Board at Tokomairiro, which, according to ou. own correspondent, has just lately held its first meeting, although it has been established for some nine months Ihe members of the board were not in the way of seeing the Gazette to know (or what days the meetings were fixed; and in one case the Gazette with the advertisement of the meeting did not, it seems, reach Tokomairiro until two days after the day fixed; The loss to the district by the nine months delay may well be imagined.”

“A gentleman resident in Dunedin has favoured us with the sight of a private letter received from a friend at the Arrow. The writer mentions that the Government is about to call for tenders on the spot for the erection at the new township of Frankton, of a courthouse, warden’s office, gold office, warden’s quarters, and bailiff’s quarters. The writer, we should mention is an experienced practical miner as well as being a man of no mean scientific attainments. He says: 'All things are looking well here, plenty of gold and new rushes spreading everywhere. Last week we divided 160 oz amongst four from about eight loads of washdirt. Concerning my sluicing company, the works will be completed in about three weeks. Shares fetch a high price in that company, and £IOO was refused lately for one shares Parties attempting to go to the West Coast via Mt. Aspiring have come back, the snow being too heavy. A new lake, head of Matukituki River, has been discovered.”

“The large influx of people from Melbourne during the last day or two has brought back the recollection of the first great rush. The streets have been as crowded now as then, and we observe that the Post Office corner, and the front of the Provincial Hotel, are still favourite haunts of the new arrivals, who, for the first few hours at least after landing, seem to delight in standing about in groups, or mobs, to the very considerable obstruction of the thoroughfare.”