EIGHTY-FIVE YEARS AGO

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26713, 6 March 1948, Page 6

EIGHTY-FIVE YEARS AGO

FROM THE FILES OF THE €)tago S»ail? tCimes DUNEDIN, MARCH 6, 1863. “Since our last report, when we announced the addition to our population of 400, no fewer than 1500 souls have arrived, and if we add 200 by the Gothenburg and about 70 left at Bluff the accession will afford a strange comparison to the exodus which occurred 12 months since. Wc have no definite information as to the probable quantiy of gold expected by the next escort, but we believe it will exceed the last returns, especially from the Dunstan. The news on the whole is very encouraging from all our goldfields.”

“ We were yesterday shown a splendid sample of nuggety gold. The largest piece weighed 13oz, and there were several pieces of 2oz and 3oz. The finest of the gold was scarcely under 2dwt and 3dwt. We were not informed as to the locality from which it was obtained, but altogether it is the most magnificent sample of nuggety gold we have seen in Otago.”

The Dunstan News of Tuesday last says: “The man Roach, who has been so long in custody on suspicion of having murdered his mate, Phillip was liberated on Saturday last. His mate had been working in the neighbourhood of the Teviot and hearing that his former mate was in difficulties ho presented himself to the authorities here. On his statement Roach was liberated but what motive could have induced him to invent the story of the murder of his mate is a matter that remains in obscurity.”

“A rather serious accident happened to Cobb and Co.’s Dunstan coach which should have arrived in Dunedin about midnight on Wednesday. As we hear, there were 16 passengers, and the driver' was Sheppard, one of Cobb and Co.’s best and most careful drivers. The passengers included Mr St. John Branigan, Commissioner of Police, Sergeant Trumble, and a mounted constable, who had in charge two prisoners, Charles and James Gilbert ‘ mates ’ of the notorious Gardiner who were captured at the Dunstan; and also Captain Anderson and Mr McLeod. About 3 o’clock on Wednesday afternoon the coach reached the brow of the hill above Deep Stream, at Campbell Thomson’s. The few hours’ rain had made the roads in that neighbourhood frightfully heavy, and on getting 1o a siding at the top of the hill named the off-hind wheel snapped, and the coach went bodily over, pitching out the whole of the occupants. Most fortunately, the injuries suffered were very slight.”