EIGHTY-FIVE YEARS AGO

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26793, 9 June 1948, Page 4

EIGHTY-FIVE YEARS AGO

PROM THE FILES OF THE ©tago ©ail? {Times DUNEDIN, JUNE 9. 1863. The Wakatip Mail reports:—“We understand that a company is in course of formation to work the Nokomai, and it is the opinion of the projectors that, with proper appliances, they will be able to keep under the water, which has as yet rendered futile, except in a very few instances, every attempt to bottom this unfortunate gold field. Miners seem to accept it as an acknowledged fact that there is gold, and in good payable quantities, on the Nokomai, but they snow a natural disinclination to invest their capital in any undertaking requiring organisation and mechanical appliances, while they can work without either in favoured localities;” “We have the authority of the Lyttelton Times for stating that a notice has been issued from Taranaki to the superintendents of the southern provinces, cautioning them that a native named Te Meiha, or “Big Jack,” has left Taranaki with a large sum of money for the south, with the supposed intention of purchasing powder, caps, and other ammunition. It would be well if the provisions of the Arms Act were proclaimed in the Provincial Gazette, and dealers in ammunition warned that the Act will be rigorously enforced.”

An old offender, a female, was charged in the Resident Magistrate’s Court yesterday with having been drunk on Friday. She had both her eyes scarred round with a blood-red mark. Being asked what she had to say, she replied: “ Well, you haven’t sent me home yet, and I don’t know now when you will. You know, sir, the watermen sent to take me from gaol oughn’t to take passengers. They took nine last time and how could there be room for me?” She was fined 20s and costs, in default 48 hours' imprisonment. The prisoner was further charged under the Vagrancy Ordinance. She said: “If you’ll let me have a chance I’ll get a place as well as any other woman. Or. if I could send to my daughters in Hobart Town they’d come over and take care of me." The magistrate: You have 'told me a great many stories about your daughters and other people, all of which have proved to be unfounded. You have really lived in gaol for two years, to my knowledge; The prisoner: And more shame for any gentleman to talk about it. The magistrate: You will go to gaol for three months. The prisoner: And what will you do with me when I come out? The magistrate: We must talk about that, at a future time.