EIGHTY-FIVE YEARS AGO

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26996, 3 February 1949, Page 4

EIGHTY-FIVE YEARS AGO

FROM THE FILES OF THE ©tago ©ail? ©lines

DUNEDIN. FEBRUARY 3, 1864. • ''“A return has been furnished to the Provincial Government of the number of sheep which have crossed the Waitaki into Otago during the six months ended December 31, 1863, from which it appears that the province of Canterbury has supplied us with 5600. fat wethers and SWI rams, ewes and lambs, making a total of 10,641. The value of them may be estimated at £15.000.” “We understand that Dr Hector is strongly recommending to the consideration of the Government the establishment of a Port of Refuge at Dusky Bay. Vessels coming to the eastward are frequently caught by tremendous gales from the south-west and Very heavy seas, and a harbour of refuge would be invaluable to them—especially to stock-carrying vessels. Dusky Bay is a safe and commodious harbour, and would answer the purpose admirably.” A correspondent writing from the Taieri (Hamiltons) on January 23 says:—“A small rush has taken place to some workings recently discovered on Saxon’s run. The weather has been fine, and the population here is working steadily. A large quantity of gold is awaiting escort. The want Of water is still the great drawback. A public meeting has been held to memorialise the Government to assist the miners to bring in water. I visited the Nine-mile Creek again on Saturday, where several claims are paying well. I saw one party wash out 3oz at / their morning’s work, but the ground is limited and very patchy.” Mr Netherwood, officer in charge at Upper Shotover, writing on January 16, remarks:—“ The late flood did very slight injury to the miners in this district, and I am happy to state they are mostly profitably engaged. At Maori Point west alone upwards of 1500 oz of gold has been taken out. of the river this week. At Skippers reports are favourable. The Sandhill miners are not so far advanced with their river claims on account of the scarcity of timber required in the conitructioh of crates. The miners. McHatton and party, working on the quartz reef at Pleasant Creek, have erected a water wheel, one wooden stamp and a shoe and quicksilver ’ trough. They have not yet started crushing, but are very sanguine in their expectations.”