EIGHTY-FIVE YEARS AGO

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27057, 16 April 1949, Page 6

EIGHTY-FIVE YEARS AGO

FROM THE FILES OF THE ©taso ©ail’2 Himes DUNEDIN, APRIL 16, 1864. Two boat accidents occurred at Port Chalmers within the past two days. In the first instance, a boat belonging to Messrs Thomson Brothers, storekeepers got swamped while proceeding to the Upper Harbour with some goods on board. The goods were lost and the occupants of the boat were saved by clinging to one of the beacons until relief came. In the other case, several men got into the water by their boat upsetting: but boats were fortunately put off from the shore in time to save them. Yesterday we were shown, at the office of the goldfields secretary, a beautiful quartz pebble, very rich in gold, which was picked up by a miner in the bed of the Arrow River. The weight of the pebble is 7oz, and it contains, by computation, about 4oz . of gold. It is water-worn and was carried about by the finder for some time in his pocket, when one day at the Bank of New Zealand he was proceeding to crush it with a weight and had broken it into three pieces. Fortunately, at the moment, Mr Robertson, of that bank, entered, and succeeded in averting its destruction. It has been purchased by the Government for exhibition at the forthcoming New Zealand Exhibition. The gold is distributed right through the stone, as well as on the external surface.

Yesterday news was received from Waikouaiti that James Fraser, keeper of the Bendigo accommodation house, East Hawkesbury, near Waikouaiti. had been attacked on the evening of the Bth inst. and robbed. Mr Fraser had intended going to Hawkesbury to pay for some timber he had bought, and was on his journey for that purpose when he was met by a man of the name of Samuel Jones, commonly known as “ Old Sam,” who presented a revolver, telling him he wanted his money, and if he refused to give it up he would shoot him. Resistance being useless, he took Fraser into the bush, tied him hand and foot, and after searching him, took the money from him. He then left him, declaring that if he made any noise about the robbery he would shoot him. The ambunt stolen was about £2O 10s, and consisted of one £5 note, 11 £1 notes, two sovereigns and about £2 10s in silver. The police are on the search after Jones, and it is to be hoped he will not long be allowed to remain at large, but that he will shortly be secured and reap the just recompense of his doings.