EIGHTY-FIVE YEARS AGO

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27096, 2 June 1949, Page 6

EIGHTY-FIVE YEARS AGO

FROM THE FILES OF THE ®tago Sail? Uimes DUNEDIN, JUNE 2, 1864. :■ The escort arrived in town yesterday bringing the following quantities of gold: Queenstown, 42850 z 15dwt; Arrow, 1140 oz; Dunstan, 16410 z lOdwt; Mount Ida, 5860 z lOdwt; Mount Benger, 2430 z; Hamilton, 2116 oz; Tuapeka, ,;1871oz 19dwt; Waitahuna, 1560 z; Woolshed, 1270 z 6dwt; —total, 13,1080 z.

The Canterbury Press says: “From several quarters we have learnt that it is intended to prosecute the war during the winter months, and the scheme of operations selected will be Wanganui. The army will shortly be removed to Wanganui for that purpose, and one, at least, of the Ministers, no ,doubt Mr Fox, will take up his abode in the neighbourhood.”

We take from the Southland News of the 27th the following account of a reported large find of gold at the Nokomai diggings: “We yesterday announced that a rumour had prevailed in town that a large quantity of gold had been brought from the Nokomai into Invercargill. We are now enabled to confirm the truth of this rumour. On Wednesday afternoon a person called at the Provincial Treasury and deposited in the hands of the Provincial ■-Treasurer nearly 600 oz of gold, which he stated had been obtained from the Nokomai diggings, about two miles from the boundary of the Province of -Southland. The party depositing the gold gave no information either as to f.the time occupied in finding it, or as to the number of diggers by whom it hwas obtained; but he stated that from .his observations of the country in Southland through which he had passed,’ he believed that a paying gold field would yet oe located in the province. We may add that a party of diggers reached town by coach last evening, and reported most favourably on their success at the Nokomai, -and on the great prospects of those ; 'on the ground. It appears that a rich reach of gold has been struck towards \ the flat and that two large parties are working.”