EIGHTY-FIVE YEARS AGO

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27211, 14 October 1949, Page 6

EIGHTY-FIVE YEARS AGO

FROM THE FILES OF THE ■©taflo TDafl? Himes v DUNEDIN, OCTOBER 14, 1864. / The news from Dunstan continues favourable for mining. The river remains , low, and several parties on Monday last commenced .sinking on the beaches opposite the township, in the hope of finding a second bottom. The result is unknown. \ i .' , i . At a large, and influential meeting of settlers arid others, resident in the Clutha proclaimed militia district, which was held at Clutha Ferry on the fifth instant, it was unanimously agreed to form a Volunteer Rifle Corps. Major Richardson presided, and it was decided that the companies raised be called the Clutha, West Clutha and East Clutha companies. kv . fk •. ’ " The Southland News' says that the formal opening of the Oreti railway, as far as Makarewa, has been fixed for Monday, the seventeenth instant. It is probable that some days after .-that will be allowed to elapse before ordinary traffic is commenced.

Our correspondent reports that a rush may be said to have fairly set in at Blackstone Hill. Several business places have been erected; many are going up, and a good deal of ground Has been pegged off by parties intending to remove hither. The excitement has been very great this week, as the holes were bottomed and the prospects washed. The claims Under the hew regulations being large, it takes some time to prove the ground, s Shares in the claims which stood a good chance were sought after at prices varying from £3O to £SO, which was in most instances refused. Thirteen ' fresh shafts have struck first-rate gold at various distances within half a mile ■ of the prospestors, showing plainly that it is no patch. The gold varies from 3oz to 11b weight to the load. It is the opinion of miners here that foere has not been as good ground opened in the. province since Gabriel’s Gully.