EIGHTY-FIVE YEARS AGO

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27273, 27 December 1949, Page 4

EIGHTY-FIVE YEARS AGO

BtOM THE FILES OF THE ffltaqo ©ail? ©imea DUNEDIN. DECEMBER 27. 1864 Sunday was the jubilee of the first sermon preached in New Zealand, by the Rev. Samuel Marsden, in 1814. at the Bay of Islands. Dredging has proved a successful means of obtaining gold .from the bottom of the rivers. The original dredging company on the Molyneux and party, have realised £7OO in six weeks at Doctor’s Point. As evidence of the progress of the manufacturing industry in the province, we were shown some cigars of various qualities manufactured by Mr John Simpson, tobacco manufacturer. George street. The cigars were evidently carefully made, and great care has been bestowed in the selection of the leaf.

Our Lake correspondent informs us of the capture at the Shotover of four 3 well-known desperate characters. The . following are the particulars: SubV inspector Percy, having received inr .-'formation from Invercargill that four ’men of known desperate character - had, after committal of a felony in . that town, been traced to the Lake District, immediately took steps to : discover and arrest them. Mr Percy . * proceeded by steamer to Kingston, and ascertained that four men answering the description had left that place, travelling in the direction of Devil’s Staircase. He at once despatched Con- •; stable Blakely on their track with ''■strict injunctions not to lose sight of them if discovered, and to effect their / arrest as soon as he could obtain the - necessary assistance. Blakely eventually, after a long chase, came upon the men on the Upper Shotover and brought them into Queenstown. They were remanded to Invercargill for -.trial.