EIGHTY-FIVE YEARS AGO

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27388, 13 May 1950, Page 6

EIGHTY-FIVE YEARS AGO

PROM THE FILES OF, THE ©tago ©atl? Himes DUNEDIN. May 13, 1865. “The Southland News of the 11th Inst, says:—‘The wires of the Dunedin line of electric telegraph have at length been carried into the Telegraph Office here, and it is probable the line will be open for the transmission of messages within a 'fortnight.’ ” “The s.s. Wm. Miskin, after extensive repairs, received on Mr Isbister’s slip at Port Chalmers, will sail next Monday for Hokitika. When on the stand at Bluff she received such serious damage that the surveyors, finding that* she could not be repaired In Southland, directed that she should oe sold for the underwriters. Her purchasers had her removed to Port Chalmers, and there she was placed on the only existing slip, repaired, and launched on Thursday last. The little craft looks quite new again, and her owners intend at once placing her in the Hokitika trade, for which she is admirably suited by her draft of water enabling her to go over the bar.” “ The Invercargill Savings Bank has now been in existence five months, and its return show a number of 166 depositors, and a sum deposited of £2572, being an average of nearly 16s weekly for each person. The withdrawals during this period have been 30 in number, and m amount about £7OO, consequently the balance now in hand is over £IBOO. The most sanguine of the supporters of the savings bank movement did not anticipate anything like the success which has followed its establishment.”

“From the Dunstan we are advised that heavy rain had fallen and snow in large quantities on the mountains. Satisfactory accounts continue to be received from the Nevis, where rich ground continues to be opened. Cromwell is improving and mining property is increasing in value. The Nil Desperandum Company at Granity Reef Point have been seven months employed in preparing their claim for work They do not expect to be ready in less than two months. Some of the sluicing claims are paying well. One known by the name of Yankee Dan's party have cleared for some weeks past £l4 per man. The new dredging machine is paying the shareholders at the rate of £25 per man per week. Another machine is in course of conatruction on the same principle.”