EIGHTY-FIVE YEARS AGO

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27389, 15 May 1950, Page 4

EIGHTY-FIVE YEARS AGO

PROM THE FILES OF THE ©tago ©ail? ©lines . DUNEDIN, MAY 15, 1865. The Escort took down from the Dunstan last Wednesday a smaller amount -of gold than was Anticipated—l6B2oz. “ Certainly,” reports our correspondent, ‘‘the dry weather and the projection granted to so many claims - all through the district, had something ‘to do with the smallness of the quantity—the next will be better.” . Early on Saturday morning a large stone retaining wall fell in Stafford street. The wall was of a massive description, about 12 feet high and two feet thick, and adjoined the shop of Mr Duncan, locksmith, a portion of whose shop and veranda were carried away when the wall fell. A piece of the wall still stands, but is apparently in a very dangerous condition. Our Hamilton correspondent, writ- ■ ing with respect to Macrae’s Flat says: ' “ I am afraid this place is being overrushed by business people, and I incline to 'think that many will regret that they came. There are now about 25 business places here, to a population of about 500 miners, none of whom are making extraordinary wages—generally from £3 to £5 per week. Certainly the place will be lively through the winter, as people must work hard to keep themselves warm. The flat is cold and dreary, and is much more rarely visited by the sun than the diggings in the vicinity of Hamilton. A very fine lignite has been discovered by Mr Ktronach, who intends to sell it at the Flat at the uniform price of 35s per ton.” Our Dunstan correspondent, writing »n May 8, says: “The Cromwell district is improving very fast, and there has been a large addition to the population during the last few weeks. A good man l ' diggers are returned from the West Coast, some coming by way of Dunedin and others by the overland route. Mining property is increasing daily in value, there being much inquiry for shares in promising claims. The practice of shepherding beach claims is beginning to interfere wit'- the working of the dredging machines, for no sooner does a machine take up a position and comgpen e work, than up springs a claimant for the ground, and although the "machine may be extricating gold from a depth below the surface that has never been worked before it must move off or pay blackmail in the ■shape of a sleeping share. Now that dredging has created a new interest In mining it is high time that the mining rules should be altered so as to meet the exigencies of the case.”