EIGHTY-FIVE YEARS AGO

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27569, 11 December 1950, Page 4

EIGHTY-FIVE YEARS AGO

FROM THE FILES OF THE ©taso IDailv Tttmes DUNEDIN, December 11, 1865. The Waikouaiti Herald states that it is the intention of the members of the Roman Catholic Church in that district to commence the erection of a building as a place of worship. A subscription list has been opened, and the support promised is most encouraging.

We extract the following from the report of the Warden Charles Broad, from Taieri and Mount Ida, on December 2:— “ The population at Mount Ida and Macraes has increased to the extent of fully 100 miners. Thirty came into Macraes yesterday where new ground is opening, and where fresh buildings in course of erection give a guarantee for the permanency of the field. The large claims at Hyde will all commence washing up next week and large yields are anticipated. I have to report favourably on the prospects throughout the district.”

Our Arrow district correspondent, writing on December 2, reports:—“ The average rate of wages remains steady at £4 a week. The following are the retail . prices for provisions:—Bread. 2s 6d per 41b loaf; meat, 8d to 9d per lb; tea, 3s 6d per lb; coffee, 2s per lt>: butter, 3s 6d per lb;; oats. 8s 6d oer bushel; chaff, 10s per cwt;. hay, £lO per ton. Bread and flour have .risen in price in consequence of the great scarcity of the latter article in this market. Oats have also advanced in price, and some of the agriculturists have made a very good thing out of their last crops.”