EIGHTY-FIVE YEARS AGO

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26630, 28 November 1947, Page 4

EIGHTY-FIVE YEARS AGO

. FROM THE FILES OF THE ®tago Bails Himes DUNEDIN, NOVEMBER 28, 1862. “The escort from tire goldfields to arrive to-day will bring down the following quantities of gold:—Dunstan, 13,005 oz; Tuapeka, 48240 z; Waitahuna, 12420 z; Tuapeka, 370 z; Woolshed (say). 500 oz; total, 19,6090 z.” “ £IOOO to lend in one sum on freehold security at 12£ per cent, for four or five years.—Gillies and Sheet, land and estate agents.” The Tokomairiro correspondent of the Daily Times writes that “A brewery has recently been erected in the district. It will, I understand, commence operations next week. Hitherto 1 there has been no inducement to farmers to grow barley here- as there was little or no sale for it, but the establishment of a brewery will, of course, open a market.” Mr Welsh, gold broker, reports from the Bank Gold Office, Hartley Township, that the bank price for gold is £3 12s 6d per ounce. “ The attempt to remove the steamer Victory from the beach at Wickliffe Bay is now understood,” says the Daily Times, “ to be abandoned by the directors of the company, but it is expected that an arrangement will be come to, if it is not already complete, according to which Mr Scott will undertake her removal on his own account, receiving as his reward half the vessel, if successful, and giving the other half to the shareholders. It is a matter of grave question whether the vessel has not now been so injured as to render the attempt futile, but Mr Scott, though greatly disappointed by the late unfortunate accident, is still hopeful of success.”

Says the Daily Times, at the conclusion of a leading article on the Maori situation: “The Maori King passes laws, stops roads and publishes rebellious manifestos. The Natives round Taranaki take undisturbed possession of positions they were forbidden to interfere with. Old friends of Sir George Grey amongst the Maoris desert him. A large steamer is plundered and her shipwrecked passengers submitted to torture and actual robbery. Maoris commit crimes and laugh at pursuit. The settlers grow disgusted. There is no law and no protection. Such is the condition of the North Island after a year’s government under Sir George Grey. Its last state is worse than the first.’’