A HORSE SHOD WITH GOLD

Waikato Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2258, 27 December 1886, Page 2

A HORSE SHOD WITH GOLD

The Arjrus publishes the following anecdote taken from the quarterly mining reports : — "la the year 18J3 a storekeeper named Don-xld Cameron, carrying on business at the Woolshed, was elected lirst member of Parliament for the Ovens district, and he had the honour— unique vi the history of the colony — of being driven in tiiumph from the Woolshed into Beechuorth in a gig, with a tandem team, the leading hor«e of which was shod with gold. An old resident of the district ha- favoured me with the following particulars of the occurrence : -'Just before the election an eccentric individual known as Tinker Brown, who had made a luc ot money on the diggings, suddenly purchased a circus, with tents, horses, waggons, etc., complete, and coming into B'CJiiworth with the company he offered to drive the newly-eltoted member and >upply golden horse shoes for the occasion. The Woolshed " bosses," who were greatly elated at the result of the election, warmly took up Brown's idea, and they icsolved, in addition, to present their member with a diamond scarfpin. The horse shoes were made by a woiking jeweller named Totield, and weighed %>i each. The team was driven fiom Woolshed to Beech worth, and back as far as Li Serena Hill. Ou remo\ ing the shoes of the leader (a piebald circus horse), they weie fonnd to have lost a total of 1 io/. Before " Tinker Brovva " died he willed them to a married laughter keeping a public-house at Wagg.l Wagga. Tney were in existence until abjut tour years ago, when the owner had them melted and turned into sovereigns "