No more bright, fine gold
When the Dunedin City Empowering Bill was passed very few people realised the farreaching effects of the Bill. It not only wipes out mining in Waipori, but prevents any person or company from mining on the Waipori River and any of its tributaries. It also puts a stop to any development of the quartz lodes that are known to exist in that watershed. The Lawrence Sluicing Co, Blue Spur and the Golden Crescent Sluicing Co, Weatherstones, had water-rights in the Waipori district, and were going to protest against the Bill becoming law, as it affected their prospective mining areas.
The Dunedin City Corporation realised its responsibility and met the companies in a conciliatory spirit and agreed to give each company a minimum sum of £500 compensation, subject to further settlement. It is regrettable that a valuable goldfield, that has not been properly developed, should be closed for all time, especially when there is a prospect of a great mining boom in Otago with the Kawarau scheme and prospecting companies becoming active in the country.
The Taieri County Council was more wide awake than the Tuapeka County Council in obtaining concessions from the original Waipori Company, and in securing very favourable terms for allowing the power lines to traverse their territory, thus obtaining current and power at a cheap rate. The Tuapeka County Council, however, allowed a valuable mining field to become closed for all time, in a district under its jurisdiction. It can truly be said it was virtually asleep when it did not claim any privilege or concession for its own county, in view of the prospective development in regard to electric light and power in the near future.
Not absolutely certain
This from Auckland, November 28: "The Prime Minister wired to the manager of the All Blacks, ‘Kia, kaha, kia toa, kia ora (be strong, be brave, good luck)’."
This from London, November 27: "The Daily Mail’s correspondent admits it is bold to predict that Wales will beat the All Blacks, but he does so after carefully weighing their chances."
And this on November 29: "New Zealand, 19 points. Wales, Nil." That terrible little word "Nil!" — registered by Home teams for the tenth time, and in both of the so-called test matches. Still, let us not exult vaingloriously over the collapse of the Men of Harlech. Mr Massey, in cabling his condolences to the Prince of Wales, must bear in mind that the New Zealanders are not absolutely certain to survive the tour without a single defeat.
— by ‘Wayfarer’
Eight is more than enough
The family man apparently gets a cold reception from most landlords nowadays. A witness in a case at the Magistrate’s Court yesterday morning said that he had been promised a house, but when the landlord learnt that he had eight children he was told that there was "nothing doing". "It is a hard thing for a man with a large family to get a place," said witness. "They don’t seem to want children in this world now."
— ODT, 3.12.1924 (Compiled by Peter Dowden)
