Page:Gillespies Beach Beginnings • Alexander (2010).pdf/22

 and Engineer round the Bluff to ensure their safety when negotiating the most dangerous places.”

1884 - E. Ryan and A. McBride both applied and were successful in obtaining a renewal of their hotel’s liquor licence.

1885 On 6 January, the Okarito contributor under the pseudonym of Mountain Rat, reported in the Grey River Argus:

“Through the non-arrival of the Waipara (at Okarito) this Christmas will be as dull and as miserable as one as ever was passed here. Owing to the shortness of nearly everything many a one has got to go to Gillespie’s to get enough flour to make a loaf and all through the steamer not making its appearance on time. No wonder people keep leaving the district. The Waipara has done more harm to this district than any other vessel that ever visited here.”

1885 - 21 May - the Grey River Argus advised that 29 year old Mr E.L.Body, late publican of the Royal Hotel, Okarito, drowned crossing Stony Creek, 4 miles below the Waikupakupa, whilst seeing Mrs Sullivan and Maggie Carroll to Gillespie’s Beach. The creek was swollen at the time.

1885. The paper’s southern correspondent reported 9th October

“That at Gillespie’s the residents are doing very comfortably devoting their time alternately to mining and looking after their cattle and gardens. The beaches are fairly good and it is expected that they will improve very much after the stormy weather.”

1886 - an item in the Grey River Argus advising that great preparations were taking place at Gillespie’s Beach for a ball to be held on 29 April in aid of the hospital at Hokitika.

1889 - Under the title, “Echoes from Okarito,” the contributor, Mountain Rat, reported in the Grey River Argus