Docherty’s pipe prompts stories of prospector’s peregrinations

WHAT a find! William Docherty’s pipe has been found in Dusky Sound. The brand points to the old prospector, giving this simple item provenance.

Docherty’s peregrinations were followed, and recorded, by his friends George Hassing and David Jolly, for whom mining was a youthful phase. It is fairly certain that the prospector was in the Upper Clutha well before 1965, as reported.

Docherty is recorded as the first person to swim the river at the Kawarau Junction, in 1862. A party of five had been working at the Lindis Diggings.

His four mates had to walk up to Albert Town, cross, and walk down the other side. Certainly these five were mining on the Cromwell side when Jack Barry, and Bill Kelly, swam across some time afterwards.

Docherty, and William O’Leary, Arawata Bill, remained lifetime wanderers and prospectors. They fuelled the Kiwi myth of the man alone, against all the elements.

The chance find of the clay pipe should raise again the myths and storytelling around these gentlemen. David George

Cromwell

Two different cannabises

MEDICINAL cannabis should be made legal immediately, to give the poor sick and dying people relief from their suffering.

The recreational cannabis can wait till the powers that be make up their minds whether or not they should make it legal.

Pain and suffering should be alleviated right away as it is so cruel to keep this medicine from being allowed in our country.

There is a real need for it, so stop mixing medicinal with recreational cannabis. The two are entirely different. D. Graham

Dunedin