PIONEER MINER

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1986, 17 February 1914, Page 8

PIONEER MINER

TOOK FART IN EVERY RUSH.

(By. Correspondent.) Auckland, February 16. A very old pioneer—Mr, Samuel Draffin, of Ngartfawahia—who came to New 'Zealand in the Gabriel's Gully rush, has passed a Way at his residence by the AVaikato River. > Mr. Draffin was -born in 1840 in Ayrshire, Scotland, and when he was fourteen years of ago he emigrated with his parents to tho colonies. Ho ,'wa.s engaged in mining in Ballarat, iu 1554, and afterwards in Victoria. Seven'years later he came to New Zealand with his. father, and followed up.mining in-Otago. He' Was one of the first in tho famous Gabriel's Gully rush, and during tho following year he visited British Columbia, and was one' of the first in the famous Caribou rush. Two yoars later ho returned to: New Zealand, and re-visited Qtago, and, from there, ho made his. way to the West. Coast, -where he took the lead in the Coast rushes, Subsequently Bottling down nt Fox (now Called Brighton), where he remained for .sixteen.years. , He was also at the Cooigarclie rush in 1894, but, owing to ill-health, was compelled to return to New Zealand.. Ho then became proprie- . tor of the Hauraki Hotel, 'Waitokauri, and was ntsa a member of the Oliinc* muri County Council, and was patron and official of numerous sparts eiubs. In 1895' ho became manager of the Grace Darling Gold Mine, at Waitokauri, and from there moved to Auckland, where.he was a familiar .figure, .on the Stock Exchange. . After having taken a- tour round tho Dominion, deceased took, up his abode in Ngaru'awaliia, where,' until recently, he was 'proprietor of the .Waipa Hotel.