The Guardian (And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times.) WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 9th, 1921. THE GOLDEN DAYS.

Hokitika Guardian, 9 January 1924, Page 2

The Guardian (And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times.) WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 9th, 1921. THE GOLDEN DAYS.

To-iuv has been designated Jubileo Gay lor the Westland goldfields. It is thcrofore a. birthday of note, and will be a moinorablo time in the history of the place. The town of Hokitika, fame into being K) years ago this year. It was in the early days of 1864 that gold was found within the area of Westland, and long before the end of that year there was a- settlement at tlie month of the Hokitika river. The town had a mushroom growth as history, writen and photographic, records. In 1860 gold to the value of over one million sterling was recovered hereabouts. There is an interesting photograph of Hokitika two years later shown at the Exhibition. It displays a town of remarkable growth within that limited 1 cried. It was the days before ever, the Town Hall was erected. Indeed the site of the municipal building was then hut a water-hole. Where the main portion of the Exhibition buildings now stand, was then the police camp, with “logs" for the confinement of the arrested people. Tan-c-recl street, where is now the novel entrance to the Exhibition, was hut partly cleared and quite unformed. Hamilton Street was in little better condition. Along the Quay were many ships of all sizes, with as many more strewn about the entrance to the river in various stages of launching. The shipring gives a fair idea of the volume of trade in these days—nearly 60 vents ago The buildings were all taking a more substantial shape, though many shacks are to he seen in the picture, somewhat akin to the architecture which distinguishes the police camp of those days. The Supreme Court seemed to !>o the most important public building in fhose times, and it is interesting to note that the building is still standing (though on a new site) arnl doing

nseml service as a Soldiers’ Hall. The halcyon days of the past, those golden times of the roaring sixties, aie all histoiy now. But tins [.resent is ever witli us, and out of the past has marched with us many of the pioneers of that period. They are the folk worthy lo he honored to-tluy- -the men and women who helped to make the present possible. The jubilee is an occasion for joy and festivity, and it can he made .-.) now because despite the fullness of time, there are many | ioneers of the past with Us, and lamer can he done litem, and tribute jaid for the noble work done in the days which are gone. ;et they have made the present possible. Out of the golden days of the past Westland Ims evolved into it more settled community. Sixty years ago the population "as entirely nomadic - rushing hither and thither ns good report or ill told the .story about 1 resit gold finds. There "'ere no settled places—for all titles were but tetnporarv Crown grants, and the freebold was unhought or unrated for. Stability of settlement did net come till later, but coming, it Ims helped to build v;> a rich provincial a-set. the value to the Dominion of to-day is not. fully realised. The Westland of the future, despite the millions in value ol gold reioverfd in a few crowded years, has still its richest harvest of wealth to win. Its gold and mineral wealth is still unexhausted. Us latent wealth in timber yields standing and yet to be reafforested, is beyond calculation, ft: land yield in pastoral products will he :t recurring annual sum growing in amount year by year W hile even there will he the eternal mountains and lakes, the forest verdure and the glacier settings giving a scenic glory which will lie always the rich portion of Beautiful Westland.