The Guardian (And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times.) SATURDAY, .MAY 31st, 1924. GOLD RUSH DAYS.

Hokitika Guardian, 31 May 1924, Page 2

The Guardian (And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times.) SATURDAY, .MAY 31st, 1924. GOLD RUSH DAYS.

In the thought I'm- the times to-day there in | tinted the opening paragraph of a special article (written by Mr K : . A; (.•sitters, formerly of Ross) in the Lyttelton -‘Times’’ this week dealing with the rush period of gold-min-ing in New Zealand. It is not inappropriate that the young writer should turn his attention to Hitch n subject as his environment tit Ross associated linn till her intimately with gold mining siticl his interest in the industry must have brought him many tales uf tho past. In Ross for instance there was one of the gayest atul brightest examples of the glamour of the,rush days. Tho little town was indeed a hive of industry above ami below ground and all around the chick “shifts’’ of busy, hotly workmen were toiling to win the golden treasure which was recovered in bountiful measure. But Mr Osnier.s has turned his attention also to the history of the last ami lie has been dipping into records, and tiie result- of his research is a concise history of peculiar interest these times dealing with the first gold discoveries up and down NVw Zealand. Gold was found first in the Auckland province in 1861 by Claude Ring who recovered some good quartz specimens, and it is common history now what treasure the quartz fields of the north have yielded. In tho same year there was an official report, of a gold discovery in Otago, hut the early settlers did not desire a rush of gold miners, and tho liml was not proclaimed abroad at the time. In 1860 the Nelson district became notable for a gold discovery and then in 1861 Otago came into its own as a < out re for gold mining. The first discovery was at I.indi’s Pass in the Dunstan Range, hut immediately following came Gabriel Read’s find in the Tnnpeka district, and a rush of wonderful dimensions set in. In August of the year in question, the first gold escort brought down 6.600 ounces, while throe months later the quantity had increased to 76.000 ounces. Kvoryono

flocked to the diggings. Towns were deserted, and men of all ranks from the professional downward, liiod themselves to the goldfield. The gold finds

spread over Otago, and the field <-x panded, continually attracting jtopuln tinn to the country. The last part o the colony to receive the attention ol the gold seeker was the "West Coast, Westland at tlm tiino was part of Cterburv. and the Provincial Govern-

ment with some reluctance offered a reward of £1.0(10 for the discovery of a payable goldfield, no doubt wishing in the main to counteract the attractions of Otago, which was draw”

•> its territory all flic freshly art

inpr population. At that time the survey parties from .Canterbury were probing Westland, and the roixirts being sent hack began to draw adventurous spirits to the Coast. Some parties specially equipped made explorations of the high country, apparently seeking for the quartz lodes. But in 1863 a miner named Day, one of a prospecting party, found a specimen of alluvial gold on a bluff in the Teremaknu river, apd the scent- ' vas I quickly followed up, j

The first payable fjold field, records Mr Osmers, was discovered at Holiunu on the Greenstone River. Another scon followed at Bhiketown on the Grey River. From 186-j. people flocked from Canterbury and Otago, and from all other parts of New Zealand.* Further discoveries at Hokitika. Arahnra, Kokatalii and the Totara spread the report that every creek and unity was golden. The rushes Went from place to pin ct! "'ith almost incredible swiftness. .Suddenly Oknrito and.even further south gave the call which was answered readily. In the first month of the rush to this field £200.000 worth of gold was gained. As in Otago, there were some who would not face the forests and the floods, and who turned hack in disappointment; hut the greater number elected to brave the dangers and endure the inconveniences in the hope of gaining a great reward from Mother Earth. 11 was the adventurous who won through. There :ire many tales to tell «*f the fortitude of the people who passed through daily privations in order to "in the golden reward. The pioneer miner “dared and conquered.” though he did not share always in the afterglow. Tint lie has left his marie on tlie community and created a breed of men typical of the goldfield days whose memory will be revered always, the glory of the goldfield days have passed, hut the glamour remains. Pome of these pioneers, remarks Mr Osmers in conclusion, became leaders in political life, some became farmers or men of business, some left tlio country to try their fortunes elsewhere, while some still had that attachment to the search for gold that kept them to their claims as long as strength should remain. Rut New Zealand will never he the worse for the hard times of the sixties when rich and poor, educated and uneducated, strove shoulder to shoulder, and when nu man was better than his neighbour.

The fact that tenders have been invited for bridging the Wni 11 o river will lie a source of general satisfaction to all who have the welfare of South Westland at heart. The Minister of Public. Works has been its good as his word, the bridge lias been promised for some lime past. Mr C'oates’ predecessor had it in mind, hut it is satisfactory now that wlml lias been promised is to Ik- fulfilled. The tenders are being called in the Dominion vml in England. The work will lie one of some magnitude. It is understood it will ho a suspension bridge, in which case a cotisii.enable amount of special material in the wax of extra strong cables manufactured specially and in addition special steel work will lie needed also. The tenders (lose early in August, next. The erection will take probably anything up to two years as it is likely specially strong concrete foundations and anchors will require to be put in. The work however is now under way and the community will he grateful to the Minister for the commencement that is being made. The Wniho river is the last of Hi,, larger streams to he bridged for si.me time, but several smaller crossings. will, it is Imped have the nccessarv attention within the next two years.' During the late summer^ season the for bridging Dry Creek ami .McDonald's Greek, on tlm road to the Wailio Gorge, was brought town id very prominently by the cire.im,lames of the occasion, and it woiil.l not he asking too much f-r the sake of eeneral traffic to haw both works taken in band. The preliminaries ~,.,,1,1 he advanced at least, as it i- must essential the two trottitiesotlH. streams referred to should he attended to as early as Hinds will allow.

Tin: granting of the >"’<• mail t<! serve tile Wailio di-duel Im-s taken some extra* tion from the Covcrnniciil. It v.as difficult to account lor the delay in acceding to the many requests made for the restoration "• the mail service, seeing that its discontinuance was due only to the economies necessary during war time. In Other places mails so discontinued have liect] restored long ago, while the Postal Department has been adding to its expenditure by the addition of large payments to cover accelerated overseas mails. Mails as frequent itt | ossicle, should he provided for the backblovks as an aid to settlement, and to give the outpost settler frequent news as to the markets. lit South Westland where stock and produce prhos are of special consider •- tion, it is most, important that a

good mail connection .should tie established so that the press messages in relation to local and outside markets should lie readily available. 'I here is the fact also that more tralfie is going south, and to encourage that importami development a. good mail service

is essential. Visitors (have to notify in advance their accommodation requirements, and with if single mail a week to such a popular resort as Wiiitio, some travellers have been reaching their destination at the same time as the letter of adviie of their advent, posted some days in advance, hut held up by the once weekly mail. This inconvenience is now being removed. and the southern community generally will he grateful that ill the end it has been possilde to extract from the Government a consideration so long overdue and actually of such importance to ensure the progressive development of the south oil lines in keeping with public service eonevniences so generally enjoyed by other centres hitherto more fortunately 1 hired.