The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. SATURDAY, JULY 4th, 1925. HISTORIC KUMARA.

Hokitika Guardian, 4 July 1925, Page 2

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. SATURDAY, JULY 4th, 1925. HISTORIC KUMARA.

Ivu.mara, which proved to be the largest alluvial goldfield in .New Zealand, is to celebrate its jubilee early next year. These anniversaries are of public interest, reviving old memories, and calling hack old identities to the scenes of their earlier life. Kilty years is a considerable span in the life of a community, and Kuniara as a town and centre has almost accomplished tie record. The actual date of the gold rush to Kuniara is not easy to fix. I here were circumstances surrounding tbe discovery of gold there which

clouded the earliest period of its golden days. It did not come to tile fore as a rush till about A lay of 187fi, but goldmining was in operation ere that time. The discovery of gold was first known as the Tereniakau rush, anti under that name it attracted considerable attention. Hut some six years earlier, the original prospectors, took up mining rights under Warden Price, and had a water race constructed. The second pa tv to reach the Held, fidlowing the original prospectors <M. Houlahan. R. Cashman and J. Connor) was Robinson and party. They set in

about the beginning of 1870. when they found the prospectors at work, and applied for some ground which overlapped a title of the original prospectors, though remote from the actual workings. This led to litigation and the ventilation in the Warden's Court that the prospectors were making good wages. But Robinson and party secured their ground, and this proved payable, so that by May of the year the news began to be noised abroad, and gradually the rush set in. Just prior to that event there had been abortive rushes to Cape Colony and Queensland, and the average miner was not disposed to take the good news of Kuniara too seriously. The newspapers reported the progress and findings very cautiously, but as the number of miners increased, the gold returns beeame known more definitely, and before tinyear was out the goldfield is said to have carried over -1000 of a population. Like all mining rushes, the township was of mushroom growth. It was not ■ long before a township was laid off, for in July of 1876 sections were be-

nig taken lip for business places, and the business centre grew rapidly. At that time the population was about 800, with about fifty parties on gold. Two months later the population hail grown to .‘!00t). with about a tnousand men on gold. When October came, a census showed a population of 4220, with 3G7K) engaged in mining. With such a growth of population, rapid developments took place in all directi i. Roads and tracks were made hither and thither. Buildings of all kinds and at all points began to appear. The late .Mr Seiidon was one of the earliest arrivals in business. At that time the main coach road linking Greymouth with Hokitika, became the Main Street of the town, which had now been named “Knmara.” The second

street in importance became, as it is to this day, Xeddon Street. There resided Mr Xeddon with his family for several years, and three additions to the family arrived including Mr T. K. Y. Xeddon who succeeded his lather as .Member for Westland. The late Mr Xeddon was a resilient of Kuraara when called to the Ballance .Ministry as .Minister fur Public Works, and the family then moved to Wellington for permanent residence. Mr Xeddon naturally played an important part in the life of Knmara in every way. He w;i- connected with the public bodies; a miners' advocate, and a business man. His work and interest in promoting the mining industry was shown by flic construct ion of water races and the opening up of roads lor general access. And so the town of Knmara was born.