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Hokitika Guardian, 30 May 1931, Page 4

lx referring to the passing years and to the remark above as; to the condition of alfair s in this district, lui-lf a century ago, the occasion is brought to mind that we are almost on the threshold ol the. jubilee of the first Rimu rush. The time falls next yen-. In 1882 AYestland was passing through a very quiet, period. The glamour of the early day “rushes” and the subsequent outbreak of the Kumara, goldfield had passed, and gray days prevailed. Jt wa s at this juncture when die Rimu ‘•rush” set' in, and all was soon marked activity. Being so adjacent to the town, many of the miners at the outset continued to live here I-local business people rushed for business sites, and many branch stores and even hotel s were opened in tile main street Regular coach services plied all day between the town and the goldfield, and it was not long before the country township took shape. There will not be many of the early day miners to foregather at jubilee time. Most of the pioneers of the goldfield were men hailing from other fields, but some of the younger generation remain, and no doubt there would be many who would delight to assist in doing honor to the occasion, and in particular to the!old hand of miners whose work and worth have left their mark on the community. It would he a; fit and proper thing to see n jubilee celebration organised to revive the memories of the past, and to bring homo to the rising generation something of the spirit of the bravo days of old, and of the fearless, resourceful way In which the old diggers took up the tasks awaiting thorn, A new order of gold mining marks portion of the old goldfield, hut it was interesting to note from late correspondence in the press, that the age of alluvial working, under tlie old system is not yet passed, and that a party is being assisted to drive a tunnel on another part of the field. These two factors show that the industry is far from exhausted. Indeed the present stir in regard to gold mining and the activities in prospecting, indicate th‘.fc the industry may yet return to i 4-? own. This i s another reason why the jubilee period of the Rimu goldport facilities will have to be estail shfiekl might he marked in some special way so that more public attention might.be directed and focussed on the possible progress and development oi gold mining in Westland in particular ard New Zealand in general. It is an occasion when the people can do something to help themselves, and if anything can lie done to revive publicinterest in gold mining then let it be clone, for a new find or a new field would do much to uplift the count w ?n this difficult and trying time of de- , pression.