Okarito-Five Mile Gold Dredging Coy Ltd

Hokitika Guardian, 26 June 1931, Page 6

Okarito-Five Mile Gold Dredging Coy Ltd

OPENING CEREMONY. SUCCESSFUL FUNCTION. A bright sunny day with a West Coast sky of blue favoured the opening ceremony at the Five Mile Beach yesterday of the above company s dredge, when the wheels ot pel liaps the most -improved machine of its kind to he found anywhere in the Dominion, were officially set in motion to the accompanying cheers and good wishes of many interested people present and a large number of shareholders in Otago whose good capital and patience seem likely to receive the reward one would wish.

Resting on the dam in which the dredge commenced its initial operations it made a splendid picture with the Southern Alps in the background covered with their mantle of snow silently hearing witness of the function taking place and re-echoing the trials and struggle of those pioneer diggers who first delved for gold in the way back sixties. The dredge presents a striking object and may be seen from quite a long distance. It is the most improved 1 New Zealand venture of its' kind and is the result ot long and careful collaboration on the part of Mr R. T. Stewart and Mr Mitchell who no doubt felt much satisfaction at yesterday’s function.

The visitors were received by Mi J. E. Wheeler (Chairman of the Coy.), auijl Mr and Mrs R. Stewart, and after the assembly had been shown over the dredge and its operation and method of gold saving explained, all gathered in the forepart of the- ship. the wheels set in motion. Mr J. E. Wheeler then addressed those present. He expressed his pleasure at seeing so many people present and the keen interest displayed by all in the working of the dredge. His duty at this stage was to ask Mrs Stewart to officially open the dredging operations of the Company. This lady then released the lever control governing the working of the dredge and immediately the great wheels and buckets with a heave and sigh proeeceding oil ' their way amidst ringing cheers from 'all present.

j THE LUNCHEON. 1 Those assembled then proceeded ashore where* an al fresco luncheon was . provided. After all had been generously treated, Mr Wheeler addressed the I gathering. He read apologies from Messrs O’Brien ALP., AL Keenan (County Chairman). Radford, Fade, 'Park, Murdoch, Renton, W. E. Williams, Mclntosh, I). J. Evans, Ward and many messages irom Dunedin friends and .shareholders, all conveying good wishes lor the success and handsome returns in the future. He wished at/ the outset ,to draw a picture of the conditions' that presented themselves that day, compared to the primitive means in operation 60 years . aim, and at considerable length desi; cribed the hardships the early diggers, j “sturdy and true”, went through in j those days to earn the precious metal. ! He called for one minute’s silence to honour the memory of those men who were no longer with us, and this was respectfully observed. Continuing, Mr ! Wheeler said to-day we are eotebrat- ; ing the of a venture i (which lie was certain would be a sue- : cos-s) started in 1925. Due to Mr R. T. Sfewart’s pluck and detennin-

ation the introduction ol an improved means of mining gold from black sand was to be set'll in front ol them. Long waiting, patience and endurance had crowned Mr Stewart’s work and

as representative of the shareholders, lit' was proud to say, without exception. all had confidence in him. It was true great difficulties were encountered but all were surmounted. He wished to tender the Co’s thanks to all who had helped in the great work, but some were specially deserving of note namely. the Mines Department. the Forestry Department, • the Contractors, The Westland County Council, Cr. J. Donovan, the Engineer and the men. (Applause). He trusted the days gatheiing would be a forerunner ot many more su'clii functions, and expressed his confidence in the belief that much gold was yet to bo won on this Coast. (Applause). Cr. J. Donovan; representing .the Chairman, expressed the disappoint-, ment of Mr Keenan and Mr Evans (Chairman and Clerk to the \I estland County) who through illness were prevented from attending. He was delighted at the day's function and His reason for this was the consummation of a long cherished belief that the development and improvements in the process of saving the fine gold on the Coast beaches' would some day arrive. It had come at last and ho would say the method decided upon on the dredge recently constructed was a striking testimony to the combined talents ot Mr Stewart and Mr Mitchell. Air Wheeler had said their thanks were due to the County Council. Well he could sav, though not authorised bv the Chairman, that the Council had not perhaps expended much ■ of its funds but all the members were sympathetic with the proprietory and would again send practical help to such an umlertalcing. He recalled the difficulties Air Stewart had encountered in

getting his material to the dredge site. Undaunted by reverses, he continued his task and to-day the reward is to he seen majestically floating on that pond, and was one of AH Stewart's greatest satisfaction in Hie. He likened him to the great Napoleon who once saiil: —

“Where there is no road to take There a. road T’ll make.”

He concluded by henrtilv congratulating the company, its staff and shareholders and trusted they would be well rewarded for their energy and enterprise ('appla use).

Air Robt. Lee (Director) recalled the early history of the Company, a<nd their confidence in Air Stewart’s ability who at no time lost faith in the ultimate success of the undertaking. When it was found that the cost of erection was to exceed (through no fault of Air Stewart’s) the original estimate he came to the shareholders and put the position before them, a sum of £SOOO was needed and before the chance was open to outsiders the shareholders at once found the money. To-day thgy were seeing the result of the confidence in their engineer. As a mark of the Directors regard for : their Engineer and Dredge-master he presented the former with a fountain pen and the latter with a gold pencil and case. (Applause), j Or. W. Jeffries thanked the Directors for the invitation to be present at the function which happened to bo in his riding. The reference to the early diggers by Air Wheeler was singularly appropriate and stressed a fine spirit of recognition of the vicissitudes endured by those early goldseekers under trying conditions and who also laboured within the touring presence of Cook and Tasman, a,s those to-day were likewise doing. The lines that marked the diggers memorial at Hokitika could be aptly applied to the events as they occur in the course of time namely

“Where the Vanguard camps to-day The Rearguard halts to-morrow.”

YVe are the Rearguard of those early pioneers and though conditions have changed the same desire is deepseated in the bosoms of those engaged in tire pursuit of gold. He dealt at some length on the economic condition of the Dominion and the advantages to he derived from an increased gold production, the immediate result of which would be a stimulation in trade industry.

In congratulating the Directors and Mr Stewart on their success he said many of the shareholders were friends of his and lie could picture the great satisfaction to them of now seeing the realization# of their hopes. The future of the Dredge was assured and he hoped the returns .would Ik: so convincing that further capital would be forthcoming to pursue areas not less promising in South Westland. In a humorous reference to the best man on the job, Air Jeffries eulogised j the devotedness to Airs Stewart who ' had left the. comforts of her home and her friends to he with her husband and cheer him in his stupendous task now | so ably completed. He congratulated Air Stewart, the staff, employees, and all concerned at the success of such a line achievement and wished the dredge a, long life of payable returns and profit. (Applause). Or. W. Soarle joined with his colleagues in congratuating the Company. He was one who for years had faith in the future of the West Coast beaches and to-day’s event was a convincing proof of what weath was yet to be won from the deep levels along the Coast. He wished to congratulate Mr Stewart, who had done great work, regarding the financial assistance rendered by the Council, this was really only a loan as the Gold Fields revenue to come from the ventures of this kind would repay the outlay. He thanked the Directors for their invitation to lie present and trusted their enterprise and capital would receive the reward it really deserved. (Applause). Al iss Rona, Friend then presented Airs It. T. Stewart with a handsome bouquet from the Okarito people made of native flowers and leaves beautifully arranged and tied with a ribbon of Stewart tartan. This little event was greeted with cheers.

.Mr ,11. T. Stewart (Engineer) received an ovation on his rising to reply. He thanked the Directors tor their remarks and said it was a proud day for him and the many kind things said were .nme • ihaii lie deserved. Even without them the known results of his efforts was ample reward. The dredge was til- - product of long and serious consultations with his trusted friend Mr Mitchell.

It required much thought and design and it was only after many days of the iiiosi intense concentration that they finally decided upon the model const run. ed and of which he could salely say had no equal in the Dominion. He wished to thank Mr Mitchell personally, his contractors and his men and all those who had helped him to attain today's success. Iliiijr co-operation had hen an inspiration and the result, that which could he seen a few yards away i csting peacefully on the sheet of water. This, pointing to a gold trav, is its product for an opening run of 72 hours and. I am sanguine from now on the results will he much more satisfactory. 1 thank you all for your attend-

anee, your words of encouragement as to future works and the kindly remarks from the speakers to-day. (Cheers).- , tl r Mitchell briefly thanked the Directors for their presence. He had a shrewd idea the desire behind the presentations was suggested by the hope that he would each week write three figures of gold in ounces for them. (Laughter). 'He had no hesitaton in saying the dredge was the forerunner to a revival in gold mining efforts on this coast. (Applause).

(Jr. Donovan then mowd a hearty vote of thanks to the Directors for the r splendid entertainment which was carried uv acclamation and the proceedings then terminated with the singing of God Save the King.

y KOTIKS. Lying close to the new dredge at yesterday’s function was the remains of the “Ball Dredge” erected at the Five •Mile many years ago and it cut a sorry sight near its more sturdy r.val.

The visitors to the opening ceremony at the Five Mile Dredge yesterday included Mr J. K. Wheeler. Chairman, (Robert Lee, J JM. Stewart, Directors of Dunedin, €. E- Richards, auditor of Alexandra and W. »A. Mitson. Secretary. The capital of the Company is £35,000 of this amount £17,000- has Ten spent on this side of the ranges, £12,500 in wages and expenses £4,500 in material. The dredge is driven by hydraulic power,derived from the Alpine Lake. Steel and hardwood timbers form the. bodv of the ship.

The attendance at the Five Mile yesterday totalled nearly one hundred people. The little t orn of Okarito was deserted for the occasion. Visitors were present from Wailio Gorge, Meta,-, nui, Haril.tari, Ross, Dunedin, Hokitika a’id'Alexandra (Otago). (n conversation with Mr W. A. Mitsui). seer tarv of the Okarito-Fva Mile Gold Dredging Company, that gentleman stated that there was a distinct probability of another venture shortly being launched on. the Coast for the winning of gold!.

The opening run of the dredge returned to minces of gold f'*r 72 hours work and it is anticipated that this week’s return will r°ach 10 r| ounces:. Mr Bathgate (official photographer for the “Auckland Weekly News”) was present at the function yesterday and was enraptured with tlip magnificent views of Cook and the glacier r«--He obtained some fine pictures of the Alps.