'TIS 60 YEARS SINCE

Hokitika Guardian, 7 April 1932, Page 3

'TIS 60 YEARS SINCE

GOLD MINING IN THE EARLY DAYS. NO. 4. EXTRACTS FROM WARDENS’ REPORTS IN JUNE, 1868. ' At the time of which we are writing, the Westland County Council was the controlling body of all mining activities between the Arnold River and Big Bay. Thus Warden 'Revel-1, from Greymouth':''—“T.lie population throughout the district is for the most part settled in the various t localities, and hold extensive Water Rights, and good claims, yielding fair returns and in some instances extended claims with, expensive machinery erected thereon, and worked with llprses. |

The season lias • been one of continuous rain, and has been rather an advantage to miners.” Also Michael Keog, the second Warden for Greymouth :—“With the exception of the Limestpne (containing about 100 miners), no' fresh ground! has been opened for some time. The cost of carriage of goods anywhere off the- seaboard ranges from £l2 to £23 per ton qvcr Greymouth and Hokitika prices. I wish to direct your earnest attention to the unusual prevalence of sly grog seliing.”

. Warden. Schaw, Kanieri, reports: “During the five months, January to May, 1868, 169 cases were tried in the Warden’s Court, and 225 in tlie Magistrate’s Court, of which 105 were criminal oases.

On comparing tlie present time with the beginning of the year,-.the entire; population has increased by " 1000. The diggings at -Shamrock Terrace have, become very quiet, the miners having shifted to Stewart’s Terrace, which is turning out well, and several of the claims are being worked by Austrians and Italians.

Some powerful hydraulics are at work between Waimea and Stafford. , The Leviathan water race from Kawhaka to Greek’s and Fox’s is being rapidly carried on. It is registerd for 15 miles long. At Lamplough the steam crushing machine has bcdri working well, but the miners are dissatisfied with the prices charged for crushing.

At Piper’®, Stevenson and Co. thirteen have taken up «n extended claim of three acres. The whims at Quin’s and Kelly’s Terrace are constantly at work hailing, the depth being 100 feet. The population of Liverpool Bill’s Gully ite l increasing—new gullies are being opened up. A' new rush has set an to-day to a gully half a mile south-east of Stafford. The right-hand branch of the Kanieri river and the new Kanieri Lake Rush still hold a population of 200, but tlie impassable state of the tracks causes gk-eat difficulty in procuring provisions.'

AVoodstock is again looking up; a small rush near -Arch Creek being started by Louis Phillip and his mate, and I have awarded a double area of ground to each of them. At Kanreri township the Galatea Company have erected a water wheel, and the Victorian Co-operative Gold Alining Coy. haxe completed their magnificent over shot wheel.

The Ho Ho has increased in population within the last few months, and quite a large township is springing up at the Tramway Station at the Jsouth end of the Big Paddock. Several leads have been traced to this spot, and the greatest activity prevails along the lead to the Blue Spur. Some hundreds of miners are sluicing, and making fair wages. Warden Justin Aylmer, from Ross: —‘‘Every day shows a marked improvement. The inhabitants of the place seem to place great confidence in tlie permanency of the district, and new and substantial buildings are being built every day, by both miners and business people. The diggings extend in an unbroken line from Ro«ss to Donoghne’s, a. distance of' two miles, and stores and business places are being erected along the road. The Joneis’ Creek and Totara Company have extended their race to command the terraces. The Alexandra Gold Mining Company are erecting a steam engine to work ten acres of ground at Donoglilie’s. The engine is 45 horsepower and will throw 250 gallons a minute. Qjn Jones’ Flat there are thirty-trhee whims at work. The population of the district is 2,500. The amount of gold forwarded by the Banks' to Hokitika, in the five months, is 20,744 ounces valued at £78,292, which averages 8 ounces to each per-

The Customs duty amounts; to £2593 which with other revenue totals £4203 to the Government from the Totara district which compares favourably with any goldfield in New Zealand.

The ATining branch of the Survey Department also supplied reports:—

In the Grey district there were 201 miles of water races. Four crushing machines on the cement lead, and one puddling machine at the New River, worked by horse-power.

The Waimca district: —At the Lamplough there was an eight horse-power steam crushing machine, working i stampers, and emalgamating the gold with quicksilver. At Findley’s lead:—A horse crushing machine, working three stampers, woollen butts shod with iron. At Scandinavian Hill:—A horse crushing machine, tailings crushed by round balls, instead of stampers.

On Piper’s Flat: —Twenty-two horse whims, raising the wiiish dirt from fjftv to seventy feet, and eight horse whims on .Quin’s and Kelly’s Terrace.

At .Stafford I :—Two water wheels, one being twenty-five feet in diameter.

The Kanieri district:—Two engines of-' ten and twelve horse-power, three puddling machines and nineteen wliims. One hundred and thirty-seven races of a" total length of eighty-two miles, and’ nine water wheels. In December 1868, Warden Price reported that the population of the district, between the Wanganui River and Bruce Bay was 322, and eleven south of Bruce Bay.

With the exception of eight miners up Cook’s river, the mining was confined to the sea beaches'. Surfacing was someetinies very rich, especially on the Three Mfl'e where a® much as £BO a nian was made in. a fortnight. There ,\vere two water races at the Five Mile which had cost over £3OOO to construct. Returns of the gold in the '"Okafito district are given as follows January to June, 1867, 6903 ounces; the population ,fluctuated beteween 705 -and 42U. July'.to December 1867, 4334 ounces; population 400 to’ 440. January to June, 1868, 3886 ounces. July to December 3062 ounces; population about 322.

The prices of provision at Okarito and Five Mile were as follows: lloiu .£1 jl6s per ’lOOlbs, tea 3s 6d per lb. .sugar ,Bd, butter 2s 6d, meat Is to Is 3d and the 41b loaf was Is 6d. At Gillespies, Hour was £2 5s per lOOlbs. Warden Aylmer at Ros.s reported a new rush at Redman’s, with 150 men on -the ground. The amount of gold sent to Hokitika from July Ist to December. 31 s t 1868, was 16,841 ounces. Miners’ wages were £3 10s Lev £4 per week. Flour was £26 per ton, ten 3s i6d per lb, and beef and mutton 10d, sugar 6d, sawn timber 15s per 100 ft., props £4 16s- per. 100, laths £1 18s per 100, caps £ll ss..per 100.

Warden 'Schaw,*at;'Kanieri reports on January Ist 1869. The prosperity of Kanieri .district ... during the last six months has not in the slightest, degree decreased. The majority of the population has settled down to steady work.

The yield of gold has also kept steady for the same period. Estimating the population at 2,600 (2000 being miner.;, and 600 business men, women and children), and calculating the yield of gold at nine thousand ounces a month, would- allow £ll to £l2 a month as the earnings of the whole popalat:o.i At. this office, for the year, there were issued 890 miners’ rights, and at Hokitika, 649. The .survey of the large race, that it is proposed to bring in from the Kanieri Lake, is nearly completed. Several fresh runs of gold have recently been discovered about “the paddock,” and claims, that eighteen months ago were sold as being nearly worked out, have been in full work ever since. * In the Warden’s Court, the first case in which Chinamen were concerned was heard on November 26, 1868. Woodstock. —Population 400. extended claims 4.

A small rush took place at tlie terrace, at the back of Mosquito Flat, but has not turned out--to be of- any importance. Arthur’s Town.—Population 40. The Maori Reserve Gold Mining Company have completed their water wheel, which is 48 feet in diameter.

Shenandoah Flat.—One party only, except for a few fossickers, is at work-. They have completed a tail'face 20 feet deep, :l0 feet wide, and 150 yards long, from the Hokitika River.

The Pioneer Race still continues to pay £5 a week per share after all expenses are paid. On the terrace the sluicers make good earnings, and the dams will last a consideiable time longer. About 30 men are at work at tunnel claims.

Tucker Flat.—Population 50. Tin’s place carries a small population who are content with making £2 to £3 per week.

Branches of Kan'ieri River. —Population 40. The majority of miners in this locality are ground sluicing. Ho-Ho Lead, Big and Little Paddocks.—Population 1000, including ''o Chinamen. On the Big Paddock, most of the miners have ' lately left the Madman’s, New Chum’s, and •Picanniny beads, and have gone across to the Ho Ho lead, in consequence of some fresh runs of gold lately discovered there.

‘On the Oineo Lead, most of fhe claim holders are busy getting out cement, which they are going to get crushed at the Union Crushing Machine, which has hist been completed at a cost of £I4OO.

The Chinamen who have come into the country appear to be satisfied generally. All of them have bought ground from 'Europeans, in some 'instances for Large prices. All about the Ho Ho I.e-d, mi 'crs are doing very well. In the Last three weeks two new leads have been discovered, “The Welcome” and \e 1 Despair.” The prospects on both leads, were two to three grains to the dish. At the Ho Ho, the average rate of earnings is higher than in any other part of the district, and I should put it down at about £7 a man, a week. New and substantial buildings are constantly being put up in place of old ones, and there is quite a small tOwii'ship round the Tramway Station. Blue Spur, .Ballarat, and Cement Mills, Mclntyre’s Creek, Lnrko’s Terrace, Old Township.—Population '696.; \t Ballarat Hill, Baggot and pk% have got a crushing machine of six head of stampers, being the first erected in the district. At Larke’s Terrace, which is a continuation of the Ouieo and other leads, situated in the centre of the Big Paddock, new ground is being constantly taken up. A rahura Gullies, Humphries. German McDonnell's, Greeks No. I.—Population 70. The great, drawback to the Imali y : s want of water and a passable road.

Warden Bevel 1 reports from Gre.vmoiitli in January 1869, that the mining population is 259. The Town of Gr>ymonth is estimated to contain « popu-

latiofi •' '6F 1800, with a demand “For business sites and household property.

The returns of gold show a yield for six months of 18,642 ounces.

Warden - Keogh reporting on the Upper Grey district -sttates that several new rushes have occurred. Of one of these That had a population of 100 three months before, the population is now 1200, with TO public houses 40 business places. The carriage of provisions to the present chief centres of population, viz —Greenstone Pile Creek and "Arnold, ranges from £ls to £lB per -ton of 2000 lbs.

He complains of the provision of the Stamp Act, which compels all agreements of sale to be stamped and the stamps to be cancelled by both parties. In remote places it is frequently impossible to procure stamps, djhd instances are known where two jourSffeys of 4C miles each time have been undertaken to effect a 2s 6d arrangement.

It is interesting to note that in the old directories, the ready'reckoner given for gold, prices ranged from £3 10s -to £3 18s 6d per ounce. Places that we»e abandoned in the-old day® because they would not pay more'than £2 a week, should surely be worth exploiting today with the price of gold in the vicinity of £6 per ounce.