SEDDON’S TERRACE.

Hokitika Guardian, 10 May 1932, Page 8

SEDDON’S TERRACE.

(To the Editor)

Sir.—ln vour sub-leader oi the 4tli fust, reference was made to the naming of Seddon’s Terrace. Perhaps a few further particulars may interest. In the early nineties, nearly a decade after Rirnu was rushed, a Woodstock miner, Robert Sweuey, remarked to liis old mates- John Twinem and George Bruce that he fancied an area between Back Creek ancl Mt. Misery track as a likely place for good gold to be got, and intended if he could get mates, to - "prospect the ground, i Finally he induced David Beatty and William Rae to join him, and a sh-ft was sunk on the claim. Prospects were got in various strata and a little gold right through until they bottomed on payable gold—3 dw'ts. to the load. They then started a tunne'! with the dual puipose of further proving the ground and also of having an ensioi and quicker means of working the claim. The time taken to sink and drive and do other work before the first padciock was taken out was- about 1-2 months. When the shaft was bottomed on payable gold another party, A. McLennan, Stewart and party pegged off a claim next to the prospectors and bottomed on 2 dwtg. to the load. A third claim was pegged off by W. Weir. W. Shannon, J. Houston, F. Willoughby, W. Jones and others. This party bottomed on about 7 dwts. to a io'd and it was this claim that caused tlie rush. Some distance away John Welland party’s claim was working. It was called the Eureka (which means'“l have it”) and the name written in large .letters on the side of the pad. dock could be read for sy considerable distance by those, approaching bv the Mt. Misery track and was a landmark for many a day.

The quiet virgin bush soon became an animated hive of industry and optimism. Mining gear of all sort- arr'ved With tlie 'ever increasing number of miners.

Brand new white tents and flys show - , ed up well between the green fol of the trees, marking the place where another shaft w-as being put- down, :r d nil the sights, sounds, and cheerful greetings that only a new- rush can produce were seen and heard on nil sides. It was an interesting scene to a hoy in his early teens, and in'fortunately one that has never been repented. It w r as at this stage that a miniumof miners approached the prospectors o’,aim and asked “Bob” Sweney v -1 «t he was going to call the goldfield H - reply was “I suppose we had !Wto' call it after ‘Dick,’” referring to their friend and member, Richard John iSeddon who on 11 ay Ist, 1893, w..s made Premier of N.Z. and who held that- honoured position to the date ol his death, Jurie 21st, 1906. Arrangements were made for ' l'- - chri-s tailing of the claim. Seddon’s pa -- *.v a-'ivrU an I am l- . • !i- er- md .1 wishes a 'of champagne was bi *- ke-i at Gie pr-»|e-tors’ <-l'>'r.i I >’ 'L l; 'Sedcoi. an I 'he n-i:> c Seddon's. 1’ rr-c•’ berime ixi. -1

The christening had just been compiled whf-n a mi ;’i tame lunn «g -t’ ing that Mr Grimmond had jus* christened Wells’ and party’s claim “Grin:mond’s Flat.” Mr Seddon’s reply wa“Never mind hoys, nearly all the gold wijl he found at Seel don’s Terrace and verv little at Gvimmond’s Flat, ’ a statement that later proved correct. The whole party then wended its way to Rinnt where many another bottle of various blends, not to mention ! 'Hie draught” “went west” at the Commercial Hotel (Mrs A. Lamacroft) The All 'Nnt : ons (Mr Jason Davies) and to Woodstock, where the (Royal Mail (Mr H. C. ■D. Gavlor) took its part in the celebrating and establishing of the name “Sedition's Terrace.” Practically the whole of that lead har been since sluiced away including the claims that. had been “blocked out,” showing that th ■ ground was good sluicing ground, and it returned the miners in many cases very good returns.

Thus the name began, christened by that “Grand old 'Man,” who, as plain Pick, or the Risrht Honourable Riclvrd John Soddon, had in all New Zealand no firmer supporters, stauncher followp." • or truer friends than those of Woodstock, Back Creek, Rinni and iSeddon’s Terrace. I am, etc., SON OF A PIONEER. May 9th.