GOLD SEEKERS

Hokitika Guardian, 15 September 1933, Page 6

GOLD SEEKERS

POOR BUT CONTENTED GOLDEN HOPE FIELD NELSON, September 10. Under the subsidy scheme there are now about JOO men employed on the Gulden llc.pie goldfield area which mcludts the Aland and Maggie Creeks, The field is situated on a. plateau about RJO feet high rising out of the Upper Duller Valley, a few miles from tin river’s source at Lake Kotoiti. Although the men are not getting very much gold from their claims they have a good community spirit, and the visitor is impressed by the manner in which the men have adapted themselves to a life in the hush which is new to most of them. After climbing a zigyaig track cut by the old Golden Hope Mining Company, which was unsuccessful on the Held 15 years ago. the camp comes into view. Along one side of the. clearing lie

the married people’s huts, built of logs or slats, with iron roofs. Various-types of architecture are to be seen, all original and all showing that a vast amount of patient work lias been done. One man obtained a totara- log in the bush, floated it down the fluming to the camp, and split it up into shingles for the roof of his hut. Some huts are lined with slabs patiently smoothed with an axe or adze until they seem to have been planed. Another, more pretentious, is lined with boxes, and ‘‘benzine” rubs, shoulders with “product- of Ceylon.” PROUD OF THE CAMP Practically all those in the camp ara young men, -and it is pleasant to see tlreir tanned faces and cheerful grins as they welcome a visitor. They are .proud of their camp, and, take a delight in shewing it to visitors. As one

man said: “We’re city chaps. Some of us were never used to hard work, and had never handled a pick. We cargo over here practically down and out. Now wo are still pretty hard up, but we are independent. With the gold we scratch out of our claims and the subsidy, we are managing to keep going, No one in the Maggie is makng a fortune, but we have a lot of fun. When we get ‘fed up’ we go to someone’s hut and have a sing song and supper. Then, every now and then, the Y.M.C.A. man turns up with books and papers. She’ll do me!” Nowhere perhaps but in a goldmining camp could the spirit that is evident in the Maggie Camp grow op'. The Government engineer, Air WMker, the foreman of works, and the men all work in harmony. The camp itself is ruled by a camp committee; the social side is catered for by the 1 sccin] committee, and a flourishing j football clubj the “Gold-diggers',” as i it .is called, has its headquarters -at the 'Maggie. NINE MARRIED' WOMEN

The camp committee has secured a direct mail service with Wellington twice a week, ,a 4 . money order office lias been, promised,. find a telephone is at present being negotiated for. The Public. Works Department donated two railway huts for a social hall, and the men sledged these to the camp site. As far the actual gold-digging is concerned, the men work in pairs. Just ever the edge of the plateau is Skeat’s Creek. This .is the site of the old company’s workings. Now water races wind in all directions, the water becoming more and more yellow as i,t goes down the creek. Weird dams and quaint hoses, chopped out of the bush, are found everywhere. From j all directions come the sounds of shovel and hammer on stone, and the chatter of running water. Some claims are excavated below the level of the river, and all gravel and stones have to lie lifted some feet out of the way. [The men have to work at least 40 hours a week. Tile gold obtained is forwarded to the bank, which deducts 10 per cent to repay the subsidy, and the 12s Gd per ounce gold tax. There are about nine married women in the camp, and it is astounding how well they have accustomed themselves to the rough life. There are yabout nine children, three of, whom attend the Spear Grass School. A local farmer supplies the camp with fresh jneat and milk daily.