MAUNGATAWHIRI VALLEY.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 5, Issue 211, 22 September 1916, Page 4

MAUNGATAWHIRI VALLEY.

THE LATE MR Wm KEITH. The district lost one of its best known and most respected settlers hy the sudden death on Sunday, the 10th inst, of Mr William Keith. He had travelled to Auckland by the midday train the previous day (Saturday) and was staying at the residence of a friend, Mr T. J Cooper, in Ponsonby. lie retired to bed apparently in g r >od health at night but on Mr Cooper proceeding to his bedroom the following inorniog he found that Mr Keith had expired in his sleep. As the deceased had been under medical treatment for a weak heart an inquest was not considered necessary by the authorities. The late Mr K.ei hj, who only returned a few weeks back from a voyage to the Islands taken for the benefit of his health, was 65 years of age and had resided at Maungatawhiri Valley for some '63 years past. He is survived by a widow and a grownup family of four sons and three daughters, viz., Messrs J. H. Keith (Hauraki Plains), W. Keith (Maungatawhiri Valley), John Keith (Waerenga), Bichard Keith (lately wounded on active service), Mrs Bert Taylor (Prankton), Mrs W. Nelson (Te Puke) and Miss Bessie Keith (Maungatawhiri Valley). The deceased is the lir.-t of the family of the late Mr J. H Keith, formerly of Mauktr? to pass away, his two brothers Messrs Jaa. Keith (Maungatawhiri Valley) and John Keith (Epsom) and six sistors being all alive.

The funeral took place at the I'ukenu Cemetery on Tuesday of last week, settlers from all around the district attending in force to pay a last mark of respect to an honoured friend. " FIFTY YEA.ES AGO.'' DISCOVEBY OF GOLD. Under the above heading the following telegram from some " reliable " informant to the Superintendent's office as appeared in the' " He:ald " of September iotb, 1866, was republished in last Friday's Herald, viz : " A considerable degree of excitement has been occasioned -by a report to the pffect that gold in payable quantities was found on Wednesday and Thursday behind the Koberoa ranges, near the Maungatawhiri Creek, Lower Waikato. Your reporter saw a sample of the gold and can rely implicitly on the information. A rush is going on to the .'ocality or rather to find the actual spot where the goll is said to be found, for ihere is not the slightest doubt that gold has been discovered, the persons concerned are endeavouring to retain the matter a secret if possible." It is interesting to mention in counec'ion with tha foregoing that fii'ty years ago there was not a settler in Maungatawhiri Valley so this rush was quite a prehistoric one. Since the days of settlement, however, there have been several attempts to discover the Royal metal. During the mining boom of about 1896 quite a lajge sum was spent on Ciown land adjoining Mr Win Appleby's farm, but although traces of gold were present in every test made still the amount was not sufficient to warrant setting up a gold saving plant. Although the district has failed to. turn this important industry to account still a fairly large dividend is returned from the " wash dirt " in the Valley in the form of butter-fat.