THE PIONEER OF GOLD DISCOVERT IN OTAGO.

Southland Times, Issue 1224, 18 March 1870, Page 4

THE PIONEER OF GOLD DISCOVERT IN OTAGO.

(From the Bruce Herald-) Mr Gabriel Bead is popularly known as the first discoverer of gold in the Province tif Otago, but, like many other popular delusions which may for a time remain, unchallenged, such is not the fact, as the following evidence "will prove, the truth of which can be easily attested, as, with the exception of the late Capt. Gargfll and Mr Valpy, the parties named still occupy influential positions in our midst. In the course of his many peregrinations throughout the length and breadth of Otago, the writer of this article had the good fortune, during the present year, to meet, and enjoy a lengthened personal conversation with, Mr John Sinclair, of the Toi Tois, who had the honor, although as yet he has enjoyed none of the reward or glory, of being the real discoverer of gold in this Province. The following are the facts, shortly stated: — In 1853 (eight years before Gabriel Bead's discovery) Mr Sinclair accompanied Mr Valpy, who was then the holder of the Tuapeka run, in a journey thither, and being a native of Breadalbane (Perthshire), where minerals abound, he has always been in the habit, when travelling, of observing the nature of the country traversed, and its mineral resources, and all the more so that the Australian gold discoveries were creating so much sensation. Having camped for the night on the banks of the Tuapeka stream, nearly opposite Gabriel's Gully, he awoke early next morning, and while washing in the stream observed signs of gold. He then determined to visit tLe , locality shortly thereafter with' shovel and tin dish to prospect the ground. Becoming himself the holder of the adjoining Waipori run, during the same year he returned to Tuapeka, and spent two hours in digging upon the banks of the Tuapeka river, washing the proceeds roughly in a tin dish ; and, observing that gold was present in the soil, he placed the washings in his handkerchief, which he conveyed home to the Waipori station, where the more careful washing process was completed, the result being 2ozs lOdwts of gold dust for his two hours' work. "With this prospect he next morning set out for Dunedin, and at once called upon Mr J. H. Harris, whom he requested to accompany him to his Honor the Superintendent (Capt. Cargill), and on obtaining an interview, and exhibiting the prospect (Mr Macandrew happened also to be present in the room) Capt. Cargill at once declared that if the discovery of gold were made known it would ruin the Province for ever, as stranges would rush the country, and carry offthebenefits to the ruin of the settlers. Knowing that Mr Sinclair, wh6m he accompanied to Otago in the 1 Johfr Wicklifle, was a freemason, he strongly" l urged Becrecy, which Mr Sinclair and to which promise he proved faithful throughout. From that time Mr Sinclair continued to prospect various parts of the province, and having removed to his present station at the Toi Tois, in his occasional trips to ] Dunedin he continued to prospect likely ground, and disco\ ered gold, more or less, in every place he tried. j In Mackay's Otago Almanac for 1864, the credit is given to Mr Lizard of being the first to find gold in Otago, but it now appears that during a visit to Mr Sinclair, he was informed of the exact spot where gold would be found, and where, upon his return, he made the discovery. Upon one occasion, in talking of the Australian g'oldfields in the long-room of the Clutha Perry Hotel, a discussion took place upon the existence of gold in Otago, and to the surprise of all present, Mr Sinclair under- j took to show gold in less than a quarter of an hour ; and going to the crossingplace, where he had before obtained prospects, he returned within the specified time with several specs ot the precious metaL Mr fciiiclair informs us that about the time of Gabriel Bead claiming the reward, he reminded those in power of his prior claims. He was then invited to a public dinner in Dunedin, but residing so far distant from the metropolis, and being so far advanced in years, he declined the honor, feurely it now becomes us as a Province to make Mr Sinclair some tangible presentation, which might be handed down to future generations, in commemoration of his valuable discovery, and faithful adherence to his promise not to reveal the fact. "With reference to the above, a correspondent of the Dunedin Evening Star writes as follows : — The extract from the Bruce Herald, which you published last evening, is certainly a great curiosity. Ibat in the year 1853 any man in Otago should have been so utterly ignorant of what all the world besides so well knew, as to consider the discovery of gold in our midst a dire calamity ; that he should be so demented as to believe he was doing a service by keeping the fact a profound secret, is certainly not very creditable to our early history as a Province. But, sir, that in the year 1870, when the discovery of gold has actually changed our then insignificence into that of comparative magnificence— that now an editor of an Otago journal should gravely propose to reward such a man with some tangible presentation, is a gross insult to the community at large. Truly the editor must be playing a cruel joke upon his protege, or at least doing him aod his deserts a greater injustice. If this be not the case, I would propose that a full-length portrait of each be taken, which might well and appropriately "be hanued down .to iuture generations " on the walls of the Otago Museum, with the following inscriptions : — $0. 1. — " 1 am the man who for seven long years kept back the Province of Ulago from making ' a fair start ' in its career of golden prosperity." No. 2. — " And lam the editor who, in 1870, proposed he should be rewarded lor his ' faithful adherence ' to such an egregious course of repiehensible tolly."