THE THAMES: Statistical and Descriptive.

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3293, 11 July 1879, Page 2

THE THAMES: Statistical and Descriptive.

iThis is the. essay adjudged as second best at the r¥*ent " Sydney Exhibition Competition." °*t was written by a gentleman under] ithe 'norn de plume of " Advance Hauraki:"

The Thara^J district,; coinprisiog an area of 700,000 acres, situated on the Hauraki Peninsula in the former Province of Auckland, well repays the curiosity of strangers who-are led to pay it a visit. The mineral lie concealed under the loHJy'and picturesque range of hills, which traverse it from north to south, hav^iokflited 'the; interest v pjf; every part of New Zealand, and have been the means of attracting to its shores the settlers,, who [now ;\to..\ the, number of 14,000, people the towns and country of Hauraki. Indeed it can be little matter for surprise «ffft,menshould|liave (sought their fortunS^yit the Thames when we consider the' and value of the gold got there siri' at which time the existence of t»—Precious metal was first discovered bi_ "unt, for since then no less a sumV^ been by> gold mining up #\jp> end of )ast year than £3,909,014. *f "tiia great flow of wealth began at /■'■ lament * iot the , history of Auckland, fl#Uen help from'without was badly wanted, and it certainly had the ' effect- '.of: • -reestablishing : 'commercial activity of securing wealth to individuals, and at the same time of exciting speculation to an undue extent.;; • That spot on the shores of the Gulf of Hauraki which up to the time of Hunt's discovery; had;.fonjiy/be3]!^ visited by missionaries and sportsmen all; at once became the centre of attraction to the whole world of Nfc"w Zealand, which flocked there in thousands, crowding the steamers which were daily despatched from Auckland id the new El Dorado. Bo far this great and sudden acquisition of wealth proved of essential service to the Province of Auckland. Every industry was stimulated by it, and the resources of the town were strained to meet the new wants of the country. At the Thames, the energy of the adventurers thither aided by the capital which a strong confidence in the richness of the field made available, soon changed the aspect of the place, permanent buildings took the place of tents; works of great cost and magnitude for obtaining the precious, metal were erected, and every hill side was scarped by the pick of the digger. Everywhere the effects of a general excitement were visible, which was kept up by the 'sensational accounts of fresh discoveries daily appearing in the local press and by the tangible proofs jof success' afforded by the dividends received by lucky shareholders. During the period of the great Caledonian yield, when dividends, varying from £5 to £50 per share* were declared every fortnight, one of the shareholders, a photographer in Auckland, photographed the cheque representing his fortnights dividend, which -, amounted! to upwardsof £3000, and exposed, it in< his shop window. The value distributed to shareholders in this mine (the Caledonian)

during the first twelve months amounted to £572.000. Other mines, e.g., Hunt's, the Long Drive, the Golden Crown, the Queen of Beauty, tbe Alburnia, besides ninny more, have given splendid results by which all classes were led into gold speculation with Royaliy and Viceroy ally in the van. After a time the mines to which the Thames chiefly owed its celebrity became more or less exhausted, and with tho cessation or retardation of the golden stream came disappointment, tho natural consequenco of over confidence. But thb success - which has Heretofore attended energetic and sustained exertions to obtain gold at the Thames is the best proof that vigorous efforts in the same direction will bo again successful. To suppose that the auriferous deposits of the district have been exhausted by the workings already undertaken is iv the last degree improbable, for in truth they only represent a few clearings bearing an infinitesimal proportion to the ground left untouched, and it only wants another stroke of luck to again let loose the. forces of discovery, and again witness, surprising results. Should such a turn in tho wheel of fortune occur it will not find the mining community of the Thames unprepared, for in no part of the country, I believe—l may say in the southern hemisphere—are the machinery and appliance for gold getting so complete and extensive. In the meantime a great portion of the work done in mining is performed under the tribute system, by which gold was obtained last year to the declared value of £60,602. Although the Thames goldfields thus enjoy a deservedly widespread reputatation, the district until very lately has been a trua terra incognita to the outer world. Only a few months ago, when it was a question of settling certain preliminaries to the construction oi the Thames and Waikato railway, two of the most important functionaries in the Colony came to the Thames professedly for that purpose, although, really expecting to find the scheme absurd and unnecessary. . What, then, was their surprise to find all the conditions for success before them—First, a settled population, not only at 1 the proposed 'terminus in the Borough, but scattered throughout the country through which the line should pass. Secondly, a beautiful and fertile district, watered by a noble stream (the River Thames) navigable for small steamers for sixty miles from its mouth, flowing through a valley capable of growing any kind of crop, able to sustain a dense population, and only awaiting the j labor of man to make it productive. Thirdly, a country so level and easy of access as to make the construction of the work cheap, easy, and expeditious. In such circumstances it is not to be wondered at that the magnates aforesaid should have been surprised into betraying some enthusiasm, and that during the passage up the river, as fresh views met their eyes at every reach, it should have culminated in an honest expression of surprise and delight at the beauty of the scene. To explain why so little is generally known of the Thames district would require a long political digression, for which this is not the place;" but, as in any notice of it it would be impossible to omit mentioning the original owners and inhabitants, we may premise our observations upon them by explaining that their occupation of this part of the country has been the excuse for Governments discouraging European settlement upon Maori lands—that policy we are happy to gay no longer prevails, and already a pretty good road extends through the greater part of the district. When the railway from the Thames to the Waikato, a distance of sixty miles, shall have been opened it will connect the former with the trunk line between Auckland and Wellington.and bring it into relation with the whole island. The natives inhabiting the Thames district still possess by far the greater part of the land, but they are quite alive to the advantages which will accrue to them in thY disposal of their lands by the formatiol. of roads and railways, and generally in'their dealings with the white man they ha ■■. c shown an appreciation of the benefits vaich an intercourse with the colonists is likely to procure for them, as is shown by their readiness to lease the goldfields to the Government, and otherwise to facilitate the search for gold. The Thames district is quite classic ground in Maori history, having been the scene of many great battles, the fields of which as containing the bones of the slain have ever been held tapu or saored by them. Lately, however, the advance of civilization has reached' these sacred precincts and in one case when it was found necessary to I carry a road through "the field of n great j battle, the ancient ow of the ]and and ; custodian of the bon^-'of his ancestors '' not only gave his pension foi-^he road i to be made, but beir^lippealed to as to J the disposal of;•">. sjpfi"tpn disturbed by ihe, workman, he w^fffliHs hand authoritatively, saying, "f^pum away, he is only a slave," thus cr^/ly disposing of (to a Maori) a very ser^t' difficulty, for however little respect a nauve may have for his brethren while they are alive, the preservation of their bones after death becomes an imperative duty. The number of the Thames natives is yearly decreasing, in consequence of the change in their mode of life brought about by their partial adoption of European habits.

(To ie continued.)

TIDE TABLE. Til)!*. vSuic. . T j Morn. Even. Rises Sets JTTI|Y' I H.M. TT.M. H.H. H;M. Jtrix. 7-Mot.day ... | 9.17. 9.34,7.17 4.51 ' B^Tucßdny ... ; 9.52 10. 6 7.17 4.52 9-Wodi)C9d«j... i 10.28 10.47 7.17 4.52 10-T)inr ß d»y ... ' 11. 7 11.2(5 7.16 4.53 11-Friday ... | 11.6.8 j 010 | 7.16 4.54 12-Saturday ... | 0.15 | 0.37 7.16 4.54 13-Bundß V ... | 1. 7 ' 136 I 7.15 4.55 Moon's Last Quarter—llth, 10.33 a.m.