Twelfth Anniversary of the Thames.

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3311, 1 August 1879, Page 2

Twelfth Anniversary of the Thames.

To-day is the 12th anniversary of the opening of this district for settlement. On the afternoon of the the 31st of July, 1867, the p.s. Enterprise was blowing its cracked thistle at the Queen Street "Wharf, Auckland, for the batch of pioneers for the new El Dorado to go oft board. Amongstthe passengers on thas occasion were Capt. Butt, Sampson PlaceL Walter Williamson, C. P. Mitchell and' others, many of whom are now across the bourne from which no traveller returnp, or have sought fresh fiel,ds add pasture* new. There are, however, a few of the. old pioneers left ( amongst us. On this occasion referred to Joe Smallman navigated the steamer up' the tortabus^ windings of the Kauaeranga Creek, and with empty* stomachs, but high spirits, .the pioneer.,army Janded on, the then uninhabited Wain oh which Shbrtlahd' no^v stands. =Qn looking over old files 1 of Auckland papers we were much in/ terested in reading the reports of meetings held in poverty-stricken Auckland at that time foe ihejpurpose of. urgihjj'on.thje Government the absolute necessity of declared the Thames open, as the only panacea for the fearful depression then existing in the pr,ov f inciftl me,trop«»lis. l'he' name of Mr Thomas •Rawa'on; bur worthy Bojcmgb.* Fpjren^in of Works, appears in one of these papers as the convener of the first meeting held for that purpose at Soeata' British* Hotel, Queen itreefc, Auckland; when a deputation consisting of Mr.Cadman, Mr JKawdon, -Dr. Merritt, Mr/ Samuel Alexander,!< <■ Mjr, > others -were appointed to wait pn'MC J. Williamson, the; Superintendenti re the opening lof the Thames. ; That ;good gentleman did all in his power to further the requests of the deputation, th'e,end 'being the speedy opening of the field for goldmimng purposes. Two yeafs prior to the .opening, of the' field, Mr Rawdon; Mr; W. Bryion and another were on the Thames prospecting, and spent a considerable sum in hunting for goldi and took to Auckland samples bf both /creek: gold and -auriferous \qpart?, which materially increased the general, desire to have the ; field thrown : opeh. We hope these remini sciences will prove interesting to Our 9 readers, many.' of whom will recollect/ this we have referred to. ■ .f/ v) I