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| Thames goldfields Long Drive claim Auckland Museum Ref PH ALB 86 D L Mundy 1867 - 1869 |
Supplicating Australian capitalists.
Wednesday, 26
February
Captain Butt is still confined to his bed, his illness more than likely originating from
the huge court case of a fortnight ago which today is finally settled when his
share is sold to George Quick. There is relief that this much
litigated matter is on the way to an amicable settlement. George Quick pays £600 cash; Butt originally
paid £4 for the share.
Messrs Pratt, Clayton
and Co’s patent recovery lever crushing machine is completed today at Auckland
to the order of the shareholders in the Happy-Go-Lucky claim at the Thames and
will be forwarded there by steamer tomorrow morning. The machinery appears to offer great
advantages over the others in being portable, the heaviest portion being at the
base but which can easily be carried by two men. It can be put together with ease in about a minute
and pulled to pieces in less space of time.
Avon for the Thames with 20,000 shingles, 17 hhds ale, 6 barrels ale,
1 ton bran, 1 ton flour, 2 ½ tons maize, ½ ton hay, 6 cheeses, 5 cases brandy,
1 tank, 1 kauri log, ½ ton potatoes.
Spey for Tapu Creek with one keg butter, two packages tobacco,
five cases ale and porter, three kegs rum, two parcels, six cheeses, two boxes candles, one box picks, one quarter cask brandy, 3,000 ft timber, six buckets,
six shovels, two quarter casks ale, one box, five bags potatoes, sundries.
This evening at Auckland a new cutter, the Sumter, is
launched at Duthie and Ross’s ship building yard, made to the order of Lawrence Nathan and intended for the Thames trade. A smart looking coaster, she was formerly
known as the Pearl. She is of a similar
build to the fast sailing cutters Severn and Harriet – owned by the same
gentlemen.
The Midge arrives in Auckland this evening with 1,111 oz
gold from the Shotover. It is to be deposited
at the Union Bank. During the past few
days a new leader of exceeding richness has been struck at the Shotover. William Hunt shows the Daily Southern Cross a handful of quartz pebbles which he
estimates will yield at least 4 oz gold.
The Sydney Mail comments that while Emu Creek is calling out
for machinery on their goldfield, the second great goldfield that wants
machinery is the Thames in New Zealand. “The
quartz is said to be richer than anywhere else, but, though the particles of
gold are visible to the naked eye, the diggers cannot extract them for want of
proper appliances. They are supplicating
Australian capitalists to come to their assistance - and promising somewhat
vaguely the most ample reward for doing so.
The want will be supplied in time, and the gold mining in the district will
help to settle the native difficulty, and will repair the broken fortunes of
Auckland. “
Heavy rain has been falling at the Thames and there is a spice of it again
tonight.
Thursday, 27 February
Above Tapu a track
has been cut at considerable expense to make way for McIssac's Berdan. Half way up the hill the blows of a blacksmiths anvil ring out. There is a small township of huts on the brow of a very steep range – this is the Digger’s Rest claim
belonging to Jamieson and party. At
McIssac’s claim he and his son’s are now busily engaged building houses, so as to make themselves comfortable for winter.
A portion of McIssac’s claim has been taken possession of on
the grounds that it should be worked for alluvial gold, and not for a
reef. McIssac’s party have summoned the
jumpers for trespassing. A gentleman from Shortland claims a share in this rich
claim in consideration for a few shillings worth of goods advanced months
previous to its discovery. This preposterous demand has been refused, and the
consequence will be a law suit, which is to be decided at Shortland on the 10th
of March.
Of the claims at Tapu, the Prospector’s, McIssac’s, No 1
South, No 2 and the Nova Scotia are doing well. Several drives are being put on the banks of
the creeks. Many are working the
alluvial creeks; some are doing well, and others are not so lucky. Machinery is badly needed.
4pm
At Parnell, Auckland, the Episcopalian Diocesan Synod meets in
the Cathedral library. Now that a Church
of England building is being constructed at Shortland Town measures need to be taken to secure an Anglican clergyman for that district. In the meantime steps should be taken for the
regular performance of Divine Service until a clergyman can be appointed. The
large population at the Thames requires some provision for its spiritual
wants. The best plan is thought to be
to close up one of the Auckland churches so as to provide an Anglican minister for the
Thames.
At the Mechanic’s Institute, Auckland, a meeting held this
evening notes the number of members has decreased considerably since the last
annual meeting – partly owing to the general financial depression of the times
but more especially to the fact that many members now reside at the Thames.
Wahapu for the Thames with 6,000 bricks, 1,000 bushels lime, one ton
chaff.
Rosina for the Thames with 5,500 bricks.
This evening a number of miners return to the West Coast by the Murray from
the Thames diggings, all of whom proclaim the Auckland goldfield
a “regular duffer’.
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| DSC 27 February, 1868 |
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| Hawkes Bay Times 27 February, 1868 |
Friday, 28 February
Graham’s 12 horsepower crushing machine on the Waiotahi is
tried and found to work without a hitch. It is known as King’s patent and has
been used in California with satisfaction.
The claims at the top of the Moanataiari Creek are doing
well. Speculators are coming forward
freely. Sweeney’s claim, better known
as Mulligan’s No 2, is yielding stone of astonishing richness. This claim has been worked for five months
without success.
Justice Moore holds a sitting in banco in his chambers at Auckland. James Mackay, Resident Magistrate, is called upon by William Rowe, realtor, to show by what authority he had to act as a judge in the Warden’s court at the Thames goldfield in the case of Butt v Rowe heard on 12 February. The case is of considerable importance and, should the rule be obtained, it will affect cases which have been decided by Mr Mackay in the Warden’s Court at the Thames Goldfield since the proclamation of the district. Justice Moore says he will endeavour to give judgement at 9.30 on Monday morning, before the commencement of the criminal sessions.
Avon for Shortland with 12 head cattle and sundries.
The Tauranga and Midge arrive in Auckland – the
Tauranga with 178 oz gold from McIssac’s claim at Tapu Creek. This parcel is
lodged with the Union Bank of Australia.
The Midge brings 300 ozs from the Bank of New Zealand at Shortland,
which had been lodged there in small quantities from various claims.
4pm
A public meeting to establish a Digger’s Hospital at the
Thames is held in Butt’s American Theatre, convened by Alan Baillie. Charles Mitchell says that no community of men require
medical aid more than the diggers.
Accidents might happen which necessitate the amputation of a limb
to save a life. An estimated five
thousand people are now on the ground, and it is time that a hospital or some
place should be built, where a doctor could be in attendance. At present the
doctors are called out at all hours, and in many cases are not remunerated.
Mitchell had made a call for a hospital some four months ago, but at that time
it was thought there was no immediate need for such an institution, that
whenever such need should arise it would be more convenient, and better for the
patient, that they should be removed to the Provincial Hospital at Auckland. Unfortunately it has
since been found that there were cases where the patients could not be removed,
and there were one or two notorious cases where human life might probably have
been saved had there been a proper place and proper medical attendance. A site for a
hospital needs to be secured - some two or three acres near the beach and
handy to the most densely populated portion of the field. Doctors ought to be paid as well as a
butcher or baker. The government should grant a subsidy, and when the necessary funds were raised, a
certain annual sum should be provided for a doctor.
Bursts of quartz.
Saturday, 29 February
As the Daily Southern Cross correspondent travels through
the bush towards Puriri he is quite taken with the area. He comes across large deposits of petrified
kauri gum which at first he thinks are bursts of quartz. Between the main creek and Hikutaia he comes
to a mineral spring, the taste of which he finds quite equal to the best soda
water. The bush abounds in pigeon, kaka
and wild pig, while the streams yield eels of very fine flavour. With a gun and dog and fish hooks no man need
complain, he decides. This abundance
would certainly not supply wives or families at a distance, but with tea, flour
and sugar, a mining bush life is not to be despised by single men. Boats leave Shortland
for the Puriri every tide, for which passengers have to pay 5s each, which is
considered excessive. The road between
the two places is level, and with the exception of the Kauaeranga stream, all
the creeks can be crossed dry shod.
Maori also take out
miner’s rights and go on the ranges in parties of six to eight men and open
drives on the advice of European’s. Joseph
Cooke’s party have been so far successful at finding the colour in the
stone. Another Maori party have set to
work on the adjoining spur. Further
south, John White, of the Shotover, has a party of Maori prospecting in a gully
containing large quantities of quartz.
The Europeans, numbering about 60, are prospecting with energy and some have penetrated into the main dividing range.
At Tapu Mr Sceat’s hotel opens today. Messrs Duncan, Stewart
and Hector Mackenzie discover one of the richest leaders on the field in the
Panama Route Claim, and organise machinery for working it. Several other claims are turning out better
than anticipated.
A puzzled digger writes to the NZ Herald – “Sir – Can you or
any chemist answer the question, namely, does the oil which is now used on the
stampers at the Thames goldfield interfere with the amalgamating process of
the quicksilver, as a certain amount must of necessity get into the boxes, and
if so, how can we remedy this evil? “
The editor replies - Let a digger put a certain quantity of
gold in a saucer, pour a little oil on it and then add the quicksilver, and
test the result of oil coming into contact with the two. That there is a very general loss of gold in its extraction
from the quartz at the Thames is a matter admitted by everyone. Machinery which, under ordinary circumstances
would scarcely be likely to lose any except a very small portion of the precious
metal, fails to save it on this particular goldfield.
Claimholders send to
the machines quartz in which gold is more or less visible and which to all
appearance should give a very handsome return but the result is far from
satisfactory. The crushing machine, the
amalgamators, the quicksilver itself are all in turn blamed. Perhaps after all, the real cause of loss may be traced to the presence of pyrites in the
quartz - this same evil is constantly
occurring in California, Victoria and other quartz reefing countries. Fortunately in Australia, science has stepped in to rescue the miner, and a succession of costly experiments has, after some
years of trial, resulted in a successful solution. Miners at the Thames could form an
association to raise the funds necessary to send one or
more reliable men to Victoria to thoroughly acquaint themselves with the process and apparatus needed.
Lachlan McCaskill is willing to throw open his land at Hikutaia to Europeans but until Mr Mackay proclaims it to be available for
mining it would be unwise to take advantage of the offer. The McCaskills have occupied a farm near
Hikutaia since 1839 when they and a partner, Dr Martin, purchased blocks along
the Waihou River. The purchase was
witnessed by some 500 Maori, 300 who came from Coromandel to place Lachlan
McCaskill on the land. The land has been
stocked and improved but had to be abandoned during the war in the early
1860s. Lachlan McCaskill returned to the
station of around 5,000 acres two years ago, in 1866.
Helen for the Thames with 30 tons coal, from the Bay of
Islands.
Otahuhu for the Thames with 7,000 ft timber, 20 pkgs fittings,
10 cases glass, 4 passengers.
The Shotover claim specially charters the Midge to send up
to Auckland another 1,000 odd ounces of gold so that it makes it in time for
the Sydney steamer, the Claude Hamilton. They are successful and the the Claude
Hamilton leaves with outward mail for England, via Suez, bound for Sydney. She takes about 3,000 oz Thames gold.
Sunday 1 March, 1868
BIRTH
Butt – at her residence, Hape Creek, Shortland, the wife of Captain J Butt, of a daughter.
Butt – at her residence, Hape Creek, Shortland, the wife of Captain J Butt, of a daughter.
Mr Mason has been sent to the Thames by the British and
Foreign Bible Society. Bringing with him
a good supply of books, he has spent the past ten days visiting settlements,
claims and tents. He is everywhere well
received. His sales are satisfactory,
considering the financial circumstances of the population, which waits for an increase of
crushing machinery. Today, his work
accomplished, he packs up to leave. The British and Foreign Bible Society has
extended its operations, which include the great spread of the gospel in modern times, not
only in the British Empire but throughout heathendom, all over the world.
A bombshell.
Monday, 2 March
The Kuranui Hotel and the Waiotahi Hotel both open today –
they supply a want long felt in the quarters in which they are situated.
9.30am
At Auckland's Supreme Court Justice Moore enters the
court room to deliver the judgement in the case of Rowe v Mackay in which
Mackay allegedly illegally exercised the office of a judge of the Warden’s
court. Justice Moore drops a bombshell –
there is no legally constituted Warden’s court at the Thames. All miners’
rights issued by James Mackay are now illegal.
This news has yet to filter down to the goldfield.
Those at the Thames are suffering very considerable inconvenience owing to the absence of Mr Mackay while he is at court in Auckland. A case of stealing from the person occurred on Friday in one of the hotels. One offender escaped, but one of his accomplices was arrested, and must be kept in custody, as Warden Baillie has to attend to his duties and sit in court every day of the week. The principal offender has since been apprehended, so that two men will now possibly have to remain in custody until the return of the Resident Magistrate, Mr Mackay. There is no JP at the Thames, save Mr Baillie, and as it takes two JP’s to manufacture into one Resident Magistrate, the Thames is a trifle in a fix.
Those at the Thames are suffering very considerable inconvenience owing to the absence of Mr Mackay while he is at court in Auckland. A case of stealing from the person occurred on Friday in one of the hotels. One offender escaped, but one of his accomplices was arrested, and must be kept in custody, as Warden Baillie has to attend to his duties and sit in court every day of the week. The principal offender has since been apprehended, so that two men will now possibly have to remain in custody until the return of the Resident Magistrate, Mr Mackay. There is no JP at the Thames, save Mr Baillie, and as it takes two JP’s to manufacture into one Resident Magistrate, the Thames is a trifle in a fix.
Bull’s machine on the
Karaka starts today and works smoothly and well. The appliances appear to be better calculated
to save fine gold than any other machine on the ground, but as the capacity
of the machine is only equal to one ton in the 24 hours, the difference to the
gross yield of the field is not of great importance. Shalder’s machine at the Hape Creek is under close lock and
key as Mr Shalder is about to patent a portion of the machinery. A claim known as the Union Jack has been abandoned by four
different parties. The stone which these four
different parties had been pitching away down the creek most industriously was
tested by three different people, the third being Mr Shalder, and it was
found to yield 2 ozs, 2 ¾ oz and 3 ozs to
the ton. Numbers of machines are being talked about, but they are all
more or less toys in comparison to what is wanted at the Thames. In Robert Scott’s
claim, in the Karaka Creek, some stone usually thrown away is
said by an on looker to be gold bearing, and the claim holders advised to have
it tested. This is done and
it is found to yield some 2 ozs to the ton.
Since then this claim has yielded stone where there is no mistake about
the gold.
The news from Puriri is not of much account. There are only 45 men left out of the exodus
to that part of the field.
The Maori near Kopu are very busy catching fish with nets
and getting their potato crops in.
They are all anxiously waiting for Te Hira to return from the Tokangamutu
meeting held in January to hear what he has to say regarding the opening of the goldfields to Europeans. The diggers think the sooner this is
done, the better so that at least two months of the best season of the year may
be available to prospect in and they can get into the beds of the creeks
to test them while the water is low, which they cannot do in the wet season.
The Enterprise resumes her trade to the Thames today after
receiving a thorough overhaul. She
presents a neat appearance as she steams to the Auckland wharf in order to take
on board a full complement of passengers and sundry cargo for the diggings.
The Daily Southern Cross comments on the latest commercial report noting that little business has been done
during the month, but there are unmistakable indications that trade is assuming
a more healthy tone than has existed for months past. It cannot, as yet, be said that there has
been any great benefit from the opening of the Thames goldfields due to rich
claims being in the hands of a few individuals and in the majority of cases the
cost of procuring and crushing the quartz swallows up the greater portion of
the yield.
11pm
The news reaches the Thames that when James Mackay acted as
Warden he had not been duly appointed as one and that miners rights issued by
him are in jeopardy.
Spey for Tapu Creek with 400 ft timber, five kegs
butter, one ton potatoes, three cases sundries, two parcels, two hhds ale, six
casks, two tons sundry stores, two wheelbarrows, two packages tools.
Willie Winkie for the Thames with 5,000 ft
timber, 4,000 shingles, four packages sashes and doors, three hhds ale, 10
cases ginger wine, six cases whiskey, one quarter cask whiskey, 14 packages
sundries, one passenger.
Rob Roy for the
Thames with 15,000 ft timber, three head cattle, one ton bran, one ton groceries.
Tuesday, 3 March
The inhabitants of the Thames wake to the news that as there
was never any Warden’s court proclaimed for the district all miners’ rights
issued by Mr Mackay as warden are now illegal and no law is recognised. As soon as this is known chaos ensues - claim's held under a miner’s right signed by Mr
Mackay are jumped. William Hunt’s share in the Shotover, the ground of one and
a half men, is jumped and the police are called out to put the jumper in
possession of the ground, threats having been used and force promised to put
the jumper off the claim. William Cobely’s share in the same claim is jumped and
Pincher (Piniha) is seen taking possession on his own behalf. The claim jumping causes immense excitement at the Thames
and reporters scramble to get details.
They note some of the people who jump the most valuable claims on the
goldfield –
C F Mitchell and W S Styak attempt to jump Cobley’s share.
C F Mitchell and W S Styak attempt to jump Cobley’s share.
McCarthy and Williamson – Hunt’s share.
Mulligan – Barry’s share.
W S Styak – Mulligan's share.
John Brown – Kelley’s share
Paddy Bonfield and the Ballarat claim – Tookey’s share
Chief Taipari – Samuel Hamilton’s share
Mulligan’s own claim being jumped, to
indemnify himself against the loss, he jumps Barry’s.
One of the claim jumpers comes to considerable grief. Walter Williamson, while coming down the narrow track on the side of the Waiotahi range, returning from Mulligan’s claim, loses his footing and falls down a sheer descent of some 30 ft. When picked up he is insensible, and his right eye and nose are badly bruised. His teeth are all loosened by the shock of the fall, and one of his eye teeth is knocked out. He is taken to the new Waiotahi Hotel. Dr Lethbridge finds no bones are broken and prescribes a week’s quiet to complete his recovery.
10.30pm
The NZ
Herald correspondent, scribbling a report, admits to “being deeply engrossed in
the fashionable amusement of jumping” rendering him unable to send any further
correspondence to the newspaper. He does
manage to note however that Warden
Baillie refuses to issue any miners rights and refuses to endorse any of those issued by Mr Mackay,
and that no Warden’s Court is being be held.
The Daily Southern Cross snaps “It is pretty evident that
the authorities have been to blame for the loose way in which they made
provision for the administration of the Auckland goldfields. At first sight, it appears to us that a great
deal of litigation will spring from this proceeding . . . Luckily the miners at
the Thames form an orderly community, and we rely upon their good sense and
forbearance in this crisis.”
The Thames goldfield, however, has not been left without
law. The same law that always existed
still exists under the Goldfields Act 1866 – the district court has the same
jurisdiction as the Warden’s Court, therefore, although no Warden’s Court exists
at the Thames, the District Court supplies its place. All disputes that would have been taken into
the Warden’s Court, will now be settled in the District Court, until the
former is legally constituted. There will not be an absence of law and authority at the
goldfield. Special constables are to be
sworn in. There will, however, for a short time be considerable inconvenience
to the miners and other residents at the Thames.
Avon for the Thames with 3 tons flour, ½ ton sugar, 1 crushing
machine (Chilean), 6hhds ale, 6 barrel’s ale, 1 horse, 5 pigs, 12 pkgs
groceries, 5 passengers.
The Provincial Government are being urged by European and Maori alike to pay over the £5000 promised on the discovery of a goldfield in
the province. Piniha Marutuahu of
Hauraki writes to the Daily Southern Cross - “To the government and to all men - O friends,
it is not well that the money arranged to be given by the Superintendent for
the gold should be given out heedlessly, but that it be investigated carefully
– be adjudged – by the government, that it may be known who discovered it.”
This evening the tender of Eric Craig for building a place
of worship is accepted by the committee of the Church of England. The plan has been drawn up by Mr Beere and the
church, when finished, will be a very neat structure.
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| DSC 3 March, 1868 |
Wednesday, 4 March
The Superintendent of Auckland, John Williamson, receives a letter from Mr Mackay
requesting him to appoint special constables for the Thames
goldfields. The superintendent at once
sends for Police Commissioner Naughton and instructs him to proceed as soon
as possible to the Thames and to take whatever steps he may deem prudent for
preserving the peace of the district in the event of any disturbance taking
place.
At the Resident Magistrates court, Shortland, this morning
before the business of the court commences, Mr Mackay states that, in consequence
of the recent decision given in the Supreme Court of Auckland, there appears to
be some misunderstanding with regard to miner’s rights signed by himself. There is nothing in the Goldfields Act to render illegal any
miners rights issued from the Thames. He was some time back appointed Warden in
another part of the colony, and such appointment has never been cancelled. On these grounds he warns all persons who
have jumped shares in claims under the supposition that they were not the
holders of miner’s rights at once to give up possession to the proper owners,
or otherwise they will be prosecuted and punished with the utmost rigour of
the law. Applause ripples through the
court, but is suppressed. James Mackay, as Resident Magistrate of the Thames district, was legally
acting as Warden when he issued miner’s rights.
Captain Butt is today feeling much better.
Te Hira and party, accompanied by some Taranaki’s arrive at
Ohinemuri bringing a proclamation from Te Kuiti (the new name for Tokangamutu) dated
29th January, in which Tawhiao, the Maori King, orders that the sword be
sheathed, all selling of land, all leasing of gold, all surveys, all
boundaries, all roads, all schools on European principles, and all magistrates
are to be put a stop to. All Hauhaus, who believe
in their faith, are not to go to the European settlements. This proclamation was printed in Auckland. A large meeting of
Maori from the East Coast and Hauraki Gulf is shortly to be held. As soon as this meeting is over, then
all those Maori interested or willing to open their lands to diggers will hold
a meeting at Waihi, West Coast, and if they agree they will pronounce their
lands to be open to diggers.
Wahapu for the Thames with 5,000 bricks, 21 bushels lime, one
crushing machine, 60,000 shingles, three tons furniture, two tons flour.
A report on the granting of relief is published. The increased expenditure between October and
December is attributable to a number of rations being advanced to 10 or 12
people, to enable them to proceed to the flax fields at Waiuku, and to
temporary aid being given to many families of women whose husbands have left
them for the Thames goldfields. This
left many families unprovided for. By
instructions from the government a week’s relief was granted to each of these
destitute families. How they have
supported themselves since is not known.
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| DSC 5 March, 1868 |
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The birth of Captain Butt's daughter was probably he first birth on the Thames goldfield, but it is possible there were others previously which were not notified in the newspapers.
The claim jumping excitement may have been too much for the NZ Herald correspondent - Mr Baillie did not refuse to issue miner’s rights on Tuesday, he only assured the men who applied that Mr Mackay’s rights were quite sufficient to hold the claims.
The Joseph Cooke mentioned at Puriri may be Joseph Cook the first documented discoverer of Thames gold in
1857.
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Sources
Papers Past
This is my place – Hauraki contested - Paul Monin
© Meghan Hawkes / First year on the Thames Goldfield 2017 - 2018
Please credit Meghan Hawkes/ First year on the Thames Goldfield 2017 - 2018 when re-using information from this blog.
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