A FAMOUS GOLD RUSH.

Auckland Star, Volume XLV, Issue 126, 28 May 1914, Page 6

A FAMOUS GOLD RUSH.

GABRIEL'S GI'LLY MEMORtAI*. (F.y Telegraph. -Press Association.) IMX .TUN. Wednesday. A memorial cairn was unveiled at \aw-ren.-e today in memory ot" Gabriel Read who. in ISHI, made the famous gold discovery in w-hat he,-a.me known as Gabriel's Gully. The Hon. .1. Allen, member for the district, was [.resent, besides many old pioneer- and visitors. The ' cairn is about 12ft high and is built of the peculiar stones known ns Rlue Spur ' .lasperoids. In his speech the Mavnr of I Lawrence. Mr. .1. Robertson, said that lhe had known Rrad. who was n thorough.ly open-hearted gentleman. He was a practical miner and was always crav'ng for something fresh, and s.mne weeks , after he had made nis famous find at i the gully he went away and found an- . otlier rich prospect at Waitahuna. Be ■ fore his advent there was only a sheep- . walk from lhe gully to Dunedin. bur . after his di-.-overy there was a ru-h of miners, witii the result that the re- ! sources of the country were opened np. 'Numerous rushes followed. Tbe miners ilspread our and. in ISG4 there were from ; 70.000 to Sn.flOO miners doing well in the I South Island. At the gathering held after the ceremony some 20 veterans " of 1861 were present. In the course of his speech Mr. Allen said that the camaraderie displayed by the diggers was a I lesson to their countrymen of the pre- ! sent day. and he hoped that there would come to he incorporated with tbe nationla] life some of the friendliness and kind- ! ness t-bat distinguished diggers. j Tbe veterans present sang the old dig7gers' sr.D_r. "Marching to Gabriel's."