AN APPEAL.

Bruce Herald, Volume XVII, Issue 1702, 1 December 1885, Page 3

AN APPEAL.

There is a man living amongst ns who may fairly claim to be the father of Gold-mining in New Zealand. Hii name is Edward Peters, native of Bombay, better known, perhaps, as "Black Peter " by old leaidents. He was the first man to demonstrate by actual discovery, the existence of payable goldworkings in Otago ; but he was poor, humble, and ignorant, and did not know how to turn his discoveries to profitable account. Wherefore he hns been neglected, and the value of hia work has been ignored except by tha few who are acquainted with the facts ; and the honours and the rewards that should have been his have been awarded to others. Writing in 1858, Mr J. T. Thomson, .' • ' i* [For continuatm qfwwi m fourth f-qP^H

then chief surveyor, says in a foot-note to his Report on tbe Reconnaisance Survey ofthe South-eastern districts of Otago :— " The best sample of gold yet brought into town was found in the Tokb'mMfiro River (south branch). Ttittscmple indicates a workable goldjteitL ,i '~ The locality referred to is how known aa the "Woolshed Creek,' arid the finder was Black Peter. For this statement I had the personar assurance of the la^ Mr John Hardg C.E. ~ln 1860 Mr John L. Gillies, when searching fqrsbme vagrant cattle, came npon' Black Peter working for gold in a bend of the Tuapeka stream at what is now 'called 1 Evans' Elat. His only implements. weri*r^ sheathkhife^ lut ."he had found '7t%epdld. Mr Gillie^stayed with him nearly all the day,' and himself ' washed out some peeny weights of gold with the same simple' appliances. When Mr Gillies returned to Tokomairiro he took this gbld with him, and subsequently communicated the circumstance to Mr Gabriel Reid. Mr Reid thereupon shouldered his swag and' went prospect/iiijg upon the hint thus given. This was in May 1861. He followed the ■*• track of Black Peter, pursued^ the stream up to a r -shepherd's hut on the run then occupied by Messrs Davy and Bowler, crossed over the range, aiid discovered the auriferous deposits in Gabriel's GulJy. The shepherd was Mr Munro, who still resides in the neighbourhood. T 'have no' desire to detract from the credit due to Mr Reid, but there can hn no question- that Black Peter was the onginaMiscoveret both ofthe Woolshed and the Tuapeka gold-fields. Erom this start all the gold-digging and mining that has taken place in New Zealand, and all the consequent access of trade ' and population most undoubtedly originated; - Black Peter is now old, infirm, and crippled — a confirmed invalid in fact-r-----and Unable to earn sufficient to supply himself with scanty sustenance. His pitiful case was brought under the notice of Mr J. C, Brown and myself by a lady resident at Balclutha, where poor Edward Peters is living, or rather starving. A memorial in his behalf, setting forth his work in the past, and wants in the present day/was presented .to Parliament and duly considered by . the i Gold-fields Committee, with the result that a sum of £50 was placed on the Appropriation Act for his benefit, •'.conditiohaily on ah equal sum being raised by private subscription." I am now assured -by. the lady who generously esppuse'd his cause that she is unable to collect the insignificant sum necessary to secure the Government subsidy. Therefore, I appeal, to the public, who so greatly- benefited by the labours of ; Black Peter, to come forward and contribute to the fund now being raisedln his behalf. .The time is approaching when the subsidy will lapse. I hope, therefore, it will be remembered that •''those give twice who, give quickly."-— lam, &c., Vincent P*kel Dunedin, November 25. [Subscriptions will be gladly received by the manager of the 'Otago Daily Times,' and 'duly acknowledged.]