GOLD, GOLD, GOLD!

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 185, 4 May 1936, Page 8

GOLD, GOLD, GOLD!

A Shout From Otago That Echoed in Wellington GABRIEL READ’S DISCOVERY Celebration of the seventy-fifth anniversary this year of the discovery of gold at Gabriel’s Gully, which is being undertaken by the borough of Lawrence, near the historic spot, will be the celebration of one of the most important events in the history of New Zealand, the discovery of gold in such abundance that it inflamed all the colony with the gold fever and attracted thousands from overseas, giving, together with later discoveries, a strong impetus to immigration and settlement, and affecting the country’s destiny to an extent which can hardly be estimated

The tiles of "The Wellington Independent," the ancestor of “The Dominion,” show how the shout of "Gold!” by Gabriel Read from Otago set Wellington, then occupied with the war in Taranaki, agog, and sent able-bodied settlers helter-skelter for the diggings. The first news of the event at Tuapeka was published under the simple heading, “Otago,” on June 25, it being explained that the information was from tiles of newspapers dated up to the 15th and received by the steamship Lord Worsley. The same issue contained the prospectus for a new bank, the Bank of New Zealand. “A Man Named Read.” The item commenced: “Another Gold Field has been discovered, about thirtylive miles inland, which promises to throw the Lindis completely into the shade. A man named Read, of Tokomairiro, had discovered in the neighbourhood of Waitahuna and Turapika Rivers, indications of a rich gold field, having obtained, in the course of ten hours, with only a pan and a butcher’s knife, seven ounces of gold.” Some news of the disappointing Lindis diggings was published, and a letter signed Thomas Gabriel Read, and dated June 4, in which Read described to the Superintendent of Otago bls discovery. He found the gully, later named after him, during a gold-pros-pecting tour which he had “begun a fortnight since and which occupied me about ten days.” The newspaper complimented Mr. Read on his placing the information at the service of the Government (he had kept it practically a secret otherwise). Gold by (ho Pound.

Practically no more news appeared until July 16, when there was half a page quoted from southern papers. The crews of all the vessels lying at Port Chalmers had left, it was said. The Otago “Colonist” described the furore that the information caused in Dunedin. It spoke of picks and shovels rising to a high premium, the exodus of pedestrians, equestrians and drays and the quite deserted appearance of the town as the result of the universal departure for the El Dorado. Horses could not be had for love or money. On July 6 the report of Mr. J. T. Thomson, chief surveyor, was published in Dunedin. “The number of diggers were 150 when I was there three days ago, but now they will exceed 300,” he stated. Read’s party, consisting of three, in 14 days’ actual working, obtained 112 ounces, or 91b. 4oz. "Gold, Gold, Gold is the universal subject of conversation,” said the “Witness” of July 6. “The late discovery of diggings at Tokomairiro seems to have turned the heads of the greater portion of the community. The fever is running at such a height that if it continues there will be scarcely a man left in town.” The paper said that Read's first announcement had not been believed. It urged the Government to avoid any considerable expenditure, except in the matter of police.

Diggers Leave Wellington.

In successive issues the news from the goldfields continued to occupy half the space in the “Independent” devoted to news. Gold was being dug up by the pound. Parties of four or live men were winning 11, 12 and 16 ounces a day. One Sunday the congregation at a Dunedin church consisted of the minister and the precentor only. Mr. T. B. Gillies, member of the Provincial Council, described the "gully” as three to four miles in length, with men of all ranks, trades and professions dourly digging and washing. He comments at length on the gravity of the men in the midst of such success.

On July 26 there was a sign of the infection in Wellington. The s.s. Storm Bird, which was well known in Wellington until she was wrecked during the war, was advertised to sail to Dunedin with passengers and goods for the Otago goldfields—cabin passengers £7 7/-, steerage £5. She sailed on August 11. Competition brought the fares down later. There was talk of doing something to stop the efflux of women’s and children’s suitporters. A mattress factory was advertising “tents for the diggings.” One shop at the corner of Lainbton Quay and Willis Street described itself as a gold-diggers’ outfitting establishment. A Lambton Quay tradesman advertised gold-cradles. By the end of the year £727,321 worth of gold had been produced from Gabriel's Gully by the primitive methods of the day. The population of Otago had increased in the six months from 12 000 to 30.000. “The Latest from the Gold Fields” continued to head the bulletins from Otago for months after the discovery. They told of tens of thousands of ounces a week being escorted into Dunedin and of other discoveries following Gabriel’s Gully. But when the first excitement died attention in Wellington reverted to such thing-; as the war in Taranaki, the American Civil War. the death of Count Cavour, the Great Eastern (the Quppd Mary of the day) and the feats of Blondin Gabriel's Gully, however, is still being worked.