IN THE EARLY DAYS

Grey River Argus, 18 April 1929, Page 8

IN THE EARLY DAYS

WHITCOMBS's ROUTE TO THU COAST. Writing in the “Lyttelton Times,” a correspondent says fa reference to some remarks by Mr A. D. Dobson, tc the Canterbury Pilgrims’ Association in reference to gold rush days. Mr Dobson is stated to have said, “That Mr Henry Whiteombe went over the Teremakau Pass and dropped down towards Hokitika, and at last reached the mouth of the Hokitika River, and in attempting to cross, the canoe was overturned and Mr Whiteombe was •drowned. Th e other members of the party straggled into Hokitika.” The correspondent remarks: “If the above ii a correct version of what Mr Dobson said, I desire to point out that nearly the whole of it is incorrect. Mr Whiteombe and party went up the Rakiaia River and after some trouble went over a pass at the head waters of that river, since called Whiteombe’s Pass, and on the pass sent back two of his men with a horse and all the gear, with ins;ructions for these two men to go back to Christchurch, and then to go on to the Hurunui River and wait for him at the foot of the Teremakau Pass. Mr Whiteombe and a German named Louper went on together, and after immense difficulties reached iho coast, taking thirteen days from the time they left the pass. They then found that they had come down the Hokitika River, and they proceeded along the coast towards Greymouth. They wer e stopped for some time by the Brunner River, but at last were able to cross, and went along the beach to the Teremakau River. Her e they discovered two old and very rotten canoes, and having tied these together, pushed out on to the river. The canoes very soon began to sink, and in attempting to swim to the shore Mr Whiteombe was drowned. Louper, who could not swim eventually reached safety. A full and most interesting account of the whole journey can be found in the “Lyt' elton Times,” of July 11,1863, and in the Canterbury Provincial Gazette of 1863, commencing at page 64. In the course of his. speech, Mr A Dudley Dobson said that only for the West Coast gold, Christchurch might have been “very small potatoes.” The Coast was first found rich in minerals when in the early days of the Maori occupation Ngaliue, a Maori navigator, had gone in search of greenstone in his canoe up the Arahura River, and had discovered the mineral in large quantieies. He returned and from the sailing directions which he had obtained, other navigators, had made their way to the spot. These directions were extraordinarily accurate, and even to this day they could be followed wi h ease. In 1851, M r W. T. L. Travers found gold at Massacre Bay. A further discovery two years later by some miners proved very rich. There was a rush, but not a very big one, for there were few people in the colony. Gold was t 0 be found in almost any of th e creeks al the northern end of the West Coast. Later in the same year a commission was appointed to faves igate the possibilities of the Coast as a gold-bear-ing country. The report was not encouraging, but the early prospectors kept on searching. In Nelson, diggergot an ounce a day, worth £3, and on Slate River he saw men picking gold from the rock with pocket knives. By 1864, parties were going down the Coast in increasing numbers. Lyttelton, tunnel was built when there were only 8000 people in the Canterbury Province. The “Golden West” was all the time increasing its output. la 1866 came the record year of the Wes’ Coast. While Nelson produced £29, 643. the Coast showed an aggregate yield of £2.140,946. By 1877, the £lO. 000,000 mark had been reached. A range of gold-bearing rocks extended right down the Coast, aid the creeks formed natural sluice faxes. The stones on the beaches were often coated on the underneath faith gold. One party who went prospecting, on the beach made £l6OO in a week merely by brushfag the gold off the stones! Exploration and prospec ing parties underwent great hardships. One party led by Mr Henry Wl’.l.eombe went over the Teremakau Pass and dropped down towards Hokitika. Not being used to the heavily wooded country they met id the west side, they were soon lost. They camped for the night and then went on. They suffered coniderably for want of food. At las’ they reached the mouth of the Hokitika River, and attempted to cross in a Maori canoe they found there. The current proved 'too s rong, and the canoe overturned, with the result that Mr Whiteombe was drowned. Even tually, after undergoing numerous hardships, the othe r members of the party straggled into Hokitika. Other exploration par ies also met with disaster. In another hundred years there would probably remain no trace of the old diggings from which, between 18 and 1905. ££67.230-000 worth of golu had been taken.