OLD SKELETON IN HILLS

Manawatu Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 2340, 9 January 1926, Page 12

OLD SKELETON IN HILLS

UNTOLD ROMANCE OF SO NEARS AGO. A “LONE DIGGER’S” SECRET The discovery of a skeleton on land at the back of Golden Point, in the vlnicity of what is known as the Garden Gully portion of the Reefton district, has uncovered what may be an untold romance or pitiful story. Th e remains now lie at the Reefton police station, and with them is a Kropp razor, the blade of which still shows a small portion of brightness, a pair of rusty scissors, a pocket knife, some of the glass of a pair of spectacles, and the lower part of a pair of boots. Reefton medical men consider that the remains must have been exposed to tho weather for at least 30 years.

Writing 1 to the Chriotchiirch Star a correspondent said: "About 35 years ago, when Conn’s Creek Waimangaroa near Westport, was in its heyday as a goldmining centre,, a sensation was caused by the reported discovery of a very largo nugget. It appeared that a 'lone digger’ had arrived in Waimangaroa from the hinterland of Dennlston, bringing with him a gold nugget variously reported as weighing from 61b. to 151 b. As was usual at that period, all details were Jealously kept secret, and very little real information regarding the value of th e find, and none at all reagrdlng the location, became public. That a big find had been made was evidenced to the local folk by the fact that the lucky digger held ‘open house’ at the local hotel for a week, besides supplying all and sundry free with cigarettes and tobacco. Some weeks later the digger disappeared as mysteriously as he had arrived, for none knew him or whence ho came. "It was common talk on the diggings at that time that various parties had intended to keep tbc digger under clssc observation, so as to ascertain where he had made, his valuable discovery. Whether they did so, and with what result, has never transpired but,, so far as I know, he has not been heard of since. A report gained currency that ho was murdered in the hills. The report was generally discredited as one of the numerous sensational ‘yarns’ which were eagerly lapped up by those suffering from the ‘gold fever.’ Experienced diggers

were firmly of opinion that the ‘mother lode’ of all.the alluvial gold found in Conn’s Creek and at Addison’s Flat would be found somewhere in the ranges behind Westport. It is Just possible that the ‘lone digger’ had stumbled on the lode and kept his secret, and hud lost his life in guarding it.”