NEW ZEALAND GOLD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20978, 15 September 1931, Page 6

NEW ZEALAND GOLD.

PALMY DAYS OF MINING. t / DIFFERENCES WITH NATIVES. ACTIVITIES ON THAMES FIELD. EARLY SLUMP IN AUCKLAND. RY TAIAIIA. No. 11. In 1364 trouble arose between the authorities and the Coromandel natives as to the method adopted for payment, under the terms of the old arrangements, ruid eventually the terms were adjusted to assure the natives of £1 for every miner's right issued. In 1864 or 1865 negotiations were set afoot in respect of the Thames district, but here again the Native Land League endeavoured to oppose the opening of the lands. This obstruction was side-tracked by the appointment of two Europeans to prospect the land, the Maori owners agreeing to find them in food. The agreement was not capable of successful operation, it proved, and the two Europeans gave up their quest, which was taken up by a Maori who had gained experience in the Southern fields and was employed by a chief of the Thames district. A small amount of gold was won by the efforts of this Maori At this time Auckland was in the throes of a slump. The removal of the seat of Government to Wellington, following on the withdrawal of Imperial troops from the colony, had caused a stagnation of business. Commercial houses in large numbers tailed, and unemployment was rife in the city. The news of .the discovery of gold at the Thames caused immense excitement, and the Government was lushed with applicants for permission to proceed to the new field. The danger of fresh conflict with the natives, who had just settled down again to peaceful ways, was too great to permit any semblance 7 of a rush, however. Negotiations with the natives were entered into by the Government. The officials satisfied themselves that the news of discovery of gold was correct, but found difficulty in making satisfactory arrangements with the Maoris. Finally, on July 27, 1867, they obtained concessions over a small area, and three days later a proclamation was issued declaring the goldfield open as from August 1, 1867. A Notable Day. On that day James Mackie, junr., Allen Baillie, warden of Coromandel, two police officers, and about 40 miners left Auckland in the paddle steamer Enterprise for the new field. At, the outset the operations were not successful, as alluvial gold was south, but on August 10 Messrs. Hunt, White, Qlarkson and Colley chanced upon a valuable gold-bearing leader in the Kuranui stream. There was a rush to this locality, but later many of the disappointed miners demanded their money back. The rock turned out satisfactory under assay, however, and claimholders became more satisfied, and enthusiasm began to mount. Negotiations were now entered into for the opening of a much larger area, but while these discussions were proceeding it became more and more difficult to restrain the ardour of the miners iu their desire to prospect. A notable day in the history of the Thames field was September 2, 1867, on which day a quarrel arose between a miner and two of the sons of a principal chief of Waiotahi. The natives downed their man/ and came close to drowning him in the Kauaerenga Stream, the affray resulting in the appearance of all three before a court,/and the fining of the quarrelers. Faced with punishment in default of the fine, the natives approached the Government officers, and this approach paved the way to a public cession of a" part of the field. The cession was made effective immediately, and that afternoon the miners rushed to Waiotahi. In Dire Straits. In the meantime, rumours of finds at Ohinemuri had awakened fresh interest. The situation of many of the miners at this time was bad and the field was really in dire straits. Under these circumstances it became most difficult to restrain those who wished to rush the Ohinemuri field. The authorities were afraid that as most of the natives in that area were Hauhaus, any mining conflict might bring on a new war between Maori and pakeha. Some malcontent miners did proceed to Ohinemuri. but they were promptly marched hack again. Disputes between factions of the natives arose, and when, just before Christmas, some 63 chiefs signed an agreement to open the field to prospectors, there came a rumour that the Hauhaus had again taken up arms, determined to resist the incursions of the miners. This inquietude was overcome by diplomacy, but hostilities were so imminent that all Europeans were compelled to leave the district. It was not until early in the 70's that the Ohinemuri field was thrown open t Fluctuations in Shares. Booming along in the interim, the Thames field had become a valuable asset, with the introduction of machinery for treating the quartz, and in 1871 the Caledonia claim yielded 361,581 ounces of gold, worth in those days nearly half-a-million pounds sterling. The field did not escape the vicissitudes of similar developments, however, as the figures relating to the fluctuations of shares indicate/ On June 15/ 1871, shares in the Caledonia were worth £175. On June 21 they soared to £212. But a week later began the decline which continued sensationally till on July 9 they hit £llO. "The Caledonia was, of course, only one of many mines in operation, but the figures show the fluctuations of shareholders' hope and confidence, as representative of what was proceeding on ! the Thames field. The Caledonia mine in that year paid dividends totalling £195 10s per share, while the Long Drive paid £69 per share. In spite of the many adverse circumstances affecting the production of gold in New Zealand those were the palmy days of the industry.