FIRST DISCOVERIES OF GOLD IN N.Z.

Ohinemuri Gazette, Volume XVI, Issue 2102, 10 September 1906, Page 2

FIRST DISCOVERIES OF GOLD IN N.Z.

AND EXPLORATIONS* IN THE

MIDDLE IBL 4ND?

MR JAMBS MACBtoS ACCOUNT

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[Continued. ]

Mi 1 Brunner discovered a fine seim of coal in the. Grey ..River g>M-ge, henca the present name of the Brunner coal-mine. He" also travelled down the coast as far as the Waiho River, which being in high flood, prevented their further progress southward. The gallant explorer and his little party had been absent from Nelson for something like eighteen months,- and much anxiety was felt as to their safety. Many people supposed they were dead. However, they arrived very suddenly one day, and received a /very - hearty welcome from everybody. It was not my intention to have brought my name into the list of explorers now, but when a writer in the New Zealand Mines apparently makes out that I arrived on the scene at Collingwood, after the discovery of gold by Messrs Lightband and Houghin December, 1856,1 would beg to point out —that in November, 1852, I came of age ; left my father's farm at Nelson, where I had been working since Februuy, 18io ; and, in conjunction with my father, tooii up a depasturage license, an l_ purchased land between Pakawau and Cape Far well. We conveyed the stock by vessels -from Nelson and landed them at Puponga (site of a coal mine now) in December, 1852, and January, 1853 In 1855, I was informed by an old Maori that there was some grass country and a lake between the heads of the Aorere and Takaka Rivers. I determined, to explore- this country, and arranged with Mr John Clarke, of P.ikawau, to accompany me on the trip. We started from what is now Collingwood, and travelled along the couutry to' the: southward of the Aorrfre River. The first large tributary we crossed I named the Slate Rivor, on account of the nature of the rock j.i its bed an 1 banks. The next brain Ji was terme i the Lead River, "from indications or that metal, which we f*?',v there. After crossing this we caii! •co a tract' or country showing large q i iitities of loose white quartz on the f-'i-fuc*, uiul Blate bed rock in the stro . n*. I named this portion the Quartz Ranges. Thence we descended to a large river, containing granite boulders, and we appeared then to have left the slate formation ! behind us. I named thi3 river the i Clarke after my companion. At this time I was unacquainted with mineralogy, but we found some heavy grey substance theri, which I now believe was copper ore. I named the mountain between the Slate and Lead (now Boulder) Rivers Lead hill; (subsequently known as " Snow's , Ru&h ") and that between the Lead and Clarke Rivers Mouut Olympus. From Clarke?s River we* struck across to the. upper Aorere River, and followed it up nearly to its source. It, however, became so narrow and gorgy and the sides, so precipitous that we left its bed and.ascending the range, travelled to the southward of MountOlympusoverasnow grass tract. We discovered the Wharau .Lake (now termed the Boulder L.akej which drains into the Lead -. or Boulder River. Thence we ascended Lead Hill (Saow'n Rush) and descended it;to the Slate River. . -

laDecember, 1856,-Messrs William Lightband and William Hough came into the Aorere district prospecting. The statement that other prospecting was done, there in 1854 — 1.855 and small discoveries were made is incorrect. Messrs Ellis and James, who had settled as farmers on the south bank of th£- Aorere River, were afterwards stated to have found gold in October, 1856. In December Lightband and Hough came to my station at Taupata, Cape Farewell, and showed me samples of fine alluvial gold of goodquality, which-they had found in a gully between four and five miles from the Maori settlement at Aorere.. This place was afterwards named Lightband Q-ully., J djdnottheij bear of any prior dispoveryi having bee^i made "by Messrs Ellis and James. I was first informed by them of their previous prospecting about March, 1857.

I did not catch, the gold fever, but as my run was getting pretty well stocked, and there was no local market for cattle .or sheep, and no road by land to Nelson, I began to look out for more grazing country, intending to put one of my young relatives on to it. The Maoris said there was a large grass plain immediately south, of the Buller' River extending tq the Waitakerei River (now Onarlestown). I accordingly, engaged twc. Maoris to accompany me from West Wanganui, along the West Ooas,t to the Kawatiri (BuSer) riyer. On the way we came to" the Karamea River, and seeing it was navigablo for small coasters and as it had been unnamed by Messrs Brunner and Heapby, I stuck my name on to it. It was shown as such iv the early maps but for some reason it has' returned to its original designation of Karamea. On arriving at the Buller we found five natives in a small settlement on the south side of the" river. Close to this place there was a. sluggish creek,!; up which we pulled a short distance in a canoe, and landed on the open country,, known to the Maoris as Te Kara o Tama'teia (•inc.e styled Waites pakihi.) " <-£akihi » is the Maori word meaning a piece o| open country. To my disgust there was not a blade of grass on the whole, of it, extending to Waitakerei (no^ Cjharlegfcon}. r£h.e vegetation fconsisted of rushes and bog moss only.. From Waitakerei we travelled to . the Grey Siver, engaged the Maoris.there j*> take, us up it in canoes, to some grass land whicli they said existed i|; 4haura, Totara, "^aipuna, anc. Mawliera iti" (Little Gfrejr). I Vajkec from" Ahau'ra, firstly to Waipuna, (now Mackley's^ station), thence, to Mawhera iti, and up that riyer- tq the, Reeftqn saddle. I, did no*"admire, that pounfiry for a run, .but 'the, old chief' Taurapuhi informed' me'tbAf there "was a.considerable area of grass plain on j;he Maruia River, a forge tributary qf the Butler. ' We returned by the coast to-West W-angknui (t^ boundary: qf my ruia) qnd thence tq Taupata> arriving about thfe end of "February, 1357-

jTo be Continued, j