DEATH OF MR CHARLES RING

Waikato Argus, Volume XX, Issue 3140, 27 March 1906, Page 2

DEATH OF MR CHARLES RING

■V link with the past history of this colony has been severed by the death of Mr Charles Ring, one of our earliest and most respected pioneer colonists, which took place on Saturday. He watched the growth of the Australian Commonwealth from its infancy, and of the colony of New Zealand. When he came to Auckland in IS H this city was hue a collection of raupo whares and touts. He purchased two farms near Ouehunga, which he stocked with 500 sheep. He was among the adventurous “ forty-niners” who went to the Californian goldfields, and landed at Yuba, then wont to the Sacramento diggings. Leaving there he went to a “ rush ” on the coast, but was shipwrecked, losing ail his stores. His luck being out, lie determined to return to Australia, but had no intention of revisiting New Zealand. Hmbarking at Ban Francisco in a brig called the Ceres, he took passage for Sydney, but the brig was lost on a reef near Fiji. With a few kindred spirits Mr Ring resolved to make the passage to Queensland in an open boat, but, after great sufferings, the party were picked up by the captain of an American whaler, who put back and took oil' the rest of the Ceres’ passengers and crow, and landed all hands at Auckland. Captain Alayue Reid, it is said, utilised this incident in his novel, “Lost Leuore.” Mr Ring settled down in Auckland, and he and his brother decided to prespect the Thames and Coromandel ranges, and discovered gold at Cabbage Bay. Some difficulty was experienced with the Maoris, but they managed to placate them and to continue their prospecting with considerable succe=s. Jlr Ring and his brother were the first discoverers of gold in New Zealand, but beyond .£2OO paid for actual out of pocket expenses, received no other reward from the Uovi rnmciit. The tale Mr King was born ill Guernsey, leaving there with his parents when quite a lad for Tasmania, where most of ids family settled Ho lived for many years in Coromandel, taking an active part in gold mining operations and speculations. As he was a go--d Maori scholar he had great influence with the natives, and was one of the few who remainined in Coromandel during tlie Maori was in 18-13, running at times ft serious risk of Ids life. About 1875 lie came to reside in Auckland, and iias remained here sinethen. He will long lie remembered for his genial, kindly disposition and sterling integrity, as well as for the service lie render- d to the colony in general and Auckland in particular by ids connection with the gold mining industiy of New Zealand, l lie deceased was the father of Mr W. C. Ring, of iimuera, to whom we offer our deepest sympathy in his bereavement.