BACK TO 1895

Waihi Daily Telegraph, Volume XXX, Issue 8494, 27 July 1933, Page 3

BACK TO 1895

WAIHI THIRTY-EIGHT YEARS AGO

TOWN’S FIRST NEWSPAPER LOCAL AND GENERAL ITEMS Early days in Waihi are recalled by the first issue of the ’'Waihi Miner,” which has for over thirty years been incorporated with the ‘‘Waihi Telegraph,” and a copy of which we have received from Mr P. Keegan, of Auckland. It is a tenpage foolscap-size journal, published twice weekly, and made its bow to the public on Tuesday, October 1, 1595. As many early records have been lost, we are much indebted to Mr Keegan for his courtesy in sending us this, the first issue of the forerunner of the present “Telegraph.” “THE ROARING DAYS” “On turning out some of my papers I came across a copy of the ‘Waihi Miner,’ ” writes Mr Keegan. “I think it was the first copy turned out, and I turned the handle of the press—a man-power affair —which printed it.” (It bears the imprint: “Printed by Thomas Collins, of Waihi, and published by James Galbraith, of Waihi, for the proprietors, James Galbraith and Company, at their registered printing office, Waihi, County of Ohinemuri, New Zealand. Tuesday, October 1, 1895.” This, of course, does not mean that Mr Collins was the “man at the wheel,” the distinction of being the “human horsepower” having fallen to Mr Keegan). “I remember Mr Galbraith and Mr (J. M.), Wrigley (who is still with the paper) very well,” continues the writer. “Those were the old roaring Waitekauri days, when men knew how to tackle their job. I did a lot of prospecting around Waihi and worked at the Golden Cross mine. I see very few of the old-timers about now. Most of them have taken the Long Trail. Jack Draffin is still going strong, and I sometimes meet Sam Shaw, who still has hopes of a great gold revival and a great ‘strike’ somewhere. Sometimes, also, I see Jack Hemmingway, but most of the old hard-working, hard-drinking and hard-fighting crowd seem to have scattered and gone. I have been farming for many years, and of late I have visited every goldfield in New Zealand, including the West Coast and Southland. lam sure we are on the edge of a big gold revival, but it will be more machinery than men this time. lam now on my way to Australia. Please find enclosed the copy of your paper, which I believe is still going strong.—With alLgood wishes, yours truly, J. Keegan.”

WHY THE “MINER” CAME And now to the paper itself. Its aims are explained in an editorial, which ig nothing if not outspoken. “ ‘Under this banner thou shalt con- ; quer.’ ”it begins. “Such was the legend on the banner under which Constantine and his Christian soldiers went forth'to victory against the dragon of paganism: and, under the same legend, The Waihi Miner * goes forth to combat the latter-day r ‘ dragon, the unholy alliance of jour- !; nallsm and stock-jobbing. It is an open secret, or, rather, it is no secret ’ at all, for it was openly talked of by one of the ‘ring’ leaders, that a syndicate, composed of newspaper proprietors and sharebrokers, has been formed with the object of having several newspapers in different parts of the Hauraki goldfield, at the Thames and in Auckland. Such a combination can only be for the pur- ' pose of controlling the share markets. To break the ring, if possible, is the reason why The Waihi Miner has come into existence.. We enter the ; field with absolutely, pure motives, as “our editor does not, and will not, ' hold any mining stock or shares. For this reason our readers may depend on getting absolutely disinterested mining news. As our editor is a first-certificated geologist and mineralogist, our readers may depend on getting the most reliable mining intelligence which? we can obtain. We hope, therefore, to have a circulation ‘beyond the town of Waihi, in preference to the organs of a ring of mining sharebrokers, which must be regarded with, suspicion, and shunned "accordingly.”

! CLAIMS FOR SUPPORT Under the captipn, “Our own advertisement.” the paper states; As Ive are running The Waihi Miner a? a nvire'ly Waihi concern, and not us a are providing a firstclass, new printing plapt and not “ second-hand, used-up rubbish, and have, consequently, been put to great expense; and as we are here to combat the monopolist as gainst ie working man, and especially the at tempt of a ring of journalists and sharebrokers to rig the share-market by means of their venal organs, we rely upon getting the support of all ’honest speculators, and especially of our other self, the ‘digging Waih, miner. This support our friends can - “i V e us by at once filling up and sending to us the coupons in this issue, together with the necessary sinews of S war in the shape of a postal note, and so getting their names on our list of subscribers.” THE MARTHA MINE Among local and general items it is stated that “During the past four years the average receipts from the Martha mine have, as we are informed,’ been about £BOOO a month, At present the average is about £IO,OOO a month, thus giving the handsome yearly revenue of £120,000. As there jnust' , brag goo# gold lR the ground at Waihi as ever came out of it, and as, in consequence of the Martha’s brilliant fortunes, the Waihi district is being now thorughly examined, we may expect soon to be introduced to some -more : Marthas.”’ No neW Marthaf have, hpweyer, been foußd, or, indeed, zealously sought for; bu| the prediction that there was as good gold in the ground as has come put hag been amply justified. Up to the end of 1805 the production was £364,008; since then, up to the end of December, 1932,- it has heen increased by a further £17,263,132. ACCOMMODATION PROBLEM Some other items: — “The ‘coming event,’ the Rob Roy Hotel, ‘casts its shadow before,’ in this issue. The hotel will contain about 50 rooms, which, but for the phenomenal growth of Waihi, ono

would consider big enough; but, if Waihi continues to increase in the ratio of the past year, the Rob Roy may be found to be too small. Meanwhile Mr Flett’s bar business is being carried on in a temporary building on the site of the future hotel.” “Mr W. Tanner advertises his wellknown Waihi (now Commercial) hotel, containing, in addition to a large number of well-appointed public and bedrooms, commercial sample i rooms, first-class billiard table, and a first-class menu.” Another advertiser in the first issue is the Sterling Hotel (J. L. Stevens), and although all three hostelries have since’changed hands they are still advertisers in the ‘'Telegraph.'' The oldest individual advertiser who is still with us is Mr E. McLeay, boot and shoe maker and importer. On October 1, 1895, his advertisement appeared in column 3, page 6, of The Waihi Miner. In to-day’s “Telegraph” it will be found in column 4, page 3. It must pay to advertise. Non-advertisers, please note!

EARLY DAY BUSINESSES v Others whose advertisements ap- g peered in the first issue of the Miner are: Adams Brothers, general storekeepers. Waihi and Karangahake; c T. S. Duncanson, novelty depot, The j Strand, Tauranga (next Commercial ( Hotel): D. Lundon, auctioneer: Haua and Parker, general smiths, j coachbuilders, etc.; Haszard and ( Johnston, surveyors; C. C. Courtenay, | hairdresser and tobacconist: George ( Rainey, boot and shoe maker; Brown Bros., timber merchants; Vuglar Bros., butchers; D. McLean, billiardsaloon proprietor: Hallensteiu Bros., clothiers ahd outfitters; Royal Mail Line of Coaches; Rickit, Gallagher, Campbell and Co's. Royal Mail coaches; Chandler, Culpan and Walton, grocers,- ironmongers apd drapers; John Mac Donnell, builder anij contractor; Henry Berridge, carter and contractor; Tonson Garlick, furnishers (Auckland); Royal Mail • Hotel (G. Crosby), Paeroa; J. New--1 dick, baker and confectioner; A. L. [LSmith, dentist;' E. Joll, ’confectioner [' and fruiterer; E, Hatton, saddler; F. J. Bright, tailor; Mrs Berryman, ’ general storekeeper; G. S. Vincent, } painter and paper-hanger,; James * Marsland, architect |nd-- quantity 1 surveyor, KarangahakdT Charles J. Saunders, sharebroker; K. Paul, storekeeper; Hunter and Garlick, importers: W. S. Montgomery, Owharoa Hotel; Edward Adams, plumber; WTuthiil, general agent; Charles y Brown, butcher; Waihi Brass Band,