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Whangapoua, Coromandel. Sir George Grey Special Collections, Auckland Libraries, 7-C1340 |
Attracting the gaze of the prospector.
Wednesday, 30 October
A little boy, about six years old, the son of Mr Pick, an
Auckland butcher, is in Cook Street, trying to stop a horse and cart. He runs
forward to get into the cart but the horse knocks him down then stands on his
arm, fracturing it. The boy’s parents are at present absent at the
Thames diggings
Commissioner Mackay has succeeded in securing all the
country to the north towards Cape Colville and Mercury Bay and to the south up
to Hikutaia and now the word gets out. The ground is to be opened in a few
days. On the East Coast the country
lying between Port Charles and Mercury Bay will be explored by men who have had
the occasional opportunity of trying a dishful of the wash from the banks while
they have travelled from one timber mill to another. The streams entering Kennedy’s Bay and the
Whangapoua are known to be auriferous.
Several leading men of the Ngati Paoa have been willing to
open their land as far as Hikutaia after they see how the Kauaeranga field is
worked, but there is great impatience and even despair from the diggers to have
more and more land opened.
7am - 9am
Superintendent Williams and party board the Gemini when it calls for them at the Kopu wharf. It is floodtide so there is no hindrance encountered from the shallows of this part of the river. The morning is beautifully fine and the scenery breathtaking. From the goldfield range away to Te Aroha, whose summit over- tops the legion of mountain peaks which enclose the valley of the Thames, protrude those volcanic spurs which so attract the gaze of the prospector for gold. This mountain range is circuitous and the whole of the land within this half-circle is thought alluvial and the most productive in New Zealand. The land on the right is equally rich, and extends nearly to the Piako.There are a few whares here and there but only for shelter when the Maori are getting fish. Permanent settlements are on the tributary streams – Kirikiri, Puriri, Hikutaia and Ohinemuri. Te Moananui points out as they go up the boundaries of the blocks on the river side that have been purchased by the government.
Once above Hikutaia Creek the river deepens, and the water becomes clear. At this point the river is perhaps from 200 to 250 yards wide; the banks on either side are bordered with tall flax; above these rise cabbage trees of many branches, in flower, emitting a heavy but agreeable scent. These are alternated by manuka trees; and rising above all is a vast forest of kahikatea, from which the parson bird pours forth his note at intervals, while flights of river birds—teal, duck, water-fowls and shag - take fright, tempting the sportsman. The Superintendent however has forbidden firearms - the sound, the smoke, or the very sight of a gun may alarm the Maori and so defeat the object this visit to the district.
There is not an inch of ground which
could be observed from the platform of the steamer that is not covered with the
most luxuriant indigenous vegetation and as the river narrows it becomes
denser. Such is the scenery the whole way up to Ohinemuri. Major Heaphy takes full and accurate
sketches of the course of the river, which has never been done before.
Pulling the wires.
When the steamer hauls alongside the paddock where some men are shearing sheep, there stands a tall Maori with a peculiar scowl named Ngakuku, a Ngati Maru chief. His bony horse, tied to a tree, is grazing at his feet, and the bridle is round the man's arm. The Superintendent, Te Moananui, Chief Paul, Ropata and Mr White, the interpreter, jump ashore to greet him. He shakes hands with them “at arm’s length”, which is a sign of uncertainty and suspicion.
The Superintendent intends to stay at Thorpe's until his wish to proceed to Ohinemuri is notified to the chiefs. Ngakuku says “Well, you have come up this length with the steamer against our wishes, and in violation of our rule, you may as well go the whole length up the Ohinemuri.”
The lashings are at once cast off, Mr Thorpe’s offer to stay is declined and the steamer goes on. Ngakuku mounts his horse and rides off and several Maori on horseback can be seen galloping along the tracks amongst the cabbage trees to convey the news to the settlements around.
Within half an hour the Gemini is in the centre of the Hauhau district. The Maori villages can be seen scattered throughout the area, through a glass, most of them distinguished by the well known pai marire pole, which is now without use, although not long ago the centre of frantic dances and demoniacal absurdity.
Pai Marire pole
(This scene depicts a karakia held by the Te Hau fanatics at Tataroa, New Zealand, to determine the fate of their prisoners. Jan 27th, 1865.)
Ref: B-139-014. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. /records/22664963
[Meade, Herbert (Lieutenant)], 1842-1868
Several chiefs come down to see Superintendent Williamson, among them old Taraia, who compliments the Superintendent on his bravery in coming up the Thames. A reporter quietly observes “The poor old cannibal is, I understand, in his dotage, his mental energy having decayed with his teeth but he is still stout of limb.” Taraia tells the Superintendent that he has no objection to opening up the country if he can see the utu, a Maori concept of reciprocation or balance.
Messengers return from the various settlements saying that the chiefs will meet the Superintendent the next morning at 10 o'clock.
When asked where Te Hira is a reporter is told he had to go
over to the East Coast and he has been gone four days. Another Maori says Te Hira went away this
morning. The reporter believes Te Hira
is close at hand and though he never shows himself, he is busy “pulling the
wires.” Two or three of the party who venture to
walk into the bush are 'dogged' and watched.
The Maoris kill a pig and there is lavish distribution of
potatoes. Two tents are
pitched on shore where the Superintendent's party lodges for the night. The Superintendent remains on board the steamer. The Maoris
have put down clean mats in their best whare and invite any who chose to occupy
it. The night threatens to be wet and a couple of reporters head to the
whare. Several Maori are seriously
intent upon a game of draughts with one of the members of the Auckland Provincial Council. There are just fourteen people in the whare but
the reporters, rolled up in blankets and trying to sleep, are driven out by the
very vocal Maori men and women on either side of them. They retreat to their tents for the night.
10pm
At Shortland, despite the news that more ground will soon be
opened up, a group of individuals are secretly holding a
private meeting where they pass a resolution to form a committee to prospect Maori land to the south as far as Hikutaia.
A party, consisting of ten men, including an interpreter and a guide, are
organised to start in the morning.
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| DSC 30 October, 1867 |
Assisted by no-one, interfering with nothing.
Thursday, 31 October
8 - 9am
Commissioner Mackay moves fast. He heard a rumour last night that a
prospecting party is being organised to proceed up the river. He instructs the police to inquire into the matter
and learns that Alfred Edmonds, of Auckland, has received a letter from a Maori chief, inviting him to go prospecting with a limited number of men. By 9am Mr Mackay has taken measures to
prevent this party going and has notices posted up in the most
conspicuous parts of the township.
“A large area of
country to the north of the present block, and some land to the south eastward
thereof has been successfully negotiated for with the natives and will soon be
thrown open in the course of a few days – as soon as some cultivation and
burial ground reserves can be marked off and notices posted. In the meanwhile all well disposed miners are
most earnestly requested to keep within the boundaries of the lands at present
open. All persons found mining on native
lands beyond the boundaries, or not being able to satisfactorily account for
their presence there will be arrested.”
Goldfields Office, Shortland 31st
October, 1867
James Mackay, Jun,
Civil
Commissioner
“As the services of about twenty five (25)
persons to act as special constables will probably be required within a few
days from this time – persons willing to act in that capacity when called on,
are requested to send their names into this office. Rate of pay:- Six (6) shillings per diem,
from the day of swearing in until discharged. Men who have served in the Waikato Militia will have preference."
James Mackay, Jun
Civil Commissioner for the
Colony of New Zealand
Goldfields Office, Shortland 31st
October, 1867
N.B. Claims of
persons serving will be protected.
Alfred Edmonds has indeed received a letter from several
chiefs and owners of land unopened as a goldfield. It invited him to cross the Kauaeranga River
and prospect as far as Hikutaia. He received
it on Tuesday and it requested him to organise a party of
experienced diggers to prospect on their land south of Shortland Town, estimated
at about 15,000 acres.
The party he organised
last night now comes to his tent to tell him the place is in an uproar and he is
wanted in town. He goes, and to his surprise, sees
posted up in conspicuous places, the notices.
He asks about but can get no satisfactory answer to the question of what he is wanted for.
After receiving the letter Alfred
spent few days in going over the land, and has in his possession some specimens
from the area which he thinks may yield 25 ounces to the ton. He has no doubt of the area turning out well
if properly managed. The conditions of the letter stated that the party should consist
of ten, and not go beyond the boundary mentioned in the letter, and be accompanied
by a Maori guide, who was to be paid, and also an interpreter; and when gold
was found in payable quantities, the interpreter should tell the chiefs, and
they would communicate with Mr Mackay and have the land opened as a public
goldfield.
The party was to return to town as soon as they found gold, but were not to dig until the land was properly opened. The prospectors had the privilege of choosing a claim wherever they thought fit, with the consent of the Maori. No one was to prospect on their lands without a pass or consent - anyone doing so would be taken prisoner and sent back to town. With the letter Alfred received fifteen passes.
All pigs on the land were to be taken care of,
with the exception of those for immediate use. They were to sell none nor waste
any. The principal objection to the land being opened was that the Maori cultivations
would be destroyed, both as regards their value to themselves and
also in selling them, if over-run by diggers at the present time.
They would be assisted by no one, and were not
interfering with any arrangement Mr Mackay had made or was going to make. The meeting last night was held in
Mr Leary's tent. Each man subscribed a
small amount to assist the guide, interpreter and in travelling expenses and an
agreement was drawn up, by Mr Leary, binding them not to violate any of the terms.
Ten tickets were distributed, and the meeting dispersed.
Alfred hears later today that the
notices posted up are for the purpose of preventing his party going, and to
take them prisoner if they should go; but as none of the authorities say
anything to him about it, he takes no further notice of the matter.
10am
Ohinemuri
Ohinemuri
At 5am the bell had sounded for
Hauhau prayers waking the Gemini party.
Now two hundred and fifty Maori assemble to meet them. It is rumoured that Te Hira is coming down
but he is not seen. This korero lasts
until 1pm. The Superintendent makes a long
speech as to the reason for his visit. A second korero takes up the whole of the
afternoon. The Superintendent says they have
until the next day to think over the matter.
He adds that he has been informed that some Maori living up river wish
to go in the steamer and if they come on board they will be taken up. On hearing this there is a rush on board the
steamer, but the chiefs of the King party sit still. Aperahama says “We will not go, why should we
indulge in child’s play while we have this matter to discuss.”
About 150 men, women and children are
on the steamer, all talking and joking and laughing. As the Gemini moves off, a Maori calls from
the bank “there you are, all going off in the steamer to the Chatham Islands", a reference to the banishment of rebel Hau Hau Maori to those islands by the government in 1865.
The Gemini goes a few miles upstream,
Ropata is put ashore at his place, which is nearly opposite the house of Te Hira.
At the Thames the Midge leaves for
Auckland full of passengers. Mr Levy, of
the Criterion Hotel, Auckland, is on board taking with him 56oz of gold from a sluicing
claim at the mouth of the Kuranui, 36oz of which were procured with a mortar
and pestle and then washed in a tin dish.
Rob Roy for the Thames with 4 hhhds beer, 1 qr cask
brandy, 2,000 ft timber, 300 palings, 16 packages oilmen’s stores, 4 dozen drapery, 1 cow.
Severn for the Thames with 16 barrels ale, 15 casks port wine, 1 piano, 4 casks ale, 4 tons sundries, 25 lbs powder.
Spey for the Thames with 5 passengers, in ballast.
Orpheus from Whangapoua to the
Thames with timber, then loading with firewood for Auckland.
At Tauranga the Sovereign of the Seas is
taking on passengers for the Thames diggings.
An addition is being made to the Thames river boats. The Maori Chief is intended to run to Shortland
Town as a tender for the Tauranga and Midge, the length and draught of these
boats making it difficult to land passengers from them. The Maori Chief will be a great addition to the
trading facilities on the Thames as should the upper districts be opened, she can
steam 70 miles up that river without any hindrance.
Tonight at Ohinemuri the Superientendent receives a letter from Te
Hira, expressing his determination to keep the country closed against the gold
prospectors.
Alfred Edmonds leaves the Thames tonight. He tells a reporter that Ngatoru of the Ngati
Paoa had written to him but the reporter cannot deduce if he had any authority
from the other chiefs to write this letter.
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| Hau Hau flag |
A determined refusal.
Friday, 1 November
Ohinemuri
The Maori are up early and from their expressions a refusal to open the Upper Thames is expected. A King flag, 8 or 10 yards long, embroidered with stars and a cross, is stuck up and the principal Maori sit around it. Around 9am the Superintendent comes ashore. Although he has been met with a courteous reception, his request to open the Upper Thames for gold mining is met with a determined refusal. Te Hira refuses to come and see him. The expedition has failed.
The Maori are up early and from their expressions a refusal to open the Upper Thames is expected. A King flag, 8 or 10 yards long, embroidered with stars and a cross, is stuck up and the principal Maori sit around it. Around 9am the Superintendent comes ashore. Although he has been met with a courteous reception, his request to open the Upper Thames for gold mining is met with a determined refusal. Te Hira refuses to come and see him. The expedition has failed.
A final korero occupies the whole forenoon but it is useless
to prolong the talking any longer. The Superintendent and party board the steamer. The
whole of the Maori people assemble on the banks to farewell the Pakeha’s and
the compliment is acknowledged by three hearty cheers by those on board. On the return down
the river the steamer calls at Thorpe’s where they are shown over a vineyard
and magnificent orchard, where orange trees are fragrantly blossoming.
The schooner Mapere
takes a cargo of cattle to the Thames and will continue as a regular trader to the
goldfields.
Messrs J Suliivan and
J Ellis, enterprising Auckland men, make arrangements that will enable
them to erect a powerful crushing machine at the Thames within the space of
three weeks. The machine is estimated capable
of crushing from 70 to 100 tons of quartz daily. It is to be erected at the back of the
township in near proximity to a number of payable claims.
4pm
About five miles above Kopu, it now being low water, the
Gemini grounds on a sandbank and is detained for five hours waiting for the
tide. Around 9pm they reach Kopu where the party will stay at the flax mill.
9pm
Theophilus Cooper, and his son of the same name - a copy boy for the Daily Southern Cross, have arrived at the Thames aboard the Enterprise to take a look at the diggings. Theophilius senior will keep a diary of his experiences. It is dark so they decide to stay on board
for the night. After strolling about the
deck a couple of hours while the vessel is cleared, they turn into a bunk in
the fore-cabin.
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| NZH 1 November, 1867 |
Saturday, 2 November
5am
Theophilus and his son, on board the Enterprise, rise after a bizarre night of broken sleep. Having just nodded off at 12.30 they were rudely awakened by Mr Holmes, owner of the Enterprise who also acts as purser, and told to get out. They stubbornly stayed sitting in the cabin however as they could get no lodgings and after an hour are allowed to get back in the bunk, but only if they “behaved themselves." After this confusing welcome to the Thames they get their luggage on to the beach and with some new friends they have made, search for a spot to pitch their tent. The flat, which had until now been covered with tents, is empty following an abrupt order that all tents and whares were to be immediately moved to higher ground near the ranges. They pitch their tent on rising ground which commands a beautiful view of the district, the various whares, tents and wooden huts giving it a very picturesque appearance. Theophilus and friends are occupied all day arranging their household effects, building a fire place and looking around the town.
By now there are some 50 houses at Shortland Town, with many more going up. The township has made astonishing progress in the short time it has been opened. There are comfortable hotels and eating houses, stores, bakeries, butchers, barbers, billiard and bowling rooms. Men are hard at work shingling, building and otherwise employed. The loafer, though, is prolific and daily assembled around Butt’s Shortland Hotel. Dozens of men who have no means, no fixed principle or energy, loaf around for a day or two then return to Auckland and describe the place in the worst of terms.
An extremely muddy road of about two miles though groves of peach and other fruit trees leads to Tookey’s Flat. Many of the fruit trees have by now been ruthlessly and wantonly destroyed. At the flat they are hoping there will soon be a store – it will save the diggers the trouble of having to “hump” all their provisions from Shortland Town. A short distance beyond the flat, Mr Fraser is erecting his steam crushing machine.
The diggers generally are in good spirits. The only great drawback is the want of proper and adequate machinery. The Berdan’s are continually getting hindered by the plates for the spring stamper frequently breaking, owing to the bad nature of the casting.
The Thames is still hoped to be the silver lining to the leaden cloud which has for so long hung over the Auckland province.
Yet private letters tell a different story. A gentleman, resident of Christchurch for
many years, who owns considerable property in the northern part of the province, writes “the Thames digging is quivering in the balance. It is pretty well ascertained that on the
land already opened there is no alluvial diggings, at all events under 150 ft,
and the quartz reefing will not employ all that are there now. Over 3,000 people are congregated upon an
uninviting looking block of land, where a year ago a white man could only be
met with at a rate of one in 10 miles,
Some quartz reefs are yielding a good return, but of course the rich
reefs are in the hands of a few. Not a
tenth part of the people are profitably employed, and starvation, the result of
restless idleness, stares them in the face.”
Commissioner Mackay
and a select party of ladies and gentlemen proceed about two miles up the
Kauaeranga river to Parawai to pay the
Maori the first installment for the use and occupation of their land. £1,708 in sovereigns is taken of which £708
is paid. A portion of the balance is to
be paid to the Maori at Manaia, and the rest retained by the Commissioner,
pending some adjustment about transferred licenses.
The
Gemini returns to the Thames and then goes on to Matariki to return Te
Moananui, and from there steams back to Auckland.
The Caledonian claim gets out some very fine quartz with
gold throughout. This claim is
immediately opposite Tookey’s claim. The All Nations claim, so named because the shareholders
come from Germany, Holland, Sweden,
Ireland and New Zealand, is producing specimens equal to any yet yielded.
The ss Claud Hamilton
leaves for Sydney with mails and passengers.
She also takes 1169oz of gold, the product of the Thames goldfield.
Otahuhu for the Thames with 5,800ft timber and one cask
lemonade.
Tents on the pinnacles of mountains.
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| NZH 2 November, 1867 |
Tents on the pinnacles of mountains.
Sunday, 3 November
Theophilus archly
observes there is very little respect paid to the sanctity of the Sabbath at
Shortland Town, at least among the store-keepers and hotel-keepers. The stores
are almost all open; hotels have their doors closed but not fastened and a roaring
trade is being carried on inside.
10am
A sermon is preached by William Rowe, Member of the Auckland
Provincial Council, and a strong Wesleyan, in the open space opposite Butt's
Hotel. Father Nivard officiates at a
Catholic service in a building behind
Mulligan's Hotel.
Afternoon
Close to Tookey’s claim a Primitive Methodist service is
held.
6pm
Mr Rowe again preaches,
this time in the Courthouse which is
still a filthy old whare, still doubling
as courthouse, police-station, prison, and headquarters of Commissioner Mackay.
Monday, 4 November
5am
The Gemini arrives back at Auckland with Superintendent Williamson, who
after an absence of three weeks, failed to open the Upper Thames. He fared no better than David Graham.
The Superintendent is praised for his most admirable patience and
perseverance as is John White, interpreter, who discharged his difficult duties
with skill and care. Chief Paul of
Orakei, is also commended for the way he did his utmost to further the object
of the expedition.
But a private opinion is held that Superintendent Williamson made a mistake in taking Chief Paul with him on his mission; that Paul is not
considered by the Maori generally to be a rangatira of the first magnitude;
they look upon him as a tool of the Provincial Government, and that Paul's
tribe and the Thames people were formerly on very bad terms with each other. John White, the interpreter, is also in
disfavour with the Upper Maori.
Superintendent Williamson and David Graham used precisely the same
line of argument with the Upper Thames Maori to induce them to open up the
Ohinemuri for gold mining, with the difference that the parade and ostentation
of the Superintendent was too loud and, possibly, that David Graham was too demure.
David Graham was treated very differently to the Superintendent. Graham advised the Maori to receive the Superintendent in such a way that would mark their respect for his high position
and also to listen to him. The Superintendent repaid David Graham for his kindness by
forwarding Maori couriers from Kauaeranga to travel night and day with dispatches
to turn back the party.
The result is deeply
regretted but there is still hope that the Upper Thames will be quietly opened.
Theophilus and his friends are off early prospecting
away down gullies, over hills and mountains, scrambling through supple jack and
bush lawyer – he thinks going over Mount Eden is child’s play compared to
it. They find every nook and corner
occupied in every direction. The faces
of the mountains are scarred every few yards with holes, shafts and tunnels.
Men stand upon brinks of precipices sending great boulders
rolling, tumbling and rumbling with the sound of thunder into the depths. Tons of rock are heaved over and sent
crashing down the mountain side into the abyss below. Monstrous trees are being sawn up or chopped down. Tents are
pitched at all elevations on the pinnacles of mountains. Theophilus marvels at the labour expended in
getting them up such giddy heights.
Whares are built many hundreds of feet up the mountain, in which the
diggers live the week through, coming down on Saturdays to get supplies of
food. He is struck at the amount of cheerfulness and hope
exhibited by the men. Some though are despondent and others are grimly patient;
others have had long cherished hopes dashed to the ground. A few are finding unmistakable fortunes.
At the Shotover claim a weatherboard house has been built
with a kitchen and cook house attached, overseen by an elderly female cook.
Rangatira for the Thames with 3 ½ tons
flour, 2,000 ft timber, 1 case ale.
Severn for the Thames with 6 tons flour, 5 tons stores, 6 bags sugar, 4 tons sundries.
Forth for the Thames with timber.
Mr Hayes, of No 2 claim, discovers a rich new leader; about
2ft wide including casing and in the space of about an hour over 1 ½ cwt quartz
is taken out for crushing. The casing
also is richly charged with the precious metal.
A Warden’s Court case of interest is that of Tuelle v Scanlan
– the plaintiff sought to recover possession of a full share in a claim on the
Kuranui Creek. Plaintiff had his
collarbone broken on the night of the rush to what has since been called Collar
Bone Reef. He then had to go to hospital
and on his return found his share sold.
The evidence disclosed the fact that at the time the share was sold the
plaintiff was not the holder of a miner’s right. This put the plaintiff out of court at once,
and lost him his share and his case.
The NZ Herald publishes a grim editorial stating that the
diggers who have gone to the Thames are, as a rule, men of very small means
indeed. They went there with the feeling
that they were playing their last card, staking their chance in the Thames gold
hills. Consequently there is a curious state of things - poor men with quartz
full of gold, unable for want of machinery to separate the gold from the
stone.
Again there is a period of dullness of trade in Auckland. The scarcity of gold, the scarcity of labour for workers is sending, and has for some time been sending, traders through the bankruptcy court. Property has greatly depreciated in value and the scarcity of money, of which there is a vast quantity in the shape of gold in the Thames reefs, is the cause of all this depression, loss and ruin.
Again there is a period of dullness of trade in Auckland. The scarcity of gold, the scarcity of labour for workers is sending, and has for some time been sending, traders through the bankruptcy court. Property has greatly depreciated in value and the scarcity of money, of which there is a vast quantity in the shape of gold in the Thames reefs, is the cause of all this depression, loss and ruin.
Alfred Edmonds this evening takes a letter into the Cross
office in Auckland for publication, explaining the facts of his attempt to prospect as far
as Hikutaia at the invitation of the Maoris.
A few minutes after leaving the office he is promptly arrested by
Detective O’Hara. A warrant for his
arrest had been issued by the Resident Magistrate at Shortland on the charge of
obtaining the sum of 12s by false pretenses from one John Williams, the warrant being sent up
by steamer from the Thames. The charge against Edmonds is founded on his
receiving subscriptions from the prospectors to pay expenses. The hour is late so there is no possibility
of bail and Alfred remains in custody all night, to be sent down to the Thames
by the Midge in the morning.
 |
| NZH 4 November, 1867 |
Turn your attention from the Upper Thames.
Tuesday, 5 November
This morning Mr Mackay, Mr Sandes, surveyor, Walter
Williamson, and party of prospectors leave the Thames in Mr Mackay’s cutter Emma,
which is initially towed by the Enterprise into deep water. They are going to Manaia Harbour near Coromandel
to run the boundaries and mark the tapus of the land. At the last moment of departure Mr
Mulligan comes on board and requests that he should be taken. Mr Mackay
agrees, and waits for him after the cutter is cast off from the steamer. Mr Mackay takes the tiller and with three
hearty cheers for Mr Holmes of the Enterprise, they make their way for the
boundary of the old ground where the surveyors landed. Several diggers set out on foot intending to
walk down the coast. Walter Williamson lands at the Puru preferring
this district to Manaia. Hamilton and
party are landed at the Mata creek. Three of Dr Pollen’s original prospecting
party, with Major Von Tempsky and others, remain on board and continue on to
Manaia. This district will be
immediately proclaimed and steps at once taken to test its capacities as a
goldfield. There is a pretty wide and
apparently well founded belief that the locality will be productive in gold. News from the party is anxiously expected by
the diggers. Closer to the Thames there has already been an advance party
of seven working on the Puru Creek – it looks a very likely spot.
Alfred Edmonds is brought back to the Thames for trial this
morning in the custody of Detective O’Hara. His letter of explanation regarding
prospecting is published in the Cross along with a translation of the
invitation to prospect from the Maoris.
The Cross is annoyed following the arrest of Alfred after
leaving their office last night - "the Government party, on the whole, made indifferent progress, and
managed, in our opinion, to do far more mischief than they can easily undo. But
it would appear that the Government, through their officers, although unable to
open the country to the diggers, will not permit anyone else to do so. Even the
natives must not make arrangements with Europeans whom they know, and in whom
they have confidence, to prospect their own land. If they attempt to do this,
the Civil Commissioner interferes and puts a stop to it.”
The miners are encouraged to turn their attention, for the present, away
from the Upper Thames country. The new land opened to Cape Colville and over
to the east coast contains large tracts over which no man has ever
trod, and if there is no alluvial ground, there may be hundreds of reefs equal
to that even at the Kuranui Creek. Around
Buffalo Bay and Tairua River there must be extensive plains, if the maps of the Thames lately published are at
all reliable.
One
thing is very certain - there is a vast tract of country open to the miner, and
this country, so far as it has been traversed, is of the same formation as that
about the Thames, where the rich quartz veins have been found.
It
is difficult to imagine what the next step will be as to the opening of the
Thames district, after the flat refusal which Superintendent Williamson got on Friday. As long
as there exists a belief that in the Upper Thames there are deposits of
alluvial gold, or that auriferous quartz reefs are in the hills, there will be
attempts to get there.
The opening of the country as far north as Coromandel, and as far south as Hikutaia, may absorb a number of those who are waiting in Shortland Town for a larger extent of ground to be opened to prospectors, but there is a good deal of talk about "rushing" the Upper Thames.
The opening of the country as far north as Coromandel, and as far south as Hikutaia, may absorb a number of those who are waiting in Shortland Town for a larger extent of ground to be opened to prospectors, but there is a good deal of talk about "rushing" the Upper Thames.
 |
| Extreme east of Cape Colville by Nicholas Chevalier. Te Papa (1912-0044-271) |
Willie Winkie to the Thames with 6 tons machinery, 1,000 ft timber, 3 tons coal.
The Wellington Independent notes "There are several
thousand people - diggers and others – assembled in the Lower Thames district,
and their numbers are being every day augmented. The field is small and the labours are
many, so it is no wonder that the latter wish to extend their investigations to
the fresh districts further up the river.
The natives want the diggers to stay where they are and object in the
strongest manner to any inroad in their country; while the diggers are eager to
start prospecting and can scarcely be restrained.”
Theophilius Cooper and party are prospecting on the Collarbone mountain. They find it a frightful
mountain to ascend, some parts being almost perpendicular - enough to break the
hearts of the men who toil upon it. Once
up they dig a hole and in the course of a few hours come to some likely looking
stuff. But they think they couldn’t
possibly stand the wear and tear of a daily ascent of such a dreadful place, and even though a man offers to carry their tent up for £1, they doubt they could ever get their tent up so high in the clouds.
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| DSC 5 November, 1867 |
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| NZH 5 November, 1867 |
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| Otago Daily Times 5 November, 1867 |
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Alfred Edmonds was probably Alfred Samuel Strickland Edmonds, a gumdigger and trader, born December 7, 1833, Hobart, Tasmania, on the Edmond's family's journey to NZ. Died 1898, aged 64, at Tairua. He had a brother named Reuben, born Kerikeri, Bay of Islands, 1836, intriguingly known as 'The Rover.'
Many men quietly prospected on unopened land with the unofficial consent of Maori. Alfred, known to the Ngati Paoa, was likely one of them.
Many men quietly prospected on unopened land with the unofficial consent of Maori. Alfred, known to the Ngati Paoa, was likely one of them.
There is slight confusion with
Theophilus’ diary initially muddling the days and dates – he says November 2
was Sunday, when it was actually Saturday.
You can read the full diary of Theophilus
Cooper here - http://www.enzb.auckland.ac.nz/document?wid=3218&page=0&action=null
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SOURCES
Papers Past
Nick Tūpara, 'Tūranganui-a-Kiwa tribes - Contacts and conflicts', Te
Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/photograph/2322/prisoners-exiled-to-the-chatham-islands(accessed 17 June 2017)
Thames Miner - David Arbury
https://sites.google.com/site/pre1839settlersinnz/home/notes/john-t-edmonds
https://sites.google.com/site/pre1839settlersinnz/home/notes/john-t-edmonds
© Meghan Hawkes / First year on the Thames Goldfield 2017
Please credit Meghan Hawkes/ First year on the Thames Goldfield 2017 when re-using information from this blog.
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