1853 - Earp, G. B. New Zealand: Its Emigration and Gold Fields - CHAPTER XVII. THE AUCKLAND GOLD FIELDS.

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CHAPTER XVII.

THE AUCKLAND GOLD FIELDS.

SINCE this work was written, a productive gold field has been found in the vicinity of Auckland, viz., near Coromandel Harbour at the mouth of the Thames, a large river running into the Waipa country. This gold field was discovered by a Mr. Ring, a former settler, who had just returned from California, and, like Mr. Hargraves in New South Wales, was struck with the geological similarity of the district to that of the American continent. Gold has been found in sufficient quantities to render a thorough exploration necessary, but, in consequence of the lands belonging to the natives, much difficulty will be experienced by the Government in obtaining possession so that the extent of the gold mines may be properly investigated.

It is now well known that the gold of New South Wales was brought to light by Mr. Hargraves, a returned settler from California; but, previous to this, its existence had for many years been predicted by the Rev. Mr. Clarke in various ways. Singularly enough, the same scientific gentleman, as late as July last, expressed a similar opinion as to the gold-producing capa-

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bilities of New Zealand, in a letter to a gentleman at Wellington. The following is an extract:--

St. Leonard's, New South Wales, July 7, 1852.

"I have long been impressed with the persuasion that New Zealand must contain a portion of those more ancient formations which, in this country, are found to be auriferous. Everything in the physical geography of these countries induces my conclusion; and I am not at all put out of conceit with the circumstances attending a late alleged discovery of gold and subsequent disappointment.

"Since my return, I have had given to me for examination some specimens of quartz from, I believe, the vicinity of Wellington. One of these is very ferruginous; and on applying the file to the surface, three or four patches of gold made their appearance; so that I have positive proof of the auriferous character of some of your rocks. I doubt not that search, properly conducted, in the granite and slate regions, will be rewarded. "W. B. CLARKE."

Of the fact there is no doubt, and little less of the productiveness of the mines. The following intelligence will give all that is yet known on the subject:--

Considerable interest has been excited by the exhibition of a remarkably fine specimen of auriferous quartz sent by Lieut.-Governor Wynyard from Coromandel, and conveyed by Dr. Thomson of the 58th Regiment. This specimen differs most materially in appearance from any of the gold-bearing quartz of Australia or California which we have ever beheld. It is much darker in the colour; and, instead of showing the gold in specks or crystals, the precious metal is completely disseminated throughout the mass. So rich is this specimen that they who are sceptical of New Zealand proving an available gold field are exceedingly suspicious of deception, many feeling disposed to pronounce this specimen a foreign importation. We are not of those who think so. The small quantity of gold that has

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yet come to market is, in our opinion, no argument whatever against its possibly abundant existence. As far as we can learn there are, as yet, but four parties at the diggings, and these not so well found in mining apparatus as to warrant a confident opinion being expressed either way. No sinking of any depth has been effected, --the greatest depth that we have heard of not exceeding six feet. The course of the creek has not been turned; and the means of freeing the holes from the water are so imperfect that half the day's labour is lost in baling. As at first, let whosoever will wash the surface soil, his labours are rewarded with more or less gold. We contend, therefore, that until much more is accomplished than any thing that has hitherto been done, it would be altogether premature to express any decided opinion as to the probable productiveness or non-productiveness of the Coromandel diggings. We must guard against being led astray by those whose interest or imagination may cause them to paint the auriferous regions couleur de rose; and we must take care not to be blinded by others who may quietly prosecute their mining operations, and say nothing of their success, lest a license fee should be exacted, and their gains be thereby diminished. We do know that there are parties sticking to the pursuit; and we have therefore a right to presume that that pursuit is not altogether a barren one.

According to a current and generally credited report, his excellency the Lieutenant-Governor is represented as having laid the foundation of a very excellent arrangement with the natives, for permission to dig on their auriferous lands. It has been proposed, it is said, to pay a sum of 3OOl. for every 500 licensed diggers, and at the rate of 6OOl. for 1,000 diggers that may be licensed, and so on in proportion. To this arrangement the natives are reported to be favourable. If so, we shall heartily congratulate the Lieutenant-Governor and the colonists on the successful accomplishment of his very judicious negotiation.

For the subjoined particulars respecting the auriferous specimen in question, together with the sundry other topics con-

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nected with the gold fields, we are indebted to the pen of a recent intelligent visitor:--

"This specimen weighs 752 grains troy weight, or about an ounce and a half. Now as the specific gravity of quartz rock is 2.5, and the specific gravity of the specimen is 3.8, it follows that one-third of the mass, or about half an ounce of it, is gold. This is decidedly the best specimen I have yet seen, and I have therefore carefully endeavoured to ascertain that it is the actual produce of New Zealand. The finders of it were Owen and Williams, two sawyers who had been resident at Kikowhakarere for many years. They have recently at various times discovered small specimens of a similar character. They have their 'Long Tom' at the junction of a small tributary with the Kapenga, below all the other diggers. Neither of the men have ever been at any other diggings. The specimen is abrupt at its edges, as if it had not suffered much friction, and from its appearance I am inclined to infer that it is broken off from a rock having a similar structure. The Lieutenant-Governor has, I believe, completed all the arrangements with the natives, so that diggers may commence work at the several places, now numerous, where indications of gold, and gold itself, have been found. Hard work, industry, and a small capital laid out with judgment, are now the only things required to determine the momentous question whether the gold can be lucratively worked in New Zealand. I avoid speculating, however, on a subject which as yet defies all speculation; but if the hills around Coromandel will yield, as I am led to believe, to hard working men a moderate daily return by gold-digging, we will always have, now and then, men of enterprising spirit trying their fortune at this gambling and seductive occupation, in the hope of picking up a great nugget. For gold-digging is here robbed of many of its horrors. There is no difficulty of getting to the place, and the numerous large trees which grow on both sides of the rivulets give to the workers a protection from the burning rays of the sun, and the inclemency of the weather, which no other diggings afford.

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"Dr. Thomson, of the 58th Regiment, has acquired an interesting addition to the Fauna of New Zealand, which he obtained at the diggings. It is a frog, which was found alive on removing a large quartz boulder from its original bed. The animal was carefully examined by several intelligent natives at Coromandel, but only one man had ever seen a similar creature before, and this occurred several years ago, at the digging of a saw-pit; but I am told there have been others seen at Waiheki. They have no name for it in the Maori language, and they exhibited much astonishment on beholding the animal. They said it must be the Atua, the spirit or god of the gold, which had appeared upon the earth, and the 'croakers' among the assembled tribes were inclined to draw unfavourable omens from the discovery of this strange animal in New Zealand at such a peculiar time."

GOLD DIGGERS' PROVISIONAL REGULATIONS.

(From the Government Gazette.)

Whereas arrangements have been made by the colonial government with the native owners of certain portions of land in the neighbourhood of Coromandel, in the district of Auckland, with a view to the management of the gold field which has recently been discovered therein, his Excellency the Lieutenant-Governor has been pleased, with the advice of the Executive Council, to direct the publication of the following provisional regulations, under which licenses may be obtained to dig, search for, and remove alluvial gold, on and from the demesne land of the Crown in the said district: And whereas, with a view to render the remaining portions of the said gold field speedily available to the public generally, and on equal terms, it is expedient that no person shall, without due authority, dig, search for, or remove gold on or from such portions of the said gold field until they shall have been placed under the management of the colonial government, and the public are hereby warned that no such license as aforesaid will at any time hereafter be

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granted to any person who shall, without due authority, dig, search for, or remove gold from any portion of the said gold field which shall not have been made subject to the government regulations.

Regulations for the working of matrix gold combined with quartz or any other rock, remaining in its original place of deposit, will be published as soon as conveniently may be, and as occasion may require.

Regulations for the working of gold on land alienated by the Crown in fee simple, will shortly be made public.

All alluvial or matrix gold procured without due authority, within the district aforesaid, will be liable to be seized, in whose possession soever it may be found.

From and after the 1st day of December 1852, no person will be permitted to dig, search for, or remove gold on or from any land, public or private, within the said district, without taking out a license in the form hereunto annexed.

Every such license shall continue in force for one calendar month, and shall commence and take effect on the 1st day of the month in which it shall be dated.

For every such license there shall be paid, in advance, the sum of 1l. 10s. But if a license be taken out after the 15th of the month, one-half only of the said fee will be charged; provided that permits already issued shall remain in force till the 1st day of January 1853, without any charge.

The licenses will be issued from the office of the colonial secretary at Auckland, but they may be renewed on the gold field by a commissioner.

No person will be eligible to obtain a license, or the transfer or renewal of a license, unless he shall produce a certificate of discharge from his last service, or show, to the satisfaction of the officer by whom such license may be granted, transferred, or renewed, that he is not a person improperly absent from hired service.

Any such licenses as aforesaid may be cancelled, in case the holder thereof shall be convicted, by competent authority, of

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the illicit sale of spirituous liquors, wine, ale, or beer or of any disorderly or riotous conduct, endangering the public peace.

With the view to the security of person and property, and to promote peaceable and orderly conduct on the gold field, the name and description of every person who shall be convicted of the illicit sale of spirituous or other liquors, or of disorderly or riotous conduct on the field, will be forwarded to the officer by whom licenses may be issued, transferred, or renewed, and no license will be granted or transferred to, or renewed in favour of, any person so convicted as aforesaid.

Persons found working alluvial gold on any land within the district aforesaid, without having previously paid the license fee to the proper officer, shall pay 5l. instead of the usual fee for the first license he may take out, and, in default thereof, will be proceeded against according to law.

Every person desirous of establishing a claim to a particular portion of unoccupied ground, by working, in the ordinary method, for alluvial gold, may have his claim marked out, on the following scale, viz., not less than--

1. Fifteen feet frontage to either side of a river.

2. Twenty feet of the bed of a tributary to a river or main creek, extending across its whole breadth.

3. Sixty feet of the bed of a ravine or water-course.

4. Twenty feet square of table-land, or river flats.

Such claim will be secured to the party for such time only as he may continue to hold a license for and work the same.

If any dispute shall arise in respect of any such claim, reference should be forthwith made by the claimant to the commissioner, who is hereby authorized to hear and summarily determine the case upon the spot.

The owners of all claims who may employ men on hire to assist them in working alluvial gold, and who may take out licenses for them, will be entitled, on application to the commissioner, to have the licenses of such men transferred to other labourers. In every such case the license must be produced to

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the commissioner, who will endorse thereon, without any additional fee, the name and transferee.

Persons desirous of constructing tram-roads, or forming reservoirs or dams on the gold field, for the purpose of washing gold, must make application to the commissioner for permission so to do: and any tram-road, reservoir, or dam which may have been constructed with the requisite permission, will be reserved for the exclusive use of the applicant in case such tram-road, reservoir, or dam shall not, in the opinion of the commissioner, be detrimental to the public interest.

His Excellency the Lieutenant-Governor having returned from Coromandel late on Wednesday evening, has lost no time in placing the result of his negotiations with the native owners of the gold fields, before the public. A meeting of the gentlemen elected to serve as members of the Provincial Council for New Ulster was yesterday invited; and to these, as the only representatives of the people, his Excellency submitted a precis of the very successful and judicious arrangement into which he has so far been enabled to enter. Of those arrangements we imagine every right-thinking person must approve; and as their scope is likely to be speedily and largely extended by the assent of other tribes as yet in a state of dubiety, we trust every person will perceive the importance of a faithful adherence to the government regulations.

The arrangements entered into are to continue for the space of three years, commencing on the 1st December next.

The government contracts to pay the native proprietors as follows:--For every 500 diggers at the rate of 600l. per square mile per annum. For 500 to 1,000 diggers, 900l. For 1,000 to 1,500 diggers, l,200l. For 1,500 to 2,000 diggers, l,500l. per square mile per annum.

The native owners are to register themselves, and are to be paid in proportion to the interest they hold in the block of land authorized to be mined.

Native owners are to be permitted to dig free of charge.

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The Government guarantee protection. All persons must therefore take out a license.

The native owners undertake to assist the Government in the protection of the diggers.

The property in the soil to remain with the natives. Villages and cultivated lands to be protected as much as possible.

Any natives who withhold their assent to these arrangements, are on no account to be intruded on.

A charge of two shillings on each license is to be paid to the native owners in consideration of the confidence reposed by them in the exertions of the Government in their behalf.

Three tribes have assented to these arrangements; and, in consequence, about 10,000 acres, or sixteen square miles, have already been made available for the purpose of gold digging. This block is situated at Coromandel. A much larger adhesion to the Government plan is almost immediately expected; and it is believed that the non-assenting natives will, with their usual acuteness, become so thoroughly aware of the vast importance it will be to their present and future prosperity to render every facility to the gold miners, that they will speedily place the entire peninsula from Cape Colville to Kawaranga, a distance of from forty to fifty miles, at the disposal of the Government.

These, then, are the arrangements that have been proposed. In our opinion nothing can be more fair or judicious to both races; and we sincerely trust that both will maintain the utmost good faith in their observance.

A definite block having thus been ceded to the Government to commence with, it cannot be too strongly impressed upon our fellow-colonists how important it must be not to intrude upon the lands of natives not yet parties to these arrangements. Should they do so, whether for the purpose of prospecting or anything else, they may incur peril to themselves, and plunge the colony and the Government into wanton and unnecessary danger. Prudence and patience!--and the natives who now hold aloof will quickly find it to be their interest to subscribe

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to the opinions of their more confiding fellow-countrymen. Let not the golden prospects now dawning on New Zealand be ruined by any childish impatience. We say, advisedly, that the Government which has shown such a thoughtful care for the interests of the natives will not overlook those of the Europeans; but it is only by the cordial co-operation of all parties that these measures can be effectually carried out, and the golden hopes of the colonists assured.

With respect to the latest news from the diggings, the best tidings we can supply may he inferred from the fact that the government are so fully persuaded that an available gold field does exist, that they have framed a code of regulations for its governance, which will almost immediately be issued. The character of the auriferous region is affirmed to correspond with that of the Ural. The geological indications are the same, and the same the meridian trend of the mountains.

Hitherto the diggers have been but a mere handful; and not a tithe of these provided with the requisite gear. The field of their labour has also, until Tuesday last, being confined to the beds of the creeks and water-courses. On Tuesday, however, the scene of operation was changed to dry diggings on the hill sides. It is, of course, too early to speculate on the success likely to attend that change. Each succeeding arrival, however, appears to report favourable progress; and the rumour daily becomes stronger that a rich gold field is likely to be speedily made manifest. --Southern Cross, Nov. 26.

Auckland, Nov. 10.
The course of the river must be turned by the clubbing together of the diggers, before an ounce a day, to a party of three, is likely to be obtained. Such a proceeding will be remunerative, because, from the weight of the gold, it will always find its way to the lowest part of the bed during the agitation of water in floods; and experience proves that the lower the diggings the richer and heavier are the grains. The river has also evidently traversed the whole breadth of the

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various flats in the valley; and therefore, the channel so dug to divert the water may be. expected to yield good earth for washing. California and Port Phillip diggers here say that the surface washings at those places are often not more rich than these; even on very good diggings. They say that when the water is low in the summer "there will be plenty of gold found." This is said by persons who have no interest in the reward. The most interesting circumstance, however, is the discovery of gold at Arataonga, on the eastern coast. I went there yesterday "prospecting," and found gold in the first pan washed; no one had previously crossed the dividing Range on the search. The Range is about 2,900 feet in height, and is crowned by a sharp ridge of white quartz. Arataonga is a small harbour, facing the great Mercury Island, and is the next bay but one south of Port Charles (on the map). Out of about six pans washed, four gave gold specks and grains. I have since found it in some quartz from the Range. I had not the means to dig down, nor of remaining above an hour in the valley. The discovery is interesting, as an opinion, derived from Australian experience, I believe, existed to the effect that gold was never found on the eastern slope of a range.

Civil Secretary's Office, Wellington, Nov. 8, 1852.

His Excellency the Governor-in-Chief has been pleased to direct the publication, for general information, of the following extracts from a report by Major Nugent, native secretary at Auckland, relative to a recent discovery of gold in the neighbourhood of Coromandel Harbour, together with the report from the secretary of the "Gold Reward Committee" in that settlement on the subject. --By his Excellency's command,

ALFRED DOMETT, Civil Secretary.

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(EXTRACTS.)

Auckland, Oct. 23 1852.

I arrived at Coromandel Harbour on the evening of the 19th, and having ascertained beyond doubt that gold had been discovered in a stream running down in a southerly direction from the high range of hills, into Coromandel Harbour, I proceeded next morning to the settlement of the chief "Paora," who was stated to have the principal claim to the land in which the gold was found. * * * *

Prom the nature of the country it would appear that gold must be diffused along the whole range of hills extending from Cape Colville into the interior. --I have, &c.

(Signed) C. L. Nugent, Native Secretary.

REPORT OF THE GENERAL GOLD REWARD COMMITTEE, TO HIS EXCELLENCY THE LIEUT.-GOVERNOR OF NEW ULSTER.

Auckland, Oct. 23, 1852. Sir, --I have the honour, by order of the Gold Reward Committee, and pursuant to a resolution unanimously adopted, a copy of which is subjoined, to enclose for the information of his Excellency the Lieut.-Governor, a copy of the report furnished to the committee by the deputation who visited the locality where it is alleged gold has been discovered. --I have the honour, &c.

(Signed) Thomas S. Forsaith, Secretary to Committee. Moved by Mr. Gilfillan, seconded by Mr. Hughes, "That the secretary be instructed to forward a copy of the report of the deputation to his Excellency the Lieutenant-Governor."

REPORT OF THE SUB-COMMITTEE ON RECENT GOLD DISCOVERT IN THE COROMANDEL DISTRICT.

The sub-committee appointed by the General Gold Reward Committee to proceed to Kikawhakareti, for the purpose of

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making further inquiry relative to certain gold deposits reported by Messrs. C. and F. Ring to have been discovered by them in the Coromandel district, have the honour to report, --

That they sailed from Auckland, accompanied by Major Nugent, native secretary, and Mr. Johnston of that department, in the Undine schooner, at ten o'clock on the night of Monday, the 18th instant, and anchored in Coromandel Harbour at nine o'clock on Tuesday evening.

They landed at six o'clock on the following morning, and proceeded to M'Gregor's Bay, where they learned that the Messrs. Ring had left but a short time before for the creek where the gold had been discovered.

Your committee started at half-past eleven for the creek, and after travelling about three miles over ranges of fern hills, they came to the bed of a large creek which empties itself into Coromandel Harbour.

On proceeding up this creek they found immense blocks of quartz, thickly strewed along its bed, and cropping out of its sides, and having ascended about a mile and a half they reached a bend of the creek, where they found Ring's party at work, sinking into the bed of it, the water having been turned off a short distance above.

Your committee had a quantity of the stuff taken out of this hole, and washed under their inspection, and every panful of it produced a few specks of gold.

The creek was examined in several other places in this locality, and portions of the soil dug up from its sides and washed, in all of which gold, in more or less minute particles, was observed, convincing your committee that the soil all along this part of the creek is impregnated with the precious ore.

On returning in the evening, a hole was dug at a place about half a mile further down and a quantity of the soil washed, but without any visible satisfactory result.

The vessel having been brought round during the day to M'Gregor's Bay, your committee returned on board for the

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night, having first made arrangements to start with Ring's party early the next morning; and accordingly they landed at six o'clock on Thursday morning, and proceeded to the creek, accompanied by Major Nugent.

About half-way between the place of entering it, and the spot where the investigations were made the day before, a favourable indication was noticed at a bar in the creek, and a quantity of the gravel and earth removed, a panful was taken from about two feet below the surface, and washed, it produced a number of scales of gold--several further portions of the soil in this neighbourhood were washed, and produced gold; at a short distance still lower down the creek, another party, which had arrived that morning from Auckland, took out, we believe, several larger grains of gold.

In the mean time Mr. C. Ring found it necessary to abandon the first digging, owing to the obstruction offered to his reaching the bed rock by the presence of large quartz boulders, and he commenced a new opening at some distance from the first. This attempt also he was forced to give up for the same reason; but a quantity of the stuff was washed by him in the presence of Major Nugent, and a number of fine specks of gold produced. After dinner an opening was made by Mr. Frederick Ring, assisted by some of your committee, who succeeded, after much hard labour, in sinking down to a depth of about four feet and a half. One or two pans of the stuff was taken out of this hole, as the work progressed, and washed, but did not produce anything. Another panful was washed just before leaving for the night, and the largest and best-looking specimen yet discovered in the creek was found in the bottom of the pan with several other smaller particles.

Your committee had previously determined to leave for Auckland on Thursday evening, but as it was hoped that by sinking deeper into this last hole, coarser deposits of gold might be discovered, it was resolved to give another day's trial, especially as the result of their investigations, although to a certain extent very satisfactory, would not enable them

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to report so decidedly on the value of the discovery as they wished to be able to do on their return to Auckland,

The weather on Friday morning, however, was unfavourable for work, and Mr. Ring's party did not proceed to the creek.

Your committee landed at the bay in the morning, and had the satisfaction to see a number of good specimens of gold brought in during the day by several other persons, who, notwithstanding the state of the weather, had been at work in the creek. One man brought in a small piece, which might be termed a nugget, as it was the first assuming that form which had been taken out.

The weather continued bad all day on Friday, and all that night, and on Saturday morning the vessel was got under weigh at six o'clock, and your committee left for Auckland.

Mr. Ring had a machine for working made at M'Gregor's settlement while your committee were there, which he intended to bring into operation as soon as he returns to work, and from all that your committee have observed they have no doubt but that he will in a very short time produce gold in such quantities as will prove so satisfactory to the general committee as will induce a fuller inspection by themselves on the ground.
(Signed)

W. C. DALBY. JOHN MACFARLANE.
JAMES MACKY. PATRICK DIGNAN.
JOHN WILLIAMSON.
Schooner Undine, Saturday, Oct. 23, 1852.

Civil Secretary's Office, Wellington, Nov. 15, 1852.
His Excellency the Governor-in-Chief has been pleased to direct the publication, for general information, of the following extracts from a despatch of his Excellency the Lieutenant-Governor of New Ulster respecting the discovery of Gold in the neighbourhood of Coromandel Harbour. --By his Excellency's command,

ALFRED DOMETT, Civil Secretary.

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Auckland, Oct. 30, 1862.

SIR, --Having visited Coromandel harbour, agreeably to the arrangements communicated in the concluding part of my despatch of the 25th instant, respecting the discovery of gold in that neighbourhood, I have now the honour to acquaint your Excellency that I sailed from hence in the Border Maid, on the 27th, accompanied by the following gentlemen -- Major Nugent, native secretary; Mr. Johnston, interpreter; Mr. Wood, deputy-surveyor-general; Mr. Heaphy, draftsman and assistant; Lieut. Wynyard, A. D. C.; Mr. Forsaith, on the part of the provincial council--in order to meet any emergency that might possibly arise, should the discovery prove an available field, or the natives in any way excited.

Having anchored the same evening at my destination, I proceeded the following morning to the creek where the gold exists, and having remained for some hours on the spot, I can report from personal observation, that, as yet, the ore can only be obtained in very small particles, although in every place some was assuredly found--quite sufficient indication, however, to warrant the conclusion that ere long (as in New South Wales) larger quantities may reward the digger, and hasten to advance the prosperity of the province.

Before leaving Coromandel I visited the native settlement, and ascertained that no opposition whatever would be offered to the Europeans while searching about the ravines; but as soon as gold is found in any quantity, they would then appeal to the government; which I conceive is an agreeable assurance that nothing at present arising from the discovery is likely to disturb the good understanding that exists between the races.

From all I have seen and heard, I have reason to feel perfectly satisfied with the result of my inquiries. --I have the honour to be, Sir, your obedient servant,

(Signed) R. H. WYNYARD, Lieut.-Governor.

London: Printed by STEWART and MURRAY, Old Bailey.