Throughout this year the various fields continued to yield in a satisfactory manner, 521,000 ounces being won; this was roughly 40,000 ounces less than the previous year, and it was now apparent that most of the “easy” gold had been obtained. So settled was Old Westland by 1868 that in July Greymouth was proclaimed a borough, Hokitika attaining a similar dignity one month later. In 1869 the population was steadily decreasing, and in consequence of this many fires took place, history repeating itself, for successive great conflagrations have ever been inevitable adjuncts to declining goldfields. These disastrous outbreaks, which occurred at Ross, Hokitika and Greymouth, did much damage and very large sums were paid by insurance companies. Perhaps the worst fire of all took place at the latter town, when three banks, three hotels, seven large stores and sundry shops and offices were destroyed.
At this time there were about 3,000 Chinese diggers throughout the fields, and the sons of the Flowery Land were far from popular. Though they were most excellent workers—industrious, honest and inoffensive—the Europeans would have none of them. Their objection was deep seated, and did not originate in the country. It commenced on the Australian goldfields, and when the great invasion from there occurred, and thousands
