Rambles on the Golden Coast of New Zealand/Chapter 18

by Robert Caldwell Reid

THE REEFTON MINES.

CHAPTER XVIII.

UARTZ REEFS in the Inangahua district were first discovered in 1871. The discovery caused extreme excitement throughout every part of the coast, which soon extended to other parts of the Colony. Men of the largest experience in quartz-mining in Victoria, and at the Thames in the North Island, wandered hitherwards, the town of Reefton was laid out, and fabulous prices were speedily obtained for sections. The utmost difficulties had to be overcome in opening the earliest mines, and in getting crushing machinery on to several of the claims. After a year or two, handsome returns were obtained from three or four of the principal mines, and the field became fairly established. The population steadily increased, all the signs of prosperity became manifest, large hotels and stores were erected, and the lucky owners of them coined money. The “old, old story,” often related of Sandhurst, Pleasant Creek, Inglewood, Gympie, Grahamstown, and other quartzopoles followed. The scrip mania set in, and every man and woman in the neighbourhood speculated to a greater or smaller extent. Between the years 1872 and 1881, the scrip fever prevailed on all sides, not continuously, but at sudden intervals. At times the excitement in the brokers’ offices, and “under the verandahs,” was intense. Crowds congregated every night, more particularly on Saturday nights, in the main street, and “not a sound was heard” but scrip, scrip, everywhere. What tales of luck, both good and bad, could such men as Patrick Brennan, Joseph Kilgour, Morris Levy, Matty Byrne, and many others, tell of those days when the epidemic was in full rage in Reefton! The temptation to speculate became positively irresistible, when it was no unusual occurrence to witness the most veritable “new chum,” with possibly a better acquaintance with pewter quarts than golden quartz, converting a few five-pound notes into as many hundreds ere the sun had risen and set. Instances of this kind in Reefton were not far to seek. A quarter share in the once famous “Hopeful” claim, for instance, changed hands for what is known in sporting circles as a “pony,” and in a few months after the purchase, the holder of the share was receiving dividends of hundreds of pounds every month. Again followed, as invariably happens, times of depression, and some of the self-same shares were shortly after forfeited for a sixpenny call. And such has been the history of Reefton; since its opening, subject to great fluctuation. The reefs in the Inangahua district extend over a vast area of country. Some of them have yielded their shareholders handsome returns, while many of them have come far short of expectation, and others again have ended in utter disappointment. The Welcome Company stands foremost on the list of dividend-paying claims, and the Keep-it-Dark Company up to the present time takes second place. The Golden Fleece, Hopeful, Wealth of Nations, Energetic, Just-in-Time, Phoenix, Caledonian, Fiery Cross, Golden Treasure, and others, were all paying dividends some years ago, but the past year has been the worst, in respect to gold returns, that the Inangahua district has experienced since the reefs were in full swing. The Warden of the district, Mr Revell, in his last report to the Government, attributes the depression in a great measure to the rash speculations two years ago, the very heavy calls made during the past two years (amounting to no less than £110,801), and the non-success of some of the new undertakings. The estimated population on the 31st of March last, in the Inangahua district, was 2757, nearly half of whom were residing in the town of Reefton. The yield of gold for the last twelve months was—alluvial, 6307 ozs. of the value of £23,966, 12s.; from quartz reefs, 16,547 ozs. of the value of £64,456, 7s. 5d.: or a total value of £88,422, 19s. 5d. During the past twelve months reported on by the Warden, only three claims had paid dividends as follows:—Keep-it-Dark Company, £12,000; Fiery Cross Company, £3000; and Welcome Company, £1500. Forty-six Companies, during the same period, made calls on their shareholders amounting to £49,456, 5s.

Numerous seams of coal are in existence in this district, and there has recently been discovered veins of argentiferous galena, particles of stream tin and zinc-blende, copper, antimony, and other minerals.

An exciting incident and melancholy accident, which occurred during one of my rambles among the Reefton mines, is perhaps worthy of mention, as the narrow escape we had may act as a caution to those who, simply from curiosity, desire to enter long tunnels or deep shafts in mining claims. After spending a day at Boatman’s Creek, viewing the then promising claims of the Hopeful, Welcome, Fiery Cross, and Just-in-Time Companies, watching the cleaning up of 1700 ozs. of amalgam from the Hopeful blankets, the result of the week’s work, and others in smaller proportion, we arranged to spend the following day, 28th November 1876, at Black’s Point, and at the Golden Fleece Company’s claim. When we reached the company’s battery, the rain came down in torrents, and all the small creeks around became suddenly flooded. Leaving the battery and reaching the engine house, we chatted for ten minutes with the engine driver, Thomas Williams, who remarked upon the heavy rainfall, but no danger was apprehended. I stepped on board the cage, along with Mr Trennery, mining manager of the company, when Williams lowered us down the shaft gently, as far as the fourth level to a depth of 330 ft., where we had a good look round the workings. Returning to the shaft, the mining manager rang the bell for the cage to take us to the next lower level. A truck full of quartz went up, and while we were waiting on the platform for the cage to return, a loud sounding voice was heard from the top of the shaft, calling out, “Look out, you fellows, below; we are getting flooded out here!” We rang the bell again, and for a few minutes got no answer. All this time I was watching every expression visible on Trennery’s countenance. I dared not venture an opinion on the situation. He seemed

WEALTH OF NATIONS BATTERY, REEFTON.

anxious to know what the next alarm would be. A second call brought down the loud cry from the top, “Engine and house carried away; engine-driver killed; come up the winze!” Off started Trennery up the muddy ladders, and all hands quickly behind him. When we reached the second level the rain was coming down in torrents. It had come down, we were told, like a waterspout, immediately after we entered the tunnel, and the whole place was flooded. The engine-house was smashed to atoms with a land slip, and poor Williams, the engine-driver, was killed by the engine falling on him. Two minutes more, and we would have been on our way up the shaft. I mention this as an instance, though rather an unusual one, of the dangers which do, at times, attend mining underground.

Mr Jonathan Harrison, F.G.S., writing to the Colliery Guardian, thus refers to his visit to the Reefton mines:—“I was highly interested when standing on the ranges, 1500 ft. above the river, to see such indications of enormous belts of gold-bearing quartz reefs, extending for miles, with a strike north and south; also looking south-east the mind is at once struck in contemplating the future greatness of this vast and inexhaustible gold-mining district. These ranges, whose tops and heights for hundreds of feet have been denuded of their micaceous slate, have parted with their precious metal from the eroded quartz reefs during the drift period. Nature has done a great deal to help the gold-mining in this country, as the rocks which have been ground down must have been something enormous in lifting up these huge ranges, and tearing and rending the rocks of slate into various forms and shapes. The quartz reefs, in the grinding process, have been pulverised so fine that they have parted with their gold, hence the enormous deposits of shingle or drift in the Grey Valley, and, in judging by the past, some of the reefs in the district will be found of great richness in the future.

“The reefs of the West Coast yield, on an average, 1 oz. 4 dwts. to the ton. This vast reefing country extends for two hundred miles, a large portion of which the foot of the white man has never trod. A large amount of slate rock is covered with drifts; the soft gold-bearing reefs have been carried down the creeks, clearly showing this is a fine field for a prospecting syndicate to raise money and go to work with a diamond drill. A prospecting license for three square miles can be taken up for one penny per acre for one year.

“In the Souvenier claim, at Reefton, a magnificent lode of rich antimony has been discovered 6 ft. in width and a great distance in length, this antimony carrying a good percentage of gold, making it of great value. The antimony, when smelted, is worth £70 per ton. The district is unique, and good openings are offered to English capitalists.

“On the proposed route of the East and West Coast railway from here viâ Reefton to Christchurch, and about thirty miles east of Reefton, the granite ranges set in, near which some stream tin, copper, and other minerals have been found.”