THE TECHNOLOGIST. [June 1, 1864. 



516 HISTORY OF THE 



abandoned their ordinary employments for the more tempting and 

 exciting pursuit of gold-seeking. Some three or four hundred people 

 proceeded to the scene of the new discovery, but only a small proportion 

 obtained any gold worth the labour and expense of procuring, and in a 

 short time the diggings were deserted by all but a few experienced 

 hands, who managed to earn good wages. Just about this time gold was 

 discovered on the Kakanui, and also near Moeraki. The credit of dis- 

 covering gold in the Lihdis was claimed by a man named M'Intyre, who 

 was induced to search for it in consequence of the resemblance the 

 district bore to the gold-bearing regions of California, where he had pre- 

 viously worked. He found gold in small quantities from the Lindis 

 Eiver to the Hamea Lake. In the early part of this year (1861) the 

 Nelson gold fields again attracted the notice of the colonists. The older 

 diggings were yielding satisfactorily, and several important new dis- 

 coveries were made. The Wangapeka Eiver was found to be gold- 

 bearing, and the reports spread concerning its auriferous character caused 

 great excitement throughout the colony. The season was, however, 

 unfavourable for mining operations, and the real value of the discovery 

 was not ascertained for some time afterwards. News was also received 

 of the discovery of gold on the west coast, some Maoris having brought 

 to Nelson 27 ounces of gold procured in the most primitive manner. 

 These natives had picked up a slight knowledge af gold mining on the 

 Aorere gold field, and on returning to visit their settlement on the west 

 coast they had fossicked about the banks of the Eiver Buller, and found 

 gold without much difficulty. The gold was found about 25 miles from 

 the mouth of the river. This statement produced great excitement 

 amongst the Nelson people, and despite the very difficxdt nature of the 

 country between Nelson and the Buller, and the approach of winter, a 

 number of adventurous miners set out for the scene of the new dis- 

 covery. 



In the month of June, 1861, a discovery was made in the Province 

 of Otago which was destined to exercise an enormous influence on the 

 future, not only on the whole of that Province, but of the whole colony 

 of New Zealand. Mr. Gabriel Eeid had been led hy curiosity to attempt 

 to verify the reported presence of gold, and in the course of his pro- 

 specting expedition had examined the ravines and tributaries of the 

 Waitahuna and Tuapeka rivers. His only tools were a tin dish and 

 butcher's knife, but in one place he succeeded in collecting seven ounces 

 of gold for ten hours' work, and obtained gold in payable quantities in 

 various creeks and gullies. At first Mr. Bead's statements were received 

 with a good deal of incredulity, but further investigation proved their 

 correctness. The most promising indications were found in the valley 

 of the Tuapeka Eiver, as much as seven pounds weight being procured 

 by one party in a few days with the most simple appliances. The 

 existence of a rich gold field on this spot was so conclusively established 

 that the Provincial Government felt justified in giving official publicity 



