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treasures. * But , at any rate , nature has lavished her favours more 
bountifully upon South Island. 
Let us direct our attention first to Golden Say (formerly Mas- 
sacre 1 lay). Already in 1842, on the occasion of an exploring ex- 
pedition undertaken by Captain Wakefield from Nelson to Massacre 
Bay, Mr. M\ Donald is said to have found small scales, which were 
supposed to lie gold. But no further notice was taken of them. 
Ideed , who would at that time have thought of, or believed in 
gold-fields, before the discoveries in California and Australia had 
rendered the tiling familiar. At length in 1856, the stirring news 
of the discovery of gold 18 miles from Nelson, in Biyg’s Gully, 
Motueka district, aroused in the minds of the colonists a general 
excitement. About 300 diggers rushed to the place ; but they soon 
left their diggings again, the produce being too inconsiderable; 
and it was not until 1859, that these first “Nelson Dimnnus” 
oO O 
were taken up again by a few diggers, and with pretty good 
success. 
The principal event of the year 1857 was the discovery of 
gold m the Aoveve District on Massacre Bay. In the beginning of 
the year Mr. W. Hough , a Nelson storekeeper, having some land 
at the Aorere , went over there in company with Mr. W. Light- 
band, a young man who had some experience as a gold digger in 
Australia. They commenced prospecting in some of the gullies. 
Mr. Hough shortly returned to Nelson , leaving Lightband to pro- 
secute his labours , with the assistance of some Maoris. They con- 
tinued steadily at work until they had obtained about three ounces 
of gold, which was forwarded to Nelson. This was the beffinningr 
of the development of the rich mineral resources of the province; 
and the greatest amount of credit is due to William Lightband, 
whose steady perseverance at the diggings induced others to go over 
and try for themselves. The first reports received from Lightband 
were to the effect that his average earnings were about ten shil- 
lings per day. Although this could not be called a splendid profit, 
1 In 1862 there were to be seen in the London Exhibition Terawiti Gold and 
Wairiki Gold from the Province of Wellington. 
