Page:Banking Under Difficulties- Or Life On The Goldfields Of Victoria, New South Wales And New Zealand (1888).pdf/132

Rh was read by a layman. This was the first public funeral in Hokitika.

Sunday, 5th February.—At the Waimea all day; took up my quarters at store; Walmsley at Cassidy’s. We were both very busy during the day. Towards evening I put my saddle-bags, containing gold and notes, in a flour sack. Walmsley came in soon after and put his valise in the same bag, on the top of my saddle-bags. I had no dinner, so asked a storekeeper named G. W (formerly in our bank at Otago) to keep an eye on the bag while I went out to get something to eat. W was a storekeeper on the Waimea, but being unwell that day, and to be a bit quiet, had come across to, and was lying on a kind of bed on the ground. Walmsley was in and out, so away I went to a digger’s tent to get something to eat. My friend had scones and tea, of which I partook, and had a hearty meal. That over, I went back to the store and found the place in a state of commotion. Walmsley’s valise was missing! I didn't ask any questions about my saddle-bags, but walked into the room at the back of the store, where I saw the bushel-bag on the floor, in passing which I gave it a kick, and finding it heavy felt considerably relieved. At the first opportunity I opened it and found the saddle-bags as I had left them, I watched them pretty closely for the remainder of the trip. Walmsley was as cool as if nothing had happened. His valise was gone, and that’s all he could say. Fortunately Broham was on the spot. The loss was reported to him. Both he and Walmsley remained up the whole night. I slept in a small tent with Revell and another. We were greatly annoyed with drunken fellows rolling up against the tent. I was up soon after daylight, and was disgusted to find some old sacks we had rolled up and used as a pillow were quite maggotty: maggots nearly an inch long. Went down to the creek and had a wash, then to. Was delighted to hear that Broham had succeeded in finding some of the lost treasure. At daylight Broham, who was on the watch, saw N come out of his tent and go to a small terrace, some little distance away. He was not there many minutes when he returned and went into his tent again. As soon as he was inside Broham went to the terrace, and on searching about discovered the valise, with £670 out of the £800 in notes, but no sign of the gold. N was taken up on suspicion, but nothing could be proved against him. The value of the gold lost was £920. The loss fell upon the Bank of New Zealand, and Walmsley lost his situation. He was not long idle, for being in want of good officers on the Coast, I recommended our Nelson manager to take him on, which he did at once, sending him down to me.

What became of the missing gold? I think I have a clue to the mysterious affair. Soon after the robbery N went to