Page:Old Westland (1939).pdf/279

Rh Meanwhile Brunnerton had become a thriving centre, other mines having been opened in the vicinity, many men finding employment there. Steadily increasing in importance, Westland’s principal coal-producing centre was proclaimed a borough in 1887. Nine years later, in 1896, there occurred the terrible disaster by which 65 men and boys were entombed. . . ..

Throughout the years the fields continued to grow in importance, and many new mines were developed in the Grey-Inangahua districts. In 1901 the State Mines came into existence, and 20 years later certain areas were worked by the co-operative system. The total output from the two districts, from the inception of the Brunner mine in 1864 to 1937, is as follows: Greymouth 16,554,417 tons, Reefton 1,012,406 tons; grand total 17,566,823 tons.

Apart from the opening of the Grey-Brunner Railway, the year 1876 is also important as it marks the last big gold rush staged in Old Westland; for then Kumara, birthplace of the New Zealand Liberal Party, came into existence. True, some years later, in 1882, a rush took place to the township we now know as Rimu, and a little later Seddon’s Terrace was the scene of some activity. On both fields good gold was obtained, and though highly payable they did not approach in magnitude