Page:Rambles on the Golden Coast of New Zealand.djvu/216

172 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