✨ Goldfields Report
OREPUKI AND LONGWOOD GOLDFIELDS.
WARDEN’S REPORT.
The main workings are on the western side of the Longwood Range, and occupy an area of about nine miles facing Te Waiwai Bay. They have now been worked for over three years. The number of miners has increased slightly during the last year, and generally the same men have been employed here from the discovery until now. The gold is very fine, was first discovered in the creeks, and has thence been followed into the terraces, where it is now worked at various depths up to forty feet. The plan universally followed is ground sluicing, and the only limit to the extension of the workings is, limit in supply of water.
There are about forty miles of head races, cut at a cost, for labor, of about four thousand pounds. Levels have lately been taken for two races of eight miles each, which, if successfully completed, will give increased employment for a hundred men.
The same system of working is followed at Lake George, about eight miles to the eastward, and at Moa Creek, and other creeks on the eastern side of the Range.
The gold on the eastern side is heavier—nuggets of several ounces weight having been found. A race has been formed there of five miles in length, at a cost of nine hundred pounds.
Several small veins of auriferous quartz have been discovered; but further prospecting has now ceased for the winter.
The estimated population of the goldfield is 150 men, 14 women, and 44 children. The average price of provisions as follows—viz., meat, 7d per lb.; flour, £25 per ton. Other stores and clothing about thirty per cent. higher than town prices. Cost of living from 25s to 30s per week. The population being settled, gardens are numerous among the miners.
The rate of wages is about £3 10s per week; not having varied more than 10s during the last three years.
About three miles of the sea beach was profitably worked three years ago, and in many places still yields from £2 to £3 per week.
The principal capital expended here has been the miners' labor—in first cutting water races, and consequently only the nearest streams have been brought in.
By the employment of capital from other quarters in extending the supply of water, and opening sludge channels, a large area of known auriferous ground might be profitably worked, and a greatly increased population supported.
Henry Rogers,
Warden.
Orepuki, 1st April, 1870.
Printed under the authority of the Provincial Government of Southland, by Craig and Co., of Invercargill, N.Z., Printers to the said Provincial Government for the time being.
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Southland Provincial Gazette 1870, No 4
✨ LLM interpretation of page content
🌾 Warden's Report on Orepuki and Longwood Goldfields
🌾 Primary Industries & Resources1 April 1870
Gold mining, Orepuki, Longwood, Warden's report, Southland, Goldfields, Water races, Population, Wages, Provisions
- Henry Rogers, Warden reporting on goldfields
- Henry Rogers, Warden