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Below is the timeline section of the document. Additional sections are: Some Significant Physical Features and Karangahake Research Summaries. All are referenced.
|
1875 |
3 March. Ohinemuri opened to mining with stampede 18 June. Somerville's Six stamper is purchased by Karangahake Co./Prospectors Claim[i] 5 August. Start made erecting Somerville’s old battery[ii] 3 November. Clarkson’s Battery, Shellback Creek purchased. To be combined with the Somerville six stamper. Capitalists get one third of mine in exchange for erecting battery[iii] “A road of sorts was soon formed between Paeroa and Mackaytown but it had to cross the Ohinemuri River twice, just before reaching Mackaytown. To avoid these crossings, a deviation over the hill (subsequently known as Turner's Hill) was formed in 1875 by a section of the army under the command of Captain Turner.” [iv] |
|
1876 |
First Infrastructure at Karangahake June 24. Karangahake Battery “started”[v] 19? July. Karangahake Battery opens (water race on Waitawheta Stream, battery driven by a turbine)[vi] Battery uses amalgamated mercury plates. Water race of wooden fluming, 518m, dam in Waitawheta, true right bank, therefore flume crossing Waitawheta at junction. Ore chute and sledging of ore from mine. Poor results and the battery is stopped. [vii] |
|
1877 |
16 February. Coutt's and party of six have the Karangahake mine and battery on tribute. [viii] Mining Inspector is forfeiting claims for non-working. [ix] There is a half-time school at this place; the attendance about 16.[x] |
|
1878 |
“The Tributers in the Karangahake mine are now crushing, and expect a payable return. The labour of conveying quartz to the mill is considerable, and, of course, adds to the cost of crushing. [xi] A large amount of surface prospecting has been done at Rotokohu. [xii] The Ohinemuri Prospecting Association has prospecting parties out in the field. [xiii] |
|
1879 |
Karangahake Claim declared forfeit by the Mining Inspector. [xiv] |
|
1880 |
The opening day of the Te Aroha goldfield: 25 November 1880.[xv] |
|
1881 |
Renewed interest in Karangahake. 4 May. Tenders called for removal and re-erection of Karangahake Battery to Waihi.[xvi] The battery did not leave Karangahake. |
|
1882 |
29 March. The prospectors, Messrs McCombie and Liddell, have stone they consider will go fully 4ozs to the ton, and the reef, I am informed, is 5 feet in thickness. [xvii] This is the Hauraki, or Prospector’s, Claim. 29 April. The Hauraki (John McCombie and Daldy Mc Williams), Hauraki No.2 (Hugh Roberts Jones and Robert Noble), and Maria (Jackson, for Francis Angus White, Adam Porter, John McCombie, and Daldy Mc Williams ) claims applied for. [xviii] 7 August. Karangahake Battery purchased by Hauraki Company, becomes Hauraki Battery “A tramway is in course of erection from the battery to the foot of the range, a distance of some 330 yards [302m ]. This will be connected with the Hauraki mine by a wire tramway [cableway, the first at Karangahake].” [xix] More claims are taken up. The Thames County Council begin constructing the County Road up on to the side of Karangahake mountain. It is subsidized by Government. [xx] Claims have now extended to both sides of the Waitawheta, ie on Taukani Ridge as well. [xxi] |
|
1883 |
Thames County Council start constructing a road around the mountain.[xxii] 21 April. A road is being surveyed round the bluff to connect with the battery [Is this Scotchman’s Gully?].[xxiii] August. Hauraki G.M.Co. tramway and cableway operational. This is the first section of tramway to be built on the true left bank of the Waitawheta River. It is the start of the present day Crown Track. Trial of the Hauraki Company's battery is made at the end of August. [xxiv] December. Tramway Hotel opens, Alf Shepard proprietor. Licence transferred from Tramway Hotel Waitekauri[xxv] “At Rotokohu, on the Karangahake Range, a find has recently been made that may yet prove both important and valuable.” [xxvi] |
|
1884 |
29 March. A track connection between Karangahake and Te Aroha has been commenced.[xxvii] Late April. “Sir Walter Scott.—The shoot, tramway, &c, connecting this mine with the Hauraki Co.'s battery is rapidly approaching completion, after which crushing operations, will at once be started.”[xxviii] July 1884 the Ivanhoe Company intend erecting a cableway, but may already have a chute and ground tramway, on the Ohinemuri side of Taukani. [xxix] Before August. Ivanhoe G. M. C. construct a tramway at a cost of about £600, on true left bank of Ohinemuri River. [xxx] |
|
1885 |
4 June. Karangahake suspension bridge completed, for foot and horse only[xxxi] June. Butler’s track completed[xxxii] June. La Monte furnace construction may be under way[xxxiii] The Talisman Gold Mining Company, Limited is formed late July. [xxxiv] 17 August. Hauraki battery is acquired by the Ivanhoe Company[xxxv] August. Milligan and party have completed the formation of the self-acting section connecting the County road with the furnace site, and laying the sleepers and fastening the iron rails will be next in order. This tramway will be used as a mode of transport for material, &c., from the point of delivery by dray to the furnace site. [xxxvi] September. Mr. Alexander Hogg opens his store[xxxvii] 12 September. First (natural) dam and water race on Ohinemuri for Woodstock/La Monte furnace, includes flume over Waitawheta. Self-acting incline behind Battery Flat to County Road. Tramway on true left bank Waitawheta, plus aerial tramway to Plum Pudding/Woodstock Blow.[xxxviii] September. “A new township, named Silverton, has been laid off by the Government on the north side of the Ohinemuri River, just below the suspension bridge, and a number of business and residence sites have been taken up.”[xxxix] The name Silverton was soon replaced by Karangahake. 1 October. Ohinemuri County proclaimed[xl] 23 November. “Karangahake visited by Staff of Goldfields School of Mines. Professor Black, Fenton, Goodlet on the 23rd, Montgomery on the 26th.”[xli] Karangahake Post Office opens during 1885[xlii] The earliest images of Karangahake are published: Pictorial Christmas Supplement to the New Zealand Herald, December 1885. [xliii] |
|
1886 |
May. Work started on Railey’s battery and dam.[xliv] September. La Monte Furnace started[xlv] October. Karangahake Hotel opens; JH Wash proprietor. “This Hotel is most conveniently situated on the east bank of the Ohinemuri River, at the termination of the direct road from Paeroa, adjoining the Suspension Bridge; and is within easy reach of all the leading Mines, and Quartz Reduction Works.” [xlvi] 15 November. Railey’s Battery starts. [xlvii] Monastery Gold Mine work to make connection across the Waitawheta to Railey’s new battery.[xlviii] |
|
1887 |
February. “Fire. Karangahake. Serious bush fires have been raging here all day Sunday, and at one time it was feared that a large amount of damage would result to mining property.” [xlix] March. Ivanhoe renovating their battery plant with a number of Railey pans. Woodstock company establishing Railey pans in the furnace house very shortly. [l] Railey’s battery charges considered much too high. [li] Ore transport to Railey’s very difficult. The incline tramway being built becomes politically fraught. June. Flood. [lii] 1 August. “Woodstock. — Heiteman and party, tributers, have finished the tramway connecting their working with the self acting aerial line, which places them in direct communication with the Ivanhoe battery.”[liii] November. Railey’s/County tramway stage one completed. [liv] November 3. Isaac Railey has left for the South Island. [lv] November 10. Battery advertised for sale. [lvi] December 17. “Mr Alexander Hogg, has taken a lease of Railey's mill, and as soon as the repairs to the dam are finished he will commence treating quartz from the Monastery mine.” [lvii] |
|
1888 |
March. Mr C. Percy Cox, of Canterbury purchases the Sir Walter Scott, Ivanhoe, and Truro claims.[lviii] John McCombie becomes manager. June. “Messrs. Parkes and Chambers are about to erect one of their furnaces at Karangahake in the old LaMonte furnace house. Tenders are called for carting 200 tons material from s.s. Kotuku to Karangahake.” [lix] August 2. Sale of Railey plant to Crown. [lx] The Cassel Company are involved. October. Parkes' furnace started[lxi] By the end of the year the Parkes furnace is closed down, a failure. |
|
1889 |
13 February. Cox’s 4 stamp battery and pan plant started, erected and managed by John McCombie, Ivanhoe and Truro Co.'s claims.[lxii] March 30. Crown Battery under construction (at old Railey site). [lxiii] Lamberton Grinding Mills will be used. [lxiv] September; Gorge Rd under construction[lxv]; County tramway being used for Crown battery. [lxvi] Cassel small experimental plant in old Woodstock furnace house. [lxvii] October 12. Cassel Gold Extracting Co.: A trial run of this Company's machinery took place to-day. [lxviii] During 1889 a new school was built at Karangahake…[lxix] |
|
1890 |
January. New school at Karangahake[lxx] February. Mr G. A. McGruer takes full charge of the Crown mine, vice Capt. Coward returned Home.[lxxi] 24 March. Ivanhoe Battery sold for removal to Puriri.[lxxii] Gone, after 14 years. April. Crown has a “new find on the river level, promises extremely well… The level is seven hundred feet below Captain Coward's.”[lxxiii] No. 4 Level? June. Drying furnace erected Crown battery.[lxxiv] Crown new find on the river level connected to battery by connecting to the “old Monastry line”. [lxxv] August. Land slip at Crown battery. [lxxvi] Cassel plant complete. [lxxvii] September. Plans underway for new plant downstream from Battery Flat. [lxxviii] 13 November “Road Works.—The new road to Owharoa from Karangahake is now fit for horse traffic, and is an excellent job. It is on the river level, and has cost about £1200. Messrs Kelly and Co. have just taken a contract for £83 to cut off certain sharp corners. When this is done and the culverts have been perfected, this road will be fit for any sort of wheeled or other traffic.”[lxxix] |
|
1891 |
January. Talisman claim established. [lxxx] July. Crown and Cassell Cos.' interests become identical in Karangahake, the two companies having amalgamated so far as regards Karangahake.[lxxxi] Crown Company “crushing with the old plant commenced towards the end of July, 1891, and was carried on successfully until August of the same year.”[lxxxii] August. McGruer gets go-ahead to erect new Crown plant. [lxxxiii] “The new works will consist at first of 20 head dry stampers (provision being made for 40 eventually) and the appurtenances of the Cassel Company's process. This will mean an immediate expenditure of about £10,000, exclusive of the road which will have to be made, which will cost another £1200.” [lxxxiv] The tramway up the Waitawheta gorge is being called the Waitawheta Road. [lxxxv] End August. Crown/Cassel dam destroyed. [lxxxvi] November. Tenders called for construction of tramway through Waitawheta gorge, including 30 chains [604 m] of solid rock cutting. [lxxxvii] Also for Ohinemuri water race of 1 mile [1609 m] [lxxxviii], and for repair of the Crown dam (ex Railey’s) on the Waitawheta River. [lxxxix] Contractors for excavating the battery site make good progress. [xc] |
|
1892 |
March. Fire near McCombie’s battery. [xci] May. Crown new main level, or River Level, or No.6 Level created; and new tramway cut into cliff down Waitawheta river.[xcii] Crown water race flume constructed. [xciii] August. Crown battery at Railey’s site stops. [xciv] “The tramway leading from the mine to the new mill site is completed.” [xcv] |
|
1893 |
30 May. New Crown battery starts. [xcvi] June/July. Ivanhoe and Truro mines and plant is purchased by Woodstock Co. [xcvii] October. “Talisman mine at Karangahake has at last been successfully placed upon the Glasgow market.” [xcviii] October. Woodstock No. 3 level and cableway established. [xcix] Electric light is now being used in the Crown Company's ore reduction works. [c] This is generated at the battery. [ci] November. Crown: tenders called for construction of air compressor site (ex old battery site, ex Railey’s) [cii] |
|
1894 |
February. Earl of Glasgow are erecting a five stamp battery. [ciii] March. Crown erects compressor building at old Crown/Railey’s site[civ] June. Woodstock, No. 3 level tramway and cable, completed early in year: “a double aerial line of tramway, which spans the Waitawheta river in order to reach a large hopper located near the horsegrade section of tram-line, and 250 feet below the point of present operations… easy of access by means of a "siding," where the trucks can be filled without interfering with ordinary traffic.” [cv] 27 July. Flood and slip destroy Crown water race. [cvi] August. Woodstock to erect 10 stamp mill. [cvii] September. Earl of Glasgow claim have erected a five-stamper battery. [cviii] 31 October. Talisman; arrangements completed with the Crown Mines Company for treatment of a large tonnage of ore by the cyanide process. [cix] November. Woodstock firewood wire tram, and kiln constructed. [cx] December. Talisman to erect a battery. [cxi] |
|
1895 |
The Tramway and Karangahake Hotels are to get second storeys. [cxii] February. Woodstock water balance and ore kiln installed. [cxiii] 11 February. Woodstock ten stamp battery starts, dry crushing. [cxiv] Late February. Talisman battery erection underway. [cxv] June. Stanley G.M. Co drive tunnel off Crown tramway. [cxvi] Talisman purchase Bonanza Co. [cxvii] Tramway Hotel “name shortly to be altered to the Talisman”. [cxviii] 10 July. Sludge Channel Proclamation to take effect.[cxix] Talisman Extended Goldmining Company (Limited.) formed. To the west of the Talisman Company ground. [cxx] September. Mining boom. [cxxi] The present boom is the largest that ever has taken place in the colony. [cxxii] November. Talisman battery completed, but not working.[cxxiii] December. Preparations for 30 extra stampers for Woodstock. Water race is to be 40inch iron pipe. [cxxiv] Karangahake School building was enlarged in 1895.[cxxv] Crown. An additional head of twenty stamps, and the necessary cyanide plant and buildings, were in course of erection. Woodstock. No. 5 level started. [cxxvi] Talisman. “A wire tramway has been constructed to convey quartz from the hopper at the low-level to the mill, but, from some occult cause, this mill has not been completed. The water-race has been finished.” [cxxvii] |
|
1896 |
February. Talisman. A self-acting aerial tramway and hoppers has been erected, connecting the No. 4 level with the battery, a distance of fully 3000 feet. A substantial iron water-race has been erected to bring in the water. A contract has been let to cut and deliver 2000 tons of firewood to dry the ore. [cxxviii] February. Woodstock. Three kilns are in course of construction. These will each hold about 150 tons of ore, and they will all be placed on the hill-side above the mill, so that the ore will pass right down through the plant by gravitation. [cxxix] Crown. Construction started of a large water-race in the Waitawheta [for the pelton wheel in the Crown Stope]. [cxxx] March. Woodstock erecting suspension bridge over Ohinemuri for machinery for battery. [cxxxi] April. Talisman mine sold to the London New Zealand Investment Company. [cxxxii] April 30. “Talisman.—The Talisman battery started crushing on Monday morning last, and has been running day and night since without hitch.” [cxxxiii] May. Woodstock connect No. 5 level tramway with Crown tramway, and also intend to run a ground tramway and then an aerial tramway from No. 1 level to a hopper above the level of the kiln site. [cxxxiv] A large water race, one and a-quarter miles long [2012 m], is being constructed from the upper end of the Waitawheta. [cxxxv] This for the Crown air compressor. June. Earl of Glasgow and Crown mines combine. [cxxxvi] June. Major flood, C. S. Brown drowns. [cxxxvii] He was caretaker of the Crown Mines water race. August. Crown battery has 40 stamps at work. [cxxxviii] September. Woodstock. Kiln tram line to be continued to intersect known lodes.[cxxxix] This will create the “Windows” tunnel. September. Talisman Company to erect Howe Truss bridge across the Waitawheta River, to connect battery with Special site. The battery to be enlarged by ten stamps. [cxl] October. Talisman. a substantial bridge has yet to be erected over the river from the Crown tramline before the necessary machinery can be got to the battery site. [cxli] November. Electric lighting for all three batteries. [cxlii] November. Windows tunnel created.[cxliii] (called kiln tram-line extension). |
|
1897 |
January. Woodstock battery install Samson-Leffel turbine water-wheel (ie they do away with the pelton wheels). [cxliv] March. Woodstock Gold Mining Company's battery started crushing with the new 40-head. Crown works to be converted from dry to wet crushing plant. Talisman using old kiln as an ore hopper (or paddock). [cxlv] April. “A 4-inch diameter [4 foot?] pipe line has been put in from the Talisman dam, and also two Victor turbines, capable of developing 120 horse-power effective. There will be also an electric light installation. A revolving air dryer is being substituted for the kilns; this is now ready for running, and will mean considerable economy, and probably a better extraction.” Crown water race (Waitawheta) fluming commenced, 280,000 feet timber required. [cxlvi] 16 June. Talisman new 20 stamper underway, Howe Truss bridge connects to special site (vat house). Ore drier in use. [cxlvii] July. Crown battery has 20 stamps running wet. [cxlviii] August. A new bridge proposed between Dogherty's and the Crown battery. [cxlix] September. Crown battery 40 stamps wholly running wet. [cl] Woodstock to test wet crushing. [cli] December. Crown low grade ore made to pay by wet process. [clii] “Lack of water to keep the big mills going at top speed during the exceptionally dry season just experienced, has caused a considerable amount of annoyance and inconvenience. The Ohinemuri River has never previously been so low at Karangahake, and the same remark applies to the Waitawheta Stream. Many batteries had to hang up half their stamps.” “A severe "slump" has existed all the year, being the natural reaction of the boom.”[cliii] Cyanide Process Gold Extraction Act; for the use of cyanide of potassium, the patent rights of which were purchased from the Cassel Company for £10,000. [cliv] Sunday Labour in Mines Prevention Act, 1897.[clv] Crown: “A 10 ft. Pelton water-wheel (3 nozzles) will be attached direct to the driving-shaft of the compressor. The water-race to supply power for the air-compressor is 1 mile and a quarter in length, with a present capacity of sixty sluice-heads, the pressure being 32 lb. per square inch.” [clvi] A swing foot bridge was put across the river between River Road and the main road.[clvii] |
|
1898 |
The new footbridge near Napier’s residence completed. [clviii] [clix] It is sometimes referred to as the Crown bridge. Batteries now closed on Sundays because of new law. [clx] February. Crown air compressor started. [clxi] Karangahake school to have additions. [clxii] March. Woodstock Company wet crushing. [clxiii] April. More dry weather. [clxiv] May. Mr. J. McCombie, leaves Woodstock Co., Mr. Rich replaces. “Never in the history of Ohinemuri has the river been so low as at present, and the want of rain is being most severely felt all over the district…”[clxv] July. Severe flood, considerable damage. [clxvi] August. Woodstock to install six Union vanners. Crown battery start extra 20 head stamps, now 60. [clxvii] Karangahake Traffic bridge opened. [clxviii] 29 October. Fire at Karangahake, destroyed twelve buildings. [clxix] Talisman battery install 80 horse-power engine and boiler. [clxx] Woodstock retire water-balance. [clxxi] Crown change the numbering of their levels. AJHR 1899. |
|
1899 |
January. The Talisman Company take “over of the Talisman Extended Gold Mining Company's property, which consists of a special claim and battery site”. [clxxii] February. Crown mine level numbering changed. No. 6 level in future will be known as the Waitawheta tunnel. [clxxiii] 10 May Governor Ranfurly at Karangahake. [clxxiv] June. Royal Mail and Victor Waihou special claims taken up by Messrs. Bewick, Moreing, and Co. [clxxv] October. A public meeting held in October, 1899, for the purpose of establishing a school of mines at Karangahake. [clxxvi] December. Crown Company are to construct a new tramway to the battery, on the level (our current walking track). [clxxvii] |
|
1900 |
February. Never in the history of Ohinemuri has the river been so low. [clxxviii] February. New (level) tramway to Crown battery complete (current walkway). Hoisting apparatus being installed beside battery (an incline tram), to lift ore from new tramway to top of battery. Will be run by pelton wheels. [clxxix] In the early part of this year [February] a school was opened at Karangahake to meet the requirements of the locality. Mr. E. B. McDuff, has the position of Director of the Karangahake School of Mines. [clxxx] March. Woodstock constructing new dam on Ohinemuri River. This will be a wooden structure, a little upstream from the later eastern rail tunnel portal [clxxxi] April. New Zealand Talisman Gold Mining Company amalgamate with Talisman Consolidated Company. [clxxxii] May. Talisman to erect new battery. [clxxxiii] July. Woodstock battery to add an air compressor and steam plant. [clxxxiv] “The New Zealand Talisman Gold Mining Company's property has now been amalgamated with the Talisman Extended, Royal Mail, and Victor-Waihou special claims, to be known as the Talisman Consolidated.” [clxxxv] August. Woodstock Gold Mining Company have accepted a tender for excavating a shaft chamber at No. 5 level. [clxxxvi] Woodstock. “The grading of the pipe line for the race is almost completed. A start has also been made to construct the aqueduct across the Ohinemuri River [Warren Truss]. This is being erected with the object of carrying the fluming over the river.”[clxxxvii] August. Talisman No. 8 level to be driven, about 200 ft below the No. 7. It will be the main outlet for the mine, “as all the ore from the upper workings will be concentrated there, and sent on to the battery, one length of aerial tramline being sufficient to land the ore at the battery”. [clxxxviii] Woodstock new dam, 3ft 9in pipeline and Warren Truss bridge across the Ohinemuri River completed. The Pelton wheel to be installed is 11 ft. 2 in. in diameter over all, and is to drive the air-compressors and battery during the greater part of the year. A new tail-race 69 ft. long under the mill, and below the old tail-race, has been driven and timbered so as to gain the utmost pressure-head. The old bridge across the Waitawheta Stream removed, a new and more substantial bridge built, going direct to the battery ore-hopper, 180ft long. The shaft-chamber in No. 5 level, which is 45½ft. long by 37½ft. wide, and 40 ft. high, has been completed, and a connection from it to the surface also made. The shaft is being sunk 8 ft. by 18 ft. in the clear, and has two hoisting-compartments, 6 ft. by 4 ft.; also a pumping-compartment and ladder-way, 6 ft. by 6 ft. 6 in. [clxxxix] Crown Company. Driving a tunnel on opposite side of Ohinemuri River (true right). Erecting an engine at the battery to supplement water power [cxc] [this is the boiler and engine at the back of the battery]. |
|
1901 |
January. Woodstock start the new shaft from No. 5 level. [cxci] February. Karangahake School of Mines opened 4 February. “W H Baker, assistant instructor at the Thames School of Mines, had been elected to be Director of the Karangahake School of Mines which was then opened on Monday 4 February, 1901 by the Hon James McGowan, Minister of Mines. The School of Mines at Karangahake was opened on Monday with a satisfactory attendance of people. There are 50 students on the register.”[cxcii] Woodstock to add an air compressor to their battery. [cxciii] “Woodstock Company has recently erected a corrugated iron building at its mine; it is to be used for a change-room.” [cxciv] March. Crown mine: A pump has been installed. [cxcv] Woodstock: The 8in compressed-air pipe line (between the mill and the mine) is completed. A large Pelton wheel 11ft 2in in diameter, and a small and large air compressor are being installed. [cxcvi] Distinctive pipe-line bridge across Waitawheta. April. . Crown. “The whole of the company's underground machinery is now worked by a powerful air-compressor.” Talisman: “The hoppers at the mill site and at No. 8 level are nearing completion.” [cxcvii] June. Woodstock: The pipe line bridge across the Ohinemuri River, of over 80ft span, and the bridge across the Waitawheta, are completed. [cxcviii] July. A landslip “caused part of the New Zealand Crown Mines' water race to carry away and the company's tramline to be blocked for some distance”. The Talisman’s new wet stamper battery of 50 stamps gets underway. [cxcix] August. Woodstock Gold Mining Company resumed crushing operations on August 30. [cc] September. Crown battery adding two Babcock boilers at the back of their battery. [cci] The railway tunnel is being pushed ahead from both ends.[ccii] Night soil service to be established. [cciii] |
|
1902 |
January. Woodstock battery closes, pending reconstruction.[cciv] A nightsoil service in Karangahake to be established.[ccv] “Talisman Consolidated Company's operations have so far been of a disappointing nature.” [ccvi] March. Woodstock Company resume development work in the mine, but not the battery. [ccvii] April. 180hp steam engine and boilers at Crown battery. [ccviii] May. Talisman erect an air compressor. [ccix] October. Talisman start an incline shaft from No.8 Level. [ccx] December. New steam plant at Crown battery working well. All three batteries are at work. [ccxi] Woodstock. A new steam plant of two 150-horse-power Elephant boilers and a 250----horse-power Corliss engine erected at battery. [ccxii] |
|
1903 |
February. Woodstock. Boring operations (diamond drill) have been commenced from the No. 5 level crosscut.[ccxiii] July. Karangahake to be supplied with gas from Paeroa. [ccxiv] The Crown have auxiliary steam plant at the mine. [ccxv] This is the concrete pillbox perched on the cliff beside the Waitawheta entrance to the mine. November. “The combined railway and road bridge over the Ohinemuri River at Karangahake has been finished [and?] the section of the railway to Karangahake is just on the point of completion and will be opened for goods traffic shortly.” [ccxvi] Double-decker road/rail bridge.[ccxvii] December. Death of Middleton and McColl. [ccxviii] The School of Mines building has been doubled in size. [ccxix] |
|
1904 |
February. Woodstock for sale.[ccxx] 11 April. David Deans, employed in the railway tunnel at Karangahake, dies of his injuries.[ccxxi] May. Coal is railed to Karangahake, and waggons loaded from the double deck bridge. [ccxxii] Karangahake now supplied with gas from the works in Paeroa (Ohinemuri Light and Power).[ccxxiii] June. Talisman buy Woodstock for £7000[ccxxiv] 18 October. Walter Ings and Fredk. Thomas Shaw are injured in the Karangahake rail tunnel. Ings dies from his injuries. [ccxxv] Shaw dies 6 November. [ccxxvi] The headings in the Karangahake tunnel met in the beginning of September last (1904), and the tunnel was completed by the end of January. [ccxxvii] |
|
1905 |
January. Crown mine considers closing. [ccxxviii] “Reports are current that the Crown mine, at Karangahake, intends closing down on the 6th prox. The battery is now only working day shift.”[ccxxix] September. KARANGAHAKE RAILWAY CROSSING. [ccxxx] The road over the tunnel mouth, Waihi end, must have been completed shortly after this date. October. Both the Talisman and Crown are obtaining richer ore. [ccxxxi] November. The Karangahake bowling green at Mackaytown was opened last week.[ccxxxii] Paeroa-Waihi. This railway was completed and opened for traffic on the 9th November last. [ccxxxiii] December. The Talisman holds now 565 acres. [ccxxxiv] Talisman: “first dividends paid since operations were commenced in the mine”. £30,000 [ccxxxv] New Zealand Crown Mines (limited).— “This year the trestles and fluming which carry the water-supply over the Waitewheta Stream have shown signs of decay, and necessitated the erection of new fluming, &c, estimated to cost £800.” [ccxxxvi] |
|
1906 |
16 September. Tramway Hotel burns down (press photo AWN) 16 September. Fire at Karangahake. Tramway Hotel destroyed. “The hotel, which is the property of Mr Montgomery, was a substantial two-storeyed building and was well furnished throughout… The whole of the hotel was completely destroyed and the bulk of the furniture, while the hall which adjoined was also burnt.”[ccxxxvii] A flag station is to be opened at Mackaytown.[ccxxxviii] October. “The bridge across the Ohinemuri River at Mackaytown, to give access to the flag station, is now completed.”[ccxxxix] Crown mine discovers rich new reef. [ccxl] Talisman: “a new Ingersoll Sergeant compound air-compressor having been installed at the Woodstock Battery.” [ccxli] Crown: “The company's water-race on the Ohinemuri River has for some time been leaking and in much need of repairs. During the year a new bridge at the junction of the Ohinemuri and Waitawheta Rivers has been erected to carry the race over.” [ccxlii] “Comstock United Gold-mining Company.—In the early part of the year a company was formed to raise capital to carry on further development-work.” To supply fresh air to the very long tunnel a small dam was constructed on the Hauraki Stream, and a water-blast set up to force air into the drive. [ccxliii] “At Karangahake discoveries of cinnabar have been made, and several mineral leases applied for.” Karangahake School of Mines. “Averaging forty-two students, and having fifty-nine students on the roll during the second term. This is the highest average attendance yet reached for this school.” “During the year a storeroom 16 ft. by 12 ft. has been erected.”[ccxliv] |
|
1907 |
January. A lack of miners; many Australian miners returning home. [ccxlv] A flood destroys much of the Crown Company’s water race. [ccxlvi] “The footbridge at Mackaytown, over the Ohinemuri River, has also been carried away by the water.”[ccxlvii] Another new rich reef found in the Crown mine. [ccxlviii] March. This Lloyd lode is “now considered the most important in the Crown mines.”[ccxlix] The damaged water races of the Crown “would cost about £6000 and occupy 14 months to repair.” [ccl] July. Mackaytown footbridge rebuilt after blowing down. [ccli] September. “KARANGAHAKE MINING. At no period in the history of the Hauraki goldfields has the outlook for the Karangahake section looked so bright as at the present time.” [cclii] Karangahake Gold-mining Company has been established. [ccliii] |
|
1908 |
January. Karangahake Company at work. [ccliv] May. Firebell to be erected. [cclv] Mr. Daw has been in England arranging for an electrical generating and pumping plant for the Crown Company. [cclvi] Another large slip damages Crown water race and tramway. [cclvii] May. Firebell appears to exist. Therefore constructed May or June. [cclviii] July. Ohinemuri County Council has decided to erect a rotunda, to cost £125. This, I understand, will be erected in the main street, alongside the new firebell tower.[cclix] Talisman are installing new pump to lift the water from No. 13 level. Operated by compressed air.[cclx] August. Karangahake presses for Borough status. [cclxi] Talisman lower levels flooded owing to Crown mine stopping pumping. [cclxii] September. Crown mine closed due to a dispute with the mining contractors over insurance. [cclxiii] November. Talisman. The installation of the new air-compressor plant at the Talisman mine is now completed, pumps holding the water below No. 12 level. [cclxiv] Crown. For the first time for over 25 years mining and milling operations in the New Zealand Crown mines at Karangahake have been suspended. At the earliest work is not likely to be resumed for several months, during which the new electrical pumping plant for unwatering the mine to a greater depth will be installed. A number of men will be thrown out of work in consequence. [cclxv] Band rotunda, Karangahake, £138 (W. H. Taylor)[cclxvi] |
|
1909 |
January. Workers Compensation Act of 1908. Miners refuse to submit to medical examination regarding miners' complaint (phthisis). The Talisman capitulates, not the Crown. [cclxvii] [cclxviii] February. The new compound Cornish air-compressor recently installed by the Talisman Consolidated is working most satisfactorily. The water in the shaft has been reduced about 80 feet, leaving 60 feet yet to be pumped before operations can be resumed at No. 13 level. [cclxix] CROWN MINE. The concrete foundations for a powerful electrical plant are now being prepared at the Crown mine [battery].[cclxx] March. Ohinemuri Licensing Poll: Vote = No-license. To take effect June 30. [cclxxi] April. Haywards' Picture entertainment at Karangahake (movies).[cclxxii] August. Talisman. In the Woodstock section are cutting out a huge chamber for the new machinery, in connection with the sinking of the Woodstock shaft from its present depth of 250 ft to the Talisman low levels. At the battery the company are installing three tube mills, eight B. and M. agitating tanks, a vacuum filter plant, and a new mill engine. Crown. The power station has a large triple expansion engine for driving a three phase 550 kilo. generator. There is also a large Francis turbine for driving the same generator when there is a sufficient supply of water in the Ohinemuri River for doing so. There are two Babcock boilers of 250 horse-power each, feed pumps, and every type of safety device to provide against accidents.[cclxxiii] October. Talisman. Water low enough to allow deepening of shaft from No.13 level. The large chamber in Woodstock section completed. [cclxxiv] A rich patch of cinnabar ore struck in the Mackaytown cinnabar mine.[cclxxv] November. Karangahake bowling green official opening. [cclxxvi] December. Crown mining again, crushing with one shift. Mining had ceased for about a year. Electrical plant and pumps working well (at a cost of £20,000[cclxxvii]). [cclxxviii] The Ascot Cinnabar Syndicate have erected a plant for the reduction of cinnabar. [cclxxix] |
|
1910 |
30 March. Flood! Biggest on record. [cclxxx] Water rushed through the railway tunnel. [cclxxxi] Talisman water race pipe crumpled and twisted. [cclxxxii] Old Woodstock battery damaged. [cclxxxiii] 4 April. Gorge Road closed. [cclxxxiv] Mackaytown station bridge destroyed. [cclxxxv] August. Talisman battery. Three new tube mills and eight pneumatic slimes agitators have been installed. [cclxxxvi] 15 September. Old Woodstock battery destroyed by fire. The plant destroyed included three air compressors and two steam engines. [cclxxxvii] November. Ohinemuri County Council decided to erect a footbridge over the Ohinemuri river, at Karangahake, near the School of Mines. [cclxxxviii] December. Dougherty’s swing bridge (suspension bridge) is built early 1911? Mr. J. McCombie was appointed general manager of the New Zealand Crown Mines. [cclxxxix] |
|
1911 |
February. Australasian Institute of Mining Engineers' Conference.[ccxc] October. Karangahake Dispute. Cooperative System Adopted. [ccxci] Crown. The machinery in connection with the treatment plant is now all electrically driven. [ccxcii] Talisman. A new change-house, 30 ft. by 70 ft., has been erected at the mouth of the Woodstock No. 5 level, and will be equipped with hot and cold shower-baths and steam-heat for drying clothes. [ccxciii] |
|
1912 |
January. Crown mine No. 7 level aerial tram to Crown horse tramway to be erected. [ccxciv] May. Waihi Strike. 13 May - 12 November 1912[ccxcv] October. New croquet lawn should be ready for use about Christmas time.[ccxcvi] Coal miners’ strike at Huntly. [ccxcvii] November. The Karangahake Bridge has been commenced, but not yet been completed.[ccxcviii] |
|
1913 |
January. Large heavy trestle bridge, replaces first swing bridge at Karangahake[ccxcix] August. Edgar Rock Drill. An official trial of the Edgar patent rock drill took place on Saturday at Karangahake. [ccc] Crown battery: Five slime-vats have been equipped with mechanical agitators, and consequently a considerable improvement has been effected in the percentage of bullion-recovery. [ccci] |
|
1914 |
June. Crown. Operations suspended, battery ceases crushing. [cccii] 4 August New Zealand at war[ccciii] September. Bowling. Karangahake Club put down a new green of four rinks, which will be ready for play late in the coming season.[ccciv] |
|
1915 |
August. Crown. At present the only work in the mine is being done by tributers. [cccv] |
|
1916 |
21 February. Tramway Hotel Destroyed. Woman Burnt To Death. [cccvi] March…there has been a series of fires in the past two or three months…[cccvii] |
|
1917 |
July. Crown powerhouse sold to Gisborne Borough [cccviii]. |
|
1919 |
March. Crown Quarry granted by Warden. [cccix] June. The demolition of empty houses is still going on apace. The better parts of the houses are being removed for re-erection in other places, mostly in the King Country. The local quarry adjacent to the Crown battery has been fully opened up, and good bell metal is to hand, which is in great demand by various councils, etc.[cccx] August. Crown mine is being dismantled. [cccxi] October. Gas lighting discontinued, electric lights curtesy of Talisman battery. [cccxii] Talisman. milling operations were suspended October, and will not be again commenced unless the development work undertaken by the company justifies resumption. [cccxiii] |
|
1920 |
July. Concrete bridge is being erected over Doherty’s creek.[cccxiv] December. Talisman Consolidated, Limited, have decided that the mine shall be closed down as soon as the material in the underground workings can be withdrawn. [cccxv] |
|
1921 |
January. New Zealand Crown Mines Co., Ltd., invite tenders for the working of their road metal quarry at Karangahake on tribute.[cccxvi] February. Karangahake Bowling Club will be disbanded. [cccxvii] August. The band rotunda at Karangahake was sold to the Paeroa Beautifying Society for the sum of £50.[cccxviii] |
|
1922 |
November. Karangahake School of Mines. Tenders are invited for the Cash purchase of the buildings and contents of the above School of Mines situated at Karangahake, either separately or as a whole. [cccxix] |
|
1923 |
January. New Talisman Company wish to develop the parallel system of the Crown and Talisman mines. [cccxx] February. Mining operations in Karangahake had practically ceased up to six months ago, following upon the closing down of the Talisman Consolidated mine, with the exception of come prospecting work in the Crown Mines property. During the last six months, however, numerous applications have been made through the Warden's Court for fresh mining leases in that district, where there are now several prospecting parties at work. [cccxxi] |
|
1924 |
A Talisman air compressor removed to Huntly coal mines. [cccxxii] Two classrooms from Karangahake school removed to new school at Waikino.[cccxxiii] |
|
1925 |
March. The Talisman Consolidated mine, up to March, 1921, had put out gold to the value of £2,951,315, equal to £7 5s a ton. The total dividends paid amounted to £1,151,164, or about £4 17s 6d a share. The Crown mine has yielded £871,386, the total dividends bring £70,000. From these two mines the total output was, therefore, £3,822,701, the combined dividends amounting to £1,221,164. [cccxxiv] July. The county Council plan to remove the Talisman (ex Woodstock) dam on the Ohinemuri. [cccxxv] |
|
1926 |
January. Talisman Dam demolished by dynamite. [cccxxvi] May. The Minister of Mines asked to provide a public battery for Karangahake. [cccxxvii] September. John McCombie dies, aged 76. [cccxxviii] |
|
1927 |
January. Electricity for lighting and power purposes has now been installed at Karangahake by the Thames Valley Power Board.[cccxxix] June. Mr J. B. Morris, with a party of men, has erected a five head battery about three miles along the Trig Road [County Road. Earl of Glasgow area]. [cccxxx] August. The Crown battery has not yet been demolished. Water races still intact. [cccxxxi] August. Mr. J. B. Morris elected representative on Council, Karangahake Riding. [cccxxxii] JB Morris continued till 1938.[cccxxxiii] November. Quite a small pegging out boom is in progress in the Karangahake section of the goldfields. "Practically all Karangahake has been pegged out” …[cccxxxiv] |
|
1928 |
January. Large fires at Karangahake. [cccxxxv] April. Talisman battery is still being dismantled. [cccxxxvi] |
|
1929 |
June. County Council consider taking over the Crown tramway and aerial at Karangahake.[cccxxxvii] |
|
1930 |
February. Work was started last week on the Talisman-Dubbo property. [cccxxxviii] |
|
1931 |
Daylight saving. [cccxxxix] |
|
1932 |
March. Relief Camp workers are clearing ragwort at Karangahake. [cccxl] Cherry’s Battery. June. Mr J. N. Cherry said he had recently acquired the claim, he had sunk a certain amount of capital in works and machinery for the purpose of extracting and crushing his own ore. He had also acquired a small battery (5 stamps) and power plant, and had been granted a special battery site by the Warden, and six months’ protection.[cccxli] September. The Golden Dawn Goldmining Company, in the erection of its battery at Owharoa, was assisted by the Mines Department, conditional on the company having also to treat parcels of ore for small companies and private prospectors. The Talisman Dubbo Company is having its ore treated here. [cccxlii] |
|
1933 |
May. The Karangahake Tributers and Prospectors' Association has been formed at Karangahake, some twenty odd members being enrolled.[cccxliii] October. Talisman Dubbo (Karangahake). The aerial ropeway from Talisman No. 1 level to the county road near No. 8 Talisman level (2100 ft. in length, with a fall of 800 ft.), and loading and discharging hoppers are now working. [cccxliv] Ore is taken to the Golden Dawn battery, Owharoa. In 1933 the first one-day School Reunion was held on the Mackaytown Recreation Ground. [cccxlv] |
|
1934 |
February. Unemployed men’s camps:—“Public Works camps in the county are accounting for very good work.” [cccxlvi] 19 April. John Nathaniel Cherry, the granting of a license to construct a dam in the Waitawheta stream 200 feet to the west of the Old Crown bridge to store water to drive a turbine, such application having been consented to by the Minister; granted. [cccxlvii] December. Mr. J. Morris has completed the erection of his battery in the township. The old stamper system has been discarded and the plant consists of a stonecrusher and ball mill. Mr. Morris is working a claim on top of the Taukani Mountain. [cccxlviii] |
|
1936 |
January. Karangahake Gorge road to be closed for widening work. Detour to be over Rahu Road. [cccxlix] Public Works department. 2 February. Flood. Waikino footbridge was washed away. Rahu road impassable. [cccl] July. The Ohinemuri County Council decide to dismantle the Karangahake swing bridge [River Road to Irishtown?] [cccli] December. Gorge road. Opened to traffic at Christmas. [ccclii] |
|
1937 |
February. Karangahake Gorge road closed again for further work [cccliii] June. Talisman Dubbo Gold Mines Ltd. Start on erecting their own mill at old Talisman powerhouse site. [cccliv] October. Talisman Dubbo Goldmining Company request the Council to reopen the old Scotchman’s gully road. [ccclv] November. The old Talisman battery site clean-up is still yielding bullion.[ccclvi] |
|
1938 |
February. Waitawheta River considered as a water supply for Paeroa. [ccclvii] March. New Waitawheta Road bridge erected. [ccclviii] April. Karangahake gorge road to be sealed. [ccclix] May. Talisman Dubbo new mill started. Designed for efficiency and low running costs. The gold will be saved by cyanidation. Electricity provides the motive power. [ccclx] July. Storm. Gorge road closed by slips, extensive damage. Rahu road reused. [ccclxi] |
|
1940 |
February. The Talisman Dubbo Gold-mining Company closing down. [ccclxii] The up-to-date battery, erected in 1937, has been dismantled and sent to Fiji. [ccclxiii] |
|
1941 |
Mines Department is prospecting the Ascot Mine at Karangahake. [ccclxiv] |
|
1942 |
Golden Dawn Gold-mines, Ltd., Owharoa—Work suspended and plant being sold for removal. [ccclxv] |
|
1943 |
Operations suspended at Ascot Mine, where the Mines Department was carrying out some investigations. [ccclxvi] |
|
1945 |
Talisman Battery site now held as the Grace claim by E. C. Roberts. Approximately 100 tons of material were treated for a return of bullion valued at £707. [ccclxvii] |
|
1946 |
Morris’ battery site, Karangahake.— all plant was sold and transferred to a claim at Komata. [ccclxviii] |
|
1947 |
October. The Paeroa Borough Council Water Supply Empowering Bill revokes the sludge channel status of Waitawheta stream. [ccclxix] |
|
1948 |
March. The four-foot diameter sheet iron pipes of the Woodstock/Talisman Ohinemuri water race were. [ccclxx] |
|
1957 |
December 7, 1957, Karangahake was en fete for the official opening of its new hall.[ccclxxi] |
|
1959 |
Paeroa Municipal Water Supply. The pipe line measures 33,700 feet (about 6½ miles) from the Borough boundary via the Waitawheta Gorge to the intake above Dickey's Flat. The pipe line crosses 2 large swing bridges and passes through a 500 feet long tunnel before going under the bed of the stream to reach the treatment plant. The completed job costing just over £95,000. The first draw off from the supply was taken shortly prior to Christmas 1959 although the final work had not been completed at that stage. For the first time for nearly 40 years Paeroa Borough had an adequate supply of water. [ccclxxii] In 1933 the first one-day School Reunion was held on the Mackaytown Recreation Ground, but in 1959, through the initiative of Mr Eric Nash (the Headmaster) and his wife, Gwen, a grand, long weekend celebrated 70 years of the school's history. It was no small matter to accommodate the hundreds who came to the now sparsely populated area, but it was a wonderful success, aided by the fact that a new Hall had been built by the community.[ccclxxiii] |
|
1960-3 |
Karangahake Picnic Reserve was vested in the control of the Ohinemuri County Council as a reserve for recreational purposes on 27th October 1960. A concrete block building containing toilets and changing facilities erected late 1963. Notice Board on the Reserve was erected by the Paeroa Rotary Club. [ccclxxiv] |