river, and at a much higher elevation, when they dug up their crops, dug up fish at the same time—a species of mudfish, Neochanna apoda, which seems to burrow underground, and leads a very retiring life.
The pleasant villas and pretty flower gardens now to be found along Gibson’s Quay, fronting the river, would do credit to a town of greater pretensions. Not only the streets of the town, but outlying districts are now connected, and buggies and conveyances can be driven considerable distances. To supply building material sawmills were erected; these, to get suitable trees for cutting up, and to make way into the bush, with wood tramways to bear in the logs. The tramways opened clearings into the forest, and helped to prepare the ground near at hand for building purposes, and thus the town went eastward, because on the west, it is bounded by the sandy sea beach.
I have already alluded to the discipline and order of the police force, and it may not be out of place to state, that much of the credit of this was due to the efficiency and personal character of the first inspector, Mr. Thomas Broham. The survivor of the Maungatapu murderers, the notorious Joseph Sullivan, acknowledged that the rest of the gang had to leave the Coast, Mr. Broham having made it too hot for them. But while complimenting the police and their inspector, it must be acknowledged that, generally speaking, a harder-working or more honest population it would be difficult to find; nay most of them were warm-hearted and unselfish. Witness the establishment of an efficient hospital, the claim of admission to which was only that a person was sick and required medical attendance. No doubt at times this worthy institution was imposed upon, but in innumerable instances the services rendered were invaluable.
In 1865, when people from all parts flocked to Hokitika, and when all the population were housed in canvas tents, there were no roads or streets; the climate was considered severe, and many suffered in health for want of vegetables and proper food. But now that moderately comfortable houses have been built, and plentiful supplies of fresh meat and vegetables can be obtained, the climate is found to be extremely mild and equable. No doubt the rainfall is heavy—120 inches per annum—but the rosy looks of the children running about the streets, bring back earlier associations with Great Britain, than a like comparison with the youth of any other colony in the southern hemisphere.
From March 1865 to the end of 1869, the total yield of gold exported from the whole of the west coast of the middle island of New Zealand amounted to 1,719,749 ozs.; declared value, £6,878,996; or if the parcels that were known to have been surreptitiously shipped without paying duty be added, the totals may be set down as 1,750,000 ozs., of the value of £7,000,000 sterling, to a fluctuating population of about 10,000, and at one time about
