BIRTH AND EARLY DEVELOPMENT
“consider the petitions of William Fox, Timothy Linahan, and others, claiming a bonus for the discovery of a payable goldfield on the Pakihis,” reported that “it is inexpedient to grant any unpromised rewards for gold discoveries unless under very special circumstances, and that the cases of the petitioners are not of that description.” This report was adopted by the Council. The texts of the petitions are not available.
Again on 20th May, 1868, the matter was revived in the Council and a motion moved: “That there be placed on the Supplementary Estimates a sufficient sum to reward the original prospectors of the Charleston goldfields, now found to be permanent fields.” The names were not quoted. The motion was negatived by 12 to 5.
Mr. John Blackett, Provincial Engineer, reporting in 1867, said: “The main streets of Charleston are formed and metalled, and a good metalled road about a mile long has been made from the town towards the diggings, suitable for dray traffic.” Probably the road referred to was Darkie’s Terrace Road. On 17th July, 1867, the Superintendent of the Province reported, “the townships of Charleston and Brighton are now being surveyed, but the Council has not come to any determination regarding the sale of the land.”
On 27th May, 1868, Mr. Pell, Road Overseer, received instructions to find “the best route for a dray-road to connect Charleston with Brown’s Terrace and Addison's Flat.” “The route was then,” the Westport Times stated, “via the Pioneer Ford.” It is surmised that this ford was on the Little Totara River, and in connection with “Hall’s Track” from the Nine-Mile Beach. In 1869 the District Engineer of Goldfields recommended that Charleston streets be “principally attended to by the prisoners of the jail; but to meet the expense of carrying metal, etc., as occasionally required, I estimate for £200.” The task that the stout-hearted pioneers, inspired by the “wine of freedom and the gold of hope,” undertook in transforming this virgin land into the thriving centre that it became in a few short years, was formidable, but it was tackled with a will, and the town grew as though by magic.
As early as 1867, Commissioner Kynnersley reported “a
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