Samuel Meggitt Mackley, shortly after reaching Nelson, returned again to the West Coast and settled at Waipuna, Grey Valley. G. W. H. Lee, who had made the alpine crossing under the guidance of the Chief Tainui, also took up land in the same locality, both holdings being stocked with sheep in 1863. Messrs. Mackley and Lee thus became the pioneer agriculturists of the West Coast, and Mrs. Mackley the first white woman resident.
Did Mackay know of the fabulous richness of Old Westland’s gold deposits prior to its purchase from the natives?
This question was ever a bone of contention with old time diggers, who displayed an intense and lasting interest in the subject, and the writer, when a youth, can well remember hearing many discussions pertaining thereto. At this time the author’s father, who was an early surveyor employed by the Canterbury Provincial Government (his name being perpetuated in the Lord Range, South Westland, and Lord Street, Greymouth), was practising his profession privately, and had a party of men who had all been through the hectic days of the various rushes. They were of all stations in life, and had a wonderful knowledge of the golden days of the mid-sixties, which they described at great length during bad weather and in the long evenings round the camp fire. There it was ever the author’s delight to
