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The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Otago & Southland Provincial Districts]

Waikaka

Waikaka.

Waikaka is the name applied to a flag station, to a mining settlement, and to a river. The station is on the Dunedin-Invercargill railway, and is ninety-seven miles from Dunedin, and forty-two from Invercargill. It is three miles from Gore, stands at an elevation of 275 feet above the level of the sea, and is fully twelve miles from the mining township of Waikaka. The township is in the Mataura riding of the county of Southland, and on on the boundary of the Tuapeka and Wakatipu electorates, and the Waikaka river, which runs through the district, joins the Mataura at Gore. Farming is not the only industry carried on in the district, as about thirty dredges are now (1904–5) at work in the locality, and many of these secure handsome returns of gold. There are two public schools in the district—one at Waikaka, with an average attendance of fifty-two, and another at Waikaka Valley, with an attendance of thirty-three. At the census of 1901, there was a population of fifteen at Waikaka railway siding, 112 at Waikaka township, ninety additional in the vicinity; 113 at the Waikaka diggings, and 276 at Waikaka Valley. The township is eighteen miles from Gore, up a long valley, through which the coach travels daily. The business places include one hotel, two stores (to one of which is attached a bakery), a butchery, and two blacksmiths' shops. A new post office has lately been built, and daily mails are received and despatched. There are Presbyterian, Anglican and Roman Catholic churches, and the Presbyterian congregation has a manse and a resident clergyman; the other churches are visited from time to time by clergymen of their faith. Waikaka is a prosperous district, and splendid grain is grown on many good farms. Extensive deposits of lignite are worked to supply the dredges, which, in turn, employ a considerable number of men.

Loyal Waikaka Lodge , No. 7,657, Manchester Unity, Independent Order of Oddfellows, was established in 1899, and Mr William McGill is permanent secretary. At the end of 1904, the membership was fifty-two, with three honorary members. The lodge, which meets every four weeks, shows steady progress.

Mr. William Mcgill , who has been Permanent Secretary of Lodge Loyal Waikaka since June, 1902, carries on
Mr. W. McGill.

Mr. W. McGill.

farming on 183 acres of freehold and 320 of leasehold, near Waikaka township. He was born in the parish of Bargrennan, Kirkcudbrightshire, Scotland, in 1868, and came to New Zealand in 1879, with his parents, who settled in the Waikaka district in 1884. Mr McGill was brought up on his father's farm, and in 1897 took up the leasehold portion of his present property, acquiring the freehold portion in the following year. He was a member of the Wendon Valley school committee for two years, and is secretary of the Gore-Kelso Railway League. Mr McGill was married, in 1902, to a daughter of Mr Robert Scobie, sheepfarmer, Manapouri, and has one son.

Pacey, William Robert , Farmer and Coal Pit Owner, Waikaka. Coal Pit Farm is so named on account of coal being found on it in large quantities. The farm, which is three miles from Waikaka, consists of 100 acres of freehold, and five acres held under lease from the Government. Over 280 tons of coal per month are supplied to the dredges in the vicinity. There are workings on both sides of the property; in one pit there is an eight horse-power stationary engine and hauling plant, and in the other a four horse-power engine and centrifngal pump. Mr Pacey was born at East Stoke, Nottinghamshire, England, in 1838, and arrived in South Australia, in 1849. Two years later he went to Victoria, and engaged in mining until 1862, when he came to New Zealand. After following mining for some time Mr Pacey took up land in the Waikaka district in 1877, and the next year started coalmining. He was at one time a member of the Waikaka school committee. Mr Pacey was married, in 1858, to Miss McCarthy, a cousin of the late Marshal MacMahon, President of the French Republic. Mrs Pacey, at her death, left two sons.

Ibbotson And Party's No. 2 Dredge , formerly known as the “Little Waikaka,” is situated at the head of the Little Waikaka Valley, a short distance from the township. It was started in 1897, and was taken over by the present proprietors in September, 1903. Two other dredges are owned by the same party. The No. 2 is a comparatively small dredge worked by a twelve horse-power compound engine, a forty-five feet ladder, and three-feet buckets.

Mr. Donald Mckenzie , Manager of the Dredge, is also one of the proprietors. He carries on farming on 264 acres of land at Greenvale. Mr McKenzie was born in Rossshire, Scotland, in 1867, and came to New Zealand with his father. He engaged in general and farm work for some time, was afterwards a part owner of a threshing plant for eight years, and in 1891 took up his present farm. Mr McKenzie has a general acquaintance with both islands of New Zealand, and page 1099 has also been in Australia. He is a Master Mason in Lodge Hercules, Tapanui, and Grand Master of Loyal Waikaka Lodge, Manchester Unity, Independent Order of Oddfellows, and he has been a member of the Greenvale school committee for two years. Mr McKenzie was married, in 1897, to Annie, eldest
Mr. D. McKenzie.

Mr. D. McKenzie.

daughter of Mr John Kelly, of Makarewa, and has three sons and two daughters.

Mcgeorge Brothers' Freehold No. 2 Dredge, which is one of the most up-to-date and strongly built in the valley, is working on Glen-iti Farm, about five miles from Waikaka. The property consists of 400 acres—sufficient to keep the dredge working for many years. The power is derived from a sixteen horse-power Marshall engine, with a twenty horsepower boiler by the same firm. The pontoons are extra strong, and the ladder is forty-eight feet long with five feet six-inch buckets.

Mr. James Donald , Master of McGeorge Brothers' Freehold No. 2 Dredge, was born near Aberdeen, Scotland, in 1864, and came to New Zealand, with his parents, in 1873. He served an apprenticeship as a carpenter at Port Chalmers, started as a master builder in Dunedin when twenty years of age, and followed his calling for many years, alternately with contracting and sawmilling. About 1894, Mr Donald went to West Australia, where he spent about four years; and he was in Melbourne about the time of the boom. At the time of the dredging boom in New Zealand, he started erecting dredges and putting in machinery. The McGeorge Freehold No. 2 was built by him, and on its completion he was appointed dredgemaster.

Mr. and Mrs J. Donald.

Mr. and Mrs J. Donald.

Paterson's Freehold Gold Dredging Company, Limited. Offices, in Dunedin; secretary, Mr R. A. Mathewson; capital, £12,000. The ground on which this company's two dredges are working was originally the property of Mr Paterson (now a director of the company, and master of one of its dredges) before being acquired by the company. There are 280 acres of workable ground, which will suffice to keep the two dredges working for several years.

No. 1 Dredge (Paterson's Freehold Gold Dredging Company, Limited, proprietors), Waikaka. This dredge was started in August, 1900, and there is a twelve horse-power Marshall engine, a sixteen horse-power boiler, a forty-eight feet ladder, and four-feet buckets. A Morgan and Cable coupled engine is used for the winches.

Mr. James Paterson , Master of No. 1 Dredge, is also Managing Director of the Company. He was born in Lesmahagow, Lanarkshire, Scotland, and arrived at the Bluff by the ship “Sir William Eyre,” in 1863. When thirteen years of age he went gold digging at the Shotover, and between 1875 and 1883 was in the railway service, occupying various positions up to that of Inspector of Permanent Way. In 1883, Mr Paterson bought a farm of 815 acres in the Waikaka district, where he has since resided, and where he carries on mixed farming. He was one of the pioneers of the dredging industry in the district, and on one occasion went to British Columbia to report on the Fraser river for a Dunedin syndicate. Mr Paterson was a member of the Waikaka school committee for about ten years. He has been twice married, his first wife leaving him six children; and his second wife, who is a daughter of Mr T. J. Robinson, J.P., of Rotorua, has also borne a family of six.

No 2 Dredge (Paterson's Freehold Gold Dredging Company, Limited, proprietors), Waikaka. This dredge is working on an area of 150 acres about two miles from Waikaka. It was started in August 1903, and was formerly the old Golden Mile dredge, Beaumont. The power is derived from a Roby sixteen horse-power engine, with a twenty horse-power boiler, and the winches are operated by a vertical Marshall engine of six horse-power. There is a twenty-five feet ladder, and the buckets have a capacity of four and aquarter feet.

Mr. Leonard Robinson , Master of No. 2 Dredge, was born in 1866, at Mauku, Auckland, and after leaving school, was engaged successively in general labouring work, survey work, bush farming, farming, and in mining at the Thames. Mr Robinson started erection work on dredges in 1899, and afterwards became a winchman. In 1901, he was appointed manager of the United No. 1 Dredge at Waikaka, and he received his present appointment in August, 1903. Mr Robinson was married, in 1901, to a daughter of Mr J. T. Melsop, of Waiuku, and has one son and one daughter.

United No. 1 Dredge , Waikaka; office, Joel's Buildings, Dunedin; secretary, Mr R. A. Mathewson. This dredge has been working since 1900, and very fair returns have so far been secured by the company. The power is obtained from a twelve horsepower Marshall engine, with a twenty horse-power Sparrow boiler. The ladder is fifty feet in length, and the buckets have a capacity for four feet. A dredge master and seven other workers are employed.

Mr. Richard Jones , Enginedriver of the United No. 1 Dredge, holds a second-class certificate for driving stationary engines. He was born at Otakaia, on the Taieri, in 1869, and educated at the Mosgiel and Pinnacle schools. Mr Jones was brought up on his father's farm, in the Chatton district, and when the dredging boom started in Waikaka he began work on the dredges. He was successively on Ibbotson and Party's dredge, the Premier, the Globe, and the Celtic (now the Phoenix) before receiving his present appointment. Mr Jones was married, page 1100
Mr. R. Jones.

Mr. R. Jones.

in 1897, to a daughter of Mr D. Lamb, an old settler in the district, and has two daughters.