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The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Nelson, Marlborough & Westland Provincial Districts]

Berlin's

Berlin's.

Berlin's has long been known as “The Old Diggings,” but Berlin's is its postal name, because the local post office is conducted in the hotel of Mr. John Berlin. The settlement is twenty miles from Westport, and twenty-nine miles from Reefton. It is in the Wareatea South riding of the Buller county, in the electorate of Buller, and in the provincial district of Nelson. Its population is included in the sixty-two persons on the Buller road. Several dredges are at work on the Buller river near Berlin's. The Buller Gorge is close by, and there is a large amount of timber in the district.

Old Diggings Hotel (Accommodation License; owner, John Berlin), Berlin's. This hotel has been in existence for about thirty-two years. There are fourteen rooms, and, with a detached cottage, there is ample accommodation. The owner keeps a good table, and there is comfortable stabling for horses. The business of the Berlin's post office is conducted at the hotel.

page 150

Mr. John Berlin , Hotelkeeper and Postmaster, was born in Gothenburg, Sweden, in 1838. He was educated in Gothenburg, and brought up on his father's farm. While quite young he went to sea, and in 1867 arrived in Nelson. For some years he followed the diggings, and in 1874 settled where he now resides. Mr. Berlin is a widower, with one daughter. His wife died in 1903.

Rockland's Beach Gold Dredging Company, Limited . Capital, £12,500; subscribed, £11,672. Up to the end of 1904, £9,079 18s 6d had been won by the dredge, and at the 31st of December, of the same year, the company had £463 to its credit in the bank. Should good gold be obtained there should be ten years' work, from January, 1905. The dredge, which is situated a short distance from Berlin's, is very strongly built. The pontoons are 100 feet by thirty feet, with a ladder capable of dredging to twentyfive feet, and the buckets are of five feet capacity. The power is derived from a sixteen horse-power engine, and thirty horse-power boilers, with light horse-power winch engines. The dredge is lighted by electric light, and was designed by Mr. Bishop, now of the State Coal Mine.

Mr. Alfred George Skilton , Engineer and Dredgemaster of the Rockland's Beach Gold Dredging Company's dredge, was born at Stafford, Westland, in the year 1868, and educated at Greymonth and Kumara. He learned engineering in Moutry and Crosbie's foundry in Nelson, and afterwards worked for some time in Reefton, at engine driving, and was also in charge of winding machinery. In the year 1898, Mr. Skilton helped to erect the first up-to-date dredge on the Buller. “The Fern Flat,” and since then has been erecting and managing dredges in various parts of the West Coast. For some time he was engineer and dredgemastor of the “Old Diggings” dredge, in which he held a quarter share. In February, 1904, Mr. Skilton took charge of the dredge “Rockland's Beach,” which has, since that date, been successfully worked. He is the holder of a first-class dredgemaster's certificate, service certificates for stationary and winding engines, and also holds a certificate of competency as a river steamer engineer. As a Freemason, Mr. Skilton is a member of the Robert Burns Lodge, Reefton, of which he has been Senior Warden. Mr. Skilton is married, and has a family of five children. His home is in Westport.

On the Way to the West Coast. Ring, photo.

On the Way to the West Coast.
Ring, photo.

Vinsen, photo. Mr. A. G. Skilton.

Vinsen, photo.
Mr. A. G. Skilton.