Rimu.
Rimu
is a township situated five miles southward from Hokitika, and is in the Kanieri riding of the county of Westland, and in the electorate and provincial district of Westland. It received its name from the red pine timber, which formerly grew abundantly in the district. In the year 1882 gold was
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discovered to the west of the present settlement; whereupon, in a very short time, 500 miners were on the field, and it was not long before there were six hotels, and two branch banks in the town. About the year 1890 gold was discovered at Seddon's Terrace, to the east of Rimu, where sluicing has since been carried on with success. In 1905, extensive prospecting was conducted under the Consolidated Goldfields of New Zealand, Limited, with an intention to bring in water from the Arahura river for sluicing purposes. The district of Rimu is a steady gold producer, and it is said that much larger returns could be obtained if additional water race facilities were afforded to the miners. The water used is derived from storage dams, which are supplied by rainwater. Rimu has two hotels, two bakeries, a butchery, a bootmaker's shop, and four stores, and also a literary institution and reading-room. There are Anglican and Roman Catholic churches in the settlement, and services are held by clergvmen from Ross. There is also a Convent school, with an attendance of forty children; but otherwise Rimu is served by the Woodstock public school, about one mile distant. There are two sawmills in the district, and there is a regular coach service between Rimu and Hokitika. The post office and telephone bureau are conducted in the branch store of Mr. C. J. E. Linnemann. Shooting for sportsmen is obtainable in the neighbourhood. At the census of 1901, Rimu had a population of 148, with an additional seventy-one at Rimu Flat.
The Rimu Post And Telephone Office
is situated about a mile from Woodstock, five and a half miles from Hokitika, and fifteen miles from Ross. The office also transacts money order and Savings' Bank business, and issues mining rights. Mails are conveyed daily by coach to and from Ross and Hokitika.
Mr. John A. Dutton
, who is Postmaster at Rimu, is also manager of Mr. C. J. E. Linnemann's branch store, and took charge in 1904.
Seddon's Terrace Sawmill
(Stuart and Chapman, proprietors), Rimu. This mill was started in the year 1899, and is about five miles and a-half from Hokitika. The plant comprises a boiler of thirty horse-power, an engine of sixteen horse-power. Bullock's patent bench, and the usual complete plant. The output is 6000 feet per day, and the timber is carted by road to Hokitika by contract system, but timber for local consumption is delivered by the firm's own teams. Fourteen persons are employed. The Mikonui sawmill, also owned by Messrs Stuart and Chapman, is situated six miles beyond Ross. It has a complete plant, and is devoted almost exclusively to the cutting of silver pine, of which there is a large supply. Ten men are employed, and the mill is managed by Mr. D. P. Stuart, of the firm of Stuart and Chapman.
Mr. John Chapman
, of the firm of Stuart and Chapman, is manager of the Seddon's Terrace sawmill. He was born in the Canterbury district, in the year 1872, and brought up on a farm. In 1887, Mr. Chapman removed to the West Coast, and was engaged in various classes of work, principally
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mining and sawmilling, and has been connected with sawmill work for about fifteen years. In May, 1899, Mr. Chapman, in conjunction with Mr.
Stuart, started the Seddon's Terrace sawmill. As a Freemason, Mr. Chapman is a member of Lodge Kilwinning, Hokitika. He is married, and has two children.
Boyd, William
, Miner, Seddon's Terrace, Rimu. Mr. Boyd is a son of
Mr. philip Boyd, of Rimu. He was born at Back Creek in 1876, and was educated at Woodstock. He has been employed on the goldfields in the district since his youth, and joined Messrs Neilson and Party in August, 1897.
Clifton And Party
(Arthur Clifton and Thomas O'Neill), Hydraulic Sluice Miners, Seddon's Terrace, Rimu. The original party consisted of Messrs Clifton and Cashman, who, in June, 1887, opened up a claim a few chains from the present holding. In 1888, the members of the party were Messrs Rea, Sweeney and Beatty. Owing to not having sufficient fall for their tailings, they were unable to work the ground to advantage, and the present holding was purchased in 1894 by Messrs Beatty and Clifton, who were shortly afterwards joined by Mr. O'Neill. There are three acres of ground, of which only a portion has been worked. It took the members of the party several months to open out the claim, as they had to drive a new tunnel to obtain the necessary fall for the tailings, and also cut a race for sluicing. The returns have proved highly satisfactory to the members of the party, in view of the fact that they get but eight Government heads of water, from Messrs Handley and Party, for only about five hours a week.
Mr. David Beatty
was born in County Tyrone, Ireland,
in 1827, and followed farming pursuits in his native land until he was attracted to Australia by the gold discoveries. He landed in Victoria from the ship “Black Swan,” in 1856, and for some years he worked on the Ballarat and other Victorian goldfields. In 1861, he crossed over to Otago, and went to Dunstan, Waitahuna, the Gabriel's and Molyneux fields. Being successful as a miner he established himself in business as a hotel-proprietor and storekeeper. In 1865, he went to the West Coast, where he met with varied success. Owing to advanced age, and his claim being a profitable one, Mr. Beatty retired from action with Clifton and Party, and replaced himself with a wages man. He was appointed a Justice of the Peace by the Seddon Government. Mr. Beatty died some time ago.
Harris, John Edward,
Miner, Seddon's Terrace Road, Rimu. Mr. Harris was born at Wood's Point, Victoria, Australia, in the year 1865, and came to New Zealand at an early age with his parents, who settled at Hokitika. He was educated in the
Church of England School, and at the Academy at Hokitika. Mr. Harris was afterwards at the Jackson's Bay settlement with his father, and when but a youth started mining with him. He was one of the first at the Rimu “rush” in 1882. About the year 1899, Mr. Harris went to the North Island, where he engaged in contracting and sawmilling work in the Wellington, Hunterville, Palmerston North, and Shannon districts. He subsequently took up a dairy farm at Shannon, and held it for two years. Mr. Harris then returned to the West Coast, and settled at Rimu, where he has since resided, and has a comfortable home. He has an interest in several mining properties. In 1902, Mr.
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Harris was elected to the Westland Licensing Committee. He is a member of the local Miners' Association, and was for some time a member of the Woodstock school committee; takes a great interest in the temperance movement; is chairman of the Rimu and Woodstock No-License League; and is a vice-president of the West Coast branch of the New Zealand Alliance. Mr. Harris is married, and has one son.
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