Needless to say these instructions caused consternation, and Revell, determined to place the true position before the Provincial Government, decided to make a personal tour of inspection of the Greenstone diggings. Accordingly he and Hammett set out for, and duly reached, Maori Point, where they saw Albert Hunt and his native mate obtain 4½ ozs. of coarse shotty gold in one day. Maori parties nearby were obtaining similar results, and in addition to this had unearthed a huge block of greenstone, for which this district was famous. It is of interest to note that this place was known to the Maoris as Pounamu, and, as the name suggests, was the locality in which greenstone was found most abundantly. It is paradoxical, too, that greenstone, so prized by the Maori, and gold, valued above all else by the pakeha, were both first found at the same place—at Pounamu.
Revell, now satisfied beyond all doubt of the existence of gold in incredible quantities, decided to proceed to Christchurch and to place this startling information before the Provincial Council, confident that on the receipt of this great news his instructions to sell off his stores would be cancelled.
With this object in view he and Hammett set out on June 19th, and the weather being favourable, good time was made in crossing the Alps. On arrival, Revell reported the
