hanged at the Grey, during the little adventure above described. So great was the excitement of many people who were glad to see me return safe and sound, with a good parcel of gold, that I was unable to get away from them at the wharf for some time.”
Waite Street, Greymouth, perpetuates for all time the name of the pioneer storekeeper of Westland, and the founder of that town, where he resided for a period of ten years, and Marion Street nearby honours Mrs. Waite. In his old age he fell on evil days, and unsuccessfully petitioned Parliament for recognition of his services in pioneering the West Coast goldfields. He died in the public hospital, Nelson, in 1885, and was buried in the Whakapuaka Cemetery.
With regard to the contract Waite had received from the Nelson Provincial Government to procure 40 tons of coal from the Brunner seam, which Von Haast had pronounced to be of excellent quality in 1860, Matthew Batty in charge of a party of Maoris proceeded to the site of the seam, and there was hewn and loaded into canoes the required quantity of coal. This was then conveyed down the river to the Grey, where on July 28th, 1864, twenty-seven tons were placed aboard the S.S. Nelson, and shipped from what we now know as Port Greymouth. This was the first cargo of coal from the West Coast. It is noteworthy, too, that from this date the Nelson ran
