can be thus dignified) in Revell Street, and issued Westland’s first miner’s right to his brother John. Hokitika, which was already developing into what might be described as “a man-sized town,” was declared a port of entry early in April, and the 15th of the same month was marked by the arrival of Commissioner George Samuel Sale, better known as “King” Sale, who immediately took complete charge of the goldfield on behalf of the Canterbury Provincial Government.
In April, too, the Collector of Customs at Hokitika (Mr. W. Seed), at the request of the General Government, submitted a report on the West Coast gold and coal fields, the following extracts being taken therefrom: “Gold in payable quantities has now been found on all rivers from the Buller to the Totara. Fair prospects have also been found down the Coast south to Mount Cook, so that as far as can be ascertained the northern half of the West Coast of the South Island appears to be auriferous. . . . . I spoke to a number of men on the Waimea who expressed it as their opinion that the goldfields would last for many years. At the end of March I estimate there must have been 7,000 people on the Coast. Of these about 3,000 were at the Waimea, 2,000 prospecting and digging in other places, and 2,000 congregated in the township at Port Hokitika. The quantity of gold purchased in
