Okarito was almost deserted and soon from four to five thousand men were on what we now know as Hunt’s Beach. Here Warden Keogh set up his Court and a police camp was established, stores and hotels also being opened. Claims were pegged out along the beach, covering an area of over ten miles, and then, as at Lake Brunner, neither Hunt nor his claim could be found. He had made his getaway by sea, aided and abetted by a notoriety known as Black Sam, the owner of a cutter whose home port was Riverton. Meanwhile, men who had left good claims to hasten to Hunt’s El Dorado found on their return that these had been occupied by others, and it is certain that Hunt, could he have been found, would never have led another rush. This, and as well for him, was his last appearance on the West Coast.
By this time Westland was becoming very much more settled, and more modern methods of mining were being adopted. Many extensive water races were in the course of construction, some of them being two or three miles in length. Kanieri led the way in these reforms, for there, as previously stated, many experienced miners were located, who worked their claims to the utmost advantage. Larnach, commenting on this, states: “There were five fire engines at work on Commissioner’s Flat; and water was brought on to the terraces
