south of him, the well-known Fiery Cross and Just-in-Time, yielded the most handsome returns for a long period of years.
Of this section of the story of the Golden West R. C. Reid says: “The discovery caused intense excitement throughout every part of the Coast, which soon extended to other parts of the Colony and overseas. Men of the greatest experience in quartz mining in Victoria and at the Thames in the North Island, wandered thitherwards. The town of Reefton was laid out and wonderful prices were quickly obtained for sections. The utmost difficulties had to be overcome in the opening up of the earliest mines, and in getting crushing machinery on to several of the claims. After a year or two good returns were obtained from three or four of the principal mines, and the field became fairly established. The population steadily increased, and all the signs of prosperity became manifest: large hotels and stores were erected, and the lucky owners of them coined money. Then the old, old story, often related of Sandhurst, Pleasant Creek, Inglewood, Gympie, Grahamstown, and other quartzopoles followed. The scrip mania set in, and every man and woman in the neighbourhood speculated to a greater or smaller extent. Crowds congregated every night, more particularly on Saturday nights, in the main street and not a sound was heard but scrip, scrip,
