May 2018 Project Martha – Historical & Archaeological Background 92 SUMMARY OF RESULTS In the past the inland area of Waihi formed part of the Ohinemuri district and its rich resources attracted Maori to the area. Maori occupation can be traced back over centuries; evidenced by the numerous archaeological sites (namely middens, pits, terraces, and pa) and associated place names throughout the district. Several different iwi and hapu groups claim affiliation with the land including Ngati Hako, Nga Marama, Marutuahu Tribes, Ngati Koi, and Ngati Tara, whose tribal territories commonly changed in response to warfare, migration or intermarriage. The quartz outcrops in the Waihi area drew European explorers and prospectors to the region during the 19th century, long before Ohinemuri was officially declared a goldfield. The earliest recorded discovery of gold was in 1868 and the first successful prospecting for payable gold in Waihi Township was ten years later (in 1878) on the cone of Pukewa (later known as Martha Hill). Early prospecting licences (between the 1860s and 1892) were initially held by small syndicates, which, by November 1881 included the Waihi Goldmining Company and the Martha Company. Parliamentary Papers, dated 1880, noted a dozen recorded claims. However, despite the growing numbers of claims in the Waihi area, yields remained low and profit margins tight. The nature of the terrain (i.e. quartz reefs) required significant investment in heavy equipment for processing, a cost beyond the reach of most small companies. Faced with reduced production and poor results the Martha, Young Colonial and Waihi claims were amalgamated under the Martha Extended Company in 1883. Yet by 1890 the Martha Extended Company was also facing insolvency. The Union Gold Mining Company ceased operations in 1887. The Waihi goldfield experienced a boom period during the early 20th century (1902-1910) which saw increased production and expanded operations. It was in 1904 that the Cornish pump was housed in a large concrete building on the site of the No. 5 Shaft (NZAA T13/301). 1904 was also a year of expansion for the Grand Junction Company, who conducted exploratory works and discovered a large body of quartz. Improvements at Grand Junction included the construction of the power-plant (NZAA T13/313), which comprises a boiler-house and an engine-room. Modest expansion within smaller companies, such as the Waihi-Gladstone, also occurred during the boom years of the Waihi goldfield. From 1903 to 1904 the Gladstone Battery was erected on the northern side of Gladstone Hill (NZAA T13/821), adjacent to the Gladstone Company’s shaft. Further to the north, a new shaft at Favona was driven by the Waihi Consolidated Gold Mining Company from 1905. Following the boom years Waihi experienced a gradual decline in gold production, attributed in part to the decreasing supply of payable ore and a series of employee strikes affected operations in 1912. By the end of the 1910s smaller mining companies, once numerous across Waihi, had disappeared and only the Waihi Gold Mining Company and Grand Junction Company remained. In 1913 the refinery building and strongroom (NZAA T13/314) were constructed at the Grand Junction Mine and production at Grand Junction peaked in 1914. The extensive Grand Junction Battery, processing plant and powerhouse were decommissioned by 1933; however, the Grand Junction Company continued to exist as a commercial entity until 1939. Underground mining operations at Martha eventually ceased in 1952. A reliable supply of water was a significant part of mining operations in Waihi, as represented by the lengthy Waihi Low Level and High Level Water Races. Tramways were
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