May 2018 Project Martha – Historical & Archaeological Background 20 Work continued at Favona until around 1899, when the company’s funds were exhausted. The mine was taken over by the Waihi Syndicate Ltd, although progress at Favona was stalled until after 1900.98 Situated roughly east and west of Martha Mine were the claims of the Grand Junction Company.99 Workings at the Grand Junction were recorded in the annual goldfields reports from 1891 to 1892, which stated: ‘Attempts have been made to sink shafts by the owners of the Waitete on the south-west end, and the Grand Junction on the north-east end, of the Martha section, but from the quantity of water found it will be necessary to provide pumping-appliances in both shafts.’100 The original Grand Junction Company was founded by Thames mining expert J.W. ‘Long Drive’ Walker, who floated the concern in London in 1894.101 The company controlled the Grand Junction mine (of around 90 acres) to the east of the Martha lode and the Waihi West mine (formerly Waitete West, also 90 acres), to the west. Diamond drilling machinery from London was utilised by the company from 1894; however, no bullion was recovered by these early workings.102 An English company took over the holdings of the Junction Company in 1897, and registered itself under the same name. Walker retained interests in the company and was employed as manager of the mine throughout 1899.103 Considerable development of the Waihi Grand Junction mines took place from 1897, although profitable returns were not realised by the company until after 1900.104 Further development of the mines worked by the Waihi Gold and Silver Mining Company continued apace around the turn of the century. By the mid-1890s the company had become the largest gold producer in New Zealand and their success led to the construction of a new battery at Waikino in 1897, known as the Victoria Battery.105 The company expanded its holdings by re-acquiring the properties of the Union-Waihi Gold Mining Company in 1901. These included the Silverton mine, which had been purchased in 1898, along with the Silverton Battery (renamed the Union Battery).106 Advances in heavy pumping gear at the end of the 1890s aided large-scale production and the conversion of the Union and Waihi Batteries to wet crushing allowed a greater percentage of both gold and silver to be recovered from the ore (Figure 13 and Figure 14).107 In 1900 construction began on a railway line to connect Waihi with the government railway system (Paeroa-Waihi). The project assured development for Waihi mining companies and ushered in a phase of boom prosperity.108 98 NZAA Site Record T13/306. 99 See NZAA Site Records T13/313, T13/314 and T13/315. 100 AJHR 1892 C-03A, p.15. 101 Climie 1962, p.52; Thames Star, 17 May 1894, p.2. 102 McAra 1988, p.99; Climie, 1962, p.52. 103 Climie 1962, p.52. 104 Ibid. 105 Barber 1985, p.38. 106 Clough 2004, p.14; AJHR 1900 C-03, p.89. 107 McAra 1988, pp.26 & 126. 108 Climie 1962, p.83.
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