May 2018 Project Martha – Historical & Archaeological Background 25 Boom Years, 1902-1910 The Waihi goldfield experienced a boom period during the early 20th century which saw increased production and expanded operations (Figure 15 to Figure 17). By 1902 the Waihi Gold Mining Company had 330 stamps in use (including the 200 stamps at the Victoria Battery) (Figure 18 to Figure 20) and J.B. McAra notes: ‘After the change to wet crushing the Waihi Company went from strength to strength, with constantly increasing ore reserves and improvements in the oretreatment process, while still following the basic pattern already established. Annual production of 214,508 tons valued at £603,167 for 1903 advanced to 416,813 tons valued at £959,594 for 1909 – this marked the all-time peak of the mine’s production and set its place securely amongst the world’s great goldproducers, probably the first ten.’109 A large winding plant was erected by the Waihi Company at the No. 1 Shaft (Martha Mine) in 1903 and that same year construction began on a pumping plant at No. 5 Shaft which was said to be capable of ‘unwatering the mine to a depth of 3,000ft.’110 The ‘C’ Cornish pump was housed in a sizeable concrete building which stood on the site of the No. 5 Shaft and was alternatively known as the Martha Mine No. 5 Pumphouse (NZAA T13/301) (Figure 21 and Figure 22). It was one of only two such buildings erected in New Zealand, the other located at the copper mine on Kawau Island.111 The installation of the pumping equipment cost the Waihi Company £130,000 and an initial trial of the machinery was reported by the New Zealand Herald in April 1904: ‘The large Cornish pump installed at No. 5 level of the Waihi Gold Mining Company’s mine had a short test this afternoon in the presence of several officials of the company. The machinery was set in motion by Mr. F. Roche, who is responsible for the expeditious installation of what is believed to be the finest pumping plant in the Australasian colonies. The pump was only running about two strokes a minute, and was lifting a tremendous volume of water at each stroke from a depth of 700ft. when an unfortunate mishap occurred down the shaft, one of the large pipes having burst with the pressure. The pipe will have to be replaced before a proper trial of the plant can be completed, but there is no doubt, judging by the short initial run to-day that the machinery will do all the work expected of it, and that the company will have no water difficulty to contend with in their deep level operations. The exploitation of the deeper levels is, I understand, to be undertaken immediately. One of the first steps will be the sinking of the No. 5 shaft.’112 The pump was successfully operating by the end of 1904 and was mentioned in the report of John Hayes, the Inspecting Engineer to the Minister of Mines: ‘At the [Waihi Gold Mining Company’s] mine the erection of the large new pumping plant (referred to in last report) has been completed, and is successfully at work. A new pair of winding-engines, having cylinders 18in. diameter by 3ft stroke geared 2 to 1 to a drum 9ft. in diameter, have been erected at No. 1 shaft. This 109 McAra 1988, p.128. 110 AJHR 1904 C-03, p.41. 111 Salmond Reed Architects. November 2003. Martha Mine Pumphouse, No. 5 Shaft Waihi. A Conservation Plan. Prepared for Newmont Waihi, p.17. 112 New Zealand Herald¸ 14 April 1904, p.6.
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