May 2018 Project Martha – Historical & Archaeological Background 27 on the lode was postponed for time. The work was done by contract, and an average of four men were employed.’124 Further to the north, a new shaft at Favona was driven by the Waihi Consolidated Gold Mining Company from 1905.125 Progress was summarised in the 1907 parliamentary papers with the following: ‘The syndicate having an option over this property commenced sinking a prospecting-shaft in the last week of 1905. This shaft (11ft. by 6ft. in the clear) has up to 31st December, 1906, been sunk to depth of 395ft. From the surface down to 314ft. the shaft was good sinking, being mainly in pumice sediment; from that point to present depth stratum of boulders is being penetrated, which has retarded progress and gives a lot of water. Two 16ft. by 6ft. multitubular boilers have been installed, the last one in October, the pumping plant being a 5,000-gallons-an-hour Tangye in the bottom, and 1,200-gallons-an-hour Worthington at 250ft. lodgments. The winding-engine consists of a pair of 10ft. cylinders, with 18in. stroke, and is of ample power for extent of intended operations. The intention of the syndicate is to carry the shaft down to 800ft. or over before opening out for crosscutting, provided ore is not struck in the sinking. The average number of men employed during the year was twenty-one.’126 Several other syndicates continued to work the profitable reefs during the early 1900s; however, none came close to matching the production levels of the Waihi Gold and Silver Mining Company. In the 1910 report of the company’s chairman, A.M. Mitchelson, it was stated that ‘the increase in our yield, coupled to the decrease in our expenses and a little more interest received, has resulted in the gross profit amounting to £606,182, which I think you will agree, is a very satisfactory result.’127 The company’s mine was regarded as ‘the most-important gold-mine in Australasia, and one of the greatest gold-mines in the world’ and confidence in the continuing upward trends of the mine remained high.128 However, 1909-1910 marked the end of the boom period for the Waihi goldfield and the start of a phase of long-term stability for the area. 124 AJHR 1908 C-03, p.15. 125 NZAA site record T13/306. 126 AJHR 1908 C-03, p.12. 127 McAra 1988, p.147. 128 AJHR 1910 C-03, p.5; Climie 1962, p.55.
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