May 2018 Project Martha – Historical & Archaeological Background 37 Gold Production, 1911 to Present Following the boom years of 1902-1910 Waihi experienced a gradual decline in gold production. One of the main contributing factors was the decreasing supply of payable ore,129 and McAra notes: ‘The sudden drop in the gold content of the Martha reef at No. 9 level (1000 ft) which became apparent in 1910 was almost as spectacular as its continual increase in size and value up to that date. Although it was inevitable that the ore would cut out sooner or later, people in Waihi had been so long accustomed to regard the mine as inexhaustible that it came as a shock to find this was not so.’130 In April 1911 the Inspecting Engineer to the Minister of Mines, Mr Frank Reed, reported that ‘after along period of successive increases the Waihi Mine has at last shown decrease in its annual output. The value of the bullion won from the mine during the past year was £894,815 from 442,020 tons, being in value £33,494 less than for 1909, when the output reached the record total of £959,594.’131 Owing to the reduced amount of ore, the Waihi Gold Mining Company closed the 90 stamp Waihi Battery (NZAA T13/823) and the 40 stamp Union Battery (NZAA T13/311) in 1911, although the latter was purchased that same year by Henry Hopper Adams, a mining investor.132 Adams intended to work the Union Battery in conjunction with the Gladstone Mine, which he had acquired in June 1911.133 Details of the purchase appeared in the Thames Star with the following: ‘A visit was paid to Waihi by Mr H. H. Adams, the well-known mining man, who purchased the Gladstone property the other day for £300, which include[s] not only the mine itself, but all wor[k]ing plant and buildings thereon. Mr Adams spent most of his time making an inspection of the property. It is his intention to open up development work in a thoroughly systematic manner within a few weeks, and already men have started doing some preliminary surface work. About 2000ft of driving has been done in the mine, and stoping on the reefs can be commenced immediately.’134 Despite the depletion of certain lodes across Waihi from the 1910s, companies sought to continue production by more moderate means and strategies were devised to ensure longterm success.135 At the Waihi mine several improvements were carried out, which included doubling the capacity of No. 2 shaft, installing new pumping equipment and driving new crosscuts; however, the Mines Statement for 1912 noted the continuing downward trend: ‘There has been serious decline in the production from the Waihi Mine, owing to impoverishment of the lodes at the lower levels. Operations are being energetic- ally carried out for the development of the lodes at greater depth, and it is hoped that the impoverished zone will eventually be passed through.’136 The operations of Waihi mines were also affected by the 1912 Waihi strike which lasted from May to November and involved significant numbers of workers. Following years of 129 McAra 1988, p.149; Climie 1962, p.60. 130 McAra 1988, p.134. 131 AJHR 1911 C-03, p.5. 132 Lens 2017, p.73; New Zealand Herald¸ 27 October 1911, p.5; McAra 1988, p.151. 133 Ibid. 134 Thames Star, 6 June 1911, p.4. 135 McAra 1988, p.149. 136 AJHR 1912 C-02, p.2.
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