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The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Auckland Provincial District]

Mr. Charles Ring

Mr. Charles Ring, J.P., one of the oldest and most respected colonists of Auckland, was the first discoverer of gold in New Zealand. He has been identified with the growth of New Zealand from its earliest stages of settlement to its present state of prosperity and progress, and was one of the historical Forty- [unclear: Ni]ners at the discovery of the Californian fields. Mr. Ring was born in 1832 in Guernsey, one of the Channel Islands, and was the son of Mr. Charles Ring, a London page 438 merchant, who was ruined through a bank failure, and the loss of his fleet of ships within a few months of each other. His father's disasters altered Mr. Ring's prospects, and he determined to leave the Old Country to make a fresh start in life in a new one. Accordingly at the age of fifteen, he went to Tasmania, which then offered good prospects to intending settlers on account of its liberal land laws. Mr. Ring, however, was not satisfied with that Colony, and went to Adelaide, where he started business on his own account, by opening a general store. Unfortunately, he was burned out, and about the year 1841 he decided to leave Australia, and try his luck in Maoriland. He landed at Port Nicholson, but came on to Auckland, and on his northward trip he had as a fellow passenger the Hon. Alexander Shepherd, the first Colonial Treasurer of New Zealand. A few raupo whares and tents then constituted the city of Auckland. Shortly after his arrival in Auckland Mr. Ring bought two farms, one near the Pa, Onehunga, known later as Hayr's farm, and the other at Mount Roskill. The transfer of property was simple in those days: the Maori chief who happened to be the vendor pointed out two boundaries; the purchaser handed over the consideration agreed on, and the affair closed without the intervention of law courts or lawyers. Mr. Ring stocked his farms with 500 sheep, obtained from Mr. Busby, of Waitangi. Owing to the great scarcity of cattle in New Zealand, he went to New South Wales and brought over two cargoes; but experiencing a difficulty in obtaining from the Government sufficient depasturing ground, he collected his imported stock and drove the mob into Messrs Connell and Ridings' saleyard (where Messrs Porter and Co.s premises now—1901—stand) and sold them on three, six, and nine months' bills, there being no money in the place. Mr. Ring then determined to make a bid for fortune in the Californian goldfields, which had then just broken out. He took passage in Messrs Henderson and Macfarlane's vessel, the brig “Fanny,” and was joined by his brother, Mr. Fred [unclear: Ri]ng. They purchased from Mr. Scott, at Epsom, a whaleboat, with which they intended to prospect the Californian rivers. After a three months' passage from Auckland, the “Fanny” arrived at San Francisco on a Sunday, and as soon as she cast anchor the crew seized the ship's boat and deserted the vessel to become goldseekers. There were fifty vessels in a similar fix in the harbour. The city presented a very stirring appearance, for although it was Sunday, work of every description was going on, and carpenters and builders were erecting warehouses, shanties, and huts. The city was crowded with gambling tables, grog shops, and shanties, and with all sorts and conditions of men. Mr. Ring was soon engaged in the exciting work of gold digging, in which he was fairly successful. He left the Yuba for Sacramento, whence he went to a “rush” on the coast, on the way to which he got shipwrecked, and lost all the stores which he had brought with the intention of storekeeping. Mr. Ring, disgusted with continued illluck, decided to return to New South Wales or Victoria, but never to New Zealand. Accordingly he left Sacramento for San Francisco to sail thence for Sydney. Mr. Hargreaves, the discoverer of gold in Australia (for which discovery he received £30,000) was an intending passenger with him to Australia by the Dutch brig Ceres, but was detained at the eleventh hour, though he followed in the next boat. The “Ceres,” which had 150 passengers on board, was, in consequence of an inefficient look-out, wrecked on a coral reef off Fiji. Scarcely any water or provisions were saved from the wreck. Mr. Ring and some other passengers made a gallant attempt to reach Queensland in an open boat, very ill-provisioned, and after enduring the greatest hardships, they were providentially rescued in mid-ocean by an American whaler. The captain, on hearing of the desperate straits to which the shipwrecked passengers were reduced through hunger and thirst, altered his course and picked up the balance of the shipwrecked people. He showed them great kindness, and landed them all in Auckland. The thrilling adventures of this shipwreck are embodied by Captain Mayne Reid in his celebrated novel,
Hanna, photo.Mr. C. Ring.

Hanna, photo.Mr. C. Ring.

“Lost Lenore.” On landing at Auckland on the 23rd of September, 1852, Mr. Ring interviewed Mr. (afterwards Sir Frederick) Whitaker and Captain Heale, with regard to getting a bonus for the discovery of gold; there were a number of experienced miners from the shipwrecked “Ceres,” and Mr. Ring's idea was that they might be induced to prospect for the metal. The result was that a public meeting was held, and it appointed a committee, who offered a reward for the discovery of a goldfield between 35.40 and 38 south latitude. The proclamation was signed by Messrs Frederick Whitaker (chairman), David Nathan, W. C. Daldy, J. A. Gilfillan, Joseph Greenwood, John Williamson, John McFarlane, John Salmon, James Macky, Patrick Dignan, J. Henry, and T. S. Forsaith. Mr. Ring and his brother Fred, having been so disgusted with the obstacles put in the way of settlement, previous to their departure for California, intended to get away from New Zealand to Australia as soon as possible, but no vessel being on berth they determined to prospect the Coromandel and Thames ranges, which they thought would prove gold-bearing. In 1852 Mr. Ring and his brother discovered gold at Cabbage Bay, Coromandel, at McCaskill's Driving Creek, Ohinemuri, and at Te Aroha. In fact, they proved that the country was auriferous from Te Aroha to Cape Colville. On arriving at Coromandel Mr. Ring and his brother experienced a difficulty with the natives. At the Tiki they found the great Maori chief, Taniwha (Hooknose) with about thirty natives watching their arrival along the beach. A number of the natives came down to meet them, and demanded Mr. Charles Ring's double barrelled gun, which he refused to give up. When the chief heard this he called to the Maoris to bring the Pakehas before him. After asking the reason of refusing to deliver the gun as “utu” for being on tapued ground, Taniwha said: “I think these are good men; we will let them go;” and they parted the best of friends. Mr. Ring first found gold where Main's battery now stands, at what is known as Ring's Driving Creek, and next at Preece's Point. He returned to Auckland and reported the discovery to Mr. Whitaker, and the Goldfields Discovery Reward Committee, to whom he showed samples of the gold, and applied for the reward. Mr. Ring's statements were at first doubted, the committee thinking the samples of gold might be Californian. Mr. W. S. Graham placed the schooner “Undine” at the disposal of the committee, and the Native Secretary, Major Nugent, with Mr. Johnson, interpreter, were despatched to the scene of operations, accompanied by Mr. Ring, and a deputation from the Gold Reward Committee. The Messrs Ring then collected larger samples of gold, and the Government officers and committee were shown by Mr. Ring the places where the gold had been found. Thereupon the Gold Reward Committee returned to Auckland and reported at a public meeting that the existence of the gold was satisfactorily proved, but that further investigation was necessary to ascertain whether it was in sufficient quantities to prove payable. On the 31st of October, 1852, the Messrs Ring preferred their claim for the gold reward, and Mr. T. S. Forsaith, secretary to the committee, in acknowledging the application, which had been duly registered, and the specimens accompanying it, said: “I desire, in the absence of Mr. Whitaker, to express the satisfaction which the prospect of eventual success which you entertain affords the committee, and to tender their acknowledgment for the promise of further information.” Messrs de Thierry and Mr. Daniel, having, later on, put in a claim for the reward, were informed that it could not be entertained, as the committee had recorded a prior claim for the discovery of gold in the same locality—Coromandel. Although the immense importance of the gold discoveries of the Messrs Ring was recognised by the Government and the Gold Committee, these gentlemen were never recompensed for the incalculable benefit their discoveries conferred on New Zealand, as, beyond a paltry £200 paid for their actual expenses in their arduous prospecting, nothing further was given to them, although, in justice to several gentlemen on the Gold Discovery Committee, it should be mentioned that they offered to pay Messrs Ring their page 439 individual subscriptions; but Messrs Ring, who were rather disgusted with the subsequent action of the Government relative to the matter, refused to accept these payments. They were, beyond all doubt, the first discoverers of gold in New Zealand, and a niggardly Government wriggled out of the payment of a just claim to two gentlemen whose enterprise, persisted in under severely trying and dangerous conditions, had brought extraordinary benefits to the Colony. Mr. Charles Ring now lives in affluent retirement in Auckland, surrounded by his family, and he is universally esteemed and respected by all those who have the privilege of his acquaintance. At his present age, eighty-three, Mr. Ring is hale and hearty, and his genial, friendly face is seen daily in Auckland. That his days may be prolonged is the hearty wish of all who know him.