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The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Otago & Southland Provincial Districts]

Round Hill

Round Hill.

Round Hill is a portion of the Wallace electorate, and lies within the Orepuki riding of the county of Wallace. The population of the township at the census of 1901 was 178. Round Hill is not far from Colac Bay, and only two miles distant from Wakapatu flag station, on the Orepuki line of railway, and is connected with both places by bush tramways. The settlement took its rise in 1874, when gold was discovered in the locality, by miners from Orepuki. The discoverers took up claims, and secured water rights, but did not appear to be successful. Then some Chinese miners came along, and to these the Europeans sold their rights in the field. The Chinese had not been long at work when it was proved that the Europeans had worked only on a false bottom, beneath which there were large quantities of gold. At one time the population consisted of from 500 to 600 Chinese, of whom, however, only from twenty-five to thirty remain now—1904–5. The best mines consist of some three or four large sluicing and elevating claims. Round Hill township stands on a bluff, on three sides of which the ground has been sluiced away. In the centre of the township there is a Chinese josshouse, which contains some interesting specimens of Chinese handiwork. Round Hill has an hotel, a store, a post office, a public library, and a school.

The Round Hill Post Office is conducted at the store of Mr G. C. Batcheler.

Mr. George Cottle Batcheler , who acts as Postmaster, is a general storekeeper at Round Hill, and also owns the tramway between Colac Bay and Round Hill. Mr Batcheler was born in 1882, at Athol, and educated at Dipton, Oraki and Colac Bay. On leaving school, he worked at blacksmithing and pipe-rivetting, and was subsequently for a few months at a gold-mining claim at Parawa. After a short time in a store at Colac, he went to the shale works at Orepuki, and was then working in a store near Stratford, in the North Island, for a time. He started the Round Hill store with Mr Nicholas in January, 1904, but afterwards bought his partner's interest. Mr Batcheler is superintendent of the Colac Bay Presbyterian Sunday school, and treasurer of the church, a member of the Colac Bay Rifles, and also of the Oraki Lodge of Druids. He is agent at Colac for the Royal Fire Insurance Company.

Gerstenkorn, photo. Mr. G. C. Batcheler.

Gerstenkorn, photo.
Mr. G. C. Batcheler.

Ourawera Gold Mining Company, Limited , Round Hill; registered office, Esk Street, Invercargill; legal manager, Mr R. Erskine. This company, which was floated in 1894, has been very successful; and, on the ground now being worked, the metal is being elevated sixty-five feet. There are two lines of thirteen-inch pipes—No. 1 line, 446 feet, having a dead pressure of 195 feet, and No. 2 line, of 300 feet, having a dead pressure of 125 feet. The plant includes an eight horse-power hydraulic engine, driven by a Pelton wheel.

Mr. James Couling , Mine Manager for the Ourawera Company, Round Hill, was born at Churchill, Oxford, England, in 1863, and arrived in Invercargill in 1875. After leaving school, he entered the confectionery business, but, tiring of this, he started sawmill work, which he followed for six years and a-half. Mr Couling spent several years in contracting and waggoning, two years at bricklaying, and a few months at meat freezing works. In January, 1896, he began at the Ourawera claim as a labourer, and in 1900 was appointed manager. When in Invercargill, he served in the Invercargill Rifles, and was a member of the Invercargill Orchestral Society; and, as a Forester, he has been a member of Court Star of the South, Invercargill, for twenty-three years. Mr Couling is now a member of the Round Hill school committee, and also of the Anglican church committee, and leader of the choir. He married a daughter of the late Mr J. Meflin, of Forfarshire, Scotland, and has four sons and three daughters.

Gerstenkorn, photo Mr J. Couling.

Gerstenkorn, photo
Mr J. Couling.