Barrytown is situated twenty miles from Greymouth along the north beach, and about one mile from the beach inland, at the foot of the Paparoa ranges. It is in the Cobden riding of the county of Grey, in the electorate of Grey, and in the provincial district of Nelson. Barrytown first sprang into notice about the year 1879, when the gold “rush” may be said to have been at its height, and when over 2,000 people were residing on the field. The first prospecting was done as far back as 1866 at Canoe creek. Barrytown has a well-equipped school. There is also a post office, and mails are despatched twice a week. At the census of 1901, the township had a population of sixty-four, with sixty additional in the vicinity. Gold sluicing is carried on on an extensive scale. There is much bush in the district, the roads are hilly, and good shooting can be obtained by sportsmen.

All Nations Hotel (Mrs Burns, proprietress), Barrytown. This hotel was established in 1879, and taken over by the late Mr. Thomas Burns, in 1884. The entire building consists of twelve rooms, including seven bedrooms, a comfortable sitting-room, and a dining-room. There is also a detached building containing ten bedrooms. The billiard-room, which is largely patronised, has an excellent full-sized table by Alcock. The “All Nations” is the only hotel in the township.

Mr. Thomas Burns was born at Wicklow, Ireland, in 1832. After leaving school, he served an apprenticeship to the butchery trade until fifteen or sixteen years of age, when he enlisted in the Durham Regiment of Infantry. Mr. Burns was in the Crimean war, and fought at Balaclava, Inkerman, and Sebastopol. He went with his regiment to India, and fought throughout the mutiny. In 1864, he arrived in Victoria, Australia, and came to New Zealand in 1870. He was for a time in the first and second Waikato Militia, under General Cameron. After being discharged, Mr. Burns went to the Thames and other Auckland goldfields, and removed to the West Coast in 1873. He was married, in 1871, to a daughter of Mr. Patrick Gilroy, of County Tipperary, Ireland. Since his death, the business has been conducted by Mrs Burns.

The Late Mr. T. Burns.

Ryall, John, General Storekeeper, etc., Barrytown, Bankers, Bank of New Zealand, Greymouth. Established about 1870. Mr. Ryall took over the business from his father in 1897. The shop has a frontage of about sixty feet, and is well stocked throughout. A section of the premises is set apart for the butchering portion of the business, and the bakery is situated on the opposite side of the street. Bread is baked four times weekly, and delivered throughout the district, Mr. Ryall does a very extensive trade in all the departments of his business, and also acts as postmaster at Barrytown. He is a son of Mr. Denis Ryall, and was born near Barrytown, where he was brought up to the business by his father.

Harris, James, Miner, Barrytown. Mr. Harris, who was a member of Lewis and Party, long known as hydraulic sluicers at Lawson's Creck, Barrytown, was born in Jersey, in 1846. He worked at his father's trade as a baker for three years; then he emigrated to Australia, and landed in Sydney in 1867, when he left Australia for New Zealand, and worked with success at Tuapeka and Waipori. Mr. Harris then removed to the West Coast, and commenced mining operations at Kumara, where he met with success. In 1881, he joined Evans and Party at Barrytown, where he afterwards became a member of Lewis and Party.

Lewis, Evan H., Miner, Barrytown. Mr. Lewis was born in Tasmania, in 1838. He was educated at Hobart, and entered the countinghouse of a leading Tasmanian merchant, but eventually joined the business of his father, the late Mr. William Evans Lewis, with whom he remained for about eleven years, when he went to the Bendigo diggings. Later on, Mr. Lewis came to New Zea- page 277 land, and remained in Dunedin until 1865, when he removed to the West Coast, and worked at Kanieri, Stafford, Charleston, Brighton, and Hokitika. In 1870, he took over the sluicing property, afterwards known as that of Lewis and Party, and, later on, had for his partners, Messrs W. E. Lewis, James Harris, and John Morris.

Mr. William Morris , J.P., formerly manager of the Waiwhero Sluicing Company, Barrytown, was born in Herefordshire, England, in 1853, and was engaged in various pursuits at Home. He landed in Queensland, in 1871, and followed mining occupations principally for about five years. Shortly before the gold “rush” to Kumara set in, Mr. Morris came to New Zealand at the end of 1876, and went to the fields. In 1879, he established the Larrikins Sawmills, Kumara, which he disposed of seven years later, and devoted his time to forwarding the interests of the Sash and Door Company, Greymouth, established by him some years previously. Mr. Morris has held aloof from all local politics, but he is associated with the Freemasons and Oddfellows, is a member of the American Mining Institute, and received his commission as a Justice of the Peace from the Seddon Government. He married a daughter of Mr. Murtagh, formerly of the Hokitika Hospital, and has six children. Mr. Morris resides in Tainui Street, Greymouth, and is extensively interested in mining and sawmilling.

Mr. W. Morris.

Mr. George William Reeves , formerly manager of the Barrytown No. 2 Gold Mining Company, Ltd. (now extinct), was born in 1872, in Central Otago. He is a son of the late Mr. J. J. Reeves, and was educated and brought up in Otago, where he obtained a wide practical experience extending over a period of ten years, in hydraulic sluicing and elevating. Mr. Reeves is now (1905) in the Government service, under the Public Works Department.