Matthew Thomas, 1874-6/1/1898.

 Preservation Inlet Goldfields

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) 

Many hearts were made sad on the arrival of the s.s. Invercargill last week bringing the news of the death of Matthew Thomas, one of our most respected and popular residents. Mat, as he was generally called, was quite a young man and was working in the Morning Star mine. He left here in apparently perfect health, with all the others, for the holidays, took a severe cold and died at his home in Dunedin. He was a general favourite in the community and will be much missed. Great sympathy was expressed on all sides for those left sorrowing. The weather for the past week has been dreadful — rain and wind, hail and thunder in succession, and a remarkable thing was that during the 11th and 12th, an extreme darkness overhung the district, so much so that in the houses the lamps had to be lighted at five o'clock. The miners have all returned to-day, and work will be commenced next week. While the steamer was at the wharf this afternoon J. Haberfield, by some mischance, fell into the water, but was promptly rescued by a boat's crew that was passing, and nothing more serious than a ducking was the result.   -Southland Times, 17/1/1898.

Deaths

Thomas. — On the 6th January, at Josephine street, Caversham, Matthew, the third son of Margaret Jane and the late Matthew Thomas and late of Morning Star mine, Preservation Inlet, aged 23 years. Deeply regretted.  -Otago Daily Times, 18/1/1898.

A very pretty incident, showing the good fellowship which exists among miners, has just come under our notice, and is deserving of full publicity. About two and a-half years ago, amongst a number of others, a young man, Matthew Thomas, went to Preservation Inlet to work on the Morning Star reef. He soon made friends, and by the geniality of his disposition was respected by his comrades. Last Christmas, accompanied by his brother, he came up to Dunedin to spend a few days with his mother, who resides at Caversham. Both were in splendid health, but influenza, which attacks strong and weak alike, attached itself to one of the brothers (Matthew), and in a few days he died from its effects. Upon hearing the sad news, the fellow-miners of deceased and the residents of Preservation Inlet generally clubbed together and raised the sum of £50, ($9710 today) with which they have erected a handsome granite headstone to the grave in the Southern Cemetery (Dunedin) of their late comrade.  -Evening Star, 13/6/1898.

Southern Cemetery, Dunedin.