Champagne Gully is a nice little rest and campiong area beside Lake Dunstan in Central Otago. I heard a story around it name years ago which turns out not to be true in the slightest...
A remarkable pig case was heard yesterday in the Resident Magistrate's Court, before Mr H. W. Robinson, R.M., and Mr J. D. Feraud, J.P. The plaintiff was Mr H. J. Cope, of Clyde, who sued, as manager of the Pioneer Sluicing Company, one William Adams, better known as "Champagne Bill," for the sum of L20, for damages done to plaintiff's water-race by defendant's pigs. The plaintiff, who was supported by two witnesses, proved that defendant had frequently been remonstrated with for allowing his pigs to destroy the Pioneer Company's water-race; but remonstrances unavailing, in fact the pigs had increased in number, and the damage likewise; hence arose the present action, the first of its kind heard on this goldfield. A verdict for 30s and costs, in all amounting to L3 8s, was returned. The Bench ruled that no pigs were allowed to be run loose upon a public road, nor were they to be allowed to damage property even in the absence of a road. The defendant likewise held no Depasturing License. The defendant expressing an intention not to pay the money, the Bench made an order against defendant's goods and chattels, should the money not be paid by Saturday next; in the absence of any goods to be levied on, 14 days' imprisonment. -Otago Witness, 15/12/1866.
Again this week the painful duty devolves upon us of recording the death of two of our local celebrities, William Woodman and William Adams, the former breathing his last in the Cromwell Hospital, and the latter in the Dunstan Institution. Both men were amongst the earliest settlers in the district, and though not filling positions of importance, yet, in their respective spheres of life they were useful members of society, and their loss will be felt by many. So far as we know W. Woodman leaves no relatives in the country, W. Adams, better known as “ Champagne Bill,” however, leaves a widow to mourn his loss. -Dunstan Times, 11/9/1885.
William Adams, better known as "Champagne Bill," was foremost in the van amongst the hardy sons of toil who, on the report of Hartley and Reilly's discovery, flocked to the colony from Victoria, and on arrival roughed it over the Rock and Pillar — a region that in days of yore none but the moa dare to roam. On reaching the scene of the discovery — the Molyneux beach, half a mile from the Kawarau Junction (now Cromwell) — "Champagne" and his fellow swaggers, with cradles, tin dishes, and picks and shovels, at once started to prospect in search of the precious metal. Bill squatted down under the Leaning Rock, better known as the site of the "Three-mile Shanty" on the Clyde and Cromwell roads, where he resided up to the time of his death. For many years poor Bill fossicked the river bed, but I fancy with little success. No name was better known on the goldfields than that of " Champagne Bill." -Otago Witness, 3/9/1886.
A widow named Adams was found dead in a rut on the Clyde-Cromwell road on Saturday afternoon (says the Cromwell Argus), having, in all probability, fallen in a fit. The deceased was the relict of W. Adams, better known as " Champagne Bill." -Otago Witness, 23/3/1888.
In view of the approaching jubilee of the Dunstan rush the following extract from the late Mr Vincent Pyke's History of Gold Discoveries in Otago will be read with interest: Davies was one of the prospectors who opened Waipori. He was an old Californian miner, and as a quaint illustration of the manners and customs of the old miners, it may be mentioned that when in Victoria he played a game of quoits for £1,000. A somewhat similar feat is recorded of William Adams, who for many years past resided, and lately died, in the Dunstan Gorge. He was better known as "Champagne Bill," because when at Ballarat, in one of his freaks, he "shouted" 100 bottles of champagne at £2 per bottle. These are samples of the extravagances of the early miners upon whom Fortune sometimes showered her gifts all too copiously. -Dunstan Times, 22/7/1912.
"Champagne Bill" lies in the Clyde Cemetery. I do not know whether his grave is marked - I'll look for him next time I visit the area.
No comments:
Post a Comment