Our Macetown correspondent states that four men are employed getting stone out of the Homeward Bound mine. There are also three or four men engaged in the battery. A most unfortunate accident befel Mr Beresford Ritchie, manager of one of the mines, on Friday morning last. Whilst on his way to work he fell off the track, which is very dangerous and precipitous in places. He unfortunately sustained severe injuries to his neck and head. Relief was kindly rendered by Messrs Ross, Hannah, and Blathwayt, and the sufferer is, I am glad to say, on the fair road to recovery. It is thought that Mr Ritchie went to work too soon after his recent illness and that weakness was the cause of his accident. -Lake Wakatip Mail, 21/12/1909.
Mr Beresford Ritchie, Manager of the Goldfields of New Zealand Company, Macetown, met with a painful accident on Friday. He was carrying a plank along a race when he lost his footing and fell over an embankment, which rendered him unconscious. Medical aid was summoned and the sufferer attended to. We are pleased to say Mr Ritchie is on the road to recovery. -Lake County Press, 23/12/1909.
OBITUARY.
Mr W. J. Farrell
Mr Beresford Ritchie, Macetown, received the sad news last week of the death, in the Old Country, of his half brother, Mr W. J. Deceased passed away on the 8th inst, after a very long illness. The late Mr Farrell was a native of Belfast, Ireland, and arrived in New Zealand in 1874. Shortly after landing he joined an exploration on the West Coast, but returned to Dunedin and entered commercial life, from which he retired in 1888. Mr Farrell invested capital in the Macetown district, and for years was managing-director of several companies. In 1882 he made a special trip to America for the purpose of acquiring a knowledge of modern improvements in mining. With that end in view he visited Colorado and Nevada, and other great mining centres. In two years he returned and acquired a group of mines in Macetown. He want to London and successfully floated one of the group known as the Premier Consolidated G.M Co, Ltd., for the sum of £70,000. This company was afterwards named the Glenrock, Ltd. Mr Farrell was also interested in the Waipori Deep Lead, and also in tin mines in Tasmania For many years Mr Farrell has been in London in connection with the flotation of his Macetown mines, and he was so far successful that in November last work was resumed at the Homeward Bound, and an aerial tramway is at present being constructed to the All Nations. His death will be greatly regretted as he was a good worker for the advancement of the district. -Lake County Press, 23/1/1913.
OBITUARY.
Beresford Ritchie.
It is with regret that we announce the death of Mr Beresford Ritchie, a very highly respected resident of Macetown. He was born in Belfast in 1842, and at the age of twenty he emigrated to New Zealand, arriving at Auckland in 1862. About a month after his arrival he enlisted with the Auckland Militia, and took part in the Maori war, at a time when there were 5,000 British troops in the Dominion. After receiving his discharge. Mr Ritchie was for some time employed as a clerk in a sawmilling business, and afterwards opened a branch of the business at Greymouth. He subsequently took up gold mining, and was connected with various quartz mines on the West Coast up to 1886, in which year he came to Macetown to take up the position of battery manager of the Premier mine. He occupied a similar position under the Premier Consolidated Company, and had charge of the second cyanide plant that was installed in the Dominion. He retained his connection with the Macetown mines up to the time of his death. He was an enthusiast in his work, and was regarded by experts as being one of the most reliable battery-managers in Otago. He was of a quiet and retiring retiring disposition, and was highly respected throughout the district. He was in his usual health until about a fortnight ago, when he took ill suddenly and was removed to the Arrow Hospital, where he passed away on Monday morning. The late Mr Ritchie was married in 1891 to Miss Janet Sangster, of Macetown, and he leaves a family of five sons and two daughters to mourn their loss. The funeral took place yesterday, the Rev. W, Uphill officiating at the grave. -Lake County Press, 10/9/1914.
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