St George Mine, Reefton, Buller District, West Coast Region, New Zealandi

Regional Level Types
St George Mine	Mine
Reefton	Town
Buller District	District
West Coast Region	Region
New Zealand	Country

The Sir George Gold Mining Company Ltd was formed in 1891, with a capital of £24,000. Shareholders consisted of Walter Irving (Reefton agent) 5,000 shares, Donald Munro (Reefton carpenter) 5,250 shares, John Morrison (Blacks Point miner) 3,000 shares, William Ritchie (Reefton miner) 2,250 shares, W.P. Manel (Reefton sawmiller) 2,500 shares, Matthias Willing (Reefton miner) 1,000 shares, John Quigley (Reefton publican) 1,000 shares, D. McGee (Reefton miner) 1,500 shares, D. McMurtrie (Reefton miner) 1,000 shares, Thomas Malloy (Reefton bootmaker) 500 shares, Walter Irving (in trust) 1,000 shares.

This had every indication of a working/owner party, with everything a mine needs including boots, timber, miners, and even a pub to drink at after work.

The lode was discovered by James Sunderland in 1891, on the same line as the Conquest, Golden Hill, and Matthias claims. A five head battery was erected, and the mine was worked intermittently for several years. The mine contained a short adit. In 1895, the lease was abandoned. There was another attempt at mining in 1898, and prospected in 1904. In 1908, the lease with the Matthias was acquired by the St George Quartz Mining Company. The company reported a broken gold bearing reef 3-4 feet wide in 1910, and a 2 foot thick reef with visible gold in 1912, however mining was largely unsuccessful across the period. The Big River South lease adjoined the claim at its northern end.

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