Country: New Zealand
Issued on: Departure
Date of presentation: 21/03/1900
Number issued: 12
Gold "coins", suitably inscribed, to:
4th New Zealand Mounted Rifles –
1040 Trooper George Mearns BOWERS
1043 Trooper Henry James DOWLE
1072 Trooper John DUNGEY
1115 Trooper William HARRIS
1067 Trooper Thomas Wilson HOLDEN
1058 Trooper William Malcolmson MATTHEWSON
1009 Trooper William McKENZIE
???? Trooper Alexander McLENNAN (no record found)
1071 Trooper Thomas MEE
1070 Trooper Albert Edward THURLOW
5th New Zealand Mounted Rifles –
1606 Trooper Charles McClure ANNETT
1698 Trooper William Frank WHITE
Presentation made by His Excellency the Governor, in the Garrison Hall, Dunedin.
Inscribed: "Otago Goldfields to Rough Riders".
Described as: "gold coins of the size of a florin, inscribed with the name of the recipient and the words 'Otago Goldfields to Rough Riders' ".
Trooper Annett received a second (return) medal from Patearoa.
Trooper Harris received a second (return) medal from Gore.
One of these medals appears to have been lost in November 1901, as and an advertisement posted in the Evening Star, 29/11/1901, reads: "LOST, Contingent Medal, inscribed "Otago Goldfields to W.A." Reward returning, Thomson, Bridger, and Co."
As none of the above recipients have the initials "W.A.", there seems to be a possibility that there were more presentations than have so far come to light.
Otago Evening Star, 22/03/1900 (nominal roll of 5th N.Z.M.R.)
Otago Evening Star, 24/03/1900 (nominal roll of 4th N.Z.M.R.)
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Mount Ida Chronicle, 23rd March 1900
SOCIAL TO THE GOLDFIELDS MEMBERS.
At the Garrison Hall, Dunedin, on Wednesday night a farewell social was tendered to the goldfields members of the Fourth and Fifth Contingents by their Central Otago and Dunedin friends. About 250 were present. Among the members of the contingent honored were: — Fourth contingent: Hyde, W. MATHEWSON; Kyeburn, W. HARRIS; Matakanui, T.W. HOLDEN, W. McKENZIE; St. Bathans, T. MEE, A.E. THULOW, J. DINGEY; Waipata, H. DOWLE; Wedderburn, A. McLENNAN, G.M. BOWERS. Fifth contingent: Hyde, C. ANNETT; Naseby, W. WHITE. The. Hon. Thos. Fergus presided. His Excellency the Governor was present, and during the evening presented the guests, on behalf of the people of the goldfields districts, with souvenirs taking the form of gold coins of the size of a florin, inscribed with the name of the recipient and the words "Otago Goldfields to Rough Riders". A number of toasts were honoured during the evening and an enjoyable musical programme was gone through. Among the speakers were the Hon. J. McKenzie, Mr M.J.S. Mackenzie, arid Mr J.J. Ramsay.
