Above: Interior of Cornish Pumphouse during its years of operation showing C pump.
	Above: The Cornish Pumphouse can be seen at the rear of the picture.

"In the Northern district the chief centre of activity is Waihi. The Waihi Gold-mining Company's mine and plant have been further extended, and, with a view to the development of the property at deeper levels, preparations are being made for the erection of a very large pumping-engine at No.5 shaft. There is already a compound Hathorn-Davey differential Cornish pumping-engine at No.2 shaft, and also a similar engine, having a stroke of 10ft. and working a 17in. diameter set of pumps at No.5 shaft. This latter shaft is intended solely for pumping purposes. When the new pump and engine are erected the present pump will be utilised for unwatering the shaft below its present level as the work of sinking proceeds, the new pump - 24in. in diameter by 12 ft. stroke, worked by compound Hathorn-Davey differential engine - being used to lift the water from the present lodgement to the surface."

"The great Waihi Mine has produced over fifty thousand pounds' worth of gold every month during the past year, and the company has displayed its usual energy in its mining operations. A new pumping plant has been imported to supplement those already in use. It is said that when this plant is erected and in working-order, the company will have pumping machinery valued at £130,000. The new pump is for erection at the No.5 shaft, indeed its erection is nearly completed. It is a very massive piece of machinery, and going at a nominal speed, will raise 1,500 gallons of water per minute to a height of 1,550 ft."

"At No.5 shaft the erection of the new pumping engine known as C pump has been proceeding for some months. ... Very massive concrete foundations were necessary owing to the nature of the ground. The high-pressure cylinder, bed, guides, and cross-head are erected in position; the large plummer-blocks for trunnion of beam fixed in position, and the beam (which was delivered in three lengths) is now being riveted together. The low pressure cylinder, weighing with its wooden lagging some 23 tons, was delivered at the shaft in December. The concrete walls of the pump-buildings are approaching completion."

"At the No.5 shaft the new Hathorn-Davey pump and two Babcock and Wilcox boilers have been erected, and the necessary building, flue, and chimney and pump column obtained."

The information on this page was sourced from NZ Papers and Reports Related to Minerals and Mining, 1904. These can be found in the Waihi Gold Mining Museum & Arts Centre.