Tom Lillis (born 1889) and John Edgar (born 1874), discuss their memories of Coromandel hotels, mining and local characters.
Mr Lillis and Mr Edgar refer to photographs held at the School of Mines. They discuss a Mr Luks and a Mr Ratchen who both owned hotels at Tokatea. Mr Edgar tells a story about customers who stole some whisky and beer from Mr Ratchen, who just added it to their monthly account. They recall batteries used to crush quartz: the Scottish, the New Zealand Crown. They discuss old identities and gold reefs they worked, Johnny Kennedy, George Gilmore, Calico Jack, Billy Gold.
Mr Edgar then talks about Mulligan (or Mullingar?) Murphy, a solicitor turned gold miner who used to cross-question card players and give lawyer’s advice. He trained three kittens which the bush camp’s cat had given birth too, and would race them across the table, with the bushmen betting using tobacco.