CASSIUS, MICHAEL ALBERT (?-1892) was born in Germany and came to Otago with the gold diggers in the sixties. He was in business in Southland and afterwards in Westland, where he represented Hokitika in the Canterbury Provincial Council (1866-67). In 1864, with his partner (Comisky), he took up one of the first sections in Hokitika. He was very successful in goldmining ventures and was the principal in the Ross Creek Deep Levels, from which in the first two years 22,000 oz. of gold was taken. In 1872 Cassius offered £200 towards an award of £1,000 for the discovery of goldfields south of the Teremakau river. Later he acquired the Duke of Edinburgh hotel and theatre at Hokitika. He died in 1892.

Canterbury P.C. Proc.; Kinross; Harrop, Westland; N.Z. Herald, 4 Oct 1892.

Reference: Volume 1, page 90

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