MINING DOCUMENT SIGNED BY MILITARY GOVERNOR OF JOHANNESBURG COLIN MACKENZIE (1900)

"Power of Attorney. York Gold Mining Company, Ltd. to London Agents. Johannesburg, Transvaal. 6th December 1900."

The York Gold Mining Company Ltd. was registered in 1895. It was the 987th company to be registered on the Witwatersrand. The original registered capital was £120,000. The company went into liquidation on 20/10/1906.

The document, dating from December 1900, pertains to the recovery of gold belonging to the above mentioned Company that was "seized, commandeered, or taken possession of" by what is described as being the "late" Government of the South African Republic. When Field Marshall Lord Roberts entered and occupied Johannesburg on 31 May 1900 it was believed that the British had won the war, but the war proved to be far from over.

The first leaf in the document certifies Siegfried Raphaely as Notary Public practising in the Transvaal. It was signed by Colin Mackenzie, Colonel Seaforth Highlanders, Military Governor of Johannesburg, on the 11th of December 1900, and also contains his wax seal. There are two Z.A.R. "South African Republic" revenue stamps on the top right corner for six pence and ten shillings respectively. They are postmarked with rubber stamp of the office of the Military Governor and are also signed by him.

The second leaf in the document, marked "A", is to confirm that Siegfried Raphaely, Notary Public, was present when the Power of Attorney was signed and that the persons therein mentioned were present and that the signatures therein contained are true. This leaf is signed by Raphaely and contains a Z.A.R. "South African Republic" revenue stamp for two shillings and sixpence. It is postmarked with the circular rubber stamp of Raphaely's office and contains the V.R.I. "Victoria Regina Imperatrix" overprint.

The next five leaves, marked "B", is the draft of the Power of Attorney in favour of the London Committee, authorising them to take all steps necessary to recover the Company's commandeered gold, amounting to "one bar of gold, no.589, weighing 94,90 ounces or thereabouts, of the value of Two hundred and one pounds two shillings and eight pence (£201.2.8.) or for that sum of money, the said bar having been taken into possession by the late Government of the South African Republic around February, 1900." The document is signed by two of the directors of the York Gold Mining Company George Hesse and Max Francke, the acting secretary Arnold Zboril, the attesting witnesses F. Graff and Paul Dalldorff, and Siegfried Raphaely. At the head of the first leaf of section "B" are two Z.A.R. "South African Republic" revenue stamps for sixpence and two shillings & sixpence respectively. They are postmarked with the circular rubber stamp of Raphaely's office and contain the V.R.I. "Victoria Regina Imperatrix" overprint.

The final leaf, marked "C" contains a summary of the resolution of the meeting of the Directors of the Company held on 6th December 1900. It is signed by the acting secretary Arnold Zboril.

Major-General Sir Colin John Mackenzie KCB (1861-1956) was a British soldier and Chief of the General Staff, the head of the Canadian Militia (later the Canadian Army), from 1910 until 1913. During the Anglo-Boer War he served as a director of military intelligence on the staff of the commander-in-chief General Lord Roberts and was appointed Military Governor of Johannesburg in November 1900.

Max Julius Hermann Francke qualified as a mining inspector at the University of Berling. In 1895 he was offered an appointment as Mining Inspector by the Government of the South African Republic, which he accepted. He worked in Johannesburg and Pretoria and, when required, served as acting state mining engineer. He wrote three contributions to the annual reports of the state mining engineer, which were published together with the annual reports of the head of the Mines Department. In 1900, during the Anglo-Boer War (1899-1902), Francke became joint manager of A. Goertz & Co. in Johannesburg and began to play a prominent part in Rand affairs. He became a director of many companies, including several gold mining companies. As an authority on gold law matters he was appointed as a member of the Gold Law Commission and of the Mining Industry Commission by the British government of the Transvaal Colony. (source: www.s2a3.org.za Biographical Database of South African Science)

The firm of Siegfried Raphaely was established in Johannesburg in the 1890's. Even after numerous mergers with other firms during the last century "Raphaely" still featured in the name of the firm, but was eventually shortened to Fluxmans in 2002.