1873
Picking up where 1872 left off, the fortunes of the state’s goldmining seemed to revolve ever more closely around news emerging from the Hawkins Hill mines at Hill End.
Star performing claims like Beyers / Holtermanns and Krohmanns carried the hopes of many at this time as some of the very few companies to actually pay dividends to their shareholders.
For most investors though there was only bad news to be had as making money from their investments became a distant dream and calls went out for people to reimburse the unpaid portions of their share purchases in a bid to get additional working capital into failing mine ventures.
Left:Bernard Holtermann (left) and Louis Beyers on Hawkins Hill ridge, Hill End. Reproduced courtesy Mitchell Library, State Library of NSW. Call no: ON 4 Box 10 No 70197 Dig no:a2822899.
BEAR MARKET: A market condition in which the prices of securities are falling, and widespread pessimism causes the negative sentiment to be self-sustaining. As investors anticipate losses in a bear market and selling continues, pessimism only grows.
15th January 1873
Even as rich gold returns continued to flow from many mines on the hill, investors it seems had stopped believing there was redemption afoot any time soon.
15th January 1873
We have to report a further decrease in the demand for shares. In gold the day’s business was lighter than it has been for months. Browns at 14s. 9d. to 15s., Beyers and Holtermnanns at 69s.,and Rapps at 18s. 9d. to 18s. 6d., constitute all the transactions in mines in this .-colony.
In Victorian mines we note sales of Biu.d and Albions at 44s. to 45B., and Hustler’s J-tended at 11¿. There was hardly any inquiry for coal.
Waratah were quitted at 8. Copper flat. Sales’ of Peak Downs at 6 ; Cobar, 45s. ;
8 February
Amongst those who are disposed to invest m mining ventures, dividend-paying stocks are growing in favour. In gold there is hardly any demand except for Hill End shares, and these have been largely dealt in during the last fey/ days. There has been great ex- citement about two of these mines. Beyers and Holtermans touched 73s. this morning, and closed at 72s. Krohmanns sold at 64s. to 65s., and held firmly at the latter. Monte Christo advanced from . * 28s. to 31s. Carroll Beards brought 41B. 6d. to 41s. Rapps, 20s. to 21s. 9d. ; buyers at par, sellers at 6d. premium. Browns sold at 15s. Hustler’s pups are being knocked about in a manner so peculiar to Victorian mines that Sydney speculators are becoming less disposed to deal in them. Copper shares are a little more steady. Peak Downs changed hands at 57s. Gd. to’60s., Cobar at 46s.*6d., Southern Cobar at ‘ 6s. 6d. The course of sales for the past week has been :-Waratah (coal), 7£ ; Drummond (cop- per), 2s. 6d..; Mount Perry, 20i.; Cobar, 46s. Cd. ; Normanby, 7s., 5s. 6d. ; Peak Downs, 2è, 2£, 2¿,£3, 2 4-5, 57s. 6d., £3; Southern Cobar,’4s. 3d., 4s. 6d., 6s , 6s. 6d. ; Beyers and Holtermanns (gold), 69s., 69s. 6d., 70s., – -70ar 9d., 72s., 71s., 71s. 6d., 72s., 71s. 6d., .72s., 71s. 6d., 72s 6d , 71s. 9d., 72s., 71s. 6d., -73s.; Carroll and Beards, 363. 6d., 37s., * 37s. 6d., 38s., 39s., 39s. 6d., 39s” 39s. 6d.0 ‘ 59s. 9d., 40s., 41s., 41s. 6d., 42s., 42s. 6d., 40s. Cd., 41s., 42s. 6d., 41s. 9d-s 41s., 41s. 6d.,42s., 42s.-3d., 42s. 9d., 42s. 6d., 42s., 41s. 6d., 41e. ;’Daysprings, 7s. Gd., 7s. 9d., 8s., 8s. 2d., 8s. 3d., 7s. 9d., 8s. 3d. ; Fischer and Beards, 17s. 9d. ; Hickson, Creighton, and Beards, 16s. 6d., 17s” 16s. 9d., 16s. 6d., 16s. 9d. ; Engels, 16s. ; Krohmanns, 58s, 58s. 6d. 59s., 69s. 6d., 60s,, 6ls., 61s. 6d” 62s., 61s., 62s” 63s. 6d., 61s. 9d., 62s., 64s., 64s. 6d., 64s., 65s., 64s., 64s. 6d., 63s, 6d., 64s., 65s., 648., 65s. ; Monte Christo, 26s. 6d., 26s. 9d., 27s. 9d., 27s. 6d., 27s., ‘ 27s. 9d., 28s. 6d., 27s. 6d., 28s., 28s. 6d., 27s. 9d., 28s., 31s. ; City of Sydney, 12s. 9d” Bapp and Co., 19s., 18s. 9d., 19s., 19s. 3d., 19s., 19s. 3d., 20B., 20S. 6d., 21s., 21s. 6d., i!ls., 22s., 20s., 218, 9d. j Star of Peace, 26s., 23s. 6d., 24s. 6d., 25s., 24s. 3d. ; Williams, 23s. 6d., 23s., 23s. 3d., 23s., 23s. 6d. ; Great Westerns, 50s. ; Band and Albion (Ballarat), 44s. ; Hustler’s Tribute, 69s., 70s., 85s., 100s., 82s. 6d. ; New North Clunes, 80s.
24th February 1873
In its monthly report, the Mining Summary looked also at the issues facing the small start up companies working in the shadow of the big names on Hawkins Hill.
“Thus money is muddled away, shareholders become sick of paying calls after calls, with no prospect of a dividend, and the claim is allowed to lie idle, or to be worked in spasmodic fits and starts, and confidence is gradually lost.”
24th February 1873
The claims towards the Turon and on its banks are reviving, some few favourable crushings having been obtained ; but the majority of these claims are languishing for the want of good management, the directors in most cases being too little acquainted with mining matters to be able to judge of the competency or otherwise of managers they employ.
Thus money is muddled away, shareholders become sick of paying calls after calls, with no prospect of a dividend, and the claim is allowed to lie idle, or to be worked in spasmodic lits and starts, and confidence is gradually lost.
Were only a few of these companies to be worked energetically, and to be made to pay dividends, the proprietor of others would, no doubt. h;ive more heart to proceed with them tli.tn they now seem to possess.
The remarks- which arc made hero are equally ap- plicable toother parts ol’ the Gold-fields, since the multiplication of small companies has been inde- finitely extended through the length and breadth of every auriferous tract in New ¡South Wales.
No doubt there aro a good many prizes even amongst those which the public cannot be got oven to look at, but it will require some further development of our mineral resources to pub us in a position to deal effectively with even a tithe of the companies now in existence.
Any one looking at the number of these must seo at a glance the utter impossibility of getting an efficient manager for crery one of them ; whilst if the Government were to rigidly enforce the labour conditions, the whole population of the colony Would hardly suffice to lind the necessary number of miners.
There, is one consolation,, that our mining population has been steadily increasing during the last twelve months, and that during the same period we have received an accession of intelligent, practical mining managers from all the neighbouring colonies in which they were to be found.
There is thus every probability that company after company will be worked up into a payable condition, and that before long we shall have many of the now neglected leases in full swing of work.
From Trunkey there is nothing in mining matters either new or startling to comment on, though our correspondent assures tis that never, oven in the early days of the Trunkey excite- ment, were there so many men employd as there are now.
The work done is also performed in a more systematic manner ; for he adds :-” In for- mer times, with a few exceptions, most of the shafts sunk hero were mere holes scratched out a lew feet below the surface ; now the shafts and other works connected with mining are canicd on linder the supervision of miners of great experi- ence ; and as it takes a long time to open out a mine, if the shareholders in the various claims will only allow them to steadily carry on their work, 1 have a firm opinion they will eventually be rewarded as they desire.” ,
A ccounts from Adelongstatfi that tbo reefs are all looking well, and that there is every prospect of a good dividend from Williams’ G. M. Company, which has 700 tons of stone ready for the mill. Ever} thing connected with the miue is kept very quiet, but from the look of the stone it is ex- pected to crush well. T
he Adelong G. M. Com- pany continue to raise rich wash dirt, aud other claims show an equally good prospect. The escort continues to bringdown a steady supply of gold from Currajong, the rainy weather having supplied the water, of which this locality is so remarkably deficient.
The recent nish to the alluvial ground near the Ben Nevis does not promise to turn out so well as was expected, as the prospectors have bottomed a third shaft without striking gold. Efforts are being made in other directions to open out alluvial ground, a large portion of this district, being of a most promisiug character, as far as indications go, for the çupcovery of rich. Uuds of alluvial golcT.
The probability «if the discovery of good alluvial ground in the neighbourhood lina made this rather a favourite locality for men seeking work upon the reefs, as they eau obtain employment on the reefs whilst waiting for the opening up of the alluvial by the prospectors, who are out in several directions.
Tua reefs thcni stlves continue to look well and give promise of something better, and mo3t of the leases are in fall work. The Dayspring, writes a correspond- ent of the Forbes Times, lias unearthed another reef in the company’s ground, which bids fair to equal that already ia work ; the specimen from it jestcrday showed gold well in a good character of stone. Tlie Currajong Amalgamated is still raiting firfct-class stone.
The prospectors at Happy Valley aie continuing to raise good stone, and the line of reef has been successfully traced to a, lease held by Warren and party, the stouo of which shows the precious metal. The engine for the Happy Valley Company has arrived, and all Sarties aro busily engaged on it. The company ave called for tenders for the erection of a dam.
The Currajong Consols ure .progressing well with the erection of their whim, which will bo ready for work in a few days. On the Cale- donia large quantities of stone are still being raised, that now raising ia showing moro gold than last week. TI19 work on tue new tliaft up the hill is suspended for a time; The Ben Nevis is still raising good stone, as is also the Band of Hope.
The- Welcome is also continuing its good character, and with the Victoria will fully establish the country in which they ‘ are ‘ situated ; the . latter has been bringing stone to grass this week that is splendid. ‘ Tho Emu Creek reefs are maintaining their good character, the floating of some of the old reefs into substantial companies has been of great service to the district, coining as it did at a time, when from the sulking having reached a great depth work became more expensive than could be borne by an ordinary” copartnery of working miners. In the Grenfell Consols Company’s ground and stoping over the north and south rives is still continued, and gold is plainly visible in all the faces. Tho battery is constantly at work night and day, 140 tons having been crushed during the week, and 152 ounces of amalgam taken from the plates. In the Lucknow G. M. Co. the stone now being raised looks remarkably good, and in Young O’Brien’s the prospectors’ claim is looking first-class, the stone being quite equal if not superior to that lately , crashed. No. 1 South are also raising good stone. The Victory ia still raising splendid qunitz, and infend crushing aboirtf^öO tons at (»’Briens Co.’s machine immediately En¿el’s G. ii. Co. have completed their operations. Wo continue to receive favourable reports from Gulf oin?, though nothing of more tuan usual ijxpoitance has occurred hero since our last summary. The yield of j;old continues steady, .whilst tlie nr, a of aunferiout workings is being f radually extended, the season having been re- inal kably favourable for mmïng operations owing to lhc lrrquent heavy falls of rain having fur- nished a copious- supply of water. There is, how- ever, liitlefnsh matter to report from any of the existing working*, wh-rc steady work is tho order ni the d>iy_. On Friday a report reached tuMii that gold in payable quantities had been found near Talbragar, and distant about thirty miles ii oin Gulgong. The Talbragar country is .» golden one, very favourably reported upon by Mr StutcLbury, the geologist. Several prospecting pintie.« have been out in it since the beginning of ll.e year, and it is more than probable that one of the ra luis been successful. The decision of the Minister for Lands on the dispute between the lib ck claimhulders and thclease applicants at the Bunganbil Rush being in favour of tho former, scveiid hundred men will bhortly be located on the spot. ‘Ibis ea-e further illustrates the ill-nudity and injustice nf the existing leasing regulations. ‘Ibu ground at this rush Is dry, shallow, mid easily worked and estimated to icld lo ihvts. to the load, with 1& foot of v.’tsh diit. Its area will be limi ed to the beud ( í the river em which it is situated. There is a’so a lun our of a rush to the Blue Look-out, tibovvt a mile and a half from the Mudgee River, I ut nothing cirtam known of it yut. There is lillie that is new to report from the Home Rule com try. Work is steadily pursued, especially on the Red Lead and Shallow Rush. The Home Rule Lead, despite the perseverance of the miners, has not come np to expectations, and is being slowly abandoned as a puzzle. Lowe’s Paddock find the Canadian are lively, large paddocks being iori nightly raised and washed. The Moonlight and Caledonian Leads, which are west of Gulgong, are steadily rising in the public favour-shares being freely sold, especially in the latter lead. A f inniond was found during the week ou the Moonlight Lead, estimated to weigh one carat. I If there arc more of them, shares will look up when their existence bicornes verified. The larious alluvial co-operative companies on the gold-iii Id are steadily progressing in a quiet way. In quartz mining there is nothing new to report, all btcadily going down through the bell metal i basalt, hopefully. Water plentiful. Puddliug inills are busy. I From Mudgee, our correspondent writo3 to us that the adjacent gold-fieldB continue to yield st endily returns equid to their be=.t days, and every week Fcrs the development of some new reef in the district. The Victoria Company, frequently mentioned in j our telegrams from this place, had its second fortnight’s crushing retorted on Satur- day last, when lroin 166 tons of stone 394 oz. 15 dwts. of retoited gold vt re obtained. The first crushing yielded only barely l| oz. to the ton, but the crushing just realised will show that the stone is improving in quality. This ia the celebrated reef situated only six miles from here on the Sydney Road, at Bromlee, about which waa a con I siderable disturbance a year ago, when the pros I pectors were prevented fmm fencing in, and mining upon, the highway. Adjoining it are the Prince of Wales, Princess AU’xandra, and several , other companies on the same line of reef, and equally good, or evun better, results are expected fi om them when they begin to raise stone. .The first-named company’s battery of ten «tampers, erected close to the river, within an eighth of a milo from the shaft, works admirably, and, so far as can be seen, it will be provided with work lor several years to come. Lower down the river is the Mullamuddy Sluicing Company’s claim, where a new aud powerful engine is being erected, when the work of sluicing will be pro- ceeded with, and a rich yield is anticipated. In cutting a tail race a lew weeks ago a new lead of gold was met, and from about two feet square of earth some sixteen ounces of gold, as largo as beans, were washed out. Three or lour miles further on the Mudgee Gold Sluicing Company’s claim is situated, and although no doubt exists as to the auriferous nature of the ground, the results have not yet come up to the shareholders’ expecta- tions. At the end of the present month there is to be a washing up, which will probably deter- mine the question as to whether the present CTste m of working there is efficient or not. To the ripht of the liver there are several rich reefs sunouncing Appletree Flat, and several of them having been proved payable have been quietly floated into companies with local hkareholders. ; Accounts from the Northern gold-fields are meagre, but the recentheavy rains and floods have tb n considerable extent put a stop to work, so that the news could hardly be of any great importance. Since the new year, however, at the Lunatic No. 1 North Golden Crown has crushed 13 tons, which turned out 26 oz., and the Prospectors Lunatic Beef have just washed up after crushing G tons, which yielded CO oz. ; 1G2 lbs. picked quartz out of the spme lot of stone yielded in Sydney 49 oz., equal to l8 oz. per ton on the lot. The continual wet weather has caused somo of the claims to knock oil’ work, owing to the quantity of surface water coming in, but a week or two of fine weather will see them at work again. The Phoenix Company, Lunatic Beef, a’ e now crushing at tlie machine ; I Baw some good : specimens among thiir stone. |
24th February 1873
The thing that was becoming fully apparent at this time was just how big a mistake it was to focus on bonanza discoveries as a rationale for investing in gold mining.
Victorian goldmines were the immediate example of how it needed to be done – given they were well established, making shareholders a profit and looking forward to a flourishing future. Once again the message was simple – focus on getting efficient and reliable gold recovery and smile sweetly if you happen to hit a rich patch.
24th February 1873
Sir, So much attention is now given to the rich gold mines at Hill End that there is some danger the poorer but more extensive gold doposits may bo neglooted, although tho latter aro of more valuo to tho colony than thoir moro nttractivo rivals.
The enclosed report of tho Clunes Company for tho last half-year may bo of interest to your readers, as showing what small yields can bo mado to pay, oven in mines work- ing at a great depth, and having moro than ordinary diffi- culties to contend against.
I havo also received from Mr. Latta a rotura of tho pyrites treated at tho Climes’ works during tho last year as follows ;-Cost about 33s. per ton. Quantity of pyrites treated, 368 tons 0 ovvt. Gold obtained from ditto, 2061 oz. 9 dwts. Proportion of gold extracted, 04-22 per cent. Showing a loss of only 5’78 per cout. in extracting tho pyritous gold. “Tho average amount of gold loft in tho gonoral tailings was 18i grains per ton. I nm, &c, H. A. THOMPSON.
Report for the half-year ending 31st December. Retarn o quartz crushed : Quarta. Gold Avorago Tons. oz. dwts. dwts. gi«. 16th July . … 5281 1270 8 4 20 13th August … 4978 1303 13 5 . &% 10th Btptember … 4M» 1080 3 4 Stf 9th October … 5377 1153 7 4 7 5tU November … 4780 G29 7 2 IS 4th December … 5312 D27 10 3 114-5 31st December … 4238 680 9 3 5 34,914 7053 17 4 1
Tho average return of gold obtained during tho half-year ha» bein vet j low ; for tho first sixteen weeks the yield wa» the »arno as the previous half-year, it then suddenly fell off, and during the last twelve week» (he yield ha« but just exceeded 3 dwts. per ton, a return that docs not pay expenses.
Tho abovo amount of gold V(iB obtafaea as follows :-From quartz, 5575 oz. 9 dwts. ; Chillinn mills, 1122 oz. 5 dwts.; old stamps, 356 oz. 3 dwts.¡ total, 7053 oz. 17 dwts. Reduction Machinery.-Tho stamps havo been very well sup- plied with quartz dm lug the half-} ear.
The rebuilding of the re- maining 8-hcad battery ha» been completed, and the whole 80 bends arc in excellent order and working well. The second new Chilian mill has boen erected, and the two connected to a separate englue, which now drives them and the concentrating machinery.
Tho two »tone-breaking machines ore working well, especially the ono last purchased, which, being simple in construction, ia easily kept-in order. These two machine» havo during the half-year broken leverton« of large quartz to a’sizo sulteuto the stamps. Tho Birch’B Creek pumping plant continue» to work well, and supplies u» with sufficient water for all purposes’.
All the engine« and .boilers .are In good repair*..with, tho exception of one of tho latter attached to, the stamping, plant, which recently gave way, and ha» fer a time necessitated our »topping se mo oi tho stamps; this will very shortly bo remedied. Tho No. 1 stumping engine has been removed to the north shaft, and erected there for e as a pumping engine, and fitted with a con deneor.
The pumping gear ¡B now undergoing .the necessary alteration, and the whole will shortly bo finished and at work again. The addition to this portion of tho plant will greatly facilitate tho working of the mine.. Pyrites-Dui lug the half-year wo hove saved 156 tonsOowt. 1 of this material, which ha» been roasted and ground, and yielded ! 1122 ox. 5 dwts gold, giving an average of 7 oz”3. dwt». 3 gre. per ) ton. ‘ihc cost of roasting and grinding was £1 13s per ton, with nn avernge of 4B 6¡d per ounoo o! gold obtauwl, Hcccipta and expenditure for the half-year : iixcKirrs. ‘ Net rcciipU for gold ;.. … .£26,017 2 11 Alluvial loyalty… … … … … 17r, 17 Q Water rcceipta … … ,.. ,” … J’IR 3 g Assay» mid treating polite» … … … 107 0 4 0 Bule of material, .r. ,,~ … … 119 5 7 KtU .. ., 10 15 0 I , 127,143 W 0. I ‘ ‘ ‘ BXI’KS. DirUnB. , ‘ Minocosla. ‘….£17,891-10 !>< ‘ 1Uuv ellon wölke… … … 8,45¿ 13 5 * -MUflí7 4 2 Profit* for half-year y”£.£798 U 10
19th April 1873
Further support for this approach was evident in the mining summary in April where the deficiencies of a system where mines outsourced their ore processing to private crushing plants was emphasised.
“The owner of one of our Hill End crushing machines which has a high reputation has recently been on a tour to Victoria, and was at once compelled to admit that his operations were very far behind those he found there.”
19th April 1873
There is one great drawback to the working of many of the companies to be found in the circumstances that the companies have been overdone, and that the public are mixed up in so many of them that it is difficult to get calls paid up to work even mines ot the most promising character.
Added to these, there is also the drawback of crushing, as many of the machines at the disposal of the public are either unfit for their work, or so very badly handled, that nothing like a fair estimate of’yield can be obtained frota stone crushed under such disadvantages.
It is reckoned that at the outside there are not more than a dozen crushing-machines in the colony at which real justice is done to the stone sent to them.
At present there is no remedy for this, and wo are not likely to see any improvement until some of our large companies ‘ go in for crushing on their own account, when, as in Victoria, all the available improvements will be adopted, and, once adopted, will soon be dis- seminated in- other quarters.
The owner of one of our Hill End crushing machines which lias a high reputation has recently been on a tour round the mining districts ot the sister colony, and was at once compelled to admit that, excellent as he had conceived his arrangements to be, they were very far behind those ho found in Victoria.
It is something of this kind-visits to the mining districts of our neighbours-that is required to render our machinery effective, for so long as our machine owners persist in going on in the old way, it is hopeless to look for improve- men
The middle of autumn brought with it annual report time from the Gold Commissioners and the chance to reflect more broadly upon the state of the southern and western goldfields.
3rd April 1873
“At Sofala, Wattle Flat, Trunkey Creek, and Tuena, quartz-reefing, which for a time had languished, has been resumed with vigour, and with every prospect of success when a sufficient depth shall have been attained.
“Indeed the fact has now everywhere been proved to demonstration that the permanent and most valuable deposits, both in alluvial and quartz mining, lie at a depth.”
3rd April 1873
Sir,-I do myself the honour, for the information of the Minister for Lands, to submit my annual report upon tho condition and prospects of tho Western Goldfields.
The past year has been distinguished hy an unprecedented vigour in mining pursuits, and a corresponding , advancement in tho development of the Western Gold .. ‘fields, which cannot fail to produce a lasting and beneficial i effect, and establish gold mining in all its branches as ono of the most important of the settled industries of tho «olony.
3. A comparison between tho revenue received in 1871 i {and daring the past year will show tho extraordinary in ¡. i crease in tho occupation of auriferous Crown lands, tho c «reater part of which aro being worked by capital provided , By1 tho portion of tho community who aro non-residonts upon tho gold-fields, and who havo hitherto stood aloof ‘ from nil investments in gold-mining, tho development of , -which interest, until within tho last three years, had beon left to tho almost unaided efforts of tho working miners, .who were principally omployed upon the alluvial çold fields.
NoWj however, tho quartz-reefs, which roquiro a largo expenditure in labour and machinery for their efficient working, ore, by tho aid of capital, being mined to a dopth hitherto doomed inaccessible, or beyond the influenco of tho Auriferous lodes, and in many instances with a success as gratifying to tho investors as it is indicativo of tho per- manence and wealth of our gold-fields.
4. I annex returns showing the number of minors’ rights .nd business licenses and leases applied for in 1872, tho esti inated population, tho machinery employed in connection with mining oporatiems, and the yield of gold from each gold-field , i of importance in -flu’s district.
These returns show an advance , «ador every ¡head over thoso for 1871, and the gross col “ lections give an increase of no less than 31,317, being J6*2,196inl872,and only £10,879 in 1871. This arises . i principally from -fhe additional applications for looses of auriferous tracts-22,054 acres having been taken up in 1872,-and only 1656 acres during the previous year. Tho yiold-of goad as by the escort return nas also increased to ho extents 89/176 .oz. 15 dwts. 9 grs., being 287,067 oz. 6 dwta. ‘23 «ra. for 1672, as against 198,490 oz. 10 dwts. 14 gre. in 1871. ‘ fi. The gold-fields at (Gnlgong and Hill End aro still the «hief ccofcres-eif attraction, itho former as an’alluvial field, ¡ i lint now also ‘developing auriferous reefs, and the latter as » purely quartz-mining district,-the alluvial there having long einoo been exhausted, lu the yield of gold,
Gulgong .«lupaesosíill others ; ithe deep .leads thoro are still proving prolific, «ûdîuarte-creeîs,jevidoiitly tho matrix of the rich «lluvial deposits in the Cudgegong basin, are being opened ?out in sB directions.
New alluvial leads are also being 4iso0vcred in the neighbourhood, and the prospects of this, -which may bo considered as -the mott important g old-field in the colony, aro in «very way encouraging. Here also ?capital is stepping into work in large areas, and with the aid of machinery the auriferous drift beneath tho basaltic formation, which, with tho presence of water, impedes! the j operations of tho working miner.
I cannot conclude these remarks upon tho Gulgong Gold-FieM, without expressing my opinion that its development has bees seriously retarded by the operation of the frontage system.
Having for a ‘ timo administered that code at Gulgong, and watched for three years the result of tho system, I have arrived at the i conviction that however plausible the theory upon which it is based may appear in actual working, it ia a system which, cn the wholo, ia injurious to tho miner, the uncertainty, delay, and intorminablo litigation attending its operation ‘ moro than counterbalancing th« supposed economy of labour or other ftdvaatagef. J am satu fled that a lyrtem of oxtcndcd -arcas for deep and difficult ground would bo 1 found far ‘jioro advantageous than, and put an omi to the present i-^jjrjej.fcHij tenure of claims hold under the f routage rrguln’riorjo.
In expressing these viovvs, I fojl that I am I onlv echoing tho sentiments of the larger portion of tho ii’.ning community at Gulgong and cl-owhcro. Tho only other alluvial field of any importance in Currajong, in tho Lachlan District, which contains deep leads, but inferior to thoso at Gulgong in pcriimncnco and production, although for a timo highly remunerative and supporting a considerable population.
There is also every probability of the discovery of additional alluvial leads in tho neighbour- hood of Currajong. Quartz-roofing there, however, on an extensive Beale, is now taking the place of the alluvial workings, and establishing this gold-field on a permanent basis.
C Of tho quartz-mining districts, Hill Tlnd and Tam- baroora still embrace the largest Bharo of public attention, from the astounding yields from tho lint of chums on Hawkins’Hill which retained during tho post year thoir character for permanence and wealth Although tho bulk of the gold produced has been obtained from thecompan tivelv few claims on theknown lino of Hawkins’ Hill veins, tho steady wotk which has boon progressing on the bolt of reefs, extending from Chambers Creek to Hargraves, is beginning to tell, and will shortly augment tho escort re- turns from thcBO fields, as y et eclipsed by thoso from tho alluvial leads at Gulgong
Not only at valions points have reefs containing gold in remunerativo quantities been dis- covered, but powerful machinery for ipiiiitz-ciushiiig, re- pleto w ith the latest appliances for ainulg imation and ex- traction of gold from tho surrounding metal*, hxs buen erected, and will soon bo in full work, adding largely to tho returns from these districts At Sofala, Wattle Flat, Trunkey Creek, and Tuena, quartz-reefing, which for a time had languished, has been resumed with vigour, and with every prospect of success when a sufficient depth shall have been attained indeed the fact has now everywhere been proved to demonstration that the permanent and most valuable deposits, both in alluvial and quartz mining, lie at a depth, the extent of which has not been determined on any gold-field in this colony-the richest yields, especially in quartz reefs, having been found at the extreme depths yet reached.
I do not doubt but that returns equal to those from Hill End will, in the course of time, reward the labours of the miners at the places I have mentioned. An attempt to describe in detail the various gold-fields and localities where mining operations are being carried on in the Western dis- trict would elaborate this report unnecessarily, and I have no departmental means of ascertaining with accuracy the progress of the workings which is daily supplied to the public journals by competent reporters.
The statistical returns, however, which I have annexed, show the main facts in connection with each gold-field of any importance
8. I do not anticipate that the same number of leases, or any approach to it, applied for during the first, will be taken up during the ensuing J car, as man) of them will novel bo worked or occupied , but I have estimated that tho socond payment on thoso received and tho new appltcitions will bring up tho rovenuo for 1873 to the standard of 1872
That many of tho numerous companies for working quait/ reefs, hastily formed, with insufficient capital, must collapse, is self evident but even if ono-tcntb of tho mining v enttn es projected aro successful, a career of pros- perity in gold-mining will bo cntored upon that has as yot j been unknown m Now South Walo« I In conclusion, I trust that as tho anticipations onter tained in my report of 1871 of tho prosperity of tho pvst year have been fully realized, the piesent temporary oyil m mining affairs may only bo tho precuisor of renewed vigour m that direction, by the investment of capital with moro caution, and the establishment of companies on a soundei basis for developing tho mineral wealth of tho country Many of tho works being carried on mo in their nature for a lengthened poriod of on unproductive character, but solid results will oro long bo obtained from mines at present of littlo apparent value
Tins is especially noticeable in tho vicinity of Hill End, w hera tho sinking is through strata of tho mest unyielding character, and the progress necessarily Blow Such ground can only as a rulo ho profitablv worked m largo areas, and with ample capital at command To attempt to work it in ordinary chums without capital is now found to bo quito impracticable, and, with tho exception of comparativ el j shallow alluvial deposits, tho Borne may bo said of all classes of gold-mining at tho present date
Tho era of gold-digging is rapidly giving way to that of gold-mining and oui gold-fiolds wore never m a moro hopeful cond tion as regards thoir future development than at present, although tho feverish excite- ment concerning them has somewhat abated m consoquonco of tho results, disAstrous m many mstuncoä, of rash and unguarded speculation m mining ventures, which from tho first contained no clement of success I havo, &o., “Vjuttinodai,e Johnson; Commissioner in chargo of tho Western Gold Fields.
19rd April 1873
The Southern Goldfields Commissioner’s summary was later summarised in the overall mining report. One interesting aspect of this account was to note that:
“At Grenfell mining matters are in a highly satisfactory state, and all the principal claims there have been purchased by and transferred to companies, which are very successfully formed, and which possess capital necessary to ensure the proper and systematic working and arrangement of the mines.”
19th April 1873
As was its due, he gives the first place to Araluen, of which he writes :
“The apparently inexhaustible Araluen Gold- field has, during the past year, yielded the large return of 23,044 oz, which gives it the first place, in a gold-producing point of view, in the Southern district.
The yield is G502 oz. in excess of that of the previous year, and the increase is attributable to the lact that the floods which frequently cause such loss and devasta- tions, «and present Buch impediments to mining operations, have not been of late so severe or pre- valent as in former years.
The resources of the gold-field muy well be said to be unfailing, and, with fair and ordinary seasons, it must continue to be one of the most productive fields in the colony.
A new feature in mining industry at Araluen has sprung into existence through, the discovery of some quartz reefs, and 670 tons o ? stone from these workings have yielded 600 oz. o gold. With mature development this branch, o ‘ mining promises to assume great importance in that district.”
The Grenfell or Emu Creek Gold-field calls forth the following from the pen of tho Commissioner -” At Grenfell mining mattera are in a highly satisfactory state, ,and all the principal claims there have been purchased by and transferred to companies, which are very successfully formed, and which possess capital necessary to ensure the proper and systematic working and arrange- ment of the mines.
The property of the Grenfell Consols Company, hitherto known as O’Brien’s Reef, is of great known value, and the prospects of the mine are most encouraging ; and it pro- mises to be a very regular dividend-paying con- cern. Engel’s Company, on the Homeward Bound RetfJ and O’Brien’s Company, on the Lucknow, also possess very valuable properties, and I think will prove safe and valuable invest- ments to the shareholders.
In alluvial mining around Grenfell nothing very” notable has occurred ; some claims at the Seven-mile have been fairly productive, and have maintained a limited industiious population.
The deep ground on the Tyagong Creek flats has again come into notice, and it is anticipated that some rich leads, which there is every reason to believe exist there, may before long be struck and traced. At the same time he adds that of all the gold- fields in his district the Adelong has shown the most marked and substantial improvement during the year.
“The mining excitement,” he says, “that has prevailed has turned attention to workings that had long remained abandoned, and were regarded as worthless ; and these have been taken up, and in most instances have proved to ba of great importance and value.
The whole length of the well-known Victoria, Donkey Hill, Currajong, and other reefs, are now reoccupied, and the works on them are in active operation. The prospects of the Victoria Reef are most en- couraging and satisfactory, and large companies have been formed in connection with some of the claims. Among them I may mention the Research Company’s claim, which is now pro- ducing stone that is” averaging 12 oz. to the ton, and that of Williams’s Company, which,, with 75,000 shares, lately declared a dividend of 4s. ,per share. Mr. J. Buchanan, Commissioner in charge of the Northern Gold-fields, has the following passage in his report, which of itpelf tells the whole history of mining in that district.
“ The absence of crushing machinery has, per haps, militated more against the development of several new gold-fields than anything else. The proprietors of the claim are men of little or no capital, and have been unable to induce parties to put machinery on the ground.
Large quan- tities of stone have been raised at Glen Morrison and the Gulf, and at present await crushing, which exhibit remarkable richness j but to a great extent the workings have been abandoned, owing to the cause above referred to. ‘ From con- versations with these men, I am led to believe that if some simple co-operative scheme were in force with regard to the working of crushing machines, based upon those adopted in several of our collieries, there would be no apathy on the part of the claimholders to take their share of the venture. Hitherto the only means most of them have had of proving the payable character of the reefs have been by biinple assay of small parcels of picked stone, a test imperfect in itself, and one not in favour with capitalists.
From inspection of stone raised on many reefs at Glen Morrison, Little River, and Solferino, I can speak decidedly as to the richness of the reefs, but their develop- ment is at present retarded through the lack of machinery for crushing.” This want of machinery is the complaint which rises’ up from more gold-fields than those of the noith, as there are localities in both the south and west in which the development of mining is sadly retarded by the want of crushing power.
One of the overall features of the mining operations at this time was actually how primative they were in their operations.
In the absence of this horse power still literally drove the field, complete with all the attendant limitations of this.
12th July 1873
This was especially noticeable at Hawkins Hill where eventually it was left to the quartz crushing operators to finally set up a tramway to get the quartz out for crushing more efficiently.
12th July 1873
As regards the gold-fields generally, it must be confessed that business is very flat, owing to the fact, that persons have their hands so full of speculations that they are actually unable to pay up the amount of calls due on their several ventures,
At the same time some of these have been of so, yery dubious a character as to beget doubts with regard to the rest. Thus then, whilst there is a ôertain amount of activity on the different lines of reef, there is not the quantity of work doing that the large number of companies floated would lead oue to expect.
As regards the Hawkins Hill claims, something has been done-not by the companies, but by the machine-owners-to lessen the expense of taking quartz to the mill. As far as the companies themselves are concerned, though they represent investments of from £30,000 to £100,000, they have continued to work on in the same primitive style that was pursued by the first miners, who had to live from hand to mouth, and do the best they could.
They work with the same miserable whim and horse, bring up their stone in buckets, and generally dodge along iu the old beggarly style, instead of clubbing together to have a tram- way of their own, sending their stone up iu ‘ trucks on a cage, and then running these trucks direct on to the tramway without shifting or handling.
Luckily for the companies, however, the maeliine owners have a. little more spirit than the directors, and a commencement has boen niade.
Our Hill End correspondent in his last communication says : “ It is with pleasure I record the completion of Petersen’s tramway as initiating a new era in our mining operations, and 1 hope soon to have to chronicle the finishing of Chappell’s tramway.
Both of these have been condemned as impracticable ; the former has proved a success, and, for my own part, X have no reason to doubt the success ot the latter. i Petersen’s tramway extends from Creighton and Beard’s to the Kose of ¡England on a slight incline, being-carried partly on piles and partly along the side of the Hill, and then turning at right angles to its direction, goes immediately down the Hill to the machine-at the bottom.
The trucks are secured in their ascent and descent by a strong wire rope controlled by a powerful brake, the lull truck ^drawing ‘up the empty one. Ohappell’s is a wire tramway to extend Irom his machine as far down the Hill probably as Carroll and Beards. The wire”, an endless one, is worked on a drum at the machine-one part of it going constantly down, whilst the other part goes up. It is supported at intervals by stageB, aud the quartz is removed in irou buckets hung ou the wire, and moving with it to the machine.
To explain the ingenious method by which the buckets are carried over the supports and the direction of the rope is changed would take up too much of my space. Each of these has for its object the economical crushing of quartz by obviating the packing ‘and carting, the cost of which has hitherto acted most preju- dicially on the Hill claims, and to an extent not generally realized.
Packing costs from 5s. to 7s. lid. per ton, and carting ,’another 2s. öd. *If the matter ended there, thore would ‘ not bs so much cause for complaint. But mark the collateral expenses, if I may so call them.
During the packing, most of the miners are employed in filling the .bags and loading the horses on tho claim, and unloadiug them and emptying the bags on top of the Hill. Here then is a heavy expense which should never be incurred-either the mine is stopped, as a mine, .or extra i hands must be employed. Then to lessen this experrse as much as possible, the I stone is ‘dressed,’ that is to say examined and picked over to clear it as far as possible from i the mullock, and thousands of .tons of stone that I I will .give no remunerative return under these I multiplied ‘expenses are thrown over the burrow, a positive loss to the country by the amount of gold tiley contain, for did they but pay the ex ¡ pense, ,ol, cartiug and crushing, to the machine I they would go ; they have to be raised, and would save the expense of dressing, ‘
Thus, though the claim derived but little or no benefit, work would be’ given to men and machines, and gold, would be added to the resources of’the country.” ? Though very little changa has taken place in regard to the miue3 at the Hill during the past few weeks, yet alto- gether there may be said to be some improvement. The latest report is that fair stone is being grassed from the Cornelian, and the Frenchmen’s, whilst in Matthewson’s the quartz retains its auriferous character.
Taking the Hawkins Hill claims, there js a large lot of good-looking stone being packed to Pulleu’s from the Star of Peace, of a quality to warrant a good crushing. Paxton’s have a lot ready for the mill, a very marked improvement being noticeable in its quality, being excollent stone, with gold dispersed throughout it.
Over 1000 tons will be taken to Petersen’s battery from Hickson, Creighton, and Beard’s : and as golden quartz can be picked out anywhere in the paddock, the return should prove remunerative. Raws thórne’s have cut through several veins, some gold-bearing, but others not. From Rapp’s there is ¡ nothing fresh. The crushing from Jeffree and Gcllard’s does not come up to public ex- pectation, for from the number of dishfuls ‘ washed, all containing ounces of gold, it might have been inferred that a very large return would have been got ; still 500 oz. from six tons is a splendid yield, and taken as it is from a mullocky vein, where the gold is most unevenly dispersed, and therefore liable to deceive the best judges, the result must bo regarded as satisfactory.
Beard and Tallentyre have struck good gold iu the shaft in then- tunnel, from the vein which is doubtless a continuance of Jeffree and Gellard’s.
12th July 1873
Away from the golden claims of Hill End, the full impacts of the speculative boom that these rich ventures had visited upon NSW gold mining was becoming fully apparent.
“Many seem at a loss to understand the great depression in mining matters, especially when there are here numerous large and well-defined reefs, which in Victoria might prove a source of wealth to hundreds were capital judiciously expended on their development.”
12th July 1873
As ‘everywhere in New South Wales, we here, just now, feel the great depression in mining matters, and a great many seem at a loss to understand the cause, especially when the fact is taken into consideration that there are here numerous large and well-defined reels, proved highly auriferous-reefs which in Victoria would employ profitably crowds of busy workers, and which here also might prove a source of wealth to hundreds were capital judiciously expended on their development.
The cry that speculators have been so fearfully swindled that they are afraid to go into anything more, has, 1 have no doubt, a good deal to do with the existing dulness.
In the late wild scramble for nri/.is here, of course; as elsewhere, some “ nice things “ turned up-things which havo unfortunately pre- vented many from again speculating in this really promising and comparatively untried district ; but as these “nice things” are probably by this time pretly well relished, those interested will have all the more reason to bo prepared for their inevitable “ dead-finish.” But the speculators,
I lancy, are themselves in a great measure to blame for their late recklessness and lost?, and the chief cause of the present depression can, I think, be traced to the fact that the New ¡South Wales investors have not yet thoroughly learned their first mining lesson, and yet alter ¡ill their so dearly paid for experience,
even now, when a company is formed only a lew weeks, their incessant questions – how many tons glassed i-what will it go 1-when may we expect al dividend’Í-show their continued total igno- rance of quartz mining, and it must be, disgusting to all intelligent mining managers who have to do with such people.
I believe there is no dis- trict in New South Wales that öfters more en- couragement to investors in quartz reefs than this. Some of the most qualified inspectors Mr. Henry Mitchell, certificated under the depavt nient of mines in Victoria, and many others of acknowledged ability, have inspected and ^op- pressed a very high opinion, of many of our reefs, and of the district generally as a per- manent gold-field. Many of the reefs are large frjpm 2 to 4 feet wide-and so far, as tested here, proved payable ; but it requires capital to syste- matically work a quartz reef. ‘
¡Adelong still continues to maintain its position as a reefing district. The Adelong United Gold Mining Company, with a quantity of gold in view, have had to stop operations for want of laths. The reef claims are looking as well, if not better, than ever, and the Adelong Company on the Old Reef have now struck a most payable re’ef.
This must be all the more gratifying con- sidering the length of time the original share- holders worked for nothing, Many other claims are looking well ;
but owing to tho impassable , st^ite ol the roads, carting has been but very slow. ¡In regard to the Emu Creek reefs, it is reported that owing to the wet weather the progress of the various works connected with the machinery has been retarded ; but, nevertheless, considerable advancement has been made. The engine-house isjnearly completed; and, should the weather take a turn, the machine will very shortly commence operations. T
he battery has per- formed the usual amount of work, about loo tons of stone having passed under the stampers during the week: and, from the appearance of the tables, a good result may be anticipated. The Britannia : The pro- prietors of this reef again started work, and are raising stone equally as good as that previously crushed ; the reef continues the same width as formerly reported, The Victory Lave a large amount of stone at grass, but1 will not crush for solne few weeks. The stone looks first-class. Young O’Brien’s : The prospectors are busily en- gaged raising stone, and intend having another crushing shortly. The reef looks excellent. At Np. 2 South the prospectors are getting splendid stone on the boundary of No. 3 lease. Band of Hope :
The quartz being raised from* this claim promises to return as large a percentage of gold as those obtained, from previous crushings. There ia a considerable amount of stone at grass, and the claimholders intend to crush shortly.
Enterprise Reef : The shareholders have finished a crushing of ,134 tons of quartz at Cunninghame’« machine, the result being 12| dwts. to the ton. The reef is improving in appearance daily. The dams are now plentifully supplied with water throughout the district, owingito the late abundance of rain. Like all the Western gold-fields, the Ironbarks has suffered from the recent fall there of rain, which has, to a certain extent, prevented work, an’d especially carting, and otherwise impeded^ mining operations generally, though it has given a ¡supply of water to the sluicing parties which they will not be slow to take advantage of.
Many claims had too much water to,contend with before the wet weather set in, and now there has been such an increase as to make the position anything but comfortable. Jacob, the German, had 17 tons quartz from German Jack’s reef’ crushed at the Ironbarks Company’s machine, which yielded 38 oz. 7 dwts. The reef runs north and south,’with’a slight easterly,’dip of about 1 foot in’12, and is about 1 foot thick. The party is ‘down 35 feet. Some specimens from that depth are the best Been for some time. The Ironbarks Company’s machine crushed, about 10 tons from Stringy. Bark (M’Olymont.and Co.)
The yield was 11 oz. The reef . here is 3 feet thick. No, 2 Golden Gully ‘also put through 17 tons, whiqhi yielded 15 dwts. per ton. The Redfern G. M. ,Oo. had a crushing at Lea and Dargue’s machine. The yield was something under 1 oz. to the ton. . There is a great deal ol iron-pyrites in this claim. -’ The manager1 has laved about .three tons of it after passing through’ |hè Wir^UDe,’ and Um expérimeote wade he w .1 ,1 . I . confiders there is a quantity of gold in it. M^s-rs. Li»,and.Dargne seemed disposed to thoroughly U sí ¡iho Great Britain reef, iuavipg let avo»ntr.iot¡ to sji|k one of.tho shaftyj, to a depth of löQ-foot,1 ahq haye also several men employed ^in^difforuii u, }]iiirt of the reef.’ The Ironbarks,’ prushiug, ¡Cfíiüp’ány had ‘about i tons’ of cement taken ¡from the bid ground’ on the White’ Hill for jatrial. The yield, I believe, was about 3 dwts. ¡ptr.ton.,’ It was not feasible tP ‘suppose thero wa« any payable cement left in the old ground, as the diggers saved all that was worth anything. jA brilliant diamond was found by the.managen-, Mr., Fleming, in the old cement tailings. It has iloiiff been expected that precious stones,would jbefPun’d’ in these’drifts’, and. that the,,diamonds ifouadiii’thë’Macqunrie ha’v’c come from similar .foiiiatioils. A ‘party1’of experienced’’miiieis havecimmenctd to put a tunnel’in à’ large bald hill near Stoney Cieck.” Several tntlhela ‘have bee« put into the same hill without result. ‘.
A’good deal of energy is-being displayed ovci the çreefs in” the vicinity ? of Gundagai. Hazul tin d Co. at Bongongolong, are getting out good looking stone, and are driving acrobs the reef. They have already gone” l8,feet, and have not got TO the back yet., The Tommy Dodd, claim flushed 0 tons at Woolnoughs machine, ‘ which yie-lájcd i oz. per ton. At Muttama ‘every- thing!’ looks promising, and the – tribute parties are working with a ‘ good, will’ J’he .Cornish Tribute party ha3 struck soma1 splendid stone in the second make, which shows gold (weil. O’Brien and party are still getting out a? oil stone, in which gold is visible ip nearly every piece. Deadsmitli and party have had gpod stone lrom tLe surface, and are well pleased,at their’prospect?. ,
Several other tribute parties are making preparations to commence operations at Muttama, and one machine, if not both, will start ciushing next week, there being plenty’of stone» tb giass for each. The Mount Pleasant G. M. Co.,i at Kimo Banges, have nearly got their machjueup; they hope to mateo a,start in less than a month. Mr. Jessop is also making head-, way with the erection of his machine up jpnee’e, Creek, and Mr. Kirkpatrick has far advanced with ‘life’ erection of his machine at Coolac. The Consolidated Lac-ma-Lac G. M. Cb. : A contract has’bean entered into for an engine, battery, Chilianjnill, etc, which are expected to be on the mine, and in working order, in about: three. montJiB^time,
6th September 1873
Nor were the days of speculation and fraud altogether at an end by this time. In breaking news in September, an account of how fake telegrams were sent to directors, falsely reporting non-existent discoveries reveals how swindlers had not yet completely retired from the field.
6th September 1873
So many tricks and schemes are being resorted to by unscrupulous persons in connection with mining claims that all confidence seems to be lost even in the best paying claims.
The last attempt of this kind was made with regard to the Great Undaunted Claim, Hawkins Hill. Each of the directors received a tole ‘gram from Bathurst ¡fnnouncTÍig that gold had ;bf.en struck in tho easterly veins at a depth of 416 feet.
Or course this caused considerable excitement, but as there were some doubts upon the matter** telegram was sent to a responsible person at Hill End, and then the fraud was dis- covered, for ho at once visited the mino, and dis- covered the statement to be untrue.
This gentle- man says’ in regard to the matter : “.On Thursday last I received a telegram asking if the report were true ; on receipt of ‘which I immediately hurried off to the claim to learn the truth, though I had no expectation of any such luck as it proving true, as when I was on the claim on the Monday there was nothing to suggest it
Tho report proved unfounded, »nd 1 .wired to that effect. The next day’ brought a telegram stating mine was reported falso, and asking if I had any doubts on the matter.
My answer was that there could be no doubt The men, after going through a bar of likely-looking slate about two feet thick, had come on hard rock ‘again without a sign of a vein.
As I have stated, ¡the result of the Undaunted operations is anx- iously watched up here, for should they prove successful new life would be given to the place ; and that they will, every one hopes, and but few doubt.
The manager is of opinion that he is fast approaching the right country, and for myself I look to its proving the certainty of my theory of thc run of gold in the hill.” Must as mining affairs are as dull as they well can be, the Commissioner for the Gold-fields West, in which the largest number of leases has ^been taken out, suddenly wakens up to a spas- modic state of vitality, and discovers that leases many of them more than two years old, and the owners of which have in the good times warmly ! begged to get from the Commissioner the as I surance of possession, are forfeitable through the non-payments of rents, and straightway proceeds it to declare them to be forfeited.
As we mentioned ( in our laBt summary a good deal of money has been spent on many of these leases, and it is rather hard that the holders should lose them by reason of this temporary panic which is thu* fostered by meddling officials whose duty would rather seem to be to allay than add to it.
The matter has been brought under public notice this month by a letter from Mr. Clarke, a gentle- man largely interested in mining ventures ; and the answer from the Lands Office is that the pro- cedure is in strict conformity with the law. Of course it is, and it is only to be regretted that the Commissioner did not act as strictly in confor- mity with the law in the early stages of the con- tract.
The Gulgong and adjoining diggings have been actively canvassed by persona desirous of repre- senting the electoral district of Mudgee, the seat for which has been vacated by the Solicitor General, who has been raised to the Upper House, there to represent the Government in thc place of the Hon. Saul Sain ucl, now iu England.
Thc miners have acted with considerable discri- mination, for they have decided to hear all parties attentively : and there are no less than four can- didates, ana to make the question of gold-fields’ management thc test of efficiency. Mr. Innes (Solicitor-General), whilst representing them, brought in a Gold Fields Management Bill last session, but it was somewhat crude and uncer- tain in some parts, leaving a splendid opening for misrepresentation-an opening that was not imissed by the opponents of the Government, but was used most unscrupulously.
The hon. member (Mr. Buchanan), who most loudly opposed that measure, has now given publicity to one of his own, and he will now have a taste of that sauce which he se liberally employed to thc Solicitor-General’s bill, for his measure is being lather severely handled by the Gulgong miners, a shrewder lot of men than hon. members generally give them credit for being, who will show the hon. gentleman that he is not precisely the mining genius he fancies himself to be.
1 Of actual news on the mines there is very little ito report Some of the claims are working steadily, some feebly, some not at all. The gene jral complaint is that tho majority of shareholder! ‘ will not pay up their calls, and the minority whe ‘are willing to go on and develop the mines, an ! not disposed to do so out of their own pockets ¡whilst the defaulting shareholders stand by re j pudiating liability, but prepared to come in ant j claim their shares in the event of success, i
2nd December 1873
In its final account of 1873, the mining report had some optimistic news to end the year on. A new Mines Department would be established to help the long term development of mining in the state and serious investors were regrouping as the fortune seekers walked away from their ventures.
Also alluvial options remained strong with both Gulgong proceeding well and a new field opened up at Parkes.
2nd December 1873
The most important item of news this month is the fact that the Mining Bill has been read a second time, only one voice having been raised against it, hon. members generally stating their impresión that, with a few amendments, the bill was a good one.
There are some objections to the appointment of a responsible Minister at the head of the new department, though it is generally conceded that it will be an advantage to form this into a separate sub-department, still remaining under the Minister for Lands.
Some few! of thoe clauses have been passed in committee, but they are unimportant, and the House pulled up short at the clause appointing the new Minister for Mines.
For the hut week, however, the bill has remained in abeyance owing to the attention of the House having been given to other matters.
Many of the public companies which have remained in abeyance for some time in consequence of shareholders not paying up their calls are now beirig worked in the form of private ventures, the liabilities having been taken up by some of the more spirited shareholders, who, having a larger and more direct interest in the venture, will give it a greater share of attention.
In this way a good many of the old leases are now being worked with spirit and with every prospect of Eiiccess. In alluvial mining there has also been some little stir.
A good patch of new ground has been struck at the For« st ; and at Cargo, on some ground which has been f.airly payable, a second bottom has been found showing heavier gold than was obtained in the first instance.
At Forbes, also, some very large nuggets have been found amongst the old ground, thus shewing that these old loads , have not been by any means fairly worked out, and that there is here an opening for cnterpriaa which will some day be made available.
The weather, too, has been more than usually favourablo for mining operations, a good supply of water being at hand for washing up, whilst proipt ctors have been able to push their researches in localities which they would not have been able to reach had the drought which threatened some time continued as severely as it at one time threatened.
Our Hill End correspondent informs ua that the most satisfactory of recent events are the getting on good stone in the Frenchman’s, and an «stiinated improvement of not lebs than 8-oz. stuff in the Star of Pnace stone in the bottom stopes.
Paxton’s crushing of 31 tons yielding 205 oz. l8 dwta., and the fact that ÂlaythewBon commenced cruthing about 70 tons at Chappie’s. T
he Amalgamated is driv iug east at the bottom of their nhaft, having suc cetsfully dnmnied up the water in the west cross- cut, and is driving south on two veins passed in the upper crosacut west, at about 30 feet from the shaft.
The Frenchman on Saturday experienced a change in the shaft. The leaders which have been coming in from the hanging-wall, apparently robbing the vein of its gold, have nearly all passed away, and the lode which bad pinched in to about 2 inches in thickness gave symptoms of widening out again.
Some stone raited late on Saturday showed an evident change in the character of the stone and seme fair gold-so it was not unex- pected when the stone raised on Mouday after- noon disclosed good gold, though the amount was considerably m excess of what was anticipated. Tho runs of gold in this vein appear to dip north at about the angle of the rolls on the foot wall, and the manager of the Cornelian is of opinion that his present gold i* the first ran cut in the Frenchman’s, and estimates the dip at 40”.
In the Star of Peace the stone in the bottom level was considerably improved, large blocks of stone over one foot wide showing very fair gold ; and good stone was coming from the new shaft. Paxton is stoping on veins to wost, and raising same quality of stone, u&iug the south shaft.
Ten and a-half tons that have been lying on the flat for some months, and were rawed from tbe east viens, were crushed, and yielded 12 oz. 4 dwts.-a payable return under present improved arrangements for transporting quartz to the machines. The south shaft is being timbered ; the settling of the ground to the southward making this absolutely necessary. When this is completed the east vein will be worked.
The amount of gold by last escort from Gul- gong was unusually small (1638 oz.), one tank only having remitted, whilo the others held over till next escort. Besides this, it happened that two or three rather large paddocks ot dirt were finished washing just too late for the gold to be sent last week. Tho next fortnight’s returns will bring up the average, as there ia plenty of wash at grass, and the weather moat favourable for puddling operations.
The Persevere nee Lead, Reedy Creek, has now been traced up to the ‘, boundary of Mr. House’s land, in which a number of claims have been pegged off and sold,
If the run of gold continues to improve as it has done for the last three weeks, this discovery will rank amongst the best leads. Shares in some of ¡ the claims on the Black Lead, Gulgong, are »gain ‘ becoming very valuable. The success of the Great Amalgamated in striking gold beneath the basalt, in the deep wet ground, and the applica- tion of the company to lease a large area adjoin- ing their claims, has drawn increased attention to this part of the gold-field ; and the bare fact that it is possible, under the existing law, for a few associated men to monopolise so much as 75 acres, to the exclusion of the individual miner, has forced this evil on the consideration of many who were before indifferent to the matter, and added earnestness to the general desire that the new measure will supply a remedy.
It is evident that if this wholesale leasing of auriferous land is to be permitted, the private miner must cease to be independent and become a mere labourer for wages.
Besides the Buccess of the Amalgamated Co., other block claims aa far up aa No. 22 have excellent prospects, and the wash ia the lasfe named is exceptionally rich, and from 3 to 9 dwts. per dish being the reported prospects. On all the old lines work goes on as usual. On some of the claims storing the washdirt has com- menced, according to annual custom, with the object of accumulating a grand washing just before Christmas, to secure funds for a holiday ia Sydney.
On the lUd Lead a small rush for block chums has taken place eastward towards the Britannia, in consequence of a turn the gold appears to be taking lu No. 9 frontage. New prospecting parties are still starting, and none of the old ones have abandoned their undertaking, Never since this gold-field was opened has the country been so thoroughly tested as new. The area is immense, and it will be strange, indeed, if during the summer some important discoveries are not made.
It is noticeable that this arduous and hazardous speculation is chiefly embarked in by working miners of limited means, capitalists being very reluctant to come forward till the gold is found, and then ready enough to garner a rich harvest without risk by purchasing for trifling sums the shares of the needy. _
Writing from Cargo, the correspondent of the Western Examina writes that “the alluvial at Gum Flat is still pn*gressing in the most favour- able manner. Mackie and party hare struck payable gold opon the second oottom, at a depth of. 160 feet This claim has been worked at the 60-feet level for nearly three yean, and has yielded more than average wages.
Then is every Srobability of its being even better at the present epth. Most of the eUimheiden »pear to be r^rfecUy satisfied wMthwretxifaBi. Otu Neb are i-’howirig well.’’ The Victim, reef ‘h’ turning ou.;’ really splendid stone. The tnreeV’leaders, eault yielding ,enormous quantities of gold, it ia ex- . ?pccted will’junction in a few moro feet: and in ni the present show, I should expect that it will, be something inaivtlloua.
The Teef in the Kew Chum Hill Co.’s claim has widened out to, 22 inches. Gold is plainly to be seen in the stone to grass. The copper lode still continues running almgside. Both the lode and the quartz reef appear to inéreaso in richness as they go down.” Accounts from the Bushman’s Daughter reef, near Gundagai, continue favourable, and it is anticipated that when fully developed it, will prove one of the best, if not the best, gold bearing locality in this district.
Grubb and party are ttifi cruthing at the Junction machine, having something like 200 tons of stone to reduce. Cliiimholders will require to work energetically to keep this machine fully employed. It can, we understand, put through about 80 tons stone a week. The stone taken from the Prospectors’ claim during the past week has surpassed any- thing yet obtained in richness.
In writing of the new rush at the Bushman’s, Currajong, recently named Parkes, a corres- pondent of a1 local paper, says :-Carefully travelling along the lead, I could find nothing ‘ pajable until I approached the vicinity of the Currajong Co’s engine. A shaft seventy-five feet deep has jubt been bottomed, but no prospect. A little further north I came to the claim of Nicholls and party.
This is without doubt the best at present, being situated in the centre of five others getting payable dirt On examining the heap I found gold plainly visible, and was informed by Mr. Nicholls that they had picked out ¡pieces from one dwt. to half au ounce, and that from the adjoining claim to the weat a nugget of 1 oz. 2 dwte. had been obtained.
Numerous shafts bave been ennk in the endea- vour to trace the run of gold. On Tuesday news was brought into town that payable gold had been struck new a place known as Sparling’s Camp on the Goobang Creek, about five miles north of Currajong. Of course there was a stampede to tbe spot, and by 9 o’clock on Wednes- day morning tbirty-eigbt claims had been marked oft north of the prospectors.’
From reliable authority I learn that the sinking is nearly 100 feet Prospects obtained from one grain to half dwt to the dUh. The country is a likely looking one. aDd to the north-west of the rush are several reefs which have been tested, and are known to contain gold. The Shallow Bush at the Welcome still progresses, and the run of gold setms, likely to be traced to the old lead. ‘Fresh holes continue to be bottomed on gold, and coarte gold is found in moat of the daims.
In one there was picked out nearly 16 oz. in pieces from a few dwts. to the one weighing 2J oz, A washing up from another yielded 8 dwts. to the load, which, although appearing but a low return, will pay handsomely, there bcinga great thickness of washdirt easily obtained.
From Emu Creek we learn that the prof-pectors at the seventeen mile who have been Meadily sinking for some time past tsompleted ihtir second shaft at a depth of 200 feet, and bottomed a duffer. A new reef has been dis- covered upon the surface at Engel’s gold-mining claim. The stone looks remarkably well. The party who discovered the reef which was de- scribed some time ago as being some twenty miles from Morangerall came into town on Toes dry for the purpose of registering, and one of the party says that the ground all about is highly auriferous, with every probability of a payable alluual field.