23 February 1855

TAMBABOORA.—Although a number of companies have for a length of time been settled in the Western district for the working of quartz veins, but little has appeared in the columns of the provincial or metropolitan press regarding them; and those wise-acres who predict that companies are, and never will be years hence, of practical utility to the district, have good reason for asserting so, if what has appeared in print be taken as an estimate of the progress made by the Western Gold Companies.

Those acquainted with the country which lies between Tambaroora and the Louisa Creek, must have been struck with the numerous quartz ranges which, every mile or so, meet the eye of the traveller, and which are more or less auriferous. To work these ranges on economised principles, has been a great study and anxious deliberation to the engineers and officers connected with our English companies.

Various and complicated have been the machines erected for reducing the quartz to to an impalpaable powder, but none hitherto erected have effected the great desideratum, or given satisfaction to those engaged in these hazardous speculations.

At Tambaroora, however, a great experiment is to be made, the issue of which will materially affect the interests of the district. Two of our principal quartz ranges will be developed on a gigantic scale—one situated at the Dirt Holes, by the Colonial Gold Company—the other in the vicinity of the Bald Hills, by a Bathurst Company, now in course of formation.

The first of these have been conducting operations for the last nine months, and have the whole of their machinery erected, and nearly in working order. The locality chosen for the erection of the engine, is called the Fighting Ground (so named on account of a number of pugilistic encounters having taken place on the spot), about five miles from Tambaroora, and one from the vein.

The site is good and well adapted for the purpose. A large and capacious dam has been erected, and a reservoir formed, which the recent heavy rains have filled with excellent water. A number of well-built substantial huts for the men to reside in, surround the works, giving them the appearance of a village. The men, thirty in number, employed on the works are of a superior class—good mechanics, and thoroughly masters of their trades. The engine is of sixteen horse-power, performing about forty revolutions a minute, and the quartz is crushed by stampers placed perpendicularly in a strong wooden frame.

A nut on the fly-wheel shaft drives a spare wheel to lessen its speed. This shaft is attached to the drum or barrel, that is placed horiz intally in front of the stampers. The drum is studded with sappets that raise the stampers vertically by its rotatory motion. Each stamper, and there are twelve in number, weighing two hundred weight each, rises and falls fifty-five times per minute.

The quartz is reduced as fine as powder, and the gold separated from it by its being washed in toms, the same aa alluvial soil. A temporary trial of the engine and machinery was made last week; it worked exceedingly well, and gave great satisfaction. When in full working order, it will crush from twelve to eighteen tons of quartz in twenty-four hours.

To celebrate the event of the first crushing, the company ordered a substantial dinner to be provided for all the men on the works. The management of the dinner was entrusted to Mr. Barry, of the Railway Hotel, and he spared no means to render it worthy of the occasion. On Thursday evening about forty sat down, to a ‘recherche’ spread, Captain Paul the manager of the Company in the chair. After the cloth was removed, the usual loyal toasts were given and drank, amid enthusiastic applause.

Success to the Colonial Gold Company, and the healths of Captain Paul and Mr. W. C. Cole, were drank, amid loud cheering. Singing then commenced, and many excellent songs were sung, and toasts and sentiments given.

Indeed harmony was quite the order of the evening, nor was it until the dawn of morn appeared, that the company dispersed to drown all thoughts of care and sorrow in “sleeping gentle sleep.” The whole establishment at the Fighting Ground, is very creditable to the parties concerned, and I am sure, it is the wish of all that they meet with the success which the arduous nature of the undertaking so much entitles them to. At the Cornish Quartz Vein, at the Bald Hills, the operations at present being conducted are merely of a preliminary nature. T

he quartz excavated is very rich, and some very beautiful specimens have been forwarded to the proprietors at Bathurst. Judging from present appearances, this vein is likely to turn out ex- ceedingly well.

With regard to the alluvial diggings they are yield- ing tolerably well, and few diggers at work grumble at their gettings. Mr. Knight’s party, working at the Bald Hills, procured last week seventy ounces. This is the largest haul that has been made in this neigh- bourhood for some time, and was obtained in the gully leading from the quartz range referred to in my last. The weather is cool and pleasant, and grass is be- coming abundant on all parts of the district, owing to the frequent showers of rain with which we have been visited.

4 June 1855

PRACTICAL HINTS ON GOLD MINING

GOLD MININO INVESTMENTS.-Gold mining is a subject of the deepest interest to the capitalists as well as to the working men of Victoria. Whatever may be the amount of treasure hidden in the quartz formation of the colony, it cannot be brought to light without the aid of capital ; and there are few branches of industry wherein the risk of loss is greater, or which require a more judicious application of capital, or a more correct knowledge of practical details.

Information, therefore, upon every branch of ¿old mining, is essential to the man of capital, and cannot fail to prove interesting to many, who, dis- satisfied with the slow process of accumulating a for- tune in ordinary commercial pursuits, miy be tempted to risk a certain amount upon some inviting auriferous vein.

It will therefore be our endeavour to give the most reliable information only, and to exercise the strictest impartiality in all respects.

PROSPECTING IN QUARTZ-That there are vast for- tunes in the golden reefs of Australia there cannot be the slightest doubt ; and it is equally certain that by judicious investments and economical arrangements, individuals and companies will accumulate wealth very rapidly.

In commencing operations, hasty ac tion is to be especially guarded against. In California, where quartz operations have been entered into upon an extensive sc-tle, a great fault hns been precipitancy in the erection of expensive machinery.

In many cases, the capital has been exhau&ted; in the carriage and erection ofmachinery before the mine has been opened or even properly prospected. In South America, where mining has been conducted as economically, perhaps, as almost any where else, when a vein is dis- covered, a company is formed, the vein is properly laid out and secured, an assessment is made on each individual, and the first call is seldom for a less sum than £4000 or £5000.

This is for the purpose of prospecting; for there are many points to be ob- served and investigated before any machinery should be erected Such, for instance, as ;-1st. The width and extent of the vein in length and depth. 2nd.

The average yield of gold from different assays, by washing, acids, smelting, and amalgamation. 3rd. The situation of the vein, whether easy of access, &c.; 4th. The leading mineral of the vein, whether hard or soft, solid, or slaty. 5th.

The easiness or difficulty of conducting water and transporting timber to the work. These and many more must be considered before the vein can be pronounced worth working, as they com- prise the expense, of obtaining and reducing the ore.

For an enterprise of this kind, it is more prudent to spend a comparatively small amount in the examina- tion of the vein before investing a large capital. If, after this investigation, the vein should prove of suffi- cient value to put up machinery, another assessment is made for this purpose, and operations commence.

AMALGAMATING MACHINES.-The following remarks upon amalgamation, by Mr. John Calvert, may in- terest some of our gold miners:-”Considering the amount of talent and ingenuity that has lately been expended in attempting to extract gold from its ma- trices, many who are ignorant of the nature of gold ores wonder why so little has been accomplished by all the machines we have heard and seen so much of.

If the various inventors had studied the subject better, we should not have had so many ridiculous blunders, and so much money wasted. The great dif- ficulty, which nearly everybody seems to shirk, is to bring the metal into its metallic appreciable form, so that it may either be extracted by mercury or wash- ing.

I have upwards of 300 different varieties of gold ore, not one of which, while in its present natural state, would leave one atom of gold behind with the mercury, with which it was brought in contact, in any machine yet invented. In other words, amalga- mation will never take place with gold unless in its native malleable form, and only then when perfectly free and clean from other matters.

If native gold occurs with oxide of iron, gossans, or ferruginous conglomerates, such as form part of the bed-rock of the Turon, and many other gold-bearing rivers, it may be extracted by amalgamation, provided every particle of gold is brought in contact with the mer- cury.

The same would apply to quartz containing native gold, excepting that it is more difficult to bring every particle in contact ; mere crushing will not do it, for if you examine the fine grains of sand after- wards with a magnifying glass, you will find many particles of quartz enclosing smaller particles of gold ; therefore, a large quantity of the metallic and all the non-metallic gold is lost when quartz i« merely crushed pr ground, and brought in contact with mercury. The stuff these amalgamating machines would extract most gold from with least loss, would be sand and earths, where gold existed free and independent.

STAMPERS AND SHAKING TADLBS,-The comparative failure for practical purposes of most of the machines for quartz crashing and amalgamating, and the success which has, in many cases, attended the use of stampers and shaking tables, must cause the latter to have the preference until some new process is discovered.

This method is adopted by many of the mining companies in California. It is, briefly, as follows : The quartz rock is first broken into pieces, sufficiently small to admit of its entering the mouth of the stamp-bed, where it is crushed by ponderous iron stampers, and is carried off by the stream of water which enters the ‘ stamp-bed with it, through numerous small channels, down an inclined plane, into the shaking tables ; here it comes into contact with the quicksilver that is placed there for the purpose of amalgamation ; the oscillation of the tables continues, the stream carrying the sand with it; from thence it reaches the second tier of tableB, and so on, under the rubbing stones, till at length the refuse sand passes off to the outside of the building.

The rubbine stones are found useful in freeing the ore from sulphur and other impurities, which impede the procefs of amalgamation. The operation of taking up and washing-out is generally performed once in 24 hours. The contents of the shaking-tables are emptied into the receiver, where they undergo a seeond cleansing ; the amalgam is then extracted, either by a retort, or by straining through chamois leather.

ORIGIN or GOLD.-The following is the generally received theory as to the origin of gold and other metals :-The whole surface or crust of the earth is in a condition of crystallisation, proving that previous to its present solidity, it must have been in a free or liquid state.

It was at this liquid and gaseous period that all the substances, from the most dense to the lightest, arranged themselves in vast parallel layers or Btrata, according to their specific gravities. When the cooling process had sufficiently advanced, the hard crust wa* broken up by the shrinking or contraction of the interior ; mountains were formed, and all the irregularities of violent disruption took place, Coeval with this shrinking, fissures or huge cracks were made ; from this source alone have metals been brought to the surface.

The amount of the precious, or any of the metals, is most insignificant to the vast beds which exist in the interior. In some places the liquid quartz, containing the gold, ran over the moun- tain sides. From the disintegration or decomposition of this quartz, by the action of water and the atmo ‘ sphere, the gold ñas been liberated, forming our surface mines, or gold-fields.

The uncertainty connected with quartz mining arises from the ve’n or fissure not being of uniform depth, only those portions which have extended to the great gold strata containing the metal.

GOLD WASHING.-The first essays at gold washing were with the pan ; then followed the Georgia cradle or rocker ; next the long tom ; and, finally, the sluice and puddling machine.

Washing-stuff requires dif- ferent modes of treatment, according to its composition or tenacity. Any stuff that is sufficiently rich will, of course, pay with the pan ; but a rush to a rich place will soon make it poor for the pan and cradle, when, if a fall of water could be had, ft would pay with the tom. But heads of water are not easily found, and puddling on a large scale is tbe final process through which an already well-worked field will pay.

Puddling machines, of course, would have paid best at the start, and an immense amount of labour would have been saved by their adoption sooner j but then, virgin fields were rich enough for the ruder appliances, and people had no time for experiments ; no time for improve- ments ; and so they worked on with 6uch means as were most convenient. B

ut the cream having been taken off the older fields, men have been forced into the improved wholesale system of washing with puddling machines and sluices. The latter mode is that most generally adopted in California, but there, as a general thing, the auriferous depo- sit is neither so hard or tenacious as in Australia, and an abundance of water is generally at command for sluices.

But the “ stuff” here is generally too stifffor sluicing, and a great full is not necessary for puddling, consequently the latter method suits the circumstances and answers the purposes of the miners. Races and flumes may not be constructed on a large scale, but the formation of great reservoirs of water, as recommended in the report of the Gold-fields Com- mission, would go far towards supplying the demand for water during the dry season.

MINERS LAMPS.-It is singular, considering the facility-with which whale oil irfiy be procured, that 8n effort has not reen made to introduce lamps for mining purposes. In the German mines, brass lamps, about three inches in diameter, are used. They are placed in a wooden case, lined with tin, which serves as a reflector, and will burn for about ten hours. The prime cost of one of these lamps in Hamburg is said’ to be about 8d. If kept clean, more light is obtained from one of them than from an ordinary candle.

30 March 1855

THE GOLD DIGGINGS. The Adelong Creek, is situated within about síx miles of Gundagai, at least the lower portion of the creek is that distance from the township, but the upper portion, where the diggers are congregated, is at least distant from the township by 32 miles.

It is a long, but by no means an unpleasant walk, provided you have the good fortune in the course of your trip, to escape an encounter with snakes, which there everywhere abound.

At the opening of the creek, or about six miles from Gundagai, you encounter two publicans, who give you the most glowing accounts of the district into which you are about to enter. To hear them talk, dilate, enlarge, on the magnificence of the soil, the splendour of the climate, the resplendency of the scenery, you would positively imagine that by some extraordinary touch of fortune you had reached the grand object of your ambition, and were now about to realize all that your highest hopes had prefigured.

Alas, how grievously and how speedily would you be disappointed ! You pass from these Bonifaces, and wend your way up the creek. The sight is imposing, fascinating, in the highest degree; the face of nature is glorious, magnificent; she wears a new and elegant appearance; and to the uninitiated, one would suppose that if ever there was an auriferous district, this was one.

You look north and south, right and left, and everywhere you behold men at work – hard at work too – striving with might and main, up to their middle in water, and determined if possible to obtain an independence.

It is impossible to look upon these men with calm indifference. You are instinctively compelled to wish them success; the words rise to your lips before you have time to utter them. When you have done so, you feel somewhat of an innate -satisfaction rising to your breast of giving evidence of the pleasure caused within.

But, when you enter into conversation with the miners upon these diggings, what do you find ? I must certainly say that their accounts were anything but of an encouraging character. Most of them were from Sydney, and very intelligent men they were.

Their previous occupations in life were dissimilar – some were mechanics and other professions – but there they all lived together in a spirit of the utmost harmony and friendship. I know not that I ever spent a happier two months of my life than at Adelong.

None of the fellows were rich, few of them prosperous, but whatever they were possessed of, be it little or be it much, they showed it with a liberality right worthy of commendation. Saturday nights were always nights of a remarkable nature at these diggings. There was invariably a raffle – sometimes two or three or more raffles -on them.

Horses and mares, guns and revolvers, rings and other descriptions of jewellery, were put up for sale by auction, regardless of risk, and away they went bidding and drinking, until three, four, or five o’clock on the Sunday morning, brought them reeling home to their respective tents. Such was life at the Adelong.

During the week they had worked like horses ; up to their middle in water, bailing, or rather endeavouring to bail it-out, in American buckets, and ever and anon encountering a stone the size of which might be estimated at something like a cwt. weight. Oh ! how often have I commisaerated the condition to which I have seen these men reduced! – men, too, of excellent education, of refined manners, of most respectable parentage.

Methought I saw these throwers of stones and drainers of water in their comfortable habitations at home, surrounded with their loving wives and affec- tionate children, enjoying all the delights of an English fireside, basking , in the sunshine of domestic bliss, and anticipating with fond delight all the glories which appertain to a life everlasting ; and yet, now, what shall I compare them to ?

Slashed with mud, wet to the skin, writh- ing with cramp, and despicable in appearance, what are they comparable to ? If, indeed, fortune had favoured their efforts, I could have acknowledged something on their behalf, but as it is, knowing from sad experience, as I do, that they have been unfortu- nate to an extent of which the world is scarcely aware, and that these Adelong diggings have turned out a complete failure, – I lament over their fate and sympathise in their misfortunes. I spoke to many of them.

The last I asked upon the subject were a party of three, and their representa- tation was, that they had been working for a week, and had obtained a pennyweight-worth at the time about 3s. 6d ! It was a melancholy fact, pregnant with meaning to the new-comers, and by no means encouraging to the old ones. , I left the Adelong, under these circumstances, with a dissatisfied spirit. Money, I had none. Gold I had not obtained, and credit was out of the question. Sydney seemed the only promising place to which I could direct my footeteps, and thitherward I came. There are kind spirits in Sydney, men of enlarged minds, of benevolent and generous hearts. If I have been unfortunate, as unfortunate I most unquestionably have been, thanks be to God there are still those living who possess the genius of Christianity, who love the brotherhood, and have a special respect unto them who are of the household of faith. R. Sydney, March 22.

11 May 1855

PRACTICAL HINTS TO NEW-COMERS ON GOLD DIGGING.

Now that the rainy season has fairly set in, new arrivals who have hesitated about starting for the diggings, will be making up their minds to “ try their luck.”

As to the question, “ Which are the best diggings’ ?” which they are constantly asking, we would answer, you will learn more from a week’s experience at the diggings than you would from three months’ consultation in Melbourne.

The diggings which are the richest, or have the best reputation, are often the poorest for beginners, because the good claims are liable to be taken up.

We know, of a certainty, that the prospec is p mr at Anderson’s Creek. Newchum«, unie s they are practical miners, and have some ca- pital, would strind rather a poor chance on the rich lead” of B.tll tarât.

Our choice, for the winter season, would lie in the region around Tarrangower. The supply of water may now be the means of developing new fields in that direction.

How- ever, as we have remarked, it is difficult to get correct information in Melbourne, and we would remind new chums that they must not hearken to all that may be said on the diggings by old hands to dis- courage them.

Their first step should be to sell oft” all their big -boxes and other traps, if they do so at a sacrifice. They should store nothing. All that is needed for the fit-out is a spare blue flannel shirt, an indiarubher sheet, a good thick pair of blankets, and us much loose change as possible.

It might be well perhaps to take a small’light tent, but no tools or provision*. At all events, not more than a pound of tea or coffee, a pound of sugar, and a quart panni- kin.

As a general rule, it is best to stick to one place, if even it is rather poor. The man who does so will be better off at the end of the yenr, than he who rags of having “prospected” from Brisbane to Ballaarat.

7 May 1855

THE CHINESE IN VICTORIA.

In our recent observations upon the report of the Victorian Gold-fields Commission, we briefly adverted to the evident embarrassment under which the Com missioners felt themselves with respect to the Chinese population.

The report shrinks from affirming the principle of exclusion, but virtually adopts it. It substantiates no tangible misconduct on the part of the Chinese, but notwithstanding condemns them.

It denounces them as bad colonists and unproductive neighbours, alleging reasons, some of which certainly tend rather to the opposite conclusion than to the one deduced.

The only points on which the report is clear and outspoken is where the general question of Chinese immigration is represented us being a serious one to consider, and a difficult one to grapple with. The question is undoubtedly serious, and not only to the colony of Victoria.

The whole group of the Australias are deeply and intimately affected by it. “What we need, however, first of all, is information. All the facts of the Commissioners are guesses.

The Chinese at Ballaarat are said to be between 2000 and 3000 ; at Bendigo, from 1500 to 2000 ; at Forest Creek “ about” 1000 ; and the distribution of the remainder of the alleged 10,000 are all included in the symbol, “ &c.;”

Their social habits and modes of work are spoken of with equal looseness. “ Rewashing the old grounds seems their chief mode.” Then, again, “ they seem to have a system of communicating with one another throughout the colony,” and so on ; conjecture and supposition perpetually supplying the place which well-authenticated evidence ought to occupy. The truth is, that beyond the simple consciousness that many Chinese are in Victoria, extremely little is known about this singular people, and one of the first duties of the Legislative Council ought to be the ap- pointment of a select committee, with power of ex- amining witnesses, and collating every kind of evidence tending to illustrate the habits and usages of the Chinese, together with the prospective effect of Chinese immigration upon the province at large.

This is due to the Chinese themselves, who ought not to be condemned without full investigation ; and it is due to the rest of the community, whose interests must be largely affected, whether for weal or woe, by the present extraordinary Asiatic immigration.

Victoria is a free country, so is England ; and there- fore, either in Victoria or in England, natives of all lands under heaven find a home. But though Bri tish soil is the soil of liberty, and as such offers an asylum and a home to persons of all colours and lan- guages, yet it has never been supposed that this prin- ciple could be applied so far as to destroy the British character of those lands which Englishmen were the first to occupy, and in which the institutions of Eng- land have been planted from the very outset.

Even in England itself, Alien Bills are enacted when the interests of the Community require it to be done and it would be absurd to suppose that because Eng- lish soil is free to all the world, that the Govern- ment and people of England would suffer over- whelming hordes of inferior races to settle down upon the land, and effect the degeneracy of the nation. English ports are open to all the world, and under ordinary circumstances England is greatly benefited by unrestricted intercourse with foreigners.

But if any extraordinary conjuncture of events should lead countless swarms of inferior races to make a descent upon her shores, even though made with peaceable and honest intentions, yet the inevitable social retro gression that must follow would fully justify and im- periously demand the strict closing of every port. In principle, the same argument is of force in Aus- tralia.

The colonies of Australia are free to all the world, to visit or to inhabit. But still they are British colonies, subject to the British Crown, held chiefly by the British people, who are their original founders, and who have given them their present social and politi- cal complexion. “We have not come here to conform to foreign customs, but to establish our own ; and we have established them, thus enjoying the advantage of prior possession as well as of legal right.

It must, therefore, be admitted that the British people, as the true possessors and lawful proprietors of these colonies, have a right to adopt whatever means are neces sary to secure their nationality as well as their inde- pendence. As we have already remarked, we know but little of the Chinese; but one thing is clear, viz., that they do not intend to colonize.

They do not bring their wives or children with them ; and consequently, whatever advantages might be shown to result from their per- manently settling down upon the soil, such advantages are not likely to be realized, because they all intend to return. We have no actual evidence that the presence of 10,000 of these men on the gold-fields, without female companions, militates unfavourably in regard to morals.

This is a point that ought to be officially investigated ; but meanwhile we can safely assume that such a body of undomesticated men have a tendency to corrupt, in more ways than one, the morals of the community. It is not, however, compe- tent to us to use presumptive arguments except as starting points for actual enquiry; but that a prima facie case for enquiry exists, no one who considers what human nature is can doubt. And in connection with this branch of social morals, full and detailed in- formation should be obtained relative to tho conduct of the Chinese as subjects of the Victorian laws.

We do not hear that they were concerned in the Ballaarat insurrection ; they are absolved by the Commissioners from “disorderly tendencies,” and are declared to be “remarkably quiet;” on the other hand they are ac- cused of a “ proverbial habit of thieving” charged with being inveterate gamesters, and censured for attempting to erect a jose-house for the celebration of “ absurd superstition.”

Some of these objections are weighty ; others of small moment and some of such a nature, that if the Chinese are excluded on account of them, a large proportion of the English might be excluded too. For example, if the Chinese are to be permitted to live in Victoria, we see not on what principle they are to be condemned for subscribing to a “ joss-house ;” and if “ gambling” is a practice of evil “ desert,” the Chinese would not monopolise the “ whipping.”

As to the objection that the Chinese content themselves with re-washing the abandoned lands, we think this ought to secure them favour in the eyes of the other diggers, since they can scarcely be looked upon as competitors or rivals. With regard to the remark of the Com- missioners that it is difficult to make them compre- hend the instructions of the authorities, this is no more than will, more or less, hold good with respect to all foreigners.

In reference to their wasting the water it should be rendered a penal act, and the transgres- sors of the law be held amenable for its violation. In- conveniences of this class, though constituting the major portion of the grievances complained of, are of little real difficulty in adjusting. But the great social questions arising out of a vast influx of an inferior race, having no sympathies in common with the people whose soil they inhabit, and drawing after them countless hordes from a population practically inexhaustible, are of infinite moment.

It is by no means a visionary possibility if we suppose that fifty years hence the Chinese element may preponderate in Victoria. A necessary limit to this vast immigration is of course found in the availa- ble supply of shipping ; but if the Celestials wish to come, they will in all probability find ample means of transit. We think, therefore, that the Government and Legislature of Victoria are fully justified in placing some check upon a foreign influx, which may here- after seriously jeopardise the great interests of the colony; but we are strongly of opinion that this should result from full and authentic information upon all questions affecting the character and influence of the parties most nearly concerned.

It might be advisa- ble, in connection with a limitation of the numbers legalized to come by each ship, to require that a given proportion of Chinese females should accompany the men. This would greatly aid in determining whether these people would or would not make useful settlers in the colony, and would obviate one prominent objec- tion now urged against their presence.

Since the foregoing was written, we have received Melbourne papers, per White Swan, and find that great excitement now prevails in Victoria on the subject. Public meetings have been held, and resolutions passed condemnatory of the further immigration of the Chinese.

The staple of the anti-Chinese speeches consisted of random references to infanticide, opium eating, and alleged unnatural crimes. It was not, however, declared that any of these practices affected the Chinese now in Victoria, but that the writers on China affirmed such vices to be common there. No new light is thrown upon the question of Chinese morals in Victoria, and we can only reiterate what we have above remarked, that the first and chief thing needed is—information. No legislation should be re- sorted to except as based upon minute enquiry and official report.

12 June 1855

THE CHINESE AND THE GOLD-FIELDS

The Chinese question we firmly believe to be one of the gravest and most formidable that ever can be discussed by the people of the Australian colonies; and it would be a base thing indeed, for us to be influenced in it by any selfish considerations, whether of gain or popularity.

Serious difficulties there may be, among ourselves ; and they may justify us in carrying on political warfare, with all the vehemence charac- teristic of our race. But they will successively ex- haust themselves within the sphere of our own nationality; and they are, in fact, the means-the robuBt exercises-by which our society will be trained to its mu3culine development, in the fraternity of nations.

There is no real danger to the infant Hercules, in allowing him to make the first es-says of his gigantic strength, while yet in the gristle, in strangling such serpents ns are now twining about his cradle. Aus- tralia, in its mero childhood-though a lusty and a blooming one-has already got well hold of the dragon of irrespons.bility by the throat.

The foul monster may glare hideously, and make a few more frantic plunges ; but th« struggle will soon be ended, and the young demigod will address himself to the rest of his labours. All these toils are provided against in the very constitution of his nature. He must go through them, or be less than perfact in his maturity, teven Hercules might have peribhed at the same age, 3’he had had to contend with pigmies, or any crea- tures too small and too numerous to be throttled by a »ingle grasp.

We may get over all difficulties among ourselves, and wLhin the territory. We are already strong enough to contend against Downing-street, and all the scaly brood that comes out of it ; and we are not likely to injure ourselves by any of those conflicts that will necessarily arise out of a free constitution.

All these evils will expend themselves on the soil of eur adopted country, and they will only prepare it for richer harvests of improvement. But what, if we lose the soil itself; or if, instead of being the founders of an Anglo-Saxon empire, we should leave our de- scendants to be but a small minority-a mere handful, among millions of a race with whom they can have no permanent relations, except those of the master and the slave ?

It is because we abhor slavery, and all civic inequa- lity in a state, that we dread the influx of the Chinese. If ever they become so numerous as to inspire a re*l dread of their encroachment, so surely will their fate by sealed, and some form of coercion, containing within itself all the germs of that odious institution, slavery, will bo resorted to, and that as the only means of self-preservation left to the superior race.

It is of no use blinding ourselves to history. Las Casas sug- gested the introduction of negroes into Ameiica from motives as pure and as humane as actuated a Clarkson or a Wilberforce, on the other side. And we see now what it has grown to-a subject fertile and facile enough to the dealers in platform oratory, but a dread- ful problem to try the wisdom of the statesman and the true philanthropist.

We see all this, and much more, alternated with bloody catastrophes looming in the distance; and, therefore, it is that we look, with a degree of alarm which wo cannot express, at the prospect of a Chinese immigration, proceeding at such a rate as we know, on the best authority, to be now impending over this colony.

We shall soon prove all that we say, and show that all the apprehensions that have been expressed among us fall short of the reality ; that, whilst tue population is estimated to bo 333 millions – one-third of the entire human race-the feeling is springing up among them that Australia is their outlet, and that Australia they are destined to inundate with their countless hordes. Ia this deeirable ?

Is this the prospect we indulged in founding the colonies ! Is there any possible gain to be derived from such a deluge, as to justify us in opening the floodgates, or in not closing them while we have yet the power ? Talk of commercial advan- tages from immigration ! Where then is the eight hundred thousand pounds, taken from the ship-owners and working classes of England, and squandered in official extravagance ?

But we must pause, to look into the debate on the subject in the Council. The House, for once at least. fairly expressed public opinion ; and that opinion is one that has grown out of the first instincts of society.

An invasion by foreigners is not neces- sarily by force of arms ; and the people of this colony have made up their minds that this country-which they have chosen for themselves and their children-shall remain theirs, and not be ren- dered uninhabitable to them, by the proximity of Chinese paganism and its kindred vices.

The Legis- lative Council has proposed that ten pounds Bhall be paid by every immigrant on landing, and that only one passenger shall be brought to every ten tons. That is meant as a prohibition, and it is all very well, at this end of the voyage. But who is to prevent them embarking at Chinese ports Î Who will bring home the knowledge of these colonial regulations to the millions m the interior of China, who contemplate emigration, at this moment, under a species of mania ?

And suppose, in spite of the promulgation of your law, they still come by tens of thousands, as we are assured they will do, so long as they see their countrymen re- turning with gold, in quantities which, before they saw it, they would have thought fabulous ? You may seize the ships, if they land the passengers ; but, if they do not land them, what will you do with the Chinese î

There are 25,000 ready to embark at Hong Song-this we have on good authority-they arrive at the rate of one, two, three thousand per weok, but with- out money. What will you do with them, when you hear horrible accounts of starvation and pestilences on board the ships in your harbour, and penny-a-liners making their fortunes out of “living skeletons,” and “ghastly corpses” thrown overboard, and washed ashore at Sandridge, or choking up the approaches to the emporium at Geelong >

We coincide with the representative members in tbe object they aim at ; but we fear the law would be in- operative. If the Chinese come, they will land in spite of all regulations ; and whether they have money or not. Your own humanity will prevent them from rotting in the harbour. If you drive them away, they will find some other access to the country, and the shipowners and the Chinese will equally laugh at you, for the inefficiency of your contrivances. Y

our plan is to hedge out the cuckoo. But it will’ not succeed; nor will anything effect your object that does not go the full length of destroying the motives that bring them here. Prohibit them ab- solutely from digging gold ; allowing the miners to help you in enforcing the prohibition, and you will soon hear no more of Chinese immigration-except of a better class, to engage in trade or agriculture.

Limit the restriction to one, two, or more years after they have landed ; and you will, to a great extent, limit the immigration also. At all events, if they still come in any numbers, you will have the command of their la- bour for the cultivation of your soil, instead of living in a miserable dependence on imported food. I

n towns, the brute force they would yield us would raise, rather than lower, the wages of the skilful me- chanic, by rendering it so Imuch more efficacious and more available to the capitalist. . We do not objoct to the other clauses introduced by the Council, and humbly recommend them to standby their resolutions. We do so more especially because the Attorney-General-not being the servant of the public, or the organ of a parliamentary majority-has threatened the Legislature with what the Government will do to them for any rebellion against its authority.

Let us see whether the learned gentleman will dare t-^put his threats into execution by abandoning or ¡J v°*n8 a D*N» because the Commons have passed it with too dangerous a unanimity. Let him do so, and we shall know whether the people of Victoria will take up the gauntlet and back the Legislature, or prove itself to be as apathetic, or as craven, as to de- serve the indignity that is cast upon it.

15 June 1855

GOLD FIELDS’ MANAGEMENT BILL

On the motion of the COLONIAL SECRETARY, his Excellency’s message transmitting this Bill to the Council was read.

The COLONIAL SECRETARY then moved that the Bill read a first time. The COLONIAL TREASURER seconded the motion.

Mr. DONALDSON did not rise to oppose the Bill at this stage of its progress, but he thought it right to make one remark respecting the course he intended to take when the Bill came on for a second reading ‘If he remembered rightly the reuew.l of the Bul last teísion was only assented to by the Council on the understanding that it would not be brought forward again, and he therefore thought it was very doubtful whether the House thiB time would allow it to pass

Certainly, if the House carried out the principles which it enunciated last session, it could not possibly allow the present system of managing the gold fields to continue any longer, at all events with» out effecting a very large reduction in the staff of offi- cials. (Hear, hear.)

He believed that at present the income from the gold fields was less by £4000 or £5000 than the actual expenditure attendant on its manage- ment. Such being the case, he could not understand upon what grounds the Government could recommend the continuance of this system.

Indeed, after the ex- pression of opinion, given by a majority of the Council last session, he was in hopes that the measure would not have been re-introduced. As he said before, he had no wish to raise a discussion on the first reading, but he thought it right to take advantage of this opportunity to enter his protest against the measure altogether, in order that it might not be understood that hon. members committed them- selves unreservedly to its policy. (Hear, hear.)

The COLONIAL TREASURER explained that the expenditure for management of the gold fields did not eo much exceed tho actual income as might at first sight appear. If the hon. member would ex- amine the papera he would find that the expense of police protection, as well as that of officials actually appointed to manage the gold fields, wns borne by the revenue derived from this source.

It followed, there- fore, that if this mode of augmenting the public in- come were abolished, the expense of police protection would fall entirely upon the general revenue, as it was very clear that under any circumstances the police force must be maintained. ,uw Mr DONALDSON explained that the difference between the income and the expenditure was even greater than he thought it was.

On referring to the papers, he found that the income from the gold fields was about £21,000, and the expenditure £31,100. In another part, under the head of Establishments, he found the sum of £473 for expenses, which made the totul difference between income and expenditure about £7000.

Dr. LANG remembered the discussion which took place on this subject last session, and he certainly . understood the determination arrived at hythe House was to the effect that the bill should not again be i renewed. He was opposed to the system in toto, and j he should therefore vote against the bill when it came on f^r a second reading.

Mr. CAMPDELL thought the Bill was one of such ‘ importance that he ought not to allow this occasion to j pass without offering an expression of opinion upon ‘ it. The objection on this side of the Ilouse waa not 1 BO much that there should be no supervision over the 1 gold fields, as that the system was too expensive. He i thought that a similar plan to that in force for licensing the sale of spirituous liquors might be adopted in tho management of the gold fields.

He did not see any necessity for an immediate supervision over 1 the diggers, but he thought that every one found digging without a license, as in the case of every one found selling liquor without a license, should be taken up and punished. In order to carry out such a system, as this, there would be no necessity for the present large sti.ff of officials, as all the work required 1 to be done could be easily and well done by a police ‘ magistrate and the ordinary police force.

The expense 1 by this airangiment would be reduced to a mere I fraction of what it was at present, and many abuses of power would be got rid of. There was another im- provement which he thought might be introduced into the existing system, and that was the throwing open of small villages or towns, at or near the most impor- tant or popu’ous diggings.

This practice had been adopted at the sister colony of Victoria, and had been found to work well. By afiording the digging popula- tion opportunities to become purchasers of small allot- ments, they would hold out the strongest inducements to the settlement of a fixed and industrious population.

These were some of the main principles which would, guide him in the course he would take on the second reading. _

The POSTMASTER – GENERAL hoped the Council would pause before determining on changing a system which had hitherto worked so well. Refer- ence had been made to the system adopted in the sister-colony of Victoria, hut he did not think they would act prudent’y by allowing themselves to follow the examples afforded in that quarter.

He wished to . impress on the attention of the House the important fact that if they abolished the system now in operation I they would take away that revenue by which a large proportion of the country police was supported. They bhould also bear in mind that whether the system were changed or not, the police would have to be con I tinued, and unless the gold revenue were preserved it was very clear that the expenditure for their support | would fall upon the general revenue. (Hear, hear.),

Mr. PARKES would tuke this opportunity to record, his protest against the entire policy of the measure., i He maintained that it had entirely failed to answer any really usetul purpose. He conceived that the right policy for the Government to adopt was to foster by every means in its power the development of our ‘ gold fields, a policy which the gentlemen opposite did not appear to understand, but which was nevertheless ! apparent to every one who reflected on the subject.

He repeated tint the real aim of all legislation of this kind should be the development of the gold fields by the attiaction to them und the surrounding districts of ‘ a large and industrious population, without which no great country like this could acquire influence and power.

It was true that matters might be conducted very tranquilly under the present system, but still the great , object to be promoted was lost sight of. I Dr. DOUGLASS observed that, according to the remarks of the hon. member for the Sydney Hamlets, ! the matter in dispute would appear to resolve itself ! into a question of finnnce.

Whether this was the case or not might be seen hereafter. There was only one passage, however, in the Bill to which he objected, and that was the clause enacting, that it should continue in force for five years longer. Considering that this was the last session of the pre- sent Council, he thought it would be most unwise to. extend the duration of the Bill longer than was abso- lutely necessary. “Whether the other parts of the Bill were altered or not, he thought it was incumbent on., the House to see that the timo in this clause waa con- siderably limited.

The ATTORNEY-GENERAL was of opinion that the discussion should have been reserved for thi second reading, when every hon. member would have made up his mind on the subject. So far, however,, as the discussion bad proceeded, he had heard nothing affecting the merits of the Bill. Hi» h in. friend, who spoke last, had objected to the prop >spd duration or time ; but this was obviously a matter of detail which could be arranged in Committoi

Another hon. member had said that the Bill would militate against the development of the gold fields by preventing po- pulation from going to them. Now he (the Attorney , General) was wholly at a loss to understand how the exaction of a license fee of lOs. per month could have any such important effect either one way or the other. I So far from believing this to be the ease he thought that the collection of the (»mall fee of 10s. per month formed no consideration what-, ever with the bulk of the people who went to the gold fields whilst the system of protec- tion, which it was the means ot* supporting, wai a Btrong inducement to honest and industrious persons to migrate thither.

From all that lie eould learn tht ‘ gold fleldB were in a very tranquil state, and tht diggers apparently well satisfied with the wayin which mutters were managed. If tbeie was any dis- content, he believed it was attributable mainly to the speeches of honorable members, as published in the nswspapere, in relation to this subject. The motion was then put, and carried, and the se- cond reading fixed for that day week.

11 June 1855

WE have on a former occasion expressed it as our opinion, in opposition to some vague notions afloat on the subject, that the coinage of gold in a Colonial Mint would not in the least increase the real wealth of the colony;

and that, if such coinage were increased beyond the necessities of the colony for a gold circulation, the excess of it would go abroad just as gold dust does now, the colony, pro tanto, losing the cost of coinage.

There may be a glut of money in a country, as there may be a glut of anything else ; and to send away the superabundance of any commodity, and bring in, in place of it, something that is needed, is a substantial gain to the community.

All communities are in reality ever striving at this end ; though most Govern- ments have, in some form or other, deemed it wisdom to prevent it.

In England, however, Government and people are pretty well agreed by this time, and our commercial theories har- monise admirably with popular practice.

We havo profited by ADAM SMITH-at least our fellow-subjects in the old country have; and FREDERIC BASTIAT and LEON FAUCHER have taught the French to inquire who pays for Pro- tection.

We are referring this subject de- signedly to free-trade principles ; because gold, whether you have it in its native ore or in the splendid product of a Mint, can never be safely taken out of the category of commodities of which the exchangeable value is to be regulated by supply and demand ; nor can the producers of it have , any more title to be petted by legislative enact- ment than any others in the great common- wealth of labour.

But while we have not subscribed to the idea that the Mint was an Aladdin’s lamp, we did not on the other hand go with those who deri- ded its establishment altogether. We thought, as we still think, that it may be useful to a colony, remote from the rest of the world, to have the power of making its own money. We import corn with great advantage ; but we may, and to a considerable extent we do, produce it also.

It is quite conceivable that, from various causes, we may send out more money than is safe or desirable. It is to be hoped that our monetary and commercial interests may wisely arrange it otherwise ; but the possibility of what we contemplate is undoubted. The British Mint is in 52 degrees north, and would be lather far off for an emergency. We have a high sounding Executive, a Legislature that pretends to parliamentary importance, and very dignified courts of justice-in many ways we have perhaps a weakness for doing it grand and surely it is not inappropriate that we should have a Royal Mint of our own.

For many practical purposes this British colony must be a separate state; and we can see no reason why we should not exercise the ordinary power of a state to coin money whenever money may be wanted. Of course it would be unmixed folly to coin for the mere sake of employing the Mint, and vaunt- ing to the world that the colony can make money as well as a German duchy, twelve leagues square ; or, a republic of Central America in a chronic state of revolution.

We have doubted, however, whether the Mint would be likely to be called.into very active or frequent operation. Indeed, we considered that the very knowledge that we had a Mint -that we could turn our gold dust at any time into that which would pay dells-we have thought that this very potentiality would have a considerable effect in making people satisfied to keep their gold uncoined.

We still believe that our Mint will chiefly do duty in this negative way. The lengthy, and perhaps not altogether un- profitable discussion, which took place last week in Council, in reference to the Colonial Mint, has led us to a reconsideration of our sentiments on the subject.

The gentleman whose motion in- troduced the discussion wishes the Government to reduce its lately announced charge of f per cent, for coinage ; and certainly, if there is any indisposition on the part of the people to em- ploy the Mint as manufacturers of coin, it will be increased by that or any assignable rate of seignorage.

We are however by no means pre- pared to allow that the above rate is excessive. We have been tempted to think that our Mint Establishment has been too costly an affair ; but there we, have it, at a present outlay, it is said, of £50,000 r-a sum, by the way, which would bring’into the colony some two millions of Bri- tish sovereigns, even at the present high rates of freight and insuiance ; we suppose there may be some additional first cost ; > and there will be the annual expenditure.

Now we donotknow upon what immutable principle we should .allow the producer of raw gold to go to the state, and require it to conduct the expensive process of turning this metal into coin for him, at a price that must necessarily be a losing one.

For that matter, indeed, it may be doubted if any charge that can be demanded will pay the Colonial Mint ; but when we look to the cost of coinage in England, and the relative price of labour in this country, and consider that the larger an establishment of this kind the less is the proportionate expense of conducting it, it strikes us that 5 per cent, is not a charge to be complained of in this colony.

No doubt the charge will send the producer to the Banks, when the Banks will bid better terms. But the Mint affords the standing advantage of a very satisfactory minimum. If the producer, on applying at Mac (qúarie-street, can get for his gold a legal tender to the full intrinsic value of it, less only a charge of ^ per cent, for its conversion, it is possible he may get quite as good a legal tender for it-to wit, a Tower-hill sovereign-at a charge of ^ per cent.

Nay, it is not impossible, in certain states of the exchange, that the Banks might give -within a very small fraction of par. Of course the producer will not go to the Mint for colonial sovereigns when he can get English ones else- where on something better terms ; not to men! ion that the Banks would give their sove- reigns at once, while the Mint may possibly take some time to make theiis. Now, is it really any hardship to tell a man who has pro- duced law gold, that foi any given number of carats of standard fineness he can obtain the same number, less some ^fraction per cent., in coined gold of the íealm-such coined gold being imported at a cost of between two and three per cent. ?

Nor let it be said’ that the Banks getting their gold this fraction under standard price, their exchange profits would become unduly high. There appears t© us a great fallacy here. There are too many banks, and the gold jtself is ,too constantly in competition with the banks as a remitting agent, to allow those institutions fo do more than make a very small average profit between the cost of their own remittances and the selling price of their exchange in London ; and we may be assured that, as a rule, the lower the cost of the one the less to the public will be the price of the other. – _ . – [

On the whole, then, wè aré quite content that the existing arrangements of the Mint should stand for the present ; let them at least have a fair trial. The Mint itself we would on no account desire to see set aside. If in I practice found to be little needed for the pur- poses of coining, still, as we have said, there may be beneficial uses in the dormant power to produce a metallic local currency ; while the assat/inff of gold at the Mint may be of great public advantage. But we hope to see the an- nual cost of the Mint brought into something like a due proportion to the amount of work which experience may show will be required of it./p>

22 August 1855

THE GOLD FIELDS. THE following is an extract from the report of the Commissioner of the Western District (Mr. Green) relative to the state of the Goldfields.

The document was ordered to be printed by the Council on the 3rd of July last. 1. Ophir, as compared with last year, has somewhat improved in prospects. Some of the diggers have remained here, almost from the commencement, and, evidently, the yield must be sufficient to satisfy them, when it induces (what is unusual amongst that class) a steady perseverance in pursuit of gold in one locality.

New leads of gold are also occasionally found in this neighbourhood, but the population is too limited in number to effect much towards the development of new fields; and this remark will apply with equal force to the whole district.

2. The Turon continues to yield a considerable quantity of gold; and, as fast as one spot becomes apparently exhausted of its treasure, another equally rich is discovered.

The late floods disturbed the sys- tematic operations of several companies who had secured auriferous tracts on various parts of the river, and many were, in consequence, obliged to resort again to the table land flats—the stream for some time remaining too strong to admit of work being resumed in the river bed; however, the fresh having again subsided, notice will at once be given to the several companies to recommence their workings, The erection of a steam-engine in aid of bed claim working has been commenced in one instance on the Turon, and I should imagine would answer well; hitherto the great difficulty has been in keeping the water under, and without some power more constant and untiring than mere hand labour, this has indeed been found almost impossible.

The Ration Hill Company, who have erected ma- chinery to enable them to sluice on a large scale, have not resumed operations since the flood; but I am in- formed that they intend continuing their undertaking.

Generally, the diggers on the Turon are doing well. The health of the residents has been favourably in- fluenced by the large quantity of vegetables now pro- curable on the river; for, in addition to two market gardens, the banks are dotted with small enclosures, where various kinds of vegetables are grown in abund- ance.

On the Lower Turon some rich deposits of gold have been discovered ; l8 and 20 ounces daily having heen obtained from claims recently opened on the banks of that river, a few miles from its junction with the Macquarie. I consider the prospects of this gold field to be good, as regards future workings, and, from its great extent, it must be many years before the deposits are exhausted, even with a much larger population than we have at present upon it. The present yield is steady.

3. Tambaroura has fallen off in numbers since last last year—not from want of paying ground, but from the Scarcity of water which is obtained during the dry weather. Since the breaking up of the drought many of the diggers have, however, returned, and are now doing well. The Colonial Gold Company have com- menced crushing the quartz from the Royal Vein; and, as the cost of working can hardly, with the management at this place, be expen- sive, I should be inclined to look for profitable results.

The vein they are operating upon appears to be very rich; but I should doubt as to the quantity of matrix obtainable, the vein being apparently small. The quart—is crushed by “stamps” similar to those used in Cornwall for crushing ores.

The quartz vein known as “ Wither’s,” from which some splendid specimens have been obtained, is now being opened, and, al- though small, will, I believe, prove the most valuable quartz claim yet discovered. I think there is little doubt but that quartz crushing would pay well, if some more inexpensive means of working could be de- vised.

Unfortunately, all our, at present, known rich veins are distant from running water. Could water power be employed in stamping, a much more simple and inexpensive machine would do the work. At Tambaroura, the companies are dependent on such water only as they can dam up in the creek; and, in dry weather, want of this necessary auxiliary would prevent their crushing. Berdan’s machines have been puffed up a great deal; but, from what I have seen at the Colonial Gold Company’s original establishment at Louisa Creek, I am convinced they will not answer.

The faces of case-hardened rollers were in one week completely worn away by the friction of the quartz, and their efficacy destroyed. I believe that the large balls of Berdan’s machines would, in a very short time, lose their spherical form from the same cause, and that then, as a matter of course, their action would be irregular and imperfect.

The quartz operated upon at Louisa Creek was all calcined before it was crushed, and yet in a few hours, grooves were worn in the rollers, large enough to lay the finger in, and I believe the same results would attend the use of Berdan’s machines.

4. Louisa Creek.—There are from 100 to 150 dig- gers still in this locality; but the place derives more interest from having been the site of the celebrated hundredweight nugget, and from the first quartz crushing works in Australia having been erected near the vein, in which that mass of gold was found.

With an amount of energy and perseverance highly praise- worthy, Mr. Spence, the superintendent of the Colo- nial Gold Company, has managed, in spite of dif- ficulties which would have appalled most persons, to complete the works at this place, and they are now in full operation. I fear, however, that the expense unavoidably attending a first experiment of this kind, added to the high rate of labour and the poor return of gold in this instance, yielded by the quartz, will prevent this from being a paying speculation.

6. The Meroo is, perhaps, at this moment, the most flourishing gold field in this district, as it is also the one of greatest extent, the auriferous deposits extend- ing over a very large tract of country. This field alone is sufficiently large to give employment to ten times as many diggers as there at present in New South Wales, I believe it to have been merely run over, and the richest deposits of gold may yet be found on the Meroo Table Land, in my opinion a most promising locality.

The Meroo Gold District includes the Cudgyong, Bruce’s Creek, and several other auri- ferous streams, on most of which a few diggers are located. The area of this district, if measured, would give something very large as its contents.

6. At Burrendong, on the Macquarie, about fifty miners continue to work, and scattered parties are to be found on various points on that river, as well as on the Mockewa, one of its tributaries. The success of these isolated miners must be considerable to compen- sate for the hardships necessarily endured by them in procuring supplies, which, in many instances, have to be carried for long distances over a rough and hilly country.

7. Of the minor gold-fields to the westward, I have but little to remark. A few miners still reside at Brown’s Creek, and also at Caleula and the Gilman- dyke; but, although claims occasionally turn out well, the general run of the ground does not seem rich. 8.

The Wentworth Gold-field Company lately threw open their property at Frederick’s Valley to the public, upon apparently liberal terms; but although many miners went to the spot, very few of them ever commenced work, either from not fancying the Com- pany’s regulations, or from want of confidence in the probable yield of gold.

9. Of the future prospects of the gold-fields in this district, I still believe that we have every reason to be sanguine. Taking the escort returns as the basis of my assumptions, although they are undoubtedly very fallacious means of estimating the yield of gold, it appears that a certain, nearly regular, number of men continue to produce, week by week, for more than twelve months, a nearly equally regular amount of gold. A comparison of the licenses issued, and the escort returns of gold pro- duced will pretty well prove this; and I think it only fair to deduce from this comparison, that a larger number of workers would increase the yield in an equally average proportion.

The escort invoice, however, does not give a correct idea of the quantity of gold produced, for many buyers send their purchases down by private hand. The rate on the field so nearly reaches the Sydney selling price, that even the eight pence per ounce escort fee has become of importance to the regular gold buyer; and, if an allowance be made for the quantity thus sent privately, in addition to that forwarded by the escort, I am convinced that the average weekly return for each digger would amount to one ounce per man. The extent of our gold fields is also such, that, until a very much larger number of diggers be employed upon them, they will never be properly prospected.

The known fields are already more than sufficient for the miners, and there is therefore but little inducement for prospecting in new localities. Gold digging has thus become a more settled occupation in this district, and the residents on the gold fields pay more attention to their comfort now, than they formerly did.

The population gene- rally is well behaved and orderly, whilst the license fee is collected with but little difficulty, and the amount of crime is wonderfully small. Although much has been said and written on the prevalence of drinking on the Gold Fields, I do not believe that there is more indulgence in that vice amongst the diggers as a body, than would be found to exist amongst other classes of labouring men in the towns of the colony. The number of drunkards seen on the Gold Fields may appear large when compared with those in the towns, but it must be remembered that the population of a gold field is essentially an adult one, and that a town producing the same number of men, would afford a total of five or six times as many inhabitants.

The prices of provisions on the gold fields are moderate, and a miner can live very well for about fifteen shil- lings a week. The price of labour still rules very high, wages being from £2 10s. to £3 per week with-Fix this text out rations.

20 September 1855

THE WESTERN GOLD FIELDS.

To the Editor of the Sydney Morning Herald, .

Having been resident on the Western Gold Fields (Sofala District) some months, I wish to offer a ‘fair statement of their working, Leaving the Running “Stream on the Bathurst and Mudgee roads,rwe strike upon the Turon River, on Frost’s marked tree line to Palmer’s Oakey ; some gold hu been’ fousd at the Running Stream, but very little hu been takan be- tween that and Palmer’s Oakey. .

Gold hu also been fdttnd at intervals all the way (ten miles), but hu yet no rush hu taken place ; therefore, it hu never been properly prospected, but the whole distance hu every appearance of a good working gold field. .

Arriving at Palmer’s* Oakey, we find about two hundred diggers at werk all on the dry diggings, most .of whom are doing well. Since the new rush toek place about ten diggers have cleared between £200 and £500 eaoh very few complain of these diggings ; indeed, every one hu a high opinion of them ; and from prospected ground in the bed of the river, there is no doubt that there are very rioh bed claims, but u yet there ia too muoh water. .

When the water sub- sides there will be profitable employment for some hundreds of diggers ; there are, at present, two publio house», and plenty of stores at very fair prices, also a detachment o’f the Gold Mounted Police stationed here ; hired men are getting £3 10s. per week. .

Thia place alone, would find employment for every digger on the Western Gold Fields. Leaving Palmcr’a Oakey, and paning through the gulf on the way to Sofala, we find isolated parties the whole distance down the river. Indeed, one can scarcely go a mile without seeing diggers at work, all are getting gold more or less, and some are doing very well. .

This ia ‘a proèpeoted district, snd only wants hands to follow up the gold workings already discovered, to enable ua to send down thousands of ounces to Sydney this summer, six different parties who knowe the district have made application to the Police Magistrate for publio house licenses, on different points of the river. .

The distance from Palmers Oakey to Sofala round the river is eighteen miles. Arriving at the old workings, we find some three or four hundred digg-rs, a great proportion of whom ‘are married men, who haye been some years on the river who h ave built themselves houses, snd planted gardens, who know the run of the old wotktngs, and prefer a certainty to leaving their wives and families and going out prospecting new places. .

During a residence of eight months on thia put of the river, I have scarcely ever known an instance of want of success f >r any steady working man, good wages can always be obtained ; during the winter they have never been less than £3 per week good handa generally getting £4 ;’ certainly a far higher rate of wages can be ob lainrd on the gold fields theu at any other employed in the colony. .

The work is not generally severe, and the hours for labour for hired men are from 8 a.m. to half pist 5 p.m., one hour for dinner. The average wages »anted by diggers at the old workings will be from £2 to £6 per week ; a man can live well for 15s. weekly. i .

Leaving Sofala for the Lower Turon, some new rushes have lately taken place, one at Glyn’s Bar, with great success ; for a distance of twelve miles, wherever diggers work they find gold to pay. Here, again, we only want population to work out the un disturbed golden treasures. Hiving been at the Port Phillip diggings, I must offer siime objections to the Government regula- tion on these fields ; every digger must take out a ten shilling license, when a rush takes place and a digger gets a good prospect. .

He goes imme- diately to the Commissioner, and gets aa muoh ground marked ‘off u he may require-a digger being entitled to one claim .for every license he holds. In one instanrp, at a rush at Palmer’s Oakey, a digger took one hundred and twenty claims himself. .

Parties at a distance are thus afraid to go, fearing that the ground may he all taken up by afew parties before they arrive. I think the numbet of licenses to any one party ought to be limited, to prevent one party from taking too much ground to the injury of the rest, and preventing the ground from being properly prospeoted. .

There ve too many publio houses on these gold fields, very few can get a living: it prevents respectable parties from keeping houses, and u the lou of a license is really of not much value to the occupier, he hu little dread of losing it ; it prevents that independence which a publican always ought to poueu-causes them to sell bad spirits, to descend to all species of low trickery to get more out of drunken men, and to serve men in the lut stage of drunkenness with a poisonous description of spirits. .

The bush houses are generally dirty and badly managed, and supplied with worse liquors than I have ever known in either of the coloniu oefore. The raising the thirty-pound license will un- doubtedly have a good effect ; good order and decency are well maintained on tne diggings, drunkenness being the only prevailing crime, that crime being increased by the high rate of wages generally earned. I am, 8ir, yours, Ac, T. L. i Bofsls, September, 1855.

5 September 1855

TUENA GOLDFIELDS.

Mr. James Bright, store keeper, of Tuena, arrived in town on Thursday, bringing with him a splendid sample of gold, weighing up wards of 289 ounces, which has been purchased by Mr. F. S. Solomon.

The greater portion of it, ob tained from the new diggings, is of a course nuggety description.

The gold was kindly shown to us by Mr. Bright, and we were very much pleased with the ex hibition.

The sample contains some very fine nuggets, one of which weighed over three ounces. Amongst the rest, was a small parcel of the precious metal, from the new gold field, the discovery of which we an nounced in our last.

This gold presents all the appear ance of the Ovens dust, both as to colour and quality.

We believe it is the intention of Mr. Solomon to have it properly assayed in Sydney, so that its relative value may be correctly ascertained. Fresh discoveries have been made in this district since the date of our last re port.

The diggers, according to all accounts, are doing well on the ground recently opened up. The lo cality of this field is stated to be a few miles on the Goulburn side of Tuena.

We have now to announce that another discovery has been made on a spot a short distance beyond the old diggings, which promises to turn out well. We have made arrangements for pro curing authentic intelligence from this quarter, which, according to present appearance, holds out good hopes of profitable employment for a much larger population than is at present settled there.

19 September 1855

THB SOUTHERN GOLD FIELDS,

.1 BRAIDWOOD, Gold-digging brisker than usual in this district. At the Little River about one hundred ere scatteredalong ita banks, most of them doing well; It is the prevailing opinion, that a’ rich gold-field would be found,, if well pro- spected, in this direction; No doubt the Clyde road will bring something good to light.

.At Araluen, Ur. Sproul ia, doing a good stroke with only four hands., Men ara not; to be obtained. Nothing speaks better for a gold district than a scarcity of labour. At Ma- jor’s Creek, a large. flat called ; the Réserve, is being worked. Hills party of ten bare not hit anything rich, but seem confident they will in their next cut.

.Dover’s party of six are the same ; but Ellis and Pow duu’s party nave bottomed, with a good result ; it is hot known what the hole worked out, but it was very good stuff.

.This is a large flat, the finking is deep; but it will mske excellent summer diggings. . There are lote of claims to be had.. Reader’s party, in the Old Creek, are doing about £10 per man per week. Mortlock’s party are doing well ; still many are not making wages; but,’ on the- whole, digging is looking up. Gold is selling at 7*s. 3d. per oz. ; provisions, reason- able. < Since writing the above, a rush has taken piece on, Mr. Burnett’s ‘ground, Araluen, Severe’, parties are taking large blocks out. Mr. Miller’s party heve struck e first-rote vein. ‘

.ARALUEN.-A gentleman arrived st our office from Araluen late on Thursday night, and informed us of the recent discovery of a promising gold field at Ara- luen; it is on Mr. Burnsll’s prívete lend, and two parties who have tried it ere flushed with confidence of success. Mr. Sproul’s parry of three obtained 16 oes. of gold in a fortnight. Mr. Byrnes’ party got 18 ess. in three dava. ;.:

.The distingo are from 12’tó 14 feet deep ;. the coil ie easily dug, and the ground is se situated as to be easily drained ; it is situated on the low land below the mountain.

.The gold is coane, and found in piece« of from i dwt, to 14 dwt. fk., formant .firmly bellev.. that U Will turnout vï? t muner.tiye^snd he edda that upward« of SOoZul are already taken out. It appeara that the entÄ mg minera who-have made wu dUoovery hivTvt noon the old lead from the Government »round £j from Mr». Jenning’a ground, which had been laltlS: the lut eight or nine month».

.We conmtulata*-! Braidwood friend», »nd hope that the newÏJldftLu wUUetdke their highe«t hope» by the richnm ofiS GOOBMAOANDRA.-In the sbsence of any very exeit. lng news from out larger and more developed gol ft. fields; perhaps a few word« about the new, mit highly promising, diggings atrGoeberagandrt,maybetti, resting to »ame of your reeders.

.1 The full ex teat of these diggings csnnot’ well be developed without s numerous populstion of miners.11 hsve si wave thought that this part of the country would^ltimauiypron, if not the richest gold field in New Seuth Walw, uiaart inferior to none, and every week tends to copflramy anticipations, i

.These digging* are litusied, wUh¿ fourteen miles of Tumut, in the Adginbilly cotstry, The most direst road from Sydney is through Y««« ! to Reedy Creek, thirty mUes where you lean th» main road for Kiley’» »tatton oh the tfúrrujábidm nine mile», where you cross that river, then to Msc! donald’s station on the Adginbilly Creek, twelve «a», from which there ia a good plain road through tai Shaking Bog to the diggings, seventeen mil«. Ko one coming to these diggings need encumber:himself i with anything bepond bis blanket, as there are two I good stores where everything cen be procured at «sty moderate prices.

.There ia. ¡Oso á’vsry good p»V¡i¿ house, which is very well.conduoted.. TheJ^fonii here is of very fine quality, and »ell» reedüj^theiwt far £S 14s. per ounce. 8ome digger» WM.emjut labour give ss much ss £4 per week, butJBS Utas common wage., Severs! parlies have done a good stroke, notwithstanding the inclemency of the weather, As much aa eleven ounce» have been obtained ¡nott day from one claim. I know of one party who han frequently taken out six and »even ounces per day.

5 October 1855

WESTERN GOLD FIELDS.

(REPORT FBOM MR. COMMISSIONER JOHNSON.) Gold Commissioner’s Office. Bathurst. 5th October. 1855.

Sir,-In accordance with my instructions, I have the honour to report, for the information of his Excellency the Governor-General, on the present state and probable prospects of the gold fields in the Western Districts. T

HE TURON. This gold-field exhibits, as compared with the pre- ceding quarter, a decided improvement, both in the number of miners, and the yield of gold.

During the past two months there has been a steady increase in the number of licenses is- sued, with every prospect of a still further one. Since Mr. Green’a last report the miners have been spread- ing on the upper portion of the Turon River, to a distance of nearly thirty miles above Sofala, and there in many places have discovered profitable diggings.

At the junction of Palmer’s Oakey Creek with the river, nearly twenty miles above the township, so many had congregated that I found it necessary last month to despatch a corporal and two men from So- fala, who are now permanently stationed there.

A lock-up and barracks have been built, and there is now a weekly escort to Sofala for the transport of gold, and at the same time the conveyance of the mail. In some instances the miners have been very suc- cessful at this place—one party, during two months, clearing at the rate of £20 per week per man.

They are, moreover, very sanguine as to the richness of the bed of the river, which is at present unworkable from a superabundance of water, but which will be easily managed during the summer.

Late heavy rains have, by filling the water holes and artificial dams on the table lands surrounding the river, enabled the miners to wash a large quantity of “washing stuff” which has been accumulating for some time past, owing to a scarcity of water, and of this there will be a sufficient supply for some length of time.

Below Sofala several rich places have been lately discovered; as much as fourteen ounces having been obtained by one party, and, in fact, generally the miners are doing well. At this gold field, as well as most of the others, many contrivances for economising labour have lately been introduced, of which perhaps the best is what is termed a “puddling machine,” which is worked by horse-power, and is capable of effectually washing from fifty to sixty cart- loads ef alluvium in one day. Old ground can thus be re-worked to great advantage, it being calculated that one and a half pennyweight of gold to each cart- load will amply remunerate those engaged.

With one exception, all the holders of auriferous tracts have forfeited them, so that the mining on the Turon is strictly confined to individuals. This district is new very extensive, being about forty miles in length by from twelve to twenty in breadth.

The total population may be estimated at about two thou- sand, of whom eight hundred are engaged in mining. TAMBAROORA, BURRENDONG, AND MUCKEWA CREEK. These three places, although far apart from each other, I have included under one head, as they are under the management of the same Assistant Commis- sioner.

There has also been an increase in the number of miners in the district during the past three months. At Muckewa some rich discoveries have recently been made, and miners are flocking to it from the neigh- bouring diggings.

The country around this creek and Burrendong is very rich, and of great extent, but labours under the disadvantage of a scanty supply of water. Were artificial means adopted to secure this during favourable seasons, I believe that very rich deposits would be discovered; but the mining popula- tion in all these districts is now too small and too improvident properly to develops their resources.

At Tambaroora a number of puddling machines have been erected, and are, I be- lieve, being worked to advantage. The works of the Colonial Gold Company at this place have now fairly commenced; hitherto but little progress has been made, although the arrangements are of the most complete character; but since the recent return of the manager from England, operations have been renewed with increased vigour.

Large quantities of quartz, from various parts of the vein ceded to the company, have been raised ready for “stamping,” and an agreement has also been entered into with the proprietors of the one known as “Withers’ Vein,” for crushing a hundred tons of quartz from it, so that, in conjunction with similar opérations at Louisa Creek, the real value of quartz mining in this part of the colony will now be tho- roughly tested. This district includes the lower part of the Turon, and is very extensive—Burrendong’being more than forty miles from Tambaroora; at each of these last named places there is a Court of Petty Sessions The population is about 1000, of whom 600 are engamd in mining.

MEROO AND LOUISA CREEK. The miners in this district are also increasing and generally speaking, doing well; new leads of gold are continually being discovered, and as it is the most extensive of all the gold-fields, abounding in ravines creeks, and a large extent of table land, in every part of which gold is found, there is ample room for a far larger population than it has at present; very lately both on the Meroo and Louisa Creek, nuggets of from 30 to 60 ounces in weight have been obtained.

At Louisa Creek the works of the Colonial Gold Company, both in quartz and alluvium, are continu- ing under favourable auspices; and the current ex- penditure having been largely reduced, there it now every prospect that these magnificent works may ul- timately prove remunerative.

The population of this district may be estimated at about 2800, of whom 1200 are diggers.

OPHIR. There is a considerable decrease in the number of diggers at this place, partly owing to the flooded state of the creek, but chiefly to the present superior attrac- tions of the Muckewa Creek.

FREDERICK’S VALLEY. A promising vein of apparently decomposed quarts with gold in situ, wss discovered last month on the land of the Wentworth Gold Fields, out of which I have been informed 80 ounces of gold were extracted in a few hours. It is intended, I believe, to sink shafts at intervals on the supposed course of the vein, and, if it continue as at first discovered, to work with ma- chinery.

Kaloolah, Brown’s Creek, and the other small creeks in the neighbourhood of Bathurst, have been almost en- tirely deserted, owing, doubtless in some measure, to the late rains, but principally, I believe, owing to agrigul- tural operations requiring the presence of the diggers elsewhere, as most of the workers at these places make gold digging only subsidiary to their more regular pursuits.

Having now specially referred to the several gold fields in my district, I think I am warranted in sup- posing that there is reason for congratulation as to the present state and future prospects of the whole.

The revenue is on the increase. The miners have steadily settled down, have surrounded themselves with their families, have erected substantial dwellings; have, wherever practicable, made gardens round those dwellings; and, in other respects, so ameliorated their condition, that, instead of looking forward to their stay on the gold fields as merely a state of probation, to be endured only until they had amassed sufficient meant to enable them to remove to more civilised neigh- bourhood, they seem to have determined upon making gold mining their profession for the remainder of their lives. The amount of gold forwarded by escort to Sydney, during the put three months was 17,435 ounces, and, if to this is added the quantity sent by private sources, which is generally rated at about one-half of what it transmitted by escort, the amount raised is the Western District in that period would exceed 26,000 ounces; which, calculating by the number of licenses, gives an average of about ¾ of an ounce per man, or £3 per week.

This is about the rate of wages ruling on the gold fields, and which are supposed te be influenced by the earnings of the miners. I am confident, from long experience, that any steady industrious man can, at the mines, realise that sum; and considering that he can live comfortably for about £1 per week, that he is exempt from all ordinary taxation, and is at liberty to cultivate a small portion of ground, the advantages of residence on a gold field must be seen to be con- siderable.

Although I may now have legitimately finished my report, yet, at the present juncture, when the Gold Fields Management Bill it again before the Legislative Council, I may be excused for venturing a few re- marks on the existing system, of which I have such an intimate practical knowledge. Objections are generally made to it as an expensive one, under the erroneous impression that the collection of the license fee forms the principal occupation of the officers and police on the gold fields; whereas, so far from such being the case, under the present moderate imposition so little evasion is practised, that the issue of the licenses occupies a comparatively short period.

A commis- sioner, attended perhaps by a trooper, at certain fixed places, issues them at an early period in each month, and, from his knowledge of the miners at work in each locality, can almost at once detect if any are attempt- ing to evade the fee; it is the other duties of a com musioner which really occupy his attention, and these would still require to be performed even if the license fee were abolished.

These are his duties as Police Magis- trate, including the Court of Requests, the regulation of public-houses, &c.;, (which, from the absence of un- paid magistrates at the gold fields, devolves solely upon him) the receipt and despatch of golld by escort, and, the most important of all, the settlement, of dis- puted claims, many of which often involve rights to the amount of hundreds of pounds in value, which have to be decided upon vita voce evidence given by men under the influence of the strongest passions— avarice—and in which new features every day present themselves.

This latter is the most responsible and difficult part of a commissioner’s duty, and one of which no one who has not performed it can form an adequate idea; these disputes, after occurring at the extremity of a district, say twenty or thirty miles off, occupy in the settlement of a single one a whole day. The regularly recurring issue of the license is ser- viceable as a police regulation, by registering, as it were, the abodes of the miners, and by being held as a title deed for claims, it prevents, in a great measure, the confusion that would arise in the occupation of them, were no such document in exist- ence.

That it is no hindrance to the development of the gold fields may be inferred from the issue of licenses, during each quarter of the present year, ex- hibiting an increase over the corresponding quarter of the last. If it be considered a grievance, surely some movement against it would have been made by those immediately interested; but no such thing has occurred. The majority of the respectable miners have informed me that they would be sorry to see the license fee-abolished, if it at the same time involved, the withdrawal of the present police protection, which, from the frequent communication and willing co- operation of the police on the several gold-fields, is more effectual in its character than in most parts of the colony.

The Gold Police themselves are now a steady and efficient body of men; some of them have been in the service ever since the formation of the corps, or very soon afterwards, and have by their good conduct worked themselves up to the highest grades in it; those who have joined later have their example before them, and the benefit of an excellent “esprit de corps.” I cannot but think that, if these men were reduced to the same footing as that of the ordinary police, some valuable advantages would be lost.

The revenue directly derivable from the gold fields is, at present, upwards of £16,000 per annum, with every prospeot of an increase. The expenditure for the establishments at the gold fields amounts to a little more than £14,000; this includes the cost of the gold escort between Sofala and Avis- ford, and of the road patrol between the former place and Bathurst, and still shows an excess over the expenditure of £2,000.

If the license fee be abolished a large expenditure will still be necessary for the pro- tection and conduct of the gold fields, which will thus, if no other source of revenue from them be devised, entail a considerable loss on the general revenue. On the other hand, under the present system, is con- ducted the licensing of the whole of the gold fields; the administration of Courts of Petty Sessions at each of them; the effectual protection of their residents in person and property, and in the working of their claims; a regular escort of gold from all the mines, and also of prisoners from the several police districts of Mudgee, Rylstone, Avisford, Tambaroora, and Sofala, to the gaol at Bathurst, whilst, at the same time, a considerable surplus still accrues to the gene- ral revenue.

I have the honour to be, Sir, Your most obedient servant, , WILLIAM JOHNSON, Acting Gold Commissioner, Western Districts. The Hon. the Colonial Secretary.