History of Australia and New Zealand from 1606 to 1890Sutherland, Alexander
History
History of Australia and New Zealand from 1606 to 1890
Sutherland, Alexander
Australia -- History; New Zealand -- History
#5. Government Regulations.#--When the population on the goldfields began
to grow numerous, the Government found it necessary to make arrangements
for the preservation of law and order. A commissioner was appointed, who
was to act as a magistrate; he was to be assisted by a small body of
police, and was to take charge of the gold escorts. As the lands on
which the gold was being found were the public property of the colony,
it was thought to be but just that the community, as a whole, should
participate, to some small extent, in the wealth raised from them; and
the order was, therefore, issued that diggers should in all cases take
out licences before seeking for gold, and should pay for them at the
rate of thirty shillings per month.
New diggings were, from time to time, opened up, and fresh crowds of
eager men constantly pressed towards them, leaving the towns deserted
and the neighbouring colonies greatly reduced in population. For some
months the Turon River was the favourite; at one time it had no less
than ten thousand men upon its banks. At Ophir, and Braidwood, and Maroo
the most industrious and sagacious miners were generally rewarded by
the discovery of fine pieces of gold, for which the Californian name of
"nuggets" now began to be extensively used.
#6. Gold in Victoria.#--When Latrobe was sworn in to fill the office of
Governor of Victoria on the 16th July, 1851, it appeared probable that
he would soon have but a small community to rule over. So great were the
numbers of those who were daily packing up their effects and setting off
for the goldfields of New South Wales that Victoria seemed likely to
sink into a very insignificant place on the list of Australian colonies.
In alarm at this prospect, a number of the leading citizens of Melbourne
on the 9th of June united to form what was called the Gold Discovery
Committee, and offered a reward of L200 to the person who should give
the first intimation of a paying goldfield within two hundred miles of
Melbourne. Many persons set out, each in hopes of being the fortunate
discoverer; and a report having been circulated that signs of gold had
been seen on the Plenty Ranges, there were soon no less than two hundred
persons scouring those hills, though for a long time without success.
The first useful discovery in Victoria seems to have been made on 1st
July, by a Californian digger named Esmond, who, like Hargraves, had
entered on the search with a practical knowledge of the work. His
experience had taught him the general characteristics of a country in
which gold is likely to be found, and he selected Clunes as a favourable
spot. He found the quartz rock of the district richly sprinkled with
gold; and his discovery having been made known, several hundred people
were quickly on the scene. Almost on the same day, gold was discovered
by a party of six men, at Anderson's Creek, only a few miles up the
Yarra from Melbourne. It is thus difficult to determine with certainty
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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