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From: "Les Pitt" <>
Subject: RE: THE ROYAL COMMISSION INTO GOLD MINING 189O - PART ONE (TARNAGULLA)
Date: Mon, 10 Oct 2005 13:41:30 +1000
In-Reply-To: <003c01c5cd47$8de6ea60$6401a8c0@testerccb5031d>
Trevor, I think the reason the testimony appears so chopped up and
incomplete is because the questions have been omitted.
I have seen this before in court testimony where the shorthand writer only
takes down the replies. The questions have to be deduced from the reply.
Am willing to be corrected on this.
Abolition of the Mining Boards? Apparently they only have power to make
bye-laws (governing alluvial and sluicing I presume). Now deep lead and
quartz mining has taken over they are dispensible, the Mining Board
elections were hotly contested in the 1860's.
Les
-----Original Message-----
From: trevor [mailto:]
Sent: Monday, 10 October 2005 1:06 PM
To:
Subject: THE ROYAL COMMISSION INTO GOLD MINING 189O - PART ONE
(TARNAGULLA)
In March1890, a Royal Commission into Gold Mining visited Tarnagulla and
took evidence from several witnesses on the morning of 14th March 1890.
Later that same day the Commission moved on to Dunolly and took further
evidence in that town.
The press accounts were fulsome. Because of this, I am transcribing the
press reports in parts. What follows is the first part of the Tarnagulla
hearings.
The first witness was the town clerk of the Borough of Tarnagulla, Henry
Charles Bristol. He was also, over many years, the Manager of various mines
in Tarnagulla. His evidence is fascinating for the knowledge he has of the
various reefs in and around Tarnagulla. I was delighted to find this
first-hand summary of reef mining in the district, with some
observations on alluvial mining. Other witnesses add to this account, and
will be posted in due course.
In addition to being fulsome, the reports were also badly written.
Incomplete sentences, disregard of paragraphing, haphazard capitalisation,
profligate use of commas, and lack of polish indicate a rush into print
without much editing.
Here is part one: the evidence of Henry Charles Bristol.
Trevor Williams, 10th Oct. 2005
___________________________________________________________________________
From 'The Tarnagulla and Llanelly Courier' March 22, 1890
THE GOLD MINING COMMISSION
The Royal Commission on Gold Mining held a meeting at Tarnagulla on Friday,
the 14th inst., there being present the hon. James Bell (chairman), and
Messrs A. Young, Gordon and Hunt, M.L.A.'s, and Messrs Burton, Roselles,
Martin (Clerk to the Commission) and Wade (shorthand writer). The following
evidence was given:-
James Cheetham, Esq. M.L.A., called upon H.C.Bristol, town clerk of the
borough, to give evidence, who stated that he had been here a great number
of years; had been engaged in mining in other parts of the colony before
coming to Tarnagulla. Had great experience in quartz mining, more
especially in Poverty Reef. This reef was worked to a depth of 60 ft. when
he was appointed manager for Mr King, who held several of the rich claims on
the line of reef. He held that position until the reef was lost at the 400
ft. level and had been connected with the several companies on the line
since that time. The stone from the surface to the 360 ft. was very rich.
The quartz in the early days was picked and and carted to the Loddon for
crushing, and a great deal of the picked stone yielded 50 oz. to the ton.
Afterwards, when crushing power was erected on the mine, and the whole of
the quartz from 16 to 20 ft wide crushed as it was taken out, yielded from 1
to 12 ozs. to the ton. They got from 5 to 6 ozs to the ton from quartz
taken above the 360 ft. level. There has been several companies working
this ground, but as yet they have not succeeded in finding the continuation
of the lost lode. The company now working on the ground, has sank [sic] a
new shaft from the surface to 800 ft., and are still sinking their main
shaft. The Yorkshire Company is situated one and a half miles north of the
Poverty reef, and is supposed to be on the same line. The mine formerly
gave very good yields, but is not now payable. The Yorkshire Co. is now
prospecting the reef at the 500 ft. level, and can get a little gold but
nothing payable yet. Many other reefs in the locality were very
remunerative to a depth of 1 and 2 hundred feet. The Greeks Hill, Ironbark,
Western Reef, Sandstone Reef, Cambrian Reef, Corfu Reef, and many others
have good returns, but are now mostly all abandoned for want of capital. Do
not think the Wanda or Greeks Hill and Ironbark line is the same as Poverty
reef, it lies further west. The reefs mostly lay flat and run on three
different lines. Have had as much as 5 oz. to the ton. Believe that the
formation is what is called Sandhurst reef channels. Believe that the use
of a diamond drill would be likely to develop something good on this line of
reef. The Kangaroo Reef was very rich on the surface, giving an average of
6 oz. to the ton. The Yorkshire Co. do crushing for the public, charging 7s
per ton, or one horse load. The Cambrian Reef, Llanelly, is a line of reef
deserving of further development. Was about 4 ft wide. Reef dipped north
with a western underlay and was successfully worked to 380 ft. Shaft sank
to 500ft. Water very heavy, Reef situated in a flat and is very wet for a
quartz mine. The ground was abandoned because the gold run [sic] out and
there was a great mining depression at the time, and capital could not be
got to carry on the work of prospecting. The Sandstone Reef was given up
about the same time for want of capital. The reef was formerly a very good
one. There are a great many other reefs. The Great Western Reef has
yielded as much as 50oz. to the ton. There is a good deal of shepherding
leases in this place. The holding of large areas of ground without employing
labor is detrimental to the mining interests, such land should not be locked
up but should be available for prospecting by private parties. Think the
leases should be voided after a reasonable time if not worked. Am opposed
to holding large areas. The ground is not prospected. Think 1000ft. a
fairly large claim, and enough for any company. In alluvial ground think
there is a large area of alluvial ground not prospected. Think the valley
of the Loddon contains an extensive alluvial lead of gold. The best way to
test the resources would be by using the diamond drill. The area is a large
one comprising many miles of untried country. The shallow ground in this
part has been worked out. Could not say but the Tiffin auger would be
better than the diamond drill. Think there is also a reasonable chance of
finding payable gold on the extension of Tarnagulla and Moliagul leads.
There are no prospecting associations here. The work would have to be
undertaken by strong parties or companies. He thought that the mining
boards and prospecting boards should be abolished, and their powers vested
in shire and borough councils, and that they should be authorised to spend
the money. The Government had acted wisely in subsidising the companies
that are willing and in the position to carry on deep and expensive
prospecting. He thought that plans should be kept of all workings. He did
not know of any better plan for treating quartz than the stampers, etc, now
in use.
In reply to Mr Roselles the witness said: With regard to the
distribution of the vote thought the government had acted wisely in
assisting companies to carry on expensive prospecting work both in quartz
and alluvial ground by subsidising those companies who were in a position to
contribute in carrying out the work. It would be a great advantage to have
plans of all work done by former holders, as it would facilitate future
generations where there is water, also as a guide to operations of any new
companies taking up the ground, as they would find such plans very useful.
In quartz crushing simply use ordinary stampers with quicksilver in the
boxes, gratings 150 to one inch, drive at 70, have also copper plates. Can
crush with 16 head 150 tons a week. The tailings are stacked and do not
contain sufficient gold for subsequent treatment. The blanket sand is sent
to Sandhurst for treatment, and average about 8oz. to the ton. Believe that
the mining boards should be abolished, Can see no reason why they should be
continued. Think the work should be done by municipal councils. They (the
Mining Boards) have no power to make laws.
The Chairman: They make bye-laws.
Mr Bristol: The bye laws only govern a very insignificant class of mining
END OF PART ONE
Part Two contains the evidence of E. Rosman who dwells on the value of gold
known to have been extracted from
Tarnagulla, among other things..
To be continued...
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