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...

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:tjwilliams@iinet.net.au] Sent: Monday, 10 October 2005 1:06 PM To: AUS-VIC-GOLDFIELDS-L@rootsweb.com 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... ==== AUS-VIC-GOLDFIELDS Mailing List ==== To unsubscribe from this mailing list send the word 'unsubscribe' in the body of a message to AUS-VIC-GOLDFIELDS-L-request@rootsweb.com -- No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. Version: 7.0.344 / Virus Database: 267.11.13/124 - Release Date: 7/10/2005