Second instalment of the "Dunolly and Betbetshire Express" report of testimony to the Royal Commission follows. I will be away in Echuca over the weekend so the third instalment will be posted when I get home: Trevor Williams 14 October 2005 _______________________________________________________________________________-- Mr R. Ritchie, J.P., gave evidence as follows: - That in prospecting for quartz he would recommend surface prospecting, trenching, and subsidising mining companies for deep prospecting, and for alluvial sinking and driving, and assisting companies endeavouring to trace lost leads. That the Prospecting Vote should be increased and made permanent, that the local prospecting boards should have a definite amount for their respective mining districts, and that they be held responsible for its judicious distribution without reference to the Minister; and as a rule on the principle of £ for £, the whole to be refunded on success, thus creating an increasing fund for prospecting. That our mining statute laws should be consolidated, but he thought it inadvisable and impracticable for the district's bye-laws to be consolidated, as circumstances in different districts varied so much. He considered it impossible to fix a hard and fast law as to the area to be held under lease without detriment to mining, as circumstances and difficulties in developing mining varied so much. In alluvial where machinery was required small areas would be no use, nor indeed would capital be got to touch it. To give security to foreign investors for putting their capital into Victorian mines there should be an absolute immunity from jumping; the rent for leases on Crown Lands should be reduced to 2s 6d per acre, and water right licenses [sic] should where in conjunction with leases be, instead of annual, concurrent with the leases. That mining leases should be forfeited on prolonged default in carrying out the covenants, and final decision as to forfeitures remain in the discretion of the Minister as at present. It has been suggested that the forfeiture of leases be transferred to the Warden, but if that were done it would open the door to jumping, and do away with the security of leasehold, and consequently drive away capital from the development of mining. It was in a depressed state now from want of capital and that would strike at the foundation of all confidence. He considered the administration of the Mining on Private Property Act and the procedure under it should be simplified, and the consequential damages assessed and made payable in a progressive form, and full and liberal compensation be paid the owners before entry for all lands taken for mining on; and as recommended by the Mining Board for the protection of holders of miners' rights, prior to entering into an agreement with the owner, as provided for in the 51st section of the act, subject to the bye-laws of the district, giving them power to enter into agreements, the applicants shall lodge a notice in writing with the Warden and deliver a copy thereof to the owner, setting forth the locality, description, and extent of land applied for, and such notice duly served will give then the prior right to the area until the agreement is approved of by the Warden and duly registered, or the application abandoned. Should the owner and applicants be unable to agree on the amount of compensation to be paid for the damage to the land, the Warden shall assess the same in the manner provided for in the sections of the Act referring to gold mining leases. He considered it absolutely necessary and advisable that Mining Boards should be continued as the only medium by which the voice of those engaged in mining could be heard, and generally for the protection of the mining interests; and to enable them to be more efficient their powers should be extended. It would be perfectly impracticable to make any hard and fast rule or law bearing in the tribute system, as circumstances so widely varied, and the whole principle and basis of it must be under mutual arrangement. He pointed out the great difficulties under which mining had to be carried on in consequence of the prohibition placed by the Lands Department on obtaining the requisite sizes of timber, particularly for alluvial underground purposes, and showed the Commission samples of the various sizes that must be had if the Lands Department permitted mining to be carried on, and that more than three-fourths of the timber required for underground uses, being from ten inches and under, the regulations prohibiting timber of less sizes than 14 inches at the butt being cut, consequently if sufficient (which was impossible) could not be obtained from private property there were but two alternatives, stop mining or get the timber clandestinely and illegally from Crown Lands, demoralising the getters who have virtually to go in the dead of the night to get timber from the bush which they must supply, and without which certain classes of mining cannot exist. Those connected with certain phases of mining have given expression both long and loud as to the absurdity of the Lands Department professing to conserve the timber of the sizes that can be used for that purpose from being obtained, and when by their permission the sizes allowed to be cut are of no practical use for general mining underground purposes; and he urged on the Commission the necessity of provision being made for obtaining the sizes of timber required for underground mining without legal restrictions, or the obtaining of it in a clandestine manner, to enable a legitimate industry to be carried on. ___________________________________________________________________________________ Third instalment will be posted after the weekend. Going to Echuca for a reunion! Trevor