RETURN of the various Officers employed at the Gold Fields, Heathcote (Mc Ivor), on the 25th June 1853. No. 14. RETURN of the Disposal of 28 Persons for Trial at the Circuit Court, Castlemaine, Colony of Victoria, on 9th June 1853. VICTORIA. recorded (commuted to 15 years hard labour on the roads. the first 12 years on roads of the colony, two first in irons first in irons 1 18 months NOTE. Three prisoners were twice convicted on different indictments, and received two sentences, the second to take effect on the expiration of the first sentence; this circumstance accounts for the discrepancy between the number convicted and that sentenced. Enclosure 2 in No. 9. H. F. GURNER, Crown Solicitor. Melbourne, July 15, 1853. MEMORANDUM Of Information received from the Manager of the Ovens Mining Company, relative to their present and future operations, as well as their opinion as to the value of the Ore and its extent. The supposed quantity of tin ore received in Melbourne is from 16 to 20 tons. Of which is supposed to have been shipped to Sydney 3 tons; to London 2 tons. The manager states that the company have now 10 tons on hand, which they are about to smelt, and expect to smelt 100 tons of metal, value in England about 14,0007., within eight months. The value here is about 907. per ton when the gold is taken out; gold in it varies from 10 ounces and upwards to the ton. Encl. 2 in No.9 The ore contains 65 to 75 per cent. of grain tin, value in England 140l. per ton. The manager is of opinion that Reid's Creek alone contains 20,000 tons of ore, and that there are equally good creeks in the vicinity; in a limited* sense of the word, the So in copy. supply is illimitable. The engineer and staff of the company started this week. (Signed) CHARLES TERRY. Enclosure 3 in No. 9. Encl. 3 in No. 9. SIR. Resident Commissioner's Office, Castlemaine, May 21, 1853. 2. On my arrival at this station I addressed a letter, copy of which is enclosed, to the individuals named in the margin, who were sufferers by the seizure of their tents and other property by the police, acting under false information. Whirland 3. I was called upon yesterday by Mr. Paynter, an attorney, who requested, on behalf Messrs. McMahon, of McMahon and the others, to be informed whether I would offer any objection to the Adams, Neville, and persons named in the margin appealing before me to plead their cause. I replied that "as I had been instructed to repair the losses sustained, as an act of grace on the part of "his Excellency, the Lieutenant-Governor, I should not fetter the sufferers in their choice Mr. Hitchcock, "of advocates, but that the persons named, having been nominated at the late meeting to "offices which I could not recognise, they must distinctly disavow appearing in any such "character before me, as otherwise, I should decline allowing their intervention." I like Dr. Gill. VICTORIA. wise stated my opinion that these individuals, having their own importance more in view than the interests of the persons whose advocates they were, their cause was not likely to be advanced by their advocacy. 4. With this proviso, Messrs. Hitchcock and Gill called upon me last evening, and having stated that they did not appear except as agents for the injured persons, laid before me a statement of damages, involving consideration for matters wholly out of my power to entertain; for instance, 5. These two last I expressed my readiness to estimate upon any data they chose to produce, but the first I informed them was absurd, as no prisoner acquitted in any court but might claim the same of his country. The second and third were, I said, if actually capable of proof, matters to be definitely dealt with by a court of law; and my instructions were to afford that relief for which the law did not provide, the proceedings taken having been in strict accordance with the letter of the Act. 6. The sum demanded by Messrs. Hitchcock and Gill was,- £900 For Neville وو (or Phillips, as he was called by the agents.) £190 In all 1,9007. which I at once declared to be utterly beyond anything that could be listened to, at the same time that I would pay all reasonable demands. I saw plainly that it was not the object of one at least of these persons to arrive at a settlement, and they left me with a distinct refusal to come to anything short of their own proposals. 7. This morning I was given to understand indirectly from the parties themselves, Mc Mahon and the others, that they repudiated the unreasonable proceedings of Messrs. Hitchcock and Gill, that they deemed my proposition a fair one, and were desirous of stating their case to myself personally and deferring to my judgment in the matter. 8. Accordingly on the application of Mr. Paynter, acting on their behalf, I appointed a time at which Mc Mahon, Adams, and Neville came and made a statement of their losses, which, from the inquiries I made as to the profits of their respective trades, did not, though large, appear to me to be unreasonable. My offers were accepted in a good and proper spirit, the parties expressing themselves satisfied and grateful for the manner they had been dealt with. Whirland, alias Phillips, not having made his appearance nor sent in any demand, his case was not entered into. 10. I have inquired into the manner in which the police performed their duty on this occasion. It appears that they did it without any harshness or undue severity, and that the highly coloured statements which have been put forth by the press have been wholly untrue. 11. Great stress has been laid on the conduct of Mr. Sub inspector Christian, in command of the police, at the seizure of McMahon's tent, more particularly to one Mr. Jackson who officiates at Castlemaine as a Baptist minister. I made inquiry into the grounds of the statements put forth, and I am informed that Mr. Jackson's deportment and language was such as to induce resistance to the police, upon which Mr. Christian cautioned him that if he persisted in such a course it would be his duty to take him into custody. 12. Of the general feeling of the community at Castlemaine to the officers of the Government on the spot I could learn nothing during my stay there to lead me to believe that beyond a very few individuals who sought by creating excitement and agitation to make themselves appear important, any want of confidence or respect existed; and it may be proper to mention here, in proof of the justice of this conclusion, that it was proposed to get up a subscription ball on the Queen's birthday, in the public hospital just erected at Castlemaine, to which the officers of the Government, and the people generally, were conjoint subscribers and managers; the inan McMahon, being purveyor on the occasion. 13. In conclusion I have to report that previous to these proceedings the sale of spirits had been carried on to a greater extent than ever known, in consequence of the belief prevailing that the informers having been by the late Act of Council debarred from receiving the moiety of the penalty, no informations would be laid, and many dealers in spirits took the alarm, and quitted the Gold Fields on learning that these informations had been laid, and it is admitted on the spot that good has on the whole resulted from these prosecutions. 14. It is matter for regret that the informer in this case was believed to be perjured, so far as McMahon and Adams were concerned, but I have it on good authority that Neville and Phillips were notorious grog sellers. I have, &c. (Signed) W. H. WRIGHT, Chief Commissioner of the Gold Fields. SIR, that Resident Commissioner's Office, Castlemaine, May 20, 1853. IN consequence of a report made to me by Captain Bull, the resident Commissioner, had sustained a loss owing to proceedings taken against you on the 7th instant, you by the police, acting upon an information which is believed to have been false; I beg I would be glad to receive it to-day, or not later than ten o'clock to-morrow morning. Messrs. M'Mahon and others. VICTORIA. No. 10. COPY of a DESPATCH from Lieut-Governor LATROBE to the No. 10 (No. 115.) MY LORD DUKE, Duke of Newcastle. Melbourne, July 16, 1853. I TAKE advantage of the present mail to transmit for your Grace's information, 1st. A Return of the number of vessels cleared out at this port, exclusive This voluminous reof coasters, for the half-year ended June 30 1853. 2nd. A half-yearly Return of the Victoria water police. And 3rd. A Return of the number of cases of desertion and refusal of duty brought before the bench at William's Town, for the six months ending June 30, 1853, with the number of seamen discharged by mutual consent, and the number and tonnage of all vessels arrived in Hobson's Bay, during the same period. 2. I consider that the information conveyed by the first of these documents must possess very considerable public interest. It will be seen, that notwithstanding all the hindrances which the present circumstances of the colony may be presumed to interpose in the way of commerce, and the acknowledged difficulties affecting the shipping interest, no fewer than 831 vessels, exhibiting a total of 259,608 tons burthen, exclusive of coasters, and manned by 13,145 seamen, have sailed from the port of Melbourne alone within the last six months. 3. In drawing your Grace's attention to these facts, I would briefly advert to the receipt of your Grace's despatch of the 24th* December 1852, containing certain suggestions from the Liverpool shipowners for the engagement of Lascar seamen, under certain stipulations to proceed to Australia, and navigate the ships home which have been deserted by their crews. 4. I may state that I have called upon the proper officers for their report, and will in due course communicate the result, but in the meantime I would refer to the information now transmitted, as well as to that of a similar character, forwarded on the 31st December last in my Despatch, No. 179,† to prove that there never has existed that stagnation or insurmountable difficulty in carrying on the trade of the colony which might have been apprehended. My own observation inclines me to believe that any real existing difficulties are removable without having recourse to any extraordinary expedients. At this date no vessel, under ordinary circumstances, need be detained in port whose agents take the proper and obvious means of securing a crew and proceeding to sea. I have, &c. (Signed) C. J. LATROBE. His Grace the Duke of Newcastle, turn is not printed. The total is as follows: 831 vessels, 259,608 tons, 13,145 men. &c. Page 150 of Papers relative to Australian Gold Discoveries presented to Parliament, by Her Majesty's Command. 28th February 1853. + Page 58 of similar Papers, presented 16th August 1853. VICTORIA. Distribution of duty under the immediate direction of the Inspector: Since the last half-yearly Report (No. 34, December 30, 1852), it has been expedient to change the rating of "coxswain" to that of "sub-inspector," and in order to increase the number of water police constables, one man from each boat's crew has been selected and sworn in under the rating of "chief boatinen." A RETURN of the Number of Cases of DESERTION and REFUSAL of DUTY brought before the Bench at William's Town, for the Six Months of the Year 1853, commencing 1st of January, and ending 30th of June, with Number of Seamen discharged by mutual Consent, and the Number and Tonnage of all Vessels arrived in Hobson's Bay for the some Period. The few committed to gaol, compared with the number charged with "refusal of duty," is by reason of a compromise being effected between the masters of vessels and their crews. Those "discharged by mutual consent" are chiefly persons who have worked their passage out as supernumeraries. William's Town Police Court, 30th June 1853. CRAWFORD H. PASCO, R.N., Superintendent, Victoria Water Police. No. 11. July 7, 1853. COPY of a DESPATCH from Lieut.-Governor LATROBE to the (No. 137.) MY LORD DUKE, No. 11. Duke of NEWCASTLE. Melbourne, August 1, 1853. (Received October 29, 1853.) FOR your Grace's satisfaction I take leave to transmit the enclosed return, which has been handed to me by the Collector of Customs, being a comparative statement of the Customs revenue of this Colony for the years 1851 and 1852, and for the half-year ending June 30, 1853. |