Robert Montgomery Martin
Published: 2013-09
Total Pages: 136
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This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1850 edition. Excerpt: ...bush, which-, it was alleged, the police were generally aware of. The vendors only rought into camp small quantities at a time, and were allowed to prosecute this illegal calling until gerous ordeal to which society is now subjected. To aid them in this righteous cause, by cheering encouragement, should be the object of leaders and enlighteners of public opinion at home and abroad. But this will not be promoted by considering gold as an unalloyed evil, and treating those who are obtaining it from the bowels of the earth as a degraded class of our fellow-subjects. Unfortunately, this feeling towards the diggers began to prevail after the first burst of excitement was over, in 1852: their useful occupation was oflicially considered by some merely as a means for gathering money into the government treasury. The licensing system was pushed to an extreme; store-keepers, schoolmasters, doctors, parsons, and lawyers, were obliged to take out licenses, --even a carter, looking for his bullocks in the bush, was fined 5 for being without a 305'. permit. The commissioners' staff and police, in white and blue uniforms, bedizened with lace, booted and spurred, and mounted a la militaire, looked on the miners with contempt--treated them with great harshness, and, in several instances, very brutally. Mr. Westgarth informs me that he has seen the diggers losing their precious time at the commissioners' tent, waiting for their licenses, the oflicials being too lazy to perform the easy work of delivering the monthly tickets. In one noted case the poliee pulled down several tents and huts in the night, on the suspicion of grog being within them, ' and the inmates, men and women, were turned into the open air. On this occasion, compensation..