1871

We had the advantage of full discussion respecting the working of the regulations, and had offered to us many conflicting opinions.

The following points were brought prominently under our notice :

’-1, the relative advan- tages of the block and frontage systems ¡

2, the modoof working the frontage system (if adhered to) so as to avoid litigation and obviate unnecessary delny in opening the ground ;

‘3,” thoqucstion of better defining the distinction between the ministerial and the judicial functions ol the commissioner or administrative officer ;

4, the constitution of the Court of Appeal:

5,’prospocting claims ;

C, water rights ;

7, bízc of claim» ¡

8, mining surveys, registra- tions, und fees ;

9, leases.

Much diversity of opinion has existed, and continues to exist, among the miners as to’ the relative advantages of tho systems known as the block and frontage. For suoh a field as Gulgong the balance of opinion appears to bo in favour of’the frontage, lhere can bo no tqucstipn. that that system provides for obtaining the maximum of gold with the minimum of jabour and cost.

Taking some average claims upon the Black-Lead; wo find that before coming upon the gold the oliiimholdcrs had sunk somo,six shafts, at a cost approaching, on the ‘whole;’ to £1000.

It is, urged that, without the assurance of ultimately coming upon tho lead which is afforded by the frontage system, minors would ho unwilling to undertake the opening 6f ground of this character at so large a cost, and would he unable without tho security in- dicated . to obtain the credit, and assistance needful to many of thtm while carrying on the work;

Those ‘who advocate tho block system have’ in, view ) the extension of claims! to “such a sire, oven from two-thirds .of an aero’ up to three «cres per man,’ as’ would ‘throw tho’ field Into occu- pation by fewer men than now work it, and would- thus, strengthen “the complaint against the’ frontage’ system that so muoh ground, is held (although only fora’time’uri to the period ‘ or ‘\ blocking on*!’) by comparatively, few men.

Having carefully considertdMhtt’rçjTscmsr Tar lind, against thb -frontage Bystom, wo hnv£ arrived ota conclusion in favorer of its ‘ continuance, and Will proceed to suggest alterations with “a view to’its ¡mpreved ¡working.

In advocating-thc continuance of the frontage Bystcm, “*fe dp. not desire’,to propose any «Iteration, ia tho minimum depth iliirl ne- row estublMiid therefor, vu , 100 feet, wothiukthat gnundit lesser depths «buuld bo worked In the block

One of tho gnaiist difficulties attending the working of tho frontngo is that cn” “1 bv the c»niergcnco of leads, which at Gulgong proim ii to give ri’o to serious litigation Under the fiittini, régulations the îeglstritlon lor a lead carnes the ni.lt to n claim when (,o!d is sttuck upon that loud only liny certniniy provide for n preference to the shareholder oi tho m mur lead in cuse of a junction being formed

But it is leforc Hie jurction tukini, place that the difficulties arc occa su ned A jimmi lead c in very properly ho followed in caso of a coin crpiit, tendency only to the protecting paiullcl of the scnior lind J. lu shun holders oi the Finior lead have the right of sink- ing nnyvi I ire n ullin their parallel, and thero is nothing to prcv ent Hum if tluv think the junior lead to bo the better, from getting po «rs’ion ot that lend, asserting it to be the lend foi which they vie re rcgistirnl which assertion it is most dilllcult cither to prove, oi diFpi o i c vi it limit a (,rc at delny to the general working of the Hold in traeirg the tutlcrs ela m by claim

To obviate this evil, wc ucon mind that the registration fora lead should cirri ii itli it tie »ditto nny lend whativer that may bp struck within the pnrnllcls, irrespectively of such lead being the ongmal gutter or not ïhe advantage that vi ould thereby accrue to claimliolders on u senior lead vi ould ho bnsed upon the foundation or all golil fkld light-pi mut}

And In view of this advantage, we think that the frontngo might well bo reduced toa uniform width of halt-o mile Ibis would have tho effect of opening a greater nreu orcountry to occupation, and lessoning the complaints aa to monopily J hi claimholdera upon a junior converging lead should nave the light to endeavour to tiacc their lind alter blocking oil of the claims on the semor lind, before tho wings arc thrown open to occupation in ordinary blocks 1 or the satisfactory wo-king of the frontage system it is most needful that i competent mm ng surveyor should bo omploj ed, under the direction ot tho commissioner, by whom should he prc I ored plans of the lends and claims on an intelligible scale, for rcjerence m case of disputes and foi «cncrnl information

Where tbo lends ire of such importance at thoso at Gulgong, the plans might he lithographed, and copies kept m Sjdnoynnd at the. principal tovins throughout the colony lho officer, wo think | should have a fair retaining salary and »ho survey andregistration fees It is desirable th it the duties of auncyor and registrar bo combined The scale of fees, as regards amount, will need iovi «mn the snnicsvstem of survey und registration is even moro urgently needed for claimB on quart/ reefs W c tbuik that the present modeof blocking off a frontage claim shoi lil bo amended bj fixing tho timo it twenty eight days, but reserving the wings lrom actual workmg in blocks until the next chum in alliance ma) have struck the gutter

One of the most objcctiorable features of the frontage system is tlio personal occupation toi a portion of the day of lines or sup- posed lines of lead by a large number of non-woiklng miners, cimmonly known as “shepherds” pending tbc tracing of inch lends ‘Ibis personal occupation is needful to identify tho minci with the ground for vi Inch he is wnitmg, and H docs not appear that any nu uib by registration or other«iso, has yit been devised to provide in nny other way for that ldcntillcalion Although this idleness is niccs’urih legalized, it must bo horne in mind that in i’ccp ground under the block system thero is also much non-lcgalucd idleness, as many wait (only pretending to work) tho results oi the sinking in tho neighbouring ilums.

It has suggested it=clf to us that, where water or other works 1er the benefit of the field ure undert iken, the regulations might afford ncilitics for making avaduble the labour of these “ shep huds “ under a system of tickets of exemption, to bo certified t j by tbc perons in charge of the works, which would Tceognisc such labour as equnnlcnt to the prcsint occupation of claims on tlio leads, mid Identify the miner with the ground It was uiged upon us that rights defined hy written regulations form a better protection for mining property than action at tho discretion of the commissioner notwithstanding tho loss In the elasticity of the regulations that would follow the doing away with the discretionary power now imposed for many objects, wc arc of opinion, hiving rignrd to tho large interests now bemg accumiilntcd in the ndv meed prosperity of the gold-fields, th it I the regulations should ann at the substitution of wnttcn rule foi discretional y power in all cases wherein such written i ule is prac- ticable

Some ministerial rower must in any case ho with the com | missioner, or administrative officer, but wc think that any fatm e legislation, whether by Act ot Parliament orof lcgulationa thero under, should carefully distinguish between tho ministerial and jud mai functions And wo further think thnt, even in the tol- mer, thero Bhould bo provision for the officer to bo assisted by assessors, where lie may deem such assistance to bo ncccs«nry, or it may ho demanded The question of official machinery foi gold ililds management will be dealt with furthci on in this I report ! The greatest grievance on tho gold fields lsthcprcscnt constitu- tion of tlio Court of Appeal Ab the law now stands It is pO Bible for nny two Justices oi the Fence, who may oi may not hwe anv sjecmlInowlcdge of the difficult questions which continually nriso, to award away mining property to n value that could not be approached m ony other pursuit by a li«ser tribunal than the Supreme Court

A newly constituted Appeal Courts the first und most urgent necessity for legislation, and tho subject w ill be treated of in our general suggestions to follow Ibero is a dcciro that, in order to picolpita’c discovonc«, prospecting claims should bo freed from all conditions is to labour, nnd that the areas should bo extended, we t Lui li that the ii(,ge»tion might be adopted with advantage the existing regulations as to water-rights ure lnsufiicicnt and crumped in their lonn, they do not provide the necessary pio ttction and facilities for waterworks ona lar^o acilc looking to the continuance of the frontage system for deep ground, no representations were made to us

In fal our of an ex- tension ol the existing area for ordinary alluvial claims Some pcrsoEB have advocated a reduction in the present si?o of such claim«, but in this v cw wc do not concur 1 or claims on quart/ reefs, a committee representing tho quart? minors of tho Tambaroora district recommend an exten- sion in length to -to feet, and m width to 200 yard« We would almost be dispo’cl to allow a greater length, but think that the recommendation of the committee may bo accepted As concerns leading of alluvial tracts, wo do not advise ¡my de- parture from the principle at present obtaining, by w 1 ich such lenses t iken up of right aro restricted to iib indoncd ground

But wc tbuik that thero should be provision fir (.ranting lenses of new ground under exciptional circums’jincis lhefoim of measurements for leased tracts foi quurU mining can, wc think, with advantage, bo amended, so as to allow a w ldtli of 200 yards to he obtained where the applicants may dcsiro it i he rental aad lubour conditions for holding such lcn«cs hnvo been represented to us, tbcono as unduly high, and the othei as oppressive and discouraging to enterprise We do not attach much impoitanco to the question of rental, but the lab lur conditions should, m our opinion, be so ananged as to obviate needless expenditure, whilo guarding against the holding of lut ils foi ‘jeeulitive purposes

There should bo provision for a minimi m ot lubour until tho mine is opened and brought into working condition A scale of two men to the acres would pro- bably give a fair minimum, and the maximum should not exceed oro mau per acre J.ho udoption of this reduced scalo would obi ute the necessity for considering whether tho cost of muibimrv should be computed ns an equivalent to 1 ibour M ith regard to the most desirable machinery for gold-fields administration wc arc of opinion that somo important changos m the preccnt arrmgements uro uigcntly rcquued Upon such Holds as Gulgong and [tambaroora it is most necessary that there should be competent persons holding the conjoined olilccs ot nuning surveyor and rcgi-trar Theo officers should have no judicial nutliont), but would net in nssi tiug tho commissioner, ard generally under his directions, besides performing the duties that may bo laid down by tho regulations, and which should include supervision of underground operations in relation to secunty ol Ute and property

While wo sec no objection to polno mngisliatcs perform ng tile duties of eommisslonor on un- important fields m the neighbouihood of the country towns for which they hold their appointments, wo think, whero tho field ib of itecli ol sufficient importance to possess a town requiring a resident ofllcer that that officer, whether under the numc ot commissioner or warden should bo an officer attached to the department of the Ministci lor Lands this ofllcci could perlorm the duties of police mut,id trate, but our object ia to cxpre«s our senso of the necessity for his bung a gold Hilda olliccr, having the quaitlications fir gold fields duties, and liable to tcmoial from place to pine nB circumstances may require Formerly tbc duties of polico magistrates wera attached to the gold commissioners, and the nrruni cment worked very well Um ing now offered our opinion as to the officers needed upon the moie important fields, w

e como to consider the dip titmcntul nriniitemcnts necessnry for the efficient working of tbo service AVc think that, tor the interests of the goldfields and of the coloiy gcnei ully, there Bhould bo n principal mimiig surveyor attached to the r’cpnrlment of the Surveyor-General, who should be a gentleman of both scientific and prnctic ii knowledge It would be his duty to instruct the mining survcyois upon tho fields, and direct the compilation ol gold-fields maps und collec- tion of teolo¡,icnl and practical information which would be avuilablc to the public,in Sydney nnd at tho chief centres of populatitn

There uro many non judicial matters in which it is desirable that local commissioners should aot under tho guitlincc ol a superior officer, and thero must be a channel through which tho direc- tions ol the Minister can b« conveyed to tho local officers Supervision by visit« from a superior officer are fie qumtl} highly advantageous ior these reason*, wo think it ae«lrable that thcra should bo one administrativo officer placed nt the head of this sub-dcpaitmcnf attached to the Secretary for I nnds, undci the designation of chief commissioner Mines othor than gold, with the exception of coal, might bo Included m tho chai gc of thib officer His head-quarters would bo in Sydncv, and he would therefore be available for advising tho Ministci in mining matters

In offering this recommendation, we are) not insensible of the inconvenience likoly to arise from dping away with tho district (,old fields offices, especially the Wcstcin, nt which there is lurge business, most of which would havo to bo brought to Sidney If, however, it be thought better, instead of establishing a bead oftlco in eydncv, to letain tho present offices of commifasionorfl in charge of tho divisions ef the gold-fields, north, west, and south, the administration under the Minister for Landa could ho carried on bj tbo=o officers, who should hovea distinct authority ovei tho local officers in their respectivo divisions

In that case the sci-n tiflc offlco proposed to bo attaohed to tho 8urvcyor-Gencral would bo for purposes of compilation and information only Further, this quctlion will bo atrectcd by considerations respecting tlio constitution of the court of appeal, on which wc arc now about to enter .

The court of appeal, in our view, should bo constituted of a jury of four mincis, selected upon somewhat the samo plan by which special jurors are obtained Tho presidency of thooonrt lies between cither judges of mines specially appointed district court judges charged with tho additional duty, or tho commis- sioners in chnrge of the general district» above mentioned The first proposition would Involve a large expenso The second would have the disadvantage of dolajing important w orkB until the period of sitting could bo reached. V\ o arc disposel to pretor tho last ulternativo The piesidents or chairmen would be offi- cers having a largo knowledge of gold mming matters, and would nccessailly he gentlemen of grctt maglbtiriutcxperience

From our com ersntions w ith miners wo behovo that such a court would giyo satisfaction lhere should bo a further appeal to tho buprimc Court, cither in the usual manner or by a case Btatc 1 1 he regulations generally require recasting, and a tcrations in many minor pointa beyond »lioso above mentioned We think thnt for this purpose it would be well to obtum the nssistanco of persons conversant with mining who may be qualified to rendel it

In dealing with the question of communication with Mudgee aud its adjacent gold-fields, wo aro under some difficulty in the . absence ot knowledge as to the general policy likely to be adopted | f or the internal communication of the oolony Tho Mudfjcoltoud is now in toleinblo order , there arc between the”station and Mudgee thirty seven mile’s metalled, which have remained good during the late sevore scaaons , much of tho ro roiiirjder is cleared and drained, and parts graded and culv cried, as per statement in appendix I, but twenty-six miles of metalling aro urgmtly required beforo the next wet Bcason, nt a cost of £22,000, and there will then bo unmetallcd nlno miles of tolerably good natural road, which for «omo time can be travelled in thç wettest seasons Tho amount annually granted for tins load-BowenfolB to Mudgee, eighty miles lor some years has been £50 per milo, or ¿HOO a year A special grant of £5000 was mado in 1870, and for tho last two years £3100 was expended, in adianco of tolls to bo col- lected-the total expenditure slnco 1857 between Bowcnfclls and the municipal boundary, bemg about £53,000

The value of tho works now remaining from this expenditure, as shown in appendix, amounts to £42,000, leaving a balnnco of £17,000, which, divided over the fourteen j cars, would glvo an expenditure of £10 10s per mile per annum, for the malntonanoo of tho finished rond and the construction of temporary works for keeping passable tho remaining portion, Having regard to the commercial importance ot Mudgee and the surrounding gold fields, and the necessity foi keeping open the communication, which would bo almost closed should a v t winter occur-nnd bear ng in mind that, leven ii a railway vue commenced nt once, it could not bo completed for thicc jo ,s-wc have nD hesitation in recommending that a sum of £2’ JUO be a » Mr Johnson wishes it to be understood that he abstains from offering nn opinion respecting the administrative arrange- ment*.

I once placed at the disposal ot the engineer for roads, so as to prccludo tho possibility of an interruption to truffle, this amount to ho considered an anticipation of the usual subsidy, which should be withheld nntil tbo sarao bo recouped to tho 1 rcasury, the road being maintained during the interim from the proceeds of the toils This wc recommend entirely irre- spective of and apart from the question of rulway comniuni

For a railway the natural surface of tho country along the greater portion of the present line of road is much too steep, and Hie chance oí o better line nt nny distance to the right or left is restricted as far as the Crown Bidge to the west tide of the existing road, the deep valley of Capertee cutting oft ill access on the cast side , , , , . ,.

The grades on Chorrj tree Hill may be cased by going to the kit ol the road at Bound Swamp, and hy crossing thcpicsent line and keeping np tho villey of tho Bunning Stream, and theneo over towards Bylstone, to get more open ground foi the descent to tho Cudgegong I rom llylstono to Mudgco tho difficulties, though considerable, arc not so great as on the route of the present road, Aaron’s IVs being neaily impracticable for a r lilwnj, and the country from Cudgegong to Mullamuddy Creek requiring cxpensivo works, on account of the Bhort undula- tions

It is impossible to estimate the cost of a railway on this i onto without detailed Burvcvs, but wo aro convinced that when a line is being constructed, all other things being cquil, and taking into account the cost of on entirely now plant of rolling stock, and shops, machinery, and appliances for repairs of the same, either at Wallerawang or Mudgee, the difference between a Uno on a 3 feet 6 inch gauge and a light extension of tho present gaugo will, if nny, be to small as not to justify tho expense of transhipment of goods and live stock at tho junction estimated at IcaBtas adding ten miles, or 12 5 per cent to the distance Woro thcpioposcdlino to Mudgee several hundred milos in length, and not connected or likely to ho connected, w uh any system of railwavs, the question of a 3 feet G inch gauge might then be worthy ol’ consideration, and oven then only ot consider ation, as it must be recollected that n0 3 feet 6 inch ralwayfor heavy tiofUc has yet been made with such grades as those on the Blue Mountain line, and kicpmg down the grades as dono in Queensland, lengthens the tracic very ranch, and in a difficult counlrj muBt increase the works lhere is much miBapprohcnsion on the re lain e cost of lines on different pnuges, and on the cheap- ness of American railw ays, nil tho coll itérai saving made In con- structing cheap lincB on tho narrow gauge is attributed entirely to the reduction in gauge …. , , .

Much stress is laid on a 3 lect 6 inch line being cheaper milo for mile, but it has not been pointed out that in a difficult eountrj the length of tht had pieces of line will bo as 30 to M, tho piopor tionsol the equivalent grades, so that, to mako the change an e conomy, ov er thobc places five miles of the narrow must cost less than three of the wider gaufce The same fallacy cviBts in many cases w ith refei enco to the cost of American railways, where the difficulties have been evaded by lengthening the line, for which there wu-i frequent!) u further inducement m tilt subsidy in land or moncj allow ed per mile of Uno generally I ho cost of American railw bj a has been understated, as, though first cost per milo may be low, the maintenance for several yenis is very hca\y, amount- ing frequently to reconstruction, 60 that Ihcical cost of the lino is greater than ii mado substantially in the first instance 1 hough the e lgencies of tho constiuctlng companies may render this cutirte ncces-nn, it does not follow that, w hen lines are being corstructed hy the Government ol a country, such a course is either necessary or economical

It is stated on good authority thet the outlay upon ordi- när) Arrencan huts has been lrom £8700 up to £15,000 per mile, almost invariably on Einglc lines with earthworks for the most pait of a very simple character, with the timber foi sleepeis obtained from the road side, no fish-plates, scared) any aitilicial drains, v ci y imperfect if any ballasting until after the lines have been opened (which has in many cases led to senous injury to the inila and to accidents), “with wooden temporär) sta- tions, and the lind for the same freely given by the owners, without tunnelling, and w |th bridges and viaducts on timber piles, and with the cost of working moio than double tho late per Hain mile in Lngland Hie above figures, of course, do not refer to lines over unoccu- pied prairie countr) , whero there aro no earthworks, bridges, drums, fences, or station buildings, nor an) land to p ly for Hie adoption of the 3 feet 3 Inch gaugo by the Indian Govern- ment is very much re’ied on as an argument in favour of reduction of gauge, but it should be recollected that thoro tho existing gauge was 5 feet 6 niches, and that there aro 10,000 miles of sub- sidiary lines proposed on the nanow (3 icet 3 inches) gauge, and it ma) be mentioned that several miles of a line on a 1 feet gauge have been taken np and relaid to the regular gaugo, after a hoax y sacrifice of rolling-stock and peimanent way Mr Molesworth, the Lngmcer-in Chief foi Railways and I ublic Works for Ceylon, a rrum of recognised ability anil stand- ing in the profession, concludes a report on tho Fcstiniog ltailwa), with reference to a prcciocly similai case ia tho extension to Mudgee, by stating-”

I nm stronglv of opinion thatieioinin rolling stock is much more required than in gauge, and 1 think it would be well, when any gauge has been once adopted in a country, to seo how far it may be possible, by means ol modern npp lances for passing round curves by engin.es speciall) designed foi low speed and by light rolling Btock, to sccuic tho ndvantuges of ft light railway without having recourse to a break of gauge “ Though the distance from V\ allerawnng to Mudgee by road is but seventy-two miles, the length of railway cannot bo estimated at Ices thin eighty miles, in consequence of tlio necessity for lengthening the lino to oicrcomc the steep inclinations of the eoiu tr) with grades of even one m Hurt) , and presuming, for purposes of argument, that a line could be mado without station buildings and m the cheapest possible way for £5000 a mile Uiotie,h we do not assoit that it could be-tho minimum cost would then bo £400,000, and the very shortest tune tho line could be made in would be three vcars lho leccipts at the Wallerawang station for the twelve months ending Sith September, 1871, exclusive of freight on plant, i.c , for extensions, haicbeen Passengers, 8190 £8,151 0 0 Goods, 7788 tons 14,000 0 0 £22,151 0 0 It is vet) unlikely any permanent increase would arise, even if the îailw ly weic mado to Mudgee, as this includes all the goods ud pisEinger trrflic to Gulgong, but, n’snming that all this traffic vas conveyed the whole eighty mik«, tho receipts would be 8100 pafsenjrcrs, nt£l £3 190 0 0 7788 lons ol goods, tit Cd per ton pel mile lJ,17fi 0 O £23,760 0 0 50 per cent deducted for working expenses 11,883 0 0 would IcftTC £11,083 0 0 no the net receipts Deducting the proposed outlay on the roid from the assumed cost of rulway would leave £3*5,000 as the net cost, the interest on which would bo £18,750, so that the receipts must be supplemented by £8807 innually to pay j per tent interest on cost of construction, and thi3 under tho most ia.\ o ai able circumstances possible-assuming tho vet y lowest co>-t of construction, a very high proportion of goods and passen- gers at present rates, and at the mean rato of working expenses, which in all probability would be much higher It will be seen that, m the estimate for the railway, the rates aEsumcd for pas cngers arc about present rates on ro id, and foi fcoodBl7s Cd per ton less than present road rates, so that the annual saving on cairiagoby construction of tht railway would be £0301 Having given tho mo6t careful consideration to tho question of lailwa) communication to Mudgee, wo uro of opinion that if an) lines oft the main trunk routes uro to be .undertaken by tho Government the claims of tho Mudgeo district, m respecto! popu 1 mon and produce, and tho commercial prospcotsof a railway, arc superior to those of any other province , yet wo do not reel justified in advising the construction of such a line, becauso it would not form part of a general design of railways tor the colony, into whioh Mudgeo as well as other country now un- opened, by cither rail oi rind, might be taken. It may fmther he horne m mimi, when tho road works pi oposcd aro complete, it ib not at all lmpi obablc that traction engines, now being rapidly brought into use on the ordinary roadB in England, may be made avail iblc on the road V\ allcraw mg to Mudgee, and the cost of haulage at all BcnEons bo reduced to the ordinal) lau wa) rates With refciencc to the roads between Mudgee, Gulgong, nnd Tambaroora, and Bathurst and Tambaroora, the road to Gulgong from Mudgee and S)dnc) is common to the Mudgee and Welling- ton and Mudgee and Dubbo roads for sc\ cn andu half miles to Slashers Hat, Gulgong can also bo reached hy the road from Mudgee to Denison Town, tho former ia the bettor, hav ing no lulls or very bad ground, but it is subject to interruption at slasher’s Fl it by the tlo«ds of the Cudgegong It is recommended that the vote for the Mudgee and Dubbo roud for 1872 be antici- pated, and placed at the disposal ot the road department, to do on) urgent works on road from Mudgee to Slasher’s Tlat, and that a special sum of £100 be placed at the disposal of the depart- ment, to clear, drain, and otherwise improbo the road from Slasher s 1 lat to Gulgong, and, in order to obviate the inconve- nience felt in and about Gulgong, and to prevent dangeious acci- dents, it is also recommended that a sum of £150 bo placed at the disposal of the police magistrate and some trustees, to HU shatts and remove obstructive timber on the numerous approaches to the town It mi(, it also be advisable to place a sam of £1200 on the Tstl mn’rs for a bridge nt Slasher’s 1 lat, which lus boen lequircdfor some time, as many hies have been lost there 1 hose amounts will, it is considered, meet all present require- ments between Mudgco end Gulgong, but must be suppltmei ted should a further accession of population or a wet winter occur. Ihciouto to Tambaroora opciiB a larger question Ihe neces- sity for a better and moro direct route between Muiigoe and Bathurst li is long been felt, and tbo proximate opening ot the lailway to Bathurst eivesitiiuthei îninoitance irrespective afthc gold workings at Hill Tnd, so that any c\penditin c fsi local pur- poses should bo made to conduce to the formation oi the through louto as much as possible At prcEcnt the trafile route to Tambaroora from Sydney is via Vt nile ra wang to I uhriibucca, forty mil’”) by the “Mudgee Bond, and thentc by a ridge ro id, via G button’s 040 acres and Sally’s 1 lat to lamburoora, thirty ono miles over an unformed mountain track, on vi hich there has been little or no expeiulitui e lho Trinbaroora people havo found this the best rood, and aro nn\ious for its improvement, because thoy have hitherto con- sidered Bathurst inaccessible, which it certainly is for wheels hy the piesent direct route, and nearly so hy the Monkey Hill line, on which n great proportion of the wholo traffic is carried, chiefly forufcc and brcadstuffs , but from the reports of tho road supenn tendent who has been mEtructcd to examino tho line via Bruin- bun to Winburndale Clock, we have somo hopes that on further examination a practicable hne will bo found in that direction to Bathurst, this would red ice the distance from Bathurst to Tam- baroora to about thn ty-flvt miles, in lieu of the present route % ia .Monkey Hill, nbout forty six miles, and on it tho wholo ot tho ‘ Hill 1 nd and lambaroorn traffic could bo conveyed from Bathurst and the railway terminus, nnd when tho road from fambaioora to Mudgee is in better oilier, and we now rccommeud that it should receive a larger share of public mono), communication bctw e en Bathurst and Mudgee w ould be considerably improx ed lucilities would nlso bo afforded for the cartage of the nuait/, S.C , to the mer, to which no doubt many of the crushing cstab lishnicnts would ho rcmov ed if a good road existed I ending these improvements, and tho opening of the railway the load lrom lambaroorn to Sally’s Flat should receive a larger grant than it has done, to provent the grout mercase in ti anio milking it impassable f As the town of Hill Tnd ma) bo considered more permanent than moBt gold fields’ towns, it is hoped that a municipality may before lone, he established, to includo Hill Lnd and Tambaroora, but to meet immediate wants wo aro inclined to recommend that the Gov crnment should supplement each £1 collected for the iin- ji ovement of the streets at Hill lind hy £2, the metalling oí tho permanent street through the town la absolutely necessary, and will cost £300, to which, under this arrangement, wo propoEo the Government should contnbuto £200 W’o rccommond further that, the road from Tambaroora to Hill End should bo rated as flrBt class, nnd that in addition any local subscription should bo supplemented in likt manner With refcrenco to the water supply, tho time at our disposal ia is too limited to enter ipto the detail we should wish and that the suljcct irquircs Water is much wanted at Gulgong and lnra baroora, both for gold “Hashing and domestic purposes; and at theiormor placo conEldeiable privation, illness, and retardation of work aro likely to uriso from want of it The country at Gulgong, though undulating, is generally low, and when thero is any interval without rain, is very dry, tho soil being non rctontiv c both on the uplands and creeks, bo dry as to hmt hitherto prevented tho oocupation of tho country for agricultural purposes The present source of supply both fer mining and domcBtio uses is chiefly irom Bredv Oeek, supplemented when the rainfall pei mit« T>\ ‘«mi i >, i nfi -o in tho best positions oloso to tho town The consumption for dm. S le p nio»ui Is roughly estimated nt Ij.OUO g illonB ptr diem, nr-J lit t i ty puddling maohlncs if it full voik would rcq tim each lo.uuJ r iloaa per day, oi a total oí 300,000 gallons ‘o gold-washing alone At Bcedy Creek thero were eight puddling n actiines and two pumps for the town supply, which is ohiofl) oorl d thencu three miles It costs from Is. 6d to 2s a cask, and from 180 to 200 casks per day, cr say 12,000 (allons oro delivered at a I cost of about £15 per day, or ncaily MOO » month, for domestic uso only, from this ono som co The waterhole supplying thcso demanda contained approximately 2,100,000 gallons, and was receiving from the stream above about 70,000 gallons per diem The present Budy Creek supply ia by no moans to bo iclicil on, as it ceases running for many months in dry seasons For domestic purposes, it is doubtful if the usual gold-Held expe- dient of oh’nimng water from nb indoned shafts will answer here, ns wc wcic informed that tn most mstanccs they do not retain tho watci, which seems to percolate into tue substrata If tlic statements as to the running witei In the cavernoui opening in ti c limestone Bubstrata are to be relied on, it might bo found advisable to pump from the subterranean stream, but no definite information can be obtained on this point until tho com- pletion of a ventilating Bhaft now bring put down, the foul ail in the original shaft preventing inspection two proposals have been mado for the supply ot water by § invitation to Gulgong The ftrfet, for which permission has ecn obtained and a water right taken out, is to cut eight miles of laco from Reedy Cicek near Mi Chapel’s cngino to a rcervoir on tho Hats near Gulgong, tho raco to have a sectional nrcn of tw elv c and one third fLDt, to bo capable of carrying if full twenty million gallons per diem, with u f ill of tour feet per milo, flic reservoir is roughly estimated to contain, with a dam fifteen feet high, tw mtv million gallons, oi, excluding evaporation and absorption, sixty days’ supply for the puddling machines and domestic purposes While this project, if well catnod out, might yuld a handsome rcvenuo to ita promoters and augment to a most desirable extent tho present supply during ordinary seasons, it would hardly be safo to rely on it solely for the Biipply in droughts, ns in tho flist place Keedy Creek at the point where it ia proposed to take off the race frequently stops running for montha It was discharglrg about 30 0(10 galfonB per diem from a catchment oX 220 square miles, during the CommiESioneis’ visit With due consideration to the priority of occupation by the parties down stream, the water could only bo withdrawn in lresbcs, which only occur at long intervals and for short periods, so that, even if tho reservoir were full, quite half ita oontcntat would disappcu by evaporation and absorption in the dry months, so that littlemore than thirty days’ supply could bo de- pended on Tho greatest quantity of water to ho obtained from this catch- ment, during njiar of excessive drought, could not bo estimated at more than one fourth of the whole rainfall, thirteen inches, * and a very small proportion of this could be forced into tho raco, and that quantity would stiller a further diminution of 15 to 20 per cent during tianslt Vi o haTO not seen, nor nrc wc in a position to give, any reliable estimate of the cost of this scheme, but the worka proposed aro simple nnd feasible, and if tho projectors determine on carrying: them out every possible facility should be given, butwc could not recommend tlio grant of a Bubsuly or oxclusiv e right to Buppljr Gulgong Tho regulations however, should be so amended as to givcnmplo protection to the property in the water, and to dis- tinctly provide the right of the disposal to the public It has also ¡jeen proposed to pump, by a Btcam-engino from Keedy Creek to the tow n, n distance of three miles, and with a pro- bable dlflerencc of level of 140 feet This proposal would involves largo outlay, and moro compile itcd work, the engine and pipes alone would cost about £4 00, and a storage reservoir should bo provided to guard against droughts Ibis would require almost ne grout an expenditure for a race and dams as tho first named scheme, ns no one would proposo to pump into a storngo reser- voir, involving thocoBt of raising water to be absorbed lind eva- porated m addition to that consumed The third scheme proposed is to convey water from the Cudge- gong at some point above Mndgcc , and as tho minimum flow of this race must not bo reduced, this plan would also necessitate an intermediate Btornge reservoir. It was- proposed to get up nn as- sociation m Sydney for this purpose, but no steps have yet been taken to carry out the project lho Cudgegong above Mudgee unwatcrs 483 sqaartf miles, which, with a minimum rainfall of thirteen inches, as observed nnd furnished to the Commission by Mr G II Cox, would givo a probable discharge of 18,000 000 O00 gallons a ye ir Thus, tho quantity at present required for Gulgong could bo easily supplied from this source, with nil necessary additions for evaporation and absorption cn route It is a question for survey as to whether a reservoir for this pui-poEe should be higher up tho liver or imtcrmcduitc between Gulgong and Mudgee I he Inghci reservoir would invelvo gi enter expenditure for races, but might cconomi o in tho pur- chase Of land and afford greater facilities for construction and storage, and also a greater commaud of country Though wo arc not at present prepared to recommend tho Coi eminent to undertake works of water supply to tho gold- fields, weare so impressed with the advantages which would bo derived from a roll conceived plan economically designed and carried out and it is so absolutely necessary to the success and extension ol the gold-fields in this district, that wo would advis« the Government to hnvo accurate surveys made of both the above projects and any other feasible means of Bupply which might bp pointed out, and also estimates of cost of same with works of the» same charactci as have been so successfully carried out on a larga scnle in California, and to some extent by pi lvato enterprise la the colonies TIioeo estimates and plans could be placed at tlio disposal of persons proposing to undci take the supply, and they mifcht ultimately form the basis of an arrangement with a com pnny to carry out tho works, any concessions to whom ahould bo conditional on the proper execution of tho work and maintenance» ot tho supply pioposed At Gulgong thero docs not appear to bo anj ground to which ground sluicing could bo properly applied On account of the great elevation of Hill Tnd, the choice o£ sites for a gravitating water supply js \cry much restricted, thtj area lying above tho town being eo small Ills i cry difficult to estimate the quautity of water roquircd here cither for domestic or mining purposes, but the domestic» requirements might be put at about 10,000 gallons per dlcm, and ns the number of stamphcads nt work is 51, the water required for them w ould bo 4000 gallons, ora total of 14,000 gallons pee diem The old shafts are more availablo for house supply hero than at Gulgong, and the strata generally more retentive and wator benring, the rainfall is alRo probably much in excess of, and more eienly distributed, than at Gulgong, on account of tho greater elevation ‘T” lhere ib no river or stream of suffield« height to make it available without pumping, but two or three sites for reservoirs havo been proposed, the mobt eligible of which is high up on the ^ ravine unvvatenng tho northern slopo of tho Bald Hill Into this an area ot about 300 acres can be mado to drain, and by at dum 38 feet m height on the upper sido tho water could bo re- tained at a height to gravitato to nil but tho very highest parta of the town While wo consider tho execution of this work an absoluto necessity it Hill 1 nil is to continue to increase, it is too local in character to reemo moro than a subsidy in nid of any amount tho municipnlit}, or inhabitants m the absence of such body, ma} bo uispnsul to ixpend on it, but ab at Gulgong, wc think it advisable tho Government should havo a careful sun ey and estimate made for tho guidance either of tho municipality or persona disposed to undertake it as a spécula- tion lor golc, washing purpose« there nre several largo dams owned b} Messrs Chapel, Bullen, and others Thoso gcntlomen complain that the penalty for infringing their rights ¡b insuffi- cient IVhatcvcr alteration in the regulation is necessary Bhould bemnde to meet the case, as enterprise of this sort deserves every cncourngcincit Should a demand tor further crushing power arise at Hill End, it Is possiblo that on the opening of the road to the Turon much of tho crushing will be dono near the nvci, where the water is so abundant Indeed the present arrangements for conveyance of * quart/ at Hill Lnd are of the must primitivo character, and wita. a little mutual co-operation could, with great advantngo, bo re- placed cither with a wire tramway or narrow gaugo railway. The saving in a viry short time would no doubt ropay the whole cnpital of Buoh an undertaking Our attention was called at Gulgong to tho necessity for bring- ing the town undei tho lownB Police Act, ; Victoria No 2 This wo think to be very dcsirablo It was also urged that Gulgong Bhould be made tbo plnco of nomination for tho Western Gold- fields electorate, hut we regarded the question as being without our province It waa rcpicsented to us that there is a very in conv cnient delny in tho delivery of the Sydney mails, which do not reach Gulgong until about 10 am of tho morning iollowinR Hie day of their arru al In Mudgee, w hilo newspapers aro brought out byprnato coaches, and urnvo at b p m of the samo day. lho lnifeo and important commercial concspondonco of Gulgong appear« to us to require a change in this part of tho mail arrange- ments Tho following subjects were brought under our notico by aomo icsidcnts of Mudgee -1 That Mudgee m ty be mado an assizo town, 2 That Mudgee receive additional representatives 8. fhat tho cnttro polico district of Mudteo be converted in ono inumcipabty ,4 1 hat a Burvey bo made of the district of Mudgee, showing the auriferous Government lund from that of private property-there bung many old giantB in tho diBtnot abounding; in gold that hav c nov cr been surveyed ,5 I hat miners bo allowed to dig on privnto land, by paying u tun remuneration-suoh re- muneration to bo decided by arbitration With the exception of Is o 4, wcconsidir tho subjeota without the scope of our inquiry A gener ii Burvoy of tho auriferous Crown lands of the distriot would involve a greater expenditure than we could recommend, and also involvoa classification of auriferous and unauriferous lands-a question beyond the pro i Ince of an ordinary surveyor Howovcr, as the greater part of tho alienated lands of this district aro comprised in old grants, the making of which has probably becomo obliterated through ngc, wc consider that recommendations proceeding from thn gold commiBsioncr for tho re establishment of boundariis In tho iicinity of cither actual workings or localities in which bonafldo prospecting may be obstructed by reason of apprchendod tiespaes, should meet with attention, and the boundary Unca bo marked by tho local surveyor Tlio follow Ing minor requirements wcio suggested for our con sidciationby tho committeo representing the Tambaroora real- , dents -Hie necessity for a court house and alBO alojt-up at Hill J nil 2 rho establishment of n District Court 3 lho necessity for n powder mnga/ino 1 rho necessity for a proper, post-offlco and nn official post-master at Uilll.nd 5 folographio communication 8 l’ollco requirements It appears that three-fourths of tho business now transacted at the police office at Tambaroora comos from Hill End, a dlstanoo of 2 “6 miles, and tho same remark would apply to the gold-flolds business A look up will bo required at Hill End, and wo think that it would bo well to have also an inexpensive court-house and gold offlco to which tho lock-up could bo attached, and wherein the commissioner and polico magiBtrato could hold court, and transact business on alternate days The business pcop c represent the necessity for a district court, nnd the great inconv cnicncc and expense to w hich they aro pat in inking their cases to ¡Bathurst Fiom what wo could loora ** there would be many cases tried in such a court. It ia most urgently necessary for tho safety of lifo and property that a powder magazine bo at once established The estimated cost, to hold ten tons, ia £100 It might be taken charge of by the police The residents aro willing to pay a rato of Id por keg; pel week, which would almoBt pay a keeper Tho present post offico is quito inadequate for the requ’re ments, and insecure, we find thnt so many us 3Ga letters havo been stamped for one mall There should bo erected without delay a sutllolcnt post-office, and an offiiial postmaster is moro incited at Hill Fud tliun at Tambaroora, whore, we aro informed, theio is kow such as officer ** rho telegraphic communication w ith Hill End ia very largo nnd important, and wo would recommend that tho present in Btrununt bo replaced by one communicating diroct to Sydney. With regard to polico, tho residents ask for tho addition of ono mounted constable, whom they would expect to bo useful in coso of emergency, and who could ccort persons with large quanti- ties of gold to tbo escort station at lambaroora. Wo think that this application is reasonable The pressing requirements of oni rcspcotivo dopartroonta havo prevented us from giving to the details of tho nuraoroua sub- jects comprehended In our commission the full examination that wc could havo desired. and, as regards tho gold-fiolds, although, wc bai e necessarily entered into tho questions that were brought to our notice, wo have been aware that tho Govornment was about to como nto possession of an exhaustivo report from tbo late Koyn! Commission P. F. Arums. IlAnoí.D M. CUAN. WlUTTHtODALK JOHNSON. WrLLrAM C. Bkkhett. –