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1858
Legislative Assembly
NEW SOUTH WALES
GOLD FIELDS.
(Canoona, Port Curtis.)
Ordered by the Legislative Assembly to be Printed, 7 October, 1858.
M. C. O’Connell, Esq., C.C.L., to The Colonial Secretary.
Rockhampton,
27 September, 1858
Sir,
I have received this Mr. Elyard’s letter of the 18th instant, (No.
58-435,) intimating to me, as well as to the Bench of Magistrates at Rockhampton,
that had been considered expedient, in consequence of the numbers of persons
now proceeding to the Fitz Roy Gold Diggings, at once to proclaim this
place as one for holding Petty Sessions; and that a Clerk of Petty Sessions,
who was also a Gold Receiver, and who had a deputation from the Customs,
had likewise been appointed.
2. I was also informed that a mounted inspector, 3 mounted troopers, with
1 sergeant, 4 foot police, and 1 detective, had, under instructions to
the Inspector General of Police, been ordered to proceed to this district.
3. I have now to apprise the Government of the arrival this afternoon
of Mr. Maxwell Hutchinson and the detachment of police above- mentioned
at their destination; and I have to express my thanks for the aid which
has been provided for this district under the trying circumstances under
which it now is placed.
4. Within the last few days there have arrived here, by eleven vessels
– five of which were steamers – about 1,043 persons (according
to the best information I can obtain), and I understand about 700 of these
have already proceeded to the Canoona Diggings – distant thirty-five
miles from hence.
5. In addition to the numbers I have given, there may be computed about
300 as arrivals overland, who are also at the diggings; and the distribution
of the populating in this neighbourhood may be said, at the present moment,
to be situated thus, viz:- 1,000 at the diggings, and between three and
four hundred at Rockhampton.
6. I must remark, however, that of the 1,000 persons supposed to be at
the diggings, 700 are about arriving, or have been there only one or two
days.
7. But I am given to understand that some thousands of persons are already
on their voyage hence from Sydney, and that considerable numbers may be
expected from Melbourne and other ports.
8. This is an announcement which, I confess, causes me considerable anxiety
for the peace and good order of the district, as the pressure of such
a vast increase of population on its means of subsistence must, inevitably,
in the first place cause much inconvenience, and, no doubt, much individual
distress.
9. I am also bound to take into consideration the fact, which is notorious,
that many have come up into this newly located country with but trifling
means of support, under a vague hope that gold is to be obtained without
that expenditure of time and labour which its very value ought to teach
them is necessary to its production.
 |
Memorial commemorationg
the discovery of gold at Canoona in 1858 |
10. There has yet to be solved also the problem whether the Gold Field
which has been productive to the few who as yet have been working it,
will prove equally profitable to the much larger numbers who now appear
inclined to look to it for a means of livelihood, and this is a question,
momentous as it is, which nothing but experience can resolve.
11. There are elements of disorder here which induce me to ask you for
an increased force of police, of 1 sergeant and 6 men mounted, and 4 dismounted
men.
12. I propose to station the Inspector and all the mounted men together,
with three dismounted men, on the diggings, the remainder of the dismounted
men being at Rockhampton.
13. I am happy to be enabled to state, that up to the present moment I
have received no information of any outrage having been committed, wither
here or at Canoona, beyond an assault which occurred on board one of the
vessels in the river this morning, and which I have to inquire into to-morrow.
14. The cause from which I apprehend most discontent at the present moment
is from a possible scarcity of flour, through the difficulty of obtaining
a sufficiency of carriage for goods hence to the Gold Fields; but as I
trust, from the best inquiries I can make, there is a sufficiency of this
necessary article here, or on board the vessels in the river, I hope some
means will be devised of transporting it, either by land or by water,
to some point within reach of the consumers.
15. I add a few memoranda on a separate paper upon some points which appear
to me worthy of immediate consideration, should the present influx of
population to this district continue. And I beg to assure you that no
effort on my part shall be wanting to secure, as far as practicable, the
peace and good order of this district.
I have, &c.,
M. C. O’CONNELL,
C. C. L.
The Honourable
The Colonial Secretary,
Sydney.
MEMORANDA upon some points which appear to me worthy of
consideration, if the present influx of population to Port Curtis should
continue.
A Harbour Master ought to be appointed, with jurisdiction extending from
Port Curtis to the head of navigation on the Fitz Roy. He would require
a crew, with a decked boat of twelve or fifteen tons, as well as a whaleboat.
A Custom House should be established at Gladstone, to compel all foreign
vessels to call in there. Vessels of large tonnage, or drawing more than
nine feet six of water, cannot easily navigate the Fitz Roy; and for foreign
vessels to unload in Keppel Bay, where there is no settlement, nor much
probability of one for some years to come, would, it appears to me, open
the door to many frauds upon the revenue. Moreover, there are several
dangers about the entrance into Keppel Bay, and large vessels with passengers
would lose very little in time, and gain much in comfort to their people,
by transhipping them in the harbour of Port Curtis, instead of in Keppel
Bay. I fear there will be some sad loss of life if passenger vessels continue
to use the entrance by Keppel Bay in bad weather.
There ought to be a lighthouse erected – I think on Gatcombe Head.
The Fitz Roy River and the inner passage between Keppel Bay and Port Curtis
ought to be surveyed and buoyed off.
Two different townships on the river might be laid out and sold at once,
in addition to Rockhampton, which, as it is surveyed, ought to be offered
for sale as soon as possible.
The townships I allude to would be one at the crossing place of the river
nearest to Canoona, and the other on the north bank of the Fitz Roy, some
eight or ten miles below Rockhampton – at least this latter place
is worth examining, to discover whether it offers any advantages over
Rockhampton itself.
M. C. O’CONNELL
C. C. L.