Empire (Sydney, NSW : 1850 - 1875), Friday 17 October 1851, page 2


THE TURON GOLD FIELDS,

[FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.]

Oakey Creek,

Tuesday morning, Oct. 14,1851.

The news since my last communication is generally cheering, and the Turon once more seems to be taking the lead amongst the gold fields of New South Wales. Mr. Joseph Blackstone was in on Sunday. His party are stationed about forty miles down the river,

and within about twelve of the junction with the Macquarie. The one cradle, kept steadily at it from day-light till dark, yields an ave-rage of five ounces a-day. The place, though not publicly known, has some other occupants, and has been visited by that keen supervisor of the Crown re- venue, Mr. Commissioner Hamilton. This gentleman, thoroughly familiar with the secret places, dry creeks, et cetera, gathered during his own experience as a gold digger has rendered him a dangerous opponent at the game of hide and seek. Indeed the whole of these "beardless boys " are apparently inflexible in their resolve to do their duty fearlessly, and although the honorable and rev. member for Sydney has alluded to their adolescence in terms of slight re-proach, few of the more senile from the ranks of humanity could be found capable of safely scrambling over the rugged eminences which abound, in giving chase to run-aways, who, at sight of the gold lace, de-camp with their tools.

Swept out by superabundance of water, the Ophir men are returning, and the sys-tem of roving under the ridiculous plea of prospecting, prevails to a greater

extent than ever. To the deserted holes

up Oakey Creek, the late rains have caused many to return, and a steady yield is to

be met with. Within about three miles of

the junction with the Turon the bed is flooded and the Creek running freely; yet Turton's party in the main bed, by the aid of pumps, are enabled to continue operations. From the hill at the Razorback side of

Oakey, the Messrs. Owen (sons of the at-torney) are "humping the swag" to the washing hole, and doing fairly; but the

labour is immense.

At Thompson's Point, Ellis, Pugh, Gannon, and Murphy's parties are still

successful: from this the vein seems to

sweep under the bed, and issue lower down the river near the Maitlander's tent, where the Hewlesons and a few others are at

work. Monday Point is the next spot favoured by this capricious stream, and the rock now known as the Golden Rock, pours forth its treasures unsparingly. A hole was sold on Saturday for £300, and a justifiable species of insanity is abroad for procuring by purchase or otherwise, a right to dig in this locality. Mr. Hallen, with whom is Mr. Sizar Elliott and Co., bought a claim near Blakefield's, and adjoining the hole of Morris Lee, of Maitland, for £150. Their re-spective lines were clearly defined, and the newly installed occupants went merrily to work. The 'multum in parvo' principle be-gan, however, to predominate amongst a section of the crew, and instead of getting a good face, as it is termed by opening a large hole at once, the tunnelling—or undermining—game was adopted, and Mr. Lee's property invaded. It is said, on good authority, that Elliott's gain, during the six days, exceedod £180. The matter, most unjustifiable in itself, has been brought before the Commis-sioner, and he has decided that an en-croachment of three feet has been effected. The complainant in this transaction is willing to go to arbitration; but, if these means fail, the big-wigs will, as usual, come in for a few nuggets of the Golden

Rock.

At Golden Reach, things go on swim-mingly, whilst at the opposite point Billy Williams is obtaining about £100 per diem. Mr. Smyth, the barrister, ranks second there, but all are prospering. The Wallaby Rocks, both great and small, are nearly deserted. Sheep Station Point is daily becoming, more crowded, and its richness is unquestionable. Amongst the leading finders of the treasure there may be enumerated, Messrs. Russell

(the iron founder), Travers, Fralton and

Hume; but it is now becoming

a difficult task to ascertain the

weight procured. Some from a natural

disinclination to see their names

in print refuse the information, and others form and find objections, trivial but in-surmountable. Near this place a person, whose name I have not been able to learn, came down upon a peculiar soil, similar to decomposed oyster shells, and from this bed brought to light large quantities of the metal in processes like pipestems.

The Bald Hill Creek is nearly worked out; and though about two hundred persons are employed at Muddy Creek, it is expected that the greater portion of them will soon be amongst us again, as their luck is equivocal.

From the Louisa, a magnificent speci-men was brought in on Sunday last. It was procured by a poor lime-burner from George's River, named Thomas Brenan. It weighs upwards of 2½lbs, and is valued at £105. This man with his brother has been very fortunate, and will proba-bly be enabled to return home in posses-sion of greater wealth than the family of the Brenan's ever enjoyed from the famous days of Brian Boru, to the estab-lishment of the Smithfield mar-ket in New Holland. The lime-burner has already HEIGH PRESTO'D himself into a swell of the first water.

Rumour was rife that the weights of Mr. Tom Winder Campeoll were wrong,—to counteract the injurious tendency of which slander a notice has been posted by the Commissioners, declaring them to be perfect.

The Government regulations have been received with distaste. People regard this as another step towards that clutch- ing avarice which has from time to time

influenced the policy of our local Exe-cutive.

Stores and storekeepers increase and multiply amazingly. If provisions pour in upon us as at present, we shall be able to enjoy a jolly Christmas and a happy new year at less than prime cost.

Last Sabbath was kept by the diggers far more sacredly than any I have spent

since arrival.