The Gold Fields report
Saturday 7 June 1856, The Maitland Mercury & Hunter River General Advertiser
Council Papers
(Report from the Acting Commissioner of Crown Lands for the Northern Districts.)
Crown Lands Office,
Armidale, March l8, 1856.
SIR-I do myself the honor to inform you that the new diggings, near the Rocky River Gold Fields, are still progressing favorably.
2. Out of a population of about 200 working men actually upon these diggings, I could only hear of a few solitary instances of failure.
3. Enclosed I beg to forward you, for the information of his Excellency the Governor General, a Return shewing, as nearly as I could ascertain from the parties themselves, the number of shafts sunk, the number of men employed, the quantity of washing dirt obtained, the value of the same, and the value of the same per bucket, together with the aggregate and average value of the whole washing stuff.
4. This return shows an average value of the dirt to be over 2 dwts. per bucket ; and this, together with the fact of there being so very few failures, seems certainly to indicate rich and extensive Gold Fields, which only require the immediate superintendence of a Gold Commissioner, who would actively employ himself in furthering the development of the auriferous wealth of this district.
5. I may add, that it is reported another and rich diggings have been discovered, about five or six miles to the westward of the Rocky River, but I have bad so much official business to attend to, that I have not yet had time to visit this reported new diggings. – I have, &c.,
G. D. SKARDON,
Acting C.C. Lands. The Chief Commissioner of Crown Lands.
RETURN, showing the number of Shafts sunk, the quantity of washing dirt obtained, and the aggregate and average value of the same, by twelve parties, on the new diggings, known as “Jones’ Diggings,” at the Rocky River.
G. D. SKARDON Acting C. C. Lands, Crown Lands' Office, Armidale, March 18,1856.
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