Alexandra Times at KellyGang 17/12/1869
THE SURROUNDING DISTRICTS
(From our Special Reporter)
No. IV (see previous article) (see next article)
Mansfield is purely an agricultural town ship, but through the zeal, energy, and fussiness of the members of the Shire Council, a Court of Mines has been established there, and now a determined effort is being made to get a Court of General Sessions.
There is something amusing in the efforts that the Mansfield people make to have all the surroundings of a populous place. One gentleman, in addition to keeping a public ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? make a living there, but although his charges were very modest, he was compelled to leave. A mining registrar threw up his appointment in the place because he could not make salt. The Mansfield Courier after a short unhappy existence, “bolted" off to Alexandra, and came to grief. The Jamieson Chronicle took the name of Mansfield, and afterwards regretted having done so. The Mansfield Independent , printed at Benalla, is to be pushed out of the way as soon as some fool can be found to start a local paper, and lose a few hundred pounds over it.
Thus it is that Mansfield lives by spasmodic fits and starts - propped up by the Shire Council, which is largely in debt - fanned by the breezes of Ministerial favors, through deputations - puffed and blown out by the inflated self opinion of those who consider the place the centre of all the wealth and intelligence of Victoria. Why should not Mansfield be the place for all our Courts of Law? And finally, why should not our potato and pumpkin-growing neighbors know as much about mining disputes as a bull does of an Act of Parliament? I attended the County Court there for several hours, and was impressed with the idea that the business men of Mansfield had evidently been trying to, show the necessity for a County Court by issuing a summons for every little sum on their books. One amount sued for was 6s 6d, balance of account. This, of course, carried the usual costs. It appeared to me rather significant that the only cases of importance before the Court were from Alexandra or Godfrey's. As I intend to visit Mansfield again some of these days, I will reserve the remainder of my remarks about this remarkable place, and will pass on to
MAINDAMPLE
small town or group of deserted houses, is situated about nine miles west of Mansfield. Some two years ago a small quantity of gold was found, at this place near the surface. Some persons are under the impression that this gold was in some way dropped from the escort; this, however, I do not believe, but it is a fact that a great number of miners rushed there, and then rushed away again. A number of houses and two crushing machines were erected, through the “blowing" of the defunct Mansfield Courier, and have, since been pulled down. and carried away. Still some of the original inhabitants remain. It is, said the reason why they stay is, that they cannot "raise the wind" to get away; others are of opinion that they are waiting till something turns up.
| ! | The text has been retyped from a microfiche copy of the original. We have taken care to reproduce this document but areas of the original text may been damaged. |
