Page:Banking Under Difficulties- Or Life On The Goldfields Of Victoria, New South Wales And New Zealand (1888).pdf/86

Rh seldom happens that Chinese take up new ground; they rather prefer ground abandoned by Europeans. The consequence of all this was an appeal to the Gold Commissioners with the usual list of complaints against the Chinese, “That they spoil the water; are dirty and filthy in their habits; take up more ground than they are entitled to, &c.”

The Commissioners can do nothing, so the diggers will, and at it they go to drive John off the field. Such are really the facts of the case. The water question had, in truth, as little to do with the riots as the writer of these lines; it was simply that the Europeans wanted, and would have, the ground occupied by the Chinese.

By what means did they obtain the end sought for? The first step taken was to form a Miners’ League. The manifesto of this body was a strong appeal to the Government to bring about certain reforms, and dictating, in rather strong terms, what was the duty of the Crown to these diggers. The document was, as might be expected, a very extravagant appeal for redress of certain grievances which scarcely existed, and even if in existence, were greatly exaggerated.

After the first Chinese riot the then Goldfields’ Commissioners applied to the Government for more police protection, and the response was a large addition of troopers, foot police, and detectives.

Within about three months of the time at which the events transpired which are here narrated, the population on the goldfields at Burrangong (embracing, as it did, Demondrille Creek, Stony Creek, Spring Creek, Wombat, Back Creek, Victoria Hill, Petticoat Flat, Chance and Maori Gullies, Blackguard Gully, Tipperary Gully, and the Bathurst Road, Five, Seven, and Ten Mile Rushes, and extending over a large tract of country) numbered over 15,000 souls. The Chinese element being considerably in the minority, it is questionable whether there were at any time more than 2000 Chinamen located on this field. These Mongolians were scattered about in small encampments of a few hundreds in each on various parts of the diggings. One of the first decisive demonstrations emanated at Stony Creek, Spring Creek, and Wombat, and at last culminated in a processional march of some 6000 diggers, armed with pick handles, revolvers, bowie knives, &c., and headed by a brass band and banners. The object of the demonstration was to threaten the several storekeepers in the township, and to fire their premises if they (the storekeepers) continued to supply the Chinamen with provisions.

A certain large storekeeper in Main-street was particularly obnoxious to these diggers, and it was only by great persuasion that the mob were induced to waive their threats and pass the doomed premises. The inside of the store presented the