indeed in the majority of cases they were utterly unable to get together, as hundreds were compelled to abandon the diggings from inability to maintain themselves.
“The Executive recalled the objectionable proclamation, and the excitement was allayed, but this infatuated conduct of Mr. Latrobe made the diggers aware of the weakness of the Government, and the prestige which alone could maintain order in such a society was utterly lost.
“The gold commission was established towards the close of 1851. It possessed a chief commissioner in Melbourne, and a staff of commissioners and assistant-commissioners upon the diggings. They resided in the camps on the different goldfields, and were responsible for the police, the collection and transmission of the revenue, and the gold deposited for safe custody. They weighed and gave receipts for all the gold about to go by escort to Melbourne, packed it in saddle bags for the escort horses, and issued the licenses to the diggers. They had to hear and determine all disputed claims between the miners; they usually discharged the functions of public magistrates; in a word, they were arbitrary ministers of the Executive, who were quite irresponsible to Parliament, and were intrusted with uncontrolled power on the diggings.”
