seems to be on the Caledonian diggings. To-day we have purchased 200 ounces from that field; the rush is to a place near One-Tree Hill, and the gold is nuggety and of good quality.
Again we have to record the appearance of spurious gold, in a sample from Ballaarat; the parcel consisted of 250 ounces, and contained about 25 ounces of the manufactured article, an ingenious approximate to the appearance of real gold dust, and such as might easily pass through the hands of any inexperienced broker without detection.
We hear of parties taking Castlemaine gold to Mount Franklin, where it fetches an advanced price for resale at Ballaarat, which is draining supplies from the neighbouring Fields, and even affecting in the manner indicated those more remote. A Government enactment to meet fraud in gold transactions appears to us to be especially needed; and as the high price given for Ballaarat gold is given on the faith of its being the produce of that Field, it should be made punishable to sell the produce of one Field under the pretence of its derivation from another.
Name Of Gold Field. | Quantity. | |
ozs. | dwts. | |
Castlemaine, | 4,980 | 10 |
Sandhurst, | 11,522 | 0 |
Heathcote, | 581 | 0 |
Ballaarat, | 13,231 | 5 |
Cheswick Creek, | 1,706 | 10 |
Avoca, | 570 | 10 |
Fiery Creek, | 3,522 | 10 |
Mount Franklin, | 199 | 5 |
Amherst, | 503 | 0 |
Maryborough, | 3,750 | 10 |
Blackwood, | 241 | 10 |
Beechworth, | 11,605 | 0 |
Buckland, | 154 | 10 |
Total, | 52,568 | 0 |