GOLD-STEALING IN VICTORIA.

Otago Witness, Issue 2801, 20 November 1907, Page 26

GOLD-STEALING IN VICTORIA.

Some sidelights into tho practices of goiabuyers in Victoria were exposed to view by the chairman, Mr H. E. Rowe, at the halfyearly meeting of the Long Tunnel Gold Mining Company, Walhall* (Victoria). After referring in general terme to the question of gold-stealing, Mx Rowe said;— " The ttrst shock my confidence received was reading a telegram in tho papers one morning a. few months ago that some bags of auriferous sand had been seized by the police at Toongabbie, which had been forwarded from Waihalla tobe sent to some treatment works at Bendigo ; and whioh, on assay, proved to be identical with the gold in Cohen's reef, of the Long Tunnel mine, whioh is richer in sirrer than any othe;. mine in that locality. About the same time I received reliable information that « gold-buyer bad been visiting WalhaLla endeavouring to buy gold from the miners, putting his business oards under the doors of th« miners' huts, etc This man actually went lo the house of the manager of one of the big mines there to endeavour to buy gold, very shortly after that I ascertained for a positive fact that gold had been sold in Melbourne from Walhall* which Assayed exactly the same as the gold from Cohen's) Reef, which, as you know, is only worked by the two big companies in Walhalla. If a man has gold for sale which he got honestly, why should he sell it to a private buyer afl a lower price than h« could sell it to a. bank for? I am not optimistic enough to think that gold-stealing- can ever be completely stopped by act of Parliament any more thai! burglary or any other form of stealing can be stopped, but by wise legislation a great) deal can be done to minimise it, and nothing w.ou'.d be more effective than to make it next to impossible to sell stolen gold. I have already publicly stated that I regard the vast majority of the miners as fine, honest, hardworking men, who would scorn to steal anything, but there, is undoub'«d!y » minority of black sheep in every nook. No honest miner will object to the management taking all reasonable precautions to oheck gold-stealing: it is the dishonest ones who will squeal about their dignity being insulted."