NINETY=FIVE YEARS OLD

Taranaki Daily News, 26 July 1929, Page 7

NINETY=FIVE YEARS OLD

VETERAN GOLDMINER

STIRRING DAYS RECALLED.

BATTLE OF EUREKA STOCKADE.

Dunedin, July 25.

That he is the oldest goldminer living in the British Empire is the proud claim of Mr. John Lishman Potter, who will celebrate his 95th birthday to-day. Mr. Potter, wlro now resides at Timaru, tells a colourful story of the early goldmining days in Australia. He was born in Sunderland, England, in 1834, and at the age of 20 participated in the battle between the military and the miners at the Eureka stockade, near Ballarat was at Gabriel’s Gully in 1861, anu cook part in other gold rushes in New Zealand and Australia. His reminiscences of the Eurewa stockade affair are particularly interesting. The 'battle at the Eureka stockade constitutes one of the most vivid pages in the early history of Australia. The events leading up to the affair were typical of the spirit of a mining settlement inhabited by men of independence and ‘courage. The district at that time, 1854, was governed by a man named La Trobe, who ruled with a rod of iron. The license fee for the right to prospect was 30s a month, and. this fee was later doubled. Armed police were despatched to collect the fees. The miners had no redress, and the punishment for nonpayment was a fine of £5 or imprisonment. DISSATISFACTION RAMPANT. This policy incurred the miners’ resentment, and they were not slow to voice spirited opposition. The position loon became acute and dissatisfaction ivas rampant. The State Governor toured the fields in 1854 and promised that a commission would inquire into the condition's, but before this could be arranged the storm burst. On October 6, 1854, a miner was killed at the door of the Eureka saloon. This place was kept by an ex-convict who was arrested and tried for murder. Although the evidence pointed .to Ins guilt he was acquitted by a magistrate suspected of being in league with him. The miners were furious and two weeks later they burned down the hotel. The military forces were called out and three men were arrested and charged with rioting and incendiarism. The Governor appointed a board to investigate the saloon-keeper’s trial and the corrupt magistrate was dismissed and the acquitted man rcarrested. The three rioters were sentenced, but the Ballarat Reform League protested and demanded their release. The Governor replied by despatching a detachment of soldiers to Ballarat. The miners held a meeting and decided- to burn their licenses and pay no more fees. Then the soldiers arrived on the scene. The Riot Act was read and eight arrests were made, but the miners were not to be disposed of so easily. A further meeting was held around a platform over which waved the blue flag of the Southern Cross. ATTACK ON THE STOCKADE. Peter Lalor, an impetuous young Irishman, assumed control and called upon the miners to prepare to secure their rights by force of arms. ■ About 600 were assembled at the Eureka stockade, which was constructed of upturned carts and slabs. The first attack on the stockade was unexpected, only 150 men being there at the time. At daybreak on December 3 nearly 300 armed mounted police and troops moved up and attacked the miners, who put up a stout fight, but after a quarter of an hour of fierce exchanges the stockade was captured. Several miners escaped, but 125 were made prisoners. Altogether 28 men on both sides were killed in the encounter. While leading his men Peter Lalor was shot in the left arm, which had to be amputated. He escaped into the ranges and was outlawed, a price of £2OO being placed on his head. All the prisoners were acquitted on their trial. Many years later Lalor was elected Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Victoria, and on retiring was voted £4OOO by Parliament. He died in 1880.