ROLLS OF NOTES

Taranaki Daily News, 10 November 1932, Page 7

ROLLS OF NOTES

MEN FROM THE GRANITES.

MONEY PAID FOR CLAIMS.

A recent animated scene at Alice Springs, the terminus of the railway portion, of the journey to the Granites goldfield, is described by the special correspondent of the Sydney Daily Telegraph. Many miners who had exchanged their options at the new El Dorado for rolls of bank notes, were there, and many were taking the train to Adelaide.

The correspondent says: With a passenger lis± almost as big as that of the “Gold Express,” which lias arrived at Alice Springs, the through train left for Adelaide carrying with it most of the prominent figures in The Granites gold rush. It was the first train to go through since most of the options were completed, and hard-bitten gold miners left for the south with wads of notes in their : pockets. They insisted for the most part on singles. The colour of £5 and £lO notes did not appeal to them. And with them went some of the company men, who had been out inspecting the field, and had been lucky enough to get through before the rains. With the miners, regarded by them as their* mascot, was Mrs. Nina Hall, of Darwin, who, as Mrs. Arthur Pearce, knew the Tanami Granites country before the first Well was sunk there more than 20 years ago by her husband. She had been staying at Alice .Springs after an adventurous trip from Darwin. The Beau Brummell of the miners’ party was “Deadsweet” Joe Stevenson. The central figure of. the miners, because of his vivid name and colourful history, appeared at the train with an outfit which would have done credit to a tailor's model. His blue serge suit was spotless, and his moustache was pomaded. Jim Escreet, famed for the Burdekin Duck claim, was also satori-, ally perfect. He plans to see the Melbourne Cup. Standing sadly on the platform was “Old Man° Atherton,” and. little Paddy O’Neill sat quietly and watched the crowd. Reputed to have received considerable sums for their claims, these two refused to leave the Territory. They have rolls of notes in their pockets, but they are going back to the fields in new trucks. Mr. Atherton says he will go after more' gold in the nigger country across the Western Australian border from Tanami. There were tears in his eyes as the train moved off. “That’s how the country, gets a man,” he said. “It’s terrible to see my mates go, but Mulga, not Melbourne, for me.”