EUREKA STOCKADE VETERAN

Hokitika Guardian, 31 July 1929, Page 5

EUREKA STOCKADE VETERAN

CELEBRATES NINETY-FIFTH BIRTHDAY. STIRRING TALE OF EARLY DIGGING DAYS. DUNEDIN, July ,28. That he is the oldest gold miner living in the British Empire is the proud claim of John Lisluiian Potter, who celebrated his ninety-fifth birthday on s Thursday last. Mr Potter, who now resides at Tiniaru, tells, a. colourful story of early gold mining days in-Australia.,. He was born in 'Sunderland, England'; in 1834. and at the. age of twenty par- .- ticpatccl in the battle between the military and the miners at Eureka c Stockade, near Ballarat. He was at’’ Gabriel’s Gully in 1861 and took partiin other rushes Kri New Zealand and Ausrala. THE AFFAIR Atf EUREKA.

His reminiscences of the Eureka Stockade affair are particularly interesting. The “battle’’ at Eureka Stock-■ -■ adc constitutes one of the most vivid-, u -pages in the early history of lia. The events leading up to the ' affair were typical of the spirit { of a," mining settlement inhabited by men > of independence and courage. The dis- • tricts at that time (1854) was govern- \ f cd .by a man named La 1 Trobe, who • ruled with a rod of iron. The;'license . •fee for the " right to prospect was thirty shillings per month, and this fee was later doubled, and armed p'l-ice-and black troopers were dispatch- • ed to collect the fses. The miners . had no redress, the punishment-, for non-paymen)fc being a fine - , of £s' or imprisonment) This -policy incurred t'hq miners’ resentment and they wore not sloiv to voice spirited opposition. The position soon became acute' and dissatisfaction rampant. Governor Hot- . ham toured the fields in 1854, and promised a commission to inquire into the conditions existing, but,-before

• his coqld arranged- 'the 1 storm burst.

On October 6, 1854 ? a minor was killed at the door of the Eureka saloon, near the Eureka lead. " This place was kept iby an ex-convict named Bentley who was arrested and tried for murder. Although the evidence pointed to his guilt lie was acquitted by a Magistrate suspected of being in league with him. The niinersy/were furious, and two weeks later ’ burned down the hotel. - The military were called out,- and three attested' and charged vNwitlih roiting ’and incendiarism.- The Governor appoint--ed a boaj'd to -investigate Bentley’strial and'the corrupt dismissed and Bentley re-arrested. The three rioters were sentenced, but the Ballarat -Reform Leagued;protest-, ed and “demanded” tlieir'release. The Governor replied by'dispatching a detachment of soldiers to Ballarat. The miners hekl a /pieeting /lind*'dceicled to burn their licenses and pay no more fees.,’ Then the military arrived- on the scene, the Riot Act was read, and eight arrests were made, but the miners were npt to be disposed of so easily. ’ t A SURPRISE ATTACK.

A further< meeting was held around a platform over which waved a blue flag of the Southern Cross. Peter Lalor an, impetuous young Irishman, assumed control and called upon the miners to prepare to secure the rights by force of arms. About 600 were assembled at Eftreka Stockade; which was constructed of upturned carts and 1 slabs. The first attack on the stockade was unexpected, only 150 men being there at the time. At daybreak on December 3rd. nearly 300 armed mounted police and troops moved up and attacked.. The miners put un- a stout fight ,but after a quarter of an nour of fierce exchanges the stockade was captured. Several miners escaped, but 125 were made prisoners. Twenty-eight on both sides were killed in the encounter. While leading "liis 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, in-1880, Lalor-was elected Sneaker of the Legislative Ax- . sembly of Victoria, and on retiring' was voted the sum of £4OOO jby Parliament.