THE CENSUS MINING RETURNS

Tuapeka Times, Volume V, Issue 258, 9 January 1873, Page 8

THE CENSUS MINING RETURNS

The following memorandum has been forwarded to us (" Beudigo Advertiser") by the Mining Department :—: — The census returns for the year 1871, which were published in' the " G-overnment Gazette " of the Gth instant, show that there were in Victoria 52,411 gold miners. This number differs but little from tbat given in the last report of the Mining Surveyors and Registrars for the quarter, ended 30th September, 1872, wherein it is computed tbat the number of gold miners was 54,3^7, or 1,936 miners more than the census return for 1871. The censu9 figures do not include 665 persons engaged in mining as whim-drivers, watchmen on claims, mining carters, mine proprietors, managers, and officers of mining companies, <&c. It is well knowu that there is a considerable number of men vvbo earn their livelihood, partly by raining, and partly by agricultural and other pursuits, as the season change, aud become more favorable to the one or the others. What these men would denominate themselves in the census returns it is impossible to say, as their opinions differed, so would they write themselves agriculturalists or miners. The slight disparity in the figures above quoted will thus be sufficiently accounted for. The method in use for ■ enumerating the miners in each division and subdivision, will hardly permit of thesurveyors and registrars' returns being otherwise than accurate ; and it is uo\t made evident that the returns of theso gentlemen are prepared carefully and as correctly as the circumstances of their enumeration render possible. It is due to the officers above mentioned, who are engaged on the goldfields in the preparation of the mining statistics, that the correctness of their figures — as proved by the census returns — shonld be acknowledged. According to the Registrar-Gener-/ al's tables, it appears that there were 3,235 persons engaged in nining who were under 20 years of age, and 49,. 176 persons over that age. In addition to these 1 female was returned us an alluvial gold miner, and 2 as gold miners or diggers under 20 years of age, and 3 females alluvial gold miners, 2 paddlers, 2 quartz crushers, &c, and 4 gold miners, or diggers, over that age. In the year 1861 there were 143 women included in the census returns as miners, but only 14 in the returns for 1871.