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The following report is from the Daily Southern Cross of the 2nd of January, 1852.
“BRAIDWOOD.
“December 13. - The escort started yesterday morning, with about some 900 ounces of gold. This is but a small quantity, and may be accounted for from the fact that many of the buyers have been sending down by mail, in order to be in time for the shipment by the Alert, and large buyers took a considerable quantity down. The following are the regulations issued by Mr. [Andrew] Badgery : - The boundaries of claims are defined - 15 feet frontage to the centre of the bed of the creek, 60 feet back. Back claims in the same proportion. Dry diggings (which, by the way, seem to be nearly worked out) 40 feet square. All disputes are of course, to be referred to the decision of Mr. Royds, who acts, and apparently with great zeal, and to the general satisfaction of all concerned, as Commissioner for this private property. No person is allowed on the ground for the purpose of trading except gold buyers, who are to pay a license of 30s. a month. Diggers who also buy, are to pay 15s. extra. A provision is made for reserving claims for parties who are compelled to leave for the harvest, through sickness, or other causes. Claims abandoned for forty-eight hours to be considered open for another purchaser. No transfer or purchase of claims duly registered, without the sanction of the proprietor or Mr. Royds. To these claims there seems nothing to object. We understand Mr. [Andrew] Badgery’s claim extends further than was at first supposed, and the government have refunded for licenses taken on this ground. His store is being enlarged, a loft erected, and, in short, all bears the appearance of an active, bustling population. Some of whom we enquired to-day told us they were doing nothing, not enough to pay for labour; another, not more than an ounce since we began; they have been working about a week. We went a little further on, and there we heard no complaints. Some average from three to six ounces a day. One party we know to-day made between nine and ten ounces. We believe the Government have about 200 more licenses this month than last. There has been a little movement to the lower end of Bell’s Creek; many licenses have been taken out, but this locality, though rich, is by no means extensive. Mr. Hardy is on a visit to these diggings during the absence of Mr. Maclean with the escort. One little story and we have done: A party, hard at work, seeing the approach of this gentleman, ran off to aviod the payment of the license. Mr. Hardy calls for the owner of the cradle; no answer; the cradle contains a load, which Mr. H. proceeds very diligently to wash, and, with his trooper, he manages to get enough to pay three or four licenses. The claim having been thus abandoned, is soon sold yo new-comers, and they are duly registered as the owners. ‘Honesty is the best policy’ all the world over, even at gold digging.”
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