Eureka 35, 1889
On 30 January 1889 the Town Council of Ballarat East signed a tender for "the erectin of guns and obelisk at Eureka Stockade". The total amount of the tender calculated according to the said Schedule of Quantities and Prices, was the sum of 34 pounds, 10 shillings. the Tender was called "Improvements to Eureka Stockade".
Specifications of work required to be done at the Eureka Stockade for the Mayor, Councillors and Burgesses of the Town of Ballarat East, January 1889.
Signed by William Dunstan
1. The deposit on this contract to be three pounds sterline which must be paid by the contractor to the Town Treasurer before putting his tender into the tender box.
2. The whole of the tools labor and materials of every description to be provided byt he contractor and approved by the Town Surveyor.
3. To cart the three gun carriages now at the Railway Station and one fromt he Town Hall to the reserve and to mount the four carriages and guns one at each corner as directed. Each gun weighs about 96 cwt and each carriage about 20 cwt. The contractor to take the greatest care throughout his work to avoid damaging he walls and pedestal and to make good any damage that may be caused by the use of .. in erecting the guns on stones.
4. The contractor to cut the smaller of the two stones now lying in the stockade ground to a size of 2'11" x 2'11" x 3'6" and form a tooled axis two inches wide at each of its four corners for the full height of the stone, the bved of the stone to be punced smooth but hte top portion exposed to view to be medium axed ...
Three dowels of 1" ...
5. The contractors to provide and erect stone of the following dimensions. ...
6. The contractor to commence work immediately after the acceptance of his tender and to carry on the same continuously until the whole is completed on or before the 9th day of March under penalty of one pound per day for very working day taken beyond that date.[1]
Tom Touchstone
The Eureka Stockade.—Tuesday was the 35th anniversary of the fight at the Eureka Stockade. "Tom Touchstone," in the Ballarat Courier says " Tuesday will be the anniversary of the most momentous day that Ballarat, and that Australia ever saw, not even excepting the date of the landing of the first load of convicts. Thirty-five years ago on the 3rd of December, there was fought a battle on the Eureka, in which the vanquished were the visitors, for their protest against bureaucratic police rule was heard and heeded, and we were given in exchange that constitutional government which we make such a poor fist of sometimes under coalition Ministries. The 3rd of December is a day that ought to be kept up in Ballarat, at least, and it is pleasant to find that this year the day will be honored by unveiling a beautiful pedestal and statue to the poet, Thomas Moore, who, had he been in Ballarat then, in digger's shirt, would have been one of those to battle for the rights we are now at liberty to enjoy."[2]
Also See
Eureka Commemoration
