In 1855 the Royal Commission that examined the causes of the Eureka Stockade uprising recommended the establishment of Local Courts to make local mining by-laws and adjudicate local mining disputes.

The Government appointed the chairmen of these Courts, but local miners elected the other members. The Local Courts were, therefore an early experiment in democracy.

Initially, Maldon came under the jurisdiction of the Castlemaine Local Court but, after complaints to the Government, a Maldon Local Court was established in December 1856 with Police Magistrate Robert Mackenzie as its chairman.

On Wednesday, 7 January 1857, Mackenzie called a meeting that about 500 miners attended. The meeting nominated 15 miners as candidates, and the following Friday, nine of those nominated were elected as members of the Court.

In May 1857, Thomas Wilson resigned from the Court, and 200 miners attended a meeting to elect his replacement. Three candidates were nominated.

The first two nominated and seconded were James Worsnop and John Ramsay. Thomas Cooper then rose to nominate a third candidate.

He said he would propose an old friend, a gentleman he knew very well and who was honourable, honest and intelligent. In his enthusiasm, Cooper failed to name his talented friend, and it was only after he sat down and the crowd shouted ‘Name, Name’ that Cooper nominated John Massey.

Speaking to the meeting, James Worsnop said his main concern was the £2 10s ‘tax’ required to register a claim. He thought that for poor men, registration should be free, and he also promised to do his duty fearlessly if elected.

John Ramsay gave what was described as a ‘sensible speech’. He had been an original member of the Maldon Court and had helped formulate its rules. He had also been a member of the Avoca Court.

There had been some allegations of partiality raised against him during his first term on the Maldon Court, which Ramsay now addressed and rejected. Ramsay’s speech was greeted with general applause.

When John Massey spoke, he said miners could have no confidence in Ramsay’s words. Massey said he opposed most of the Local Court’s current rules.

In particular, he said the rules requiring pegs and holes near roads to be covered to prevent accidents were ridiculous. When someone in the crowd asked if he had read all the rules. Massey admitted that he had not. He was then howled down with cries of ‘cut it short’.

John Ramsay was elected with an overwhelming majority. He thanked the miners present for putting him ‘back in harness’ and promised to ‘drag on honestly’. The Local Courts, however, were short-lived and were abolished later in 1857.

This information was supplied by the Maldon Museum and Archives.

This article appeared in the Tarrangower Times, 17 February 2023.