Changing conditions in Ballarat
By the time of Eureka, the nature of mining in Ballarat had begun to change, a change that was well under way. In the beginning, so to speak, or write, at least, gold could be found on or near the surface, or in the local streams. Diggers principally worked alone. Then the miners had to start going deeper, maybe 7 -10 metres, or even more, with tunnels radiating out as far as their neighbours would let them, or as far as their own fist fighting and threats would take them. Individuals had to start joining together in pairs or small groups.
However, by late 1854 the gold at the levels that could be reached by shallow mining was again starting to run out. Companies were being created to undertake deep lead mining, employing paid workers. Miners were no longer small businessmen, but employees, without the chutzpah, according to conservatives like Lalor, to organise their own property ownership, and therefore with insufficient commitment to the country to be entrusted with the vote. The class of diggers Lalor believed he was fighting for were on their way out, and big business was taking over. The business owners were the ones who Lalor believed should have the vote, not their uncommitted employees.
But most of Peter's constituents had quite a different understanding to his, and made their anger clear to him. He wisely decided not to stand for a Ballarat seat again in the October, 1859 election, instead standing for and winning the seat of South Grant, which included the area around, but not including, Geelong, and which he held for over eleven years, finally losing it in January 1871. That year he also lost when he stood for North Melbourne. In 1874 he was re-elected to South Grant, holding it until 1877, then taking the seat of Grant in May 1877, which he would hold for almost twelve years until his death in February 1889.
However, by late 1854 the gold at the levels that could be reached by shallow mining was again starting to run out. Companies were being created to undertake deep lead mining, employing paid workers. Miners were no longer small businessmen, but employees, without the chutzpah, according to conservatives like Lalor, to organise their own property ownership, and therefore with insufficient commitment to the country to be entrusted with the vote. The class of diggers Lalor believed he was fighting for were on their way out, and big business was taking over. The business owners were the ones who Lalor believed should have the vote, not their uncommitted employees.
But most of Peter's constituents had quite a different understanding to his, and made their anger clear to him. He wisely decided not to stand for a Ballarat seat again in the October, 1859 election, instead standing for and winning the seat of South Grant, which included the area around, but not including, Geelong, and which he held for over eleven years, finally losing it in January 1871. That year he also lost when he stood for North Melbourne. In 1874 he was re-elected to South Grant, holding it until 1877, then taking the seat of Grant in May 1877, which he would hold for almost twelve years until his death in February 1889.