James Newton died at Mount Morgan, Queensland, in the early part of the year 1917.
At an early age he began work as a coal miner, and during 14 years, from 1862 to 1876, went through every branch of underground work connected with coal mining. In 1876 he was appointed underground manager to the Oriental Coal Co. of Labuan, Borneo; but the climate injured his health and he was obliged to resign his post after a tenure of about a year.
He then went to Australia, and for seven years worked in Victoria on machine drills; and for a further five years on outside contracts in New South Wales and Queensland. From 1890 to 1901 he was engaged in coal and metal mining in New South Wales and Western Australia; and for the last three years of this period he was underground manager to the Wentworth and Aladdin Co. at Lucknow, New South Wales.
In 1902 Mr. Newton proceeded to Pahang, where he was for some years in charge of one of the mines belonging to the Raub Gold Mining Co. He returned to Australia in 1906, and from that date until 1914 was engaged in graphite mining in Queensland and in copper mining in New South Wales. In 1914 he obtained an appointment with the Mount Morgan Gold Mining Co. in Queensland, which he held until his death occurred two and a half years later.
Mr. Newton was elected an Associate of the Institution in 1908.
Vol. 26, Trans IMM 1916-17, p.273
