NEW GOLD MINING REGULATIONS IN OTAGO.

Grey River Argus, Volume V, Issue 360, 5 May 1868, Page 2

NEW GOLD MINING REGULATIONS IN OTAGO.

(fxom the Otago Daily Tirmes.) The revised code of Gold Fields Regula-. tions, prepared by the Commissioners appointed for that purpose, is of greater im-r portance than may be supposed by those who are unaware of the beneficial influences of liberal mining laws. By common consent, the gold miner has, in all conn-, tries, been more or less subjected to ex* ceptional legislation, The agriculturist may cultivate as much land as he can rent or purchase ; the sheep farmer and the cattle breeder may hold as many runs, as they can stock ; but the operations of the miner are limited by the extent of the area prescribed by his occupancy, It is the policy of the State to prevent the individual holding more ground than he can profitably wurk ; but it is also the interest df the State not \o undnly restrict the area that may be so held. More especially is this the case in Otago, where the aurii ferous deposits are probably-co-extensive with the Province ; and where the gold, being widely scattered throughout the, soil, renders extensive operations necessary to the advantageous working of the, ground. The Regulations of 1864, which are those at present in force, limit the. size of an alluvial claim to 46ft by 45ft, or 2025 square, feet. Under- the revised code, it is. proposed to extend this to 100 ft by 100 ft, §qual to 10,000 square feet, op nearly a quarter acre, thus giving a five-* fold increase, In the same way, claims an quartz reefs are enlarged from 45ft to 100 ft along the course of the lode or vein, the width remaining as before, namely, 200 ft, Farther encouragement is offered to this branch of mining, hy allowing the. discoverer qf new quartz workings to re* adjust his boundaries after having ascertained with sufficient correctness the true course of the lode ; and other claims ad-* joining may, thereafter, also be readjusted. On the same principle, it is proposed that persons taking up claims on a river bank, or on a lake bank, or terrace, shall be protected in the, occupancy of an area, not exceeding 1000 yards in depth, until such time as. they reach workable gold deposits; after which they will, of course, be restricted to ordinary claims of 100 feet Square. Some of our readers are, perhaps, not a,ware that a peculiar class of mining is, carried on in the Clutha River, where the. auriferous gravels resting on the bottom, being otherwise inaccessible, owing to the depth of the water, are raised to the surface by the aid of dredging machines. Up to the present time, all that could be held for each man employed on these machines was an ordinary river claim of ' 50ft. This it is now proposed to double, restricting any one company, however, to an area "not exceeding 800 ft. in length along the course of the stream." Provision has also been made for in-> creasing the size of what are known as " extended claims." In any portion of a district where the ground has been fairly tested, and is known to be either wholly, or for the greater part of an inferior de. scription, as regards the value of its gold deposits, larger claims are granted. The 1864 Regulations allowed for two men, a.

quarter acre ; for three men, half an acre ; and for five men, an acre. The new Code allows an acre for each miner ; being again in five-fold proportion. Greater inducements are also offered to prospectors. In a country so generally auriferous as Otago, and abounding in thousands of untried but "likely-looking" gullies, it has been a matter of surprise that so little has been done or attempted in the way of prospecting. Something of this may be due to the circumstance that our scanty mining population is so well and profitably employed on the old fields. Something also, we suspect, to the want of sufficient inducement. The utmost that could be granted to the discoverer of new workings situated within ten miles of known workings was a little over 6000 square feet, and if beyond that distance no more than 8000 square feet. By the revised Code, he will be entitled to 2i), 000 feet, if the dis«overy is distant one mile from existing workings ; to 30,000 feet if it is beyond two miles ; or to 40,000 feet, or nearly an acre of new ground, if beyond five miles. This refers to alluvial working ; but, similarly, the discoverers of new quartz reefs will be entitled, at the above distances, to 200 feet, 300 feet, and 400 feet respectively, along the course of the lode. With such ample claims guaranteed, we may confidently anticipate that ere long we shall hear of new gold fields in various parts of the Province. We may caution intending prospectors, however, that failing or neglecting to report their discoveries for a period exceeding seven days, will render them liable to the forfeiture of all right to the increased area. Another very excellent Regulation affords protection to sleeping shareholders. If any miner is desirous of taking up a claim requiring the assistance of capital for its development, he may occupy and nold an additional area on behalf of the person who proposes to advance the necessary funds. The only conditions imposed are, that application shall be made to the Warden, and that "an agreement shall be drawn up and signed by each shareholder, specifying the share and interest, of each individual of the party ;" a copy of which agreement is to be registered in the Warden's office, for the information of the public. Subject to these simple provisions, 'I only half the full number of men required by the Regulations need be employed, whilst miners are "opening the claim, "or are engaged in preliminary operations connected therewith." But, on the expiration of the time granted for these purposes, the required number of men mu£t, of course, be put on the -work; the Warden, however, having power to further extend the time originally granted, if necessary. Perhaps nothing has tended more to the settlement of our mining population jthan the system, now some time in operation, of allowing every holder of a miner's right to occupy land, free of rent, for residence and cultivation. On all the Goldfields the visitor is charmed by the sight of numerous carefully tended gardens surronnding the substantially constructed .cottages of the miners, constituting at once a source of health and a fund of innocent recreation. These are entirely due to the system referred to. And, perhaps, no stronger testimony to the value set upon this privilege could be found, than is afforded by the fact that the Commissioners now propose to enlarge the Area that may be so occupied to a full acre — half an acre being the former extent. The conditions for re-entry, in the «vent of auriferous deposits being found in, or traced to land so occupied, are few and simple, and due provision is made for the payment of compensation in such case to the occupant.