THE Greg River Argus. PUBLISHED DAILY. SATURDAY, APRIL 8, 1871.

Grey River Argus, Volume X, Issue 842, 8 April 1871, Page 2

THE Grey River Argus. PUBLISHED DAILY. SATURDAY, APRIL 8, 1871.

Resuming our summary of the newly gazetted Westland Gold Fields Rules and Regulations, we notice that the clauses as to residence areas are identical with the rules of 1867, with the exception that it is provided that " should any residence area; or any portion thereof, be at any time required for public purposes, the holder of the area shall be entitled to compensation, to be awarded by the Warden or Warden and Assessors." A regulation has been introduced with regard to frontage tunnelling claims, but which only applies to ground which the Warden has previously declared to be tunnelling ground. It is to the effect that persons engaged in tunnelling shall be protected in the occupancy of a' claim of the depth of 600 feet from the mouth of the tunnel, and the frontage of the length allowed in ordinary claims ; but such depth of claim may be increased by the Warden at his discretion. Claims under this section must be registered (without the previous posting of notices), and the boundaries marked and maintained by rows of pegs placed not more than fifty feet apart, as near as possible at right angles with the frontage of the hill, along the entire depth allowed. And that on the discovery of payable auriferous ground tunnellers shall immediately mark off their claims in blocks in accordance with the regulations relating to ordinary claims ; and the above-mentioned registration of the tunnelling claim shall sufficiently entitle them to the occupation of the tunnel leading thereto. So far as extended, ordinary, and river claims are concerned-— -about which there was so much dissatisfaction expressed recently— the difficulty of arranging the number of men to the size of the ground is now simplified by a quarter of an acre being allowed f->r every holder of a miner's r|»ht who shall be constantly employed in the claim ; of course, subject to the usual conditions as to the official survey, payment of fees, the posting of notices, &c. No serious alterations has been made in the general regulations of the Gold Fields, but a very useful addition has been made to the clause providing for holidays, which now reads as follows :— " Miners may be absent from their claims on all the following days, namely— Good Friday to Easter Tuesday, both inclusive ; 24th December to 2nd January, both inclusive ; any day on which the election of members of the House of Representatives, or of members of the County Council, or of members of the Road Board of the District, shall take place, and the day before and the day after such election : and any day proclaimed a holiday by the Warden." Under the Mining Lease Regulations two men are now to be allowed to occupy any lease for a space of two months, after the execution of the lease, after which time the number of men to be constantly employed shall be at the rate of not less than three to the acre, instead of four as formerly. The other leasing regulations are similar to the old ones.

The Agricultural Lease Regulations have been entirely remodelled. It is now provided that agricultural leases will not be granted for lands within the boundaries of proclaimed townships, public reserves, or on lands open for sale, or

which may present auriferous indications upon survey. Every application for an agricultural lease must be made through the Warden of the district wherein the land is situate, and must be accompanied by^a deposit of £2 10s., as security for the cost of survey of suburban land, and for rural land ; and the rents charged for these leases will be as follows :— First, for suburban land, 4s. per acre per annum, payable yearly in advance ; _ second, for rural land,? 2s. per acre per annum, payable yearly in advance. Any fractional part of an acre will be considered as an acre, and charged accordingly, and no amount shall be received for rental less than Bs. A fee of 15a. for five acres, and £1 for a larger area, shall be paid for the lease. The fees charged for survey will be as follows :— For an ordinary survey, when the area does not exceed four acres, 10s. ; for any larger area, at the rate of 2s. 6d. per acre. Every agricultural lease, when granted, shall be for a term of seven years. When the land applied for shall be in the vicinity of a township, or other centre of population, it shall be deemed to be suburban land, and the maximum quantity to be leased in one block shall not exceed ten acres ; but when the land applied for shall not be under the above-mentioned conditions, it shall be deemed to be rural land, and may be leased in areas from 30 to 200.. acres. Every section of. suburban or rural land shall be in one block, and, if possible, of a rectangular form. It is provided that these leases shall be dated back to the day when the persons became first entitled to receive them, and shall be of the same force and validity as if sealed on the date they bear. Agricultural leases will not be transfei-able without the special sanction and authority of his Excellency the Governor, and for every such transfer a fee or fine of 10s will be charged. Leases will be cancelled if the land is sub-let or transferred without the sanction and authority of his Excellency the Governor ; or if cultivation is wot commenced within three months after the issue of the lease, or if at any time during the currency of the lease the land shall be neglected fora period of six months. The remaining clauses contain the usual reservatiors made by tho Government for entry for road and railway purposes, for searching for gold or any other metal or mineral, and for determining the lease when any such discoveries are made on the land.