THE MINING CONFERENCE.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume II, Issue 118, 2 June 1871, Page 3

THE MINING CONFERENCE.

Friday, Mat 26, 187 L

The following recommendations were agreed to :—" That the fees for registration in the Wardens' Courts should be reduced to a uniform rare .of Is. That the Wardens or other Goldfields officers' quarters should not be alienated from the Government, but the same should be kept in proper repair by the Government; the Warden or other officer-to be charged with one half the cost of repairs."

The Chairman laid upon the table the following letter to him from his Honor the Superintendent:—"l have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of l'7th June, in which you suggest that the Mining Conference should adjourn its sittings, until after the next session of the General As-

seinbly, a course m which I have to express the concurrence the Government, on consideration of the reasons stated in your letter." The following recommendations were made on Friday afternoon an! ; Satur-

day : That upon selection of an agricultural area a certificate shall be issued to the applicant, which shall authorise bim to occupy such land for two years, subject to the conditions that lie shall fence and improve the same, and put under crop with* the plough not less than two acres in every ten acres, and pay the annual rent reserved. That no lease shall issue for two years from the date of the certificate, but an the expi ration thereof, the holder of same having complied with the conditions, shall be entitled to a lease of same for a

term of five years, with the of purchase at any time after the expira--1 tion of the first year. That the certificate shall not be transferable. That every person constructing a head race or tail race, or applying machinery for working such claims, may hold and occupy (in addition to the claim he may be entitled to) one acre for every £2OO expended upon such claim, provided that such extra ground shall not in the whole exceed six acres, and shall adjoin the original claim, and with it form one area or claim. If at the expiration of three months from the date of occupation, £200; six

months, £400; nine months, £000; twelvemonths. £800; fifteen months,

£IOOO ; eighteen months, £I2OO ; shall not have been expended in constructing such head or tail race, or the erection

of such machinery, such extra ground, or such part of the same as shall be proportionate to the deficiency of expenditure, shall be forfeited. the word " fourteen " in the 11th line of section J, clause 21, of the Goklfields Act, 1866, be struck out, and the word ' stituted therefor. And, further, that alter the word " water-race" in the 13th line of the said section be added the words "and also on a board outside the place where the Court is held, or the post-office of the district, or other place which, iu the opinion of the Warden, shall be more effectual to give publicity to the said application." That no lignite beds on the Goldfields shall be sold, but that the same shall be reserved and shall be leased for terms of years, subject to judicious re-gulations.-.in blocks uot exceeding five acres.;

/That the distinction between the terms "gold sluice " and "tail race" be more clearly defined, by making separate regulations.

•That the resolution of this Commission as to the advisability of the removal of Wardens shall apply to all Wardens who have resided for three rears in anv district upon the .passing of the Act. Tnat the holder of a mining right residing.upon. Goldtields shall be liable to he summoned to act as an assessor in the Wardens' Courts, and serve without payment once in every six months ; such holder of miner's so summoned to be taken in alphabetical order from a„ register to be kept by the Warden's clerk (if the district.

That any person invest nig capital' in tl'ie construction of machinry for the purpose of opening, up .any mining industry, should lie allowed to keep a portion of the ground (qusl in extent to one man's claim for each £SOO so invested.

That residence areas should be extended to three acres.

That the words " capable of carrying," in Schedule 0 oi' the Goldfields Act, 1866, be struck out, and the w«>rds " proposed to divert," be inserted in place thereof.

1 hat the following alterations be made in the eighth schedule of regulations ..relating.. to .Wardens' Courts: uminonses, Is. instead of 25.; or original summonses, and five or more copies, 25.; service of summons, if served by Bailiff of the Court within one mile of the Court House, 25.; hearing, 2s. instead of 45.; no charge to be made; for service of summons when served by the suitor; adjournment of hearing, 25.; and swearing

witnesses, &c, 25., each item to be struck out; summoning assessor, 10s. in place of 24s ; entering up judgment, 25., to be struck out; filing notice of ground of appeal, Is. in place-uf Bs.; serving or executing any writ of arrest, 3s. in place of Bs. . . . The following recommendations were accidentally omitted from our report of the proceedings of the 23rd instant : .'•■■.

That clause 12 of the Coldfields Act 1866, be struck out. That subsection 5, of section 26, of the Goldtields Regulations, be struck out. • That lands required for mining purposes, occupied under business licenses or otherwise, should iu no case be sold. That an amalgamation of claims clause should be incorporated into the Consolidated Goldtields Act.—'Times.'