GOVERNMENT AID TO REEF PROSPECTING.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 318, 2 April 1875, Page 3

GOVERNMENT AID TO REEF PROSPECTING.

The following correspondence on the above impoffcantnsubject between the Goldfields ! Secretary'and Ihe -Arrowtown Municipal Council has been pub* listed:- ~. -, - - r . ■■-, Cromwell, 12fcfc l March, 1875.

Sib,—rßeferring to the question: of offering a bonus for the discovery of auriferous quartz' reefs, which was raised by the Town Council of Arrow some time ago, and referring also to the general question of assisting in prospecting for Siartz, which was under discussion on e occasion of my visit to Arrowtown in November last, I have the honor to inform you that/the subject has/since res--ceived the attention of the Government, and that it is ready, under certain conditions, to assist in such -prospecting., A, rough draft of those conditions I eu'clbse for your consideration., •, ~ For the sake of definiteness, you will observe that the Town Council of Arrow, and that portion of the Arrow district'' which I was informed it was highly desir T; able to prospect, only are mentioned; but it is not to be understood that tne Go-' vernment wishes to confine its to your particular body, nor tothedis-! trict specially mentioned. At .the.same, time, the Government will exercise its discretion in extending.; its : offer,; -, and may, if occasion requires, modify, or altogether change the conditions under which assistance will in-any other case' be given. ,;• ~> - ; :., I shall be glad to have the benefit of your Council s 1 deliberations l on' 'this- 'subject at your earliest convenience.—l am, &c, D.' MacETellab,

■;■'■- Goldfields Secretary. A. Innes, Esq., Mayor,, Arrowtowni. ! "• ; ' J !: '' ;; - - m--'.'

P.S.—I may. mention that-this matter was considered by the Government before the late discovery near Macetown (which I trositj will prove a permanent; and valuable one), so the Council, may, on ering the conditions, read any other portion of the district than the neighborhood of Macetown. MEMORANDUM OP CONDITIONS. In the matter of "assisting;, to prospect for auriferous quartz reefs, as suggested by the Town Council of Arrow, the Government will agree to expend a sum of (say) £IOO ,the neighborhood of Macetown, on condition—- ! 1. That the Town Council at Arrow subscribe a similar sum. 2. That the suffl"3f (say) £2OO thus subscribed be placed to the credit (in trust) of ; the Warden for the district, to be operated upon i. Ml by c him at the : request arid with the consent of four persons (or a ;■ ■. majority of them), two of whom vv.i ishall,,be appointed by the ,Gq*. vernment, and two by the Council at Arrow. .„, 3. That the four persons referred to , f a |Bhall .constitute themselves ..and., '' '' >° fcict as a'privaite miriiiig company j' '>•■■ •■•■ meeting to deliberate onthecon- -■ j duett of: the business at stated times, and keeping records of their proceedings—the Warden having the right to be present at such meetings ; and, when pre- ; sent, to act and vote as Chair- ' man of the company. 4. That th'e'eoonpany thus constituted ~; /;i mark off,a claim at the place re,-, ferred'to,'and prospect the'"same 1 by driving, 1 sinking, or in such i manner as to them may seem best, and hrail other ways act as i to securing the ground, &c, &c, 7. ! »a¥a."private'company, weuld'jdo. I None of the four persons named ; ■; ■■;-> or' to be personally , employed ?in: ; ■[,, r,f 0 ,f.„ .working;.the. claim derive. r r . any salary on. account"ofttare r i>n i rir of the' " ! '" i!;i ; ' l! 6. That the company's operations shall cease when the sum of r.i ■f.!>.F<i£2oo has been expended;•.•unless it is mutually determined be-,-K;>l'/XW6eii the G-overimient and/the Council that further works shall

be proceeded with. 6. That in the event of the operations A -i-LhiU ceasing,,the claim,.fcpols,'&c.,, to, be disposed of by public "auction, or in such manner as mutually is determined, the proceeds being the joint r property of-the subscribers, and to be disposed of by the Warden in accordance with condition hereafter made. r.*Tha:t-it shall be lawful'for the ;l J 'A. .< company, in the event of whabns deemed payable auriferous quartz being struck, to sell the claim by auction,at,any time.. 8. Should the',cl£um, : when .disposed of,'realis,e"fJie"fullsum expended, ' " (friclhaing the Government and Corporation advances), .-the sum advanced ! by the -Government shall be appropriated by the . Warden, to be again employed in prospecting for further reefs, under .similar conditions. In the ',-v event of the sum realised exceed- , ■ v 'l'vernine advance to be appro-, '■■■< priated, and the balance, includ r ," ing" the profits, to go the Corpor- .-!■'..■ •>. otion. In the event of the full ■**, ■.„,,..,. ~ •-'" -. •. ~l&oCorparaHbitoT>o rcimßursed in the first instance, the balance, -.-. if any-be'iag' appropriatedby the . .'. Warden.- ' ;. ' "i

It may be explaining that though the Council of Arrow is spoken of, and will be treated by the Government as the subscribers of the similar sum t? that advanced -by the Government, the sum itself may be raised by private Or public subscription; In any of these cases,, the, Arrow Town Council would simply be the body which dealt (in trast) with the sum subscribed. .