RULES AND REGULATIONS OF THE TAUPEKA GOLD FIELDS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 2, 16 November 1861, Page 2

RULES AND REGULATIONS OF THE TAUPEKA GOLD FIELDS.

The following rales are proclaimed by the Superintendent of Otago. under the Gold Fields Act: — interpretation. —"Wherever the term " Commissioner " is used in these Regulations, it shall be understood to mean the Commissioner, Warden, or Resident • Magistrate, or any other officer entrusted with the superintendence of the. gold field or any portion of it, and holding a commission duly empowering him to have charge thereof. The word's " miner,'' " person "' and " claim," shall he read as both singular and plural. The word " miner," as used in these Regulations, shall mean an " authorised person " being the holder of h " Miner's Right," and no other. The word " claim," shall be taken to apply to nny authorised holding, but. generally to claims held under " Miners' Rights." 1. Issue of " Miners'1 Rights." —Every person residing on the gold tield, and not being the holder of a business license, or leasq, shall take out a Miners' Right frottt the Commissioner, for which lie shall pay a fee of One Pound. This will entitle him to the Electoral Franchise, Protection in the civil courts, and the occupancy of his claim. Such Miner's Right to he carried on the person, and not to be transferable, though applicable to any part of the Province. 2. On its being proved to the satisfaction of the Commissioner that any Miner has lost his Miner's Right, a duplicate Miner's Right will be issued upon payment of five (5) shillings. . 3. Extent and Position of Claims. —The extent of-ground that shall be occupied in alluvial workings by any miner, in respect of a Miner's Right, shall be, whether for sinking, surface digging, tomming or cradling,... or for sluicing on ground or plank, twenty-four (24) feet square. . But the Commissioner may grant a claim of double that extent on ground which has been already worked. 4. Between each claim there shall be a partition of three feet, which is to be kept in its natural state. On special application, four claims may he united— two in front and two in 'rear —in which case, the partition between such claim and the next, shall be of the width of six feet.

5. A person desirous of taking up a claim, shall do so immediately' adjoining a previous one, with ihe usual passage, or leave at least a complete claim and passage between.

Claims to he Staked out. —Every claim must be distinctly marked with pegs, driven firmly into the ground, one at each corner thereof, and standing jit least two feet above the surface of the ground, and all to be kept clearly visible so long as the claim is occupied ; provided, that when any corner cannot be'so marked, on account of the nature of the ground, such peg to be fixed at the nearest practicable point.

7. llighis of Servants vested in Employers daring Service. —If any person holding a Miner's Right shall hire himself to an employer for wages, Vac right to occupy the claim of such hired servant shall vest in the employers's, during the period of such service.

8. Copies of "Written Agreements to be lodged with Commissioner. —When any Mining Partnership is entered into by a written agreement, a copy of such agreement shall be lodged in the office of the Commissioner.

9, .Beds of Streams mag be laid bare. —Any person' with consent, of the Commissioner may lay bare the bed of any river, either by diver tin a; the stream or by other means, but ground, intended to be so laid bare must be marked off by. stakes, and the stream returned into its natural channel iuirnediitely below the workings. 10. Such Works not to be obstructed. —No person shall obstruct, nor in any manner interfere with such work, either in progress or completed ; nor do anything to prevent the object proposed to be accomplished thereby.

11. Right to Surplus Ground. —lf more ground shall* be" laid bare than the. number of Miner's Rights held by the party shall entitle them to occupy, they shall be allowed one week, from a notice thereof by the Commissioner, to place thereon as many holders of Miners' Rights as they shall think fit; after which time any Miner may occupy the surplus ground, if there then remain any, paying to the party who constructed the works a fajr "proportion of the expense incurred in diverting the stream.- In the event of a dispute arising as to the amount to be paid, it shall be lawful for the Commissioner, in conjunction with the Assessors, one to be appointed by each of the parties concerned, to award such sum or sums, to be paid as may seem to them, or any two of them, and of whom the said Commissioner shall always be one, to be justly due to the person who.constrncted the works. Works not to be injured by the careless felling of Trees. —If any person shall fell any tree or Timber, either intentionally or by undermining, or by other means, he shall remove it beyond the reach of Hoods, so that it may not be drifted down any stream. If any person shall fell timbar on to an adjoining claim, he shall, on demand of the occupier of such claim, immediately remove the same. 13. Right of Road over Claims.—JJ-pon any four or more persons applying for. a road or crossing-

place over any gully.j. creek, quartz reef,, tail race, or other obstruction, and guaranteeing, that they will, make the same, if sanctioned, the Commissioner shall determine whether or not such road or. crossing-place is necessai'y, and shall make such order relative thereto, as he may deem requisite ; and no person shall in any way resist the making of any such road or crossing-place, after its formation shall have been authorised by the Commissioner: provided that when a road shall have been formed on an occupied claim, it shall be lawful for the holder or holders of such claim to work the ground over or through which it passes, if he or they previously construct another road in lieu thereof, and equivalent in value or usefulness to that proposed to be worked by him or them. Prospecting. 14. Additional Claims as a Reward for Prospecting.—For the encouragement of Prospecting, persons discovering new Gold Workings may have allotted to them, by special sanction, an extent of ground equal to double the ordinary area of a mining claim, provided tho discovery be reported to the proper authority without unnecessary delay. For the purpose of'this regulation, a new locality shall be taken to mean ground previousl)7 unworked, and capable of affording employment to no less than fifty miners. • 15. Discontinuing Working of Claim — same to be forfeited. —No miner or party of miners shall at one and the same time hold more than one claim, proportionate to .the number, or hold any claim in reserve or unworked beyond the space of twentyfour hours, and such proceeding s.hall be considered as a relinquishment of right to any claim, however much previously worked, unless sufficient reason, such as sickness or gome other urgent cause, can be shown to the satisfaction, of the Commissioner, "on the claim beooming a subject of dispute. Water Privileges. 16. Right to lead Water through or over occupied Claims.—Any miner, with the consent of the Commissioner, may lead water through or over an occupied claim, whether such claim is held under a Miner's Right, License, or Lease. Provided that such water shall not be led in such a manner as to injuriously affect the interests of the occupier of any such claim, but shall be subject to the approval of the Commissioner, and be done in such a way as to be fair to all persons concerned.

17. Waterworks not to he injured wilfully. —No person shall injure any race or dim, or do anything to obstruct the water, or to deprive the person who has directed the water of the use .thereof.

IS. Tail Races not to be obstructed. —lf any person shall take possession of unoccupied ground, over which water escapes from an occupied claim, he shall not obstruct the flow thereof so as to throw it bark upon the claim from which it escapes, 19. Miner's Rights to be shown when demanded. — Every holder of a Miner's Right must, on demand of any officer duly authorised, or of any person being the holder of a Miner's Right, to see his Miner's Right, exhibit the same. 20. —On refusal to shoiv Miner's Right, the holder loses Protection. — In the event of any dispute arising from the refusal of a holder of a Miner's Right to exhibit it when demanded by another" person, being the holder of a Miner's Right, or a person duly authorised to demand it, the, person so refusing shall not be entitled to any protection, and his claim may be .jumped accordingly. 2L. — Business Licenses. —Every person engaged in trade or business of any kind within the limits of the gold field, shall obtain from the Commissioner a Business License, for which he shall pay the sum of Five Pounds {£5) annually, and shall be entitled to occupy an allotment of land, not exceeding a frontage* of 20 feet by 40 feet. 22. Every holder of a Wholesale License for the sale of fermented-and spirituous liquors, in quantities not less than two gallons, shall pay a fee for the same of Twenty (£2O)-Pounds, ' Such license •bo remain in force for the period of twelve months from the dote of issue. 23. Every holder of a Retail License for the sale of fermented and spirituous liquors in any quantity shall pay a fee for the same of sixty.(£6o) Pounds. Such license to remain in force for the period of twelve months from the date of issue. The holders of Business or Liquor Licenses shall, if so required by the Commissioner, be sworn in as special constables. . ' 24 All Licenses may be withdrawn and cancelled by the Commissioner upon proof to his satisfaction of a breach of the regulations of such Gold Field, or of any disorderly conduct upon the premises held under such Licenses. 25. Transfer of Claims. —Claims may be transferred to anj' authorised person, but such transfer shall not be legal until it has bean registered in the Office of the Commissioner. The fee for registering the transfer of any claim, shall be five shillings for every claim so registered. 4 ■ 26. Penalty for Breach of "Regulations. — Every • person committing any breach, whether of omission or commission, of any of the above Rules and Regulations, will be liable- to the penalties set forth in clause 32 of the " Gold Fields Act, 18-58," namely : —For the first offence, a line of any sum not exceeding Ten Pounds, and for the second or any subsequent offence, not exceeding Twenty Pounds. 27. One half of the penalty .recovered on Conviction of selling Fermented or Spirituous Liquors without a License, to b? paid to the Informer, or iv case of his being a Government servant, to be applied iv such a way as the Superintendent may direct.

Table of Fees. £ s.-d. Wholesale Spirit License 20 0 0 Ketail Spirit License 60 0 0 Business. License-..; ... 5 0 0 Miner's Right 10 0 Registering.Written Agreement 0 10 0 Registering-Transfer of Claim.......... 0 50 Fees in Warden's Court. £ s, d. Hearing by consent, without previous Summons, including Adjudication .... 1 0 0 Summons, Hearing, and Adjudication .. 1 10 0 j'uryman's pay, per day. 0 7 0 Mileage for every Mile over ten, which, the Commissioner shall travel to hear any case 0 2 0 All Fees to be paid previously to the issue of Licenses or Summonses, or the hearing and adjudication by the Commissioner, or thcapproval of Application for Leases.