TE AROHA.

Thames Star, Volume XI, Issue 3700, 3 November 1880, Page 2

TE AROHA.

The G-oldfleld to be Proclaim©!.

We understand the Hon. Mr Whitaker, after consultation with Mr Kenrick, has recommended his colleague, the Minister under whose, charge Goldfields are, to. proclaim the Aroha district a goldfield. This coarse has been somewhat forced upon the Government, from the very peculiar circumstances surrounding the d'scovery of the gold-bearing stone. While on the one hand there has not been such a discovery made as would warrant the Government proclaming the district a goldfield, yet the fact of stone being found on the surface showing gold is quits sufficient for men to proceed to prospect, and the land being mostly in the hands of the natives, for even such work they would expect a revenue. This the Government would have no means of collecting, while it remained an unproclaimed district, so to save complications which would be sure to arise with regard to the natives* the Ministry are about to proclaim; the district a Goldfieldd, not altogether because the indications are considered sufficient to say it is a goldfield, but owing

to the above circumstances. The declaration of a district a goldfield is usnally accepted by miners as a guarantee that there is some dependence to be placed upon the statements made about the field. The Day of Opening Will be about the 18th or 19th of the present month. The Warden will almost immediately give public notice, and also an extract from the regulations to be issued for the management of the field. Some very important alterations have been made in the present regulations under the Goldfields Act. New RegulationsA regulation to the following effect will probably be issued:—Claims mU9t be pegged off by the individuals claiming ownership, that is, every man's ground must have been represented at the time of pegging by a man the holder of a right. All claims must be fully manned from the time of pegging off. These regulations to be in force for one month from the date of opening. :i ;.' ' The Prospectors' Claim Will be nine men's ground, and the claims of all persons to an interest in it will be heard by the Warden on the ground some time previous to the opening of the field. : The Mode of Opening. The Warden will probably declare that at nine o'clock upon the date to be fixed the field will be declared open, and when it is nine o'clock will be made known by some sound which can be heard by all in the neighbourhood, such as firing off a small cannon or a gun.

• The Issue of Rights Will commence A3 soon as the depart, mental arrangements can be completed, but they will be signed to come in force on the day on which the field is declared open. Business men, instead of being charged, as at present, £5 for a license and- £5) for a business site, will probably find that one payment will give them a title.

The Sigh School Beserye. The Government propose to offer the same teems to the Governors of the High School for the right to mine upon their reserve as they have given the native owners of the other reserves. This will include the right to withdraw portions of land for township or other purposes from the ■ action of the regulations at such times as may be required. There seems to have been a great deal of trouble taken by the AttorneyGeneral, .. and Mr Kenrick over the question of the opening, and we believe that it will be found that many of the difficulties experienced on previous occasions of a like nature will not crop up at the opening of the new field.