The Westport Times. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 1874.

Westport Times, Volume VIII, Issue 1231, 24 November 1874, Page 2

The Westport Times. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 1874.

Tiie Nelson Provincial Gazette of the 17th instant, contains a proclamation of certain alterations and amendments in Goldfields Rules and Regulations, revoking sub-section 11 of section X. and sub-section 7 of section XVII., and substituting other rules in iieu therof, aa follow : Registration Fees for claims, residence areas, special sites, and protections, are reduced one-half, including payment for copies of notices. Fees also for protections and renewals of protection for business sites, are also reduced to one-half former rates. Gold Mining Leases.—Additional rules are interpolated with sections 23, 24,25, and 26, as follow :—" If any lessee fails or neglects to perform any condition contained or implied in his

lease, application may bo inado by auy person for cancellation thereof, and at the time of lodging such application there shall bo deposited therewith the sum of .£2O, as security for the due prosecution of tho application, and in satisfaction of any expenses to which the lessee may bo put by such application if unsuccessful, and if such application should not be prosecuted or should fail, so much of such deposit may be handed over to tho lessee as may be necessary to repay the expenses of such lessee, and the balance, if any, shall be refunded to the applicant after deducting tho cost of the service of the notice hereinafter mentioned. A copy of such application shall be served personally on the lessee, or in such other manner as the Warden may direct, or, at tho discretion of the Warden, may be posted in some conspicuous portion of the ground for such time as the Warden may direct, together with a notice in the form or to the effect set forth ill Schedule 11. At tho inquiry in the notice mentioned the Warden shall take evidence in relation to the application, and the lessee's answer to the neglect complained of, and immediately thereafter he shall forward to the office of the Superintendent ot the province the application and the evidence taken by him as aforesaid, with his opinion thereon, and the non-ap-pearance of the lessee, or any one on his befiali, on the day ot hearing in the notice mentioned shall be sufficient prima facie evidence of the neglect complained of for the cancellation of the lease. In the event of the cancellation of any lease upon such an application as above-mentioned, the applicant shall have the prior right to take up ground or any part thereof, under Miner's Rights, in accordance with the Regulations for the time being in force, and in theeventofsuch claim not being pegged out by such applicant within seven clear days from the date of notice of such cancellation being posted on the notice board ot the nearest Warden's office in the district, the same shall be open for occupation by any other person. It such priority of risrht be exercised over the whole of the ground, it shall not he. necessary to have such claim resurveyed." In all cases it shall be lawful to substitute a monetary fine in lieu of cancellation, and to allow thereout a suihcient sum to defray any reasonable expenses incurred by the applicant in the prosecution ot his application: Notice of any fine so inflicted shall he given on the notice board, as in cases of cancellation, and if such fine be not paid into the Warden's office within fourteen clear days after the posting 1 of the notice aforesaid, the lease shall thereupon he cancelled, and notice thereof shall be given, and priority of right may he exercised as hereinbefore mentioned. These Regulations shall not prevent the cancellation of a lease by the Superintendent without any such application as above mentioned. Every withdrawal of an application shall be in writing, and immediate notice of such withdrawal shall he placed on the notice board, and the ground shall become open to occupation after the lapse of two clear clays from the posting of the notice, and not before, exctpt in such cases as in regulation so mentioned. Where an application is disallowed, or an applicant fails to execute his lease within the required time, or a lease is surrendered, notice shall be given, and the ground shall become open to occupation, as in the last preceding clause, but no application extending over ground already subject to a prior application shall come within the meaning of this clause."