G.—No. 20.

some attempts have been made to work these deposits, but there is a large area of gold-bearing o-round of this character left unnoticed, and which is not provided for and cannot be worked under the present Regulations, while it is not open for lease. However neglected at present, this will become an important industry. 98. In the case of sluicing ground, puddling ground, and hill-tunnelling, we would recommend that one acre for every man employed should be granted, with a limit of ten acres, and an allowance of one acre for every £100 expended on tail or water races, reservoirs, tunnels, machinery for pumping or washing, or any preliminary work other than opening or working the claim. Alluvial ground. 99. Block claims. —These are intended for shallow alluvial deposits, and more especially for a rush on new ground. We think for this description of ground the present area of 80 feet by 80 feet per man is sufficient, but there should be no limit to the number of men who can join their claims together to form one united claim and to work them as one block. In the case of these block claims, registration need not be compulsory. In old worked and abandoned ground of the same character, 160 feet by 160 feet to be allowed per man, with no limit as to number of men who can unite their claims, —but in this case registration to be compulsory. 100. Extended claims. —There is a large area of gold country where the ordinary block claims are too small to afford sufficient inducement to the miner to open the ground, and in these cases a system known as extended claims has been found of great advantage; the principle has been adopted in nearly all the Victorian mining districts, and we strongly urge its introduction here. Extended areas should we think be granted in old worked and abandoned ground, or in new ground presenting such difficulties as to require the expenditure of capital to develop it efficiently, in the form of horse, steam, or water power, whether these difficulties arise from water, fine drifts, depth of sinking, or any similar cause. Any party should be allowed to take up 10 acres or any smaller area on condition of employing one man per acre, with an allowance of 1 acre for every £100 expended on machinery or preliminary work necessary to be undertaken before opening and working the claim. Should the whole party not be able to work to advantage while opening the claim, —the Warden to have power to allow such number of men to hold the ground as would keep tho opening work going on night and day, where such continuous work was practicable. Notice of intended application for an extended area to be posted on the ground. Application to be made to the Warden, who would hear the applicants and objectors in open Court, and have power to either grant or refuse the application. 101. Frontage claims : — Areas allowed— Under 100 feet sinking .... .... .... .... 40 feet per man Over 100 „" 80 „ „ Where the shaft requires slabbing, and the ground is so wet as to require continuous baling, double the above areas. In all cases the claimholder to have the whole width of the lead. Prospecting. 102. Your Commissioners are of opinion that the system of giving money rewards for the discovery of new Gold Fields does not work advantageously, and they cannot recommend its adoption. Sufficient inducement can be held out, by giving large areas on reasonable terms to prospectors, to ensure the opening up of our gold deposits. Considering the vast area of auriferous country in New South Wales as compared with the extent opened, this question deserves serious consideration, and every facility should be afforded to prospectors. 103. We would propose the following areas for this work:— (1.) Where the discovery is more than one mile, but not more than ten miles from the nearest gold working then being carried on, we would give—for Alluvial —Two acres per man, but no claim to exceed ten acres. River and creek beds and quartz reefs —Double the ordinary claim per man. (2.) Exceeding ten miles from any gold workings : — Alluvial —Four acres per man. River and creek beds, and quartz reefs —Four ordinary claims per man. We also think that in the working of prospecting claims the labor conditions might be relaxed with advantage; and where applied for, a lease of the prospecting claim should be granted at a nominal rent. 104. Registration and survey. —ln all the above claims, except in the ordinary block claims_ in new or old worked ground, survey should be compulsory within a reasonable time of the ground being taken up; and on all the above claims, except the ordinary block claims in new alluvial ground, registration should be compulsory. [With some hesitation I am disposed to concur generally in the views of the majority of the Commission as to areas of claims. I must say, however, that I consider 100 feet per man, on the line of reef, as much too large. On new quartz reefs I should not be inclined to extend the size of the claim much beyond the present area of 30 feet per man,—perhaps

Block claims.

Extended claims,

Proposed frontage areas.

Largo areas proper inducement to prospectors

Proposed prospecting areas.

Eegistration and survey.

Areas.—-Memo., by Mr. Baker.

26

REPORT OE GOLD EIELDS COMMISSION.