AUSTRALIAN MINING REGULATIONS.
NEW SOUTH WALES.
By the Mining Act of 1874, the Governor was empowered to proclaim Crown lands to be gold-fields, and to grant “miners’ rights” at a fee of 10s., between January and June exclusive, of each year, and 5s. after that date in each year, subject to certain regulations to be from to time to time prescribed. All miners’ rights terminate with the last day of the year, and without a miner’s right no person is allowed to mine for gold, under a penalty not exceeding £10. Business licences may also be granted enabling persons to occupy Crown lands within gold-fields for business purposes, on payment of a fee of £1 for a year, and 10s. for six months. Leases of auriferous lands may be obtained in accordance with the regulations for the time being, the rent to be fixed by the Governor in Council (£1 per acre for one to twenty-five acres alluvial and quartz reef). Special leases may be granted up to 100 acres. By the regulations issued on March 31, 1882, it is enacted that any parcel of new or unworked land, taken possession of with a view of obtaining a lease, shall be efficiently and continuously worked from the date of possession by not less than two men to four acres or less, and an additional man to every other two acres, under pain of forfeiture of the title to the land. The holder of a miner’s right may apply for authority to search for gold, and the holder of a mineral licence may apply for authority to search for minerals on land aforesaid.
At the expiration of two months the Warden may grant an authority to search on such land, and the holder may, within the period named in the authority, remove from any vein or lode outcropping at the surface 28 lb. weight, but must not break the ground.
Application to lease may be made and lodged with the Warden of the district, or nearest Warden’s Clerk, within one month from date of authority to search:
1. By the holder of an authority to search, the area not to exceed 20 acres for gold-mining, or 80 acres for other minerals.
2. By the holder of a miner’s right, the area not to exceed 20 acres of ordinary auriferous land, or 40 acres of alluvial auriferous land, where the mining operations will be conducted through basaltic rock formation, or where steam machinery is necessary to contend against water, or where a large outlay of money is necessary.
3. By the holder of a mineral licence to mine for silver, lead, tin, antimony, the area not to exceed 80 acres.
4. By the holder of a prospecting licence, within 30 days after discovery of an auriferous quartz vein in a prospecting area, area not to exceed 20 acres.