By an additional amended regulation, granted under regulations of February 2, 1888, any protection area which after the date of the grant thereof comes within the limits of a proclaimed gold-field, may, notwithstanding such proclamation, continue to be held until the expiration of twelve months from the date of such grant, or until payable gold on such area is discovered, which ever shall first happen. The labour conditions must however be fully complied with, or the extension of time will cease, and the protection area will be forfeited.
Gold-mining leases are granted for areas not exceeding 25 acres, at an annual rent, payable in advance, of 20s. per acre. The term may not exceed twenty-one years. The leases are liable to cancellation unless worked by the proper number of men, or machinery power equal to the men. The leases can be determined by giving three months’ notice, and the lessees have power to remove all machinery used on the land.
QUEENSLAND.
On payment of 10s. the Governor may cause to be issued to any person (not being an Asiatic or African alien), a mining licence for one year, and on payment of the sum of £4 a business licence. All applications for mineral leases to be made on the prescribed form, and to be accompanied by the proper survey fee and the first year’s rent. The yearly rental of every lease to be at the rate of 10s. per acre, payable in advance, the term not to exceed twenty-one years, but a further lease of twenty-one years may be granted on such terms as the Minister deems equitable. Area not to exceed 100 acres.
Mining without a right is punishable by removal of the offender from the field, and the infliction of a fine of £10, or one month’s imprisonment.
Miners desirous of prospecting for gold may mark off and hold protection areas, ranging according to the distance from a proclaimed gold-field of 150 to 400 yards square. Such areas have to be pegged, registered, and continuously worked. On payable gold being found and reported to the Warden, the prospectors are entitled to a reward claim which varies from two to twenty claims of the ordinary area. 50 feet frontage are allowed to each miner on river and creek claims. On ordinary quartz claims, 50 feet along the line of reef, by a width of 400 feet, are allowed. The extent of ground in any lode claim not to exceed 3 chains by 5 chains, alluvial claim not to exceed 4 chains by 4 chains. This area may be increased by the Warden when the ground is poor, or expensive machinery has been erected. Europeans holding miners’ rights, which are granted for ten years or less on payment of an annual rate of 10s., are allowed to occupy and enclose, for the purpose of residence, an area of land not exceeding a quarter of an acre, to be marked off in a rectangular block, or as near thereto as possible, the frontage of which to any road, creek, or water shall not exceed 72 feet, the boundaries to be defined by corner pegs 3 inches in diameter and standing 18 inches out of the ground, and can also occupy, under certain conditions, market-garden areas not exceeding 5 acres. They are also entitled to mine in Crown lands, to make dams, races, and tramways, to divert waters, to put up and remove any building, and to use any timber, gravel, or clay for their own building purposes. Upon erecting buildings or making improvements on a business or residence area, to the value of £5, the holder can have such area registered as exempt from the condition of residence for a period not exceeding one year.
Leases of land not exceeding 25 acres for any term not exceeding 21 years are also granted for mining purposes at a yearly rental of £1 per acre. These leases, however, are not granted on new gold-fields until two years after proclamation.
The Mineral Lands Act of 1892, applies to lands on gold-fields and gives the power to the holders of miner’s rights and licences to mine on land sold, subject to reservation of gold and silver, on obtaining the written sanction of the Warden or commissioner.
TASMANIA.
A miner’s right, or prospector’s protection order, issued under the Gold-fields Act (the fee for a miner’s right being 5s., and a prospector’s licence 10s. per annum), authorises the holder to reside upon a gold-field, and to occupy a quarter of an acre for residence, and entitles him to a claim for mining purposes:—Alluvial, single claim, 35 yards by 35 yards; united claims, up to 10 men, 110 yards by 110 yards. Creek claims; 35 yards by 35 yards along course of creek; united claims not to exceed six men’s area. Extended alluvial claims; 70 yards by 70 yards, up to 170 yards by 170 yards for six men; also to take any quantity of water and of timber required for mining purposes. Extended alluvial claims of one acre for ground previously worked and abandoned may be taken up. Prospecting claims, gold, not exceeding 10 acres. Fee for registration, which is not compulsory, 2s. 6d.; survey 25s. United claim of 10, fee 5s.; survey, £2. Leases not to exceed 10 acres, except in special cases by permission of the Minister; term, ten years; rent, £1 per acre. Leases may be amalgamated to the extent of 60 acres. Lessee has the right to renewal for ten years, rent not to exceed £3 an acre. Fee for preparation of lease, £1; transfer, 10s. Survey fee, 10 acres, £3 15s. ordinary land; £5 10s. heavy bush. On the West Coast the survey fees are: 1 acre and under, £1 15s.; 2 acres, and under 5 acres, £3 15s.; under 10 acres, £5 10s., up to a maximum of £23 for not exceeding 320 acres.