GOLD-MINING LEASES,

Grey River Argus, Volume XV, Issue 1819, 4 June 1874, Page 2

GOLD-MINING LEASES,

[to the editor.]

Sir, — The recommending of mining leases under the present system, if not checked, will soon be the means of depopulating our Gold-fields, as it gives to the monopolist and speculator an opportunity of locking up land for twelve or eighteen months — the time it generally takes between the applying for and the granting of a lease, The two leases taken up for no other than speculative purposes on the upper end of the Half-Ounce Lead, and the one on the lower end of Brandy Jack's, gives us a practical demonstration of how one man, or party of men can, by depositing the sum of L2O and telling a palpable story to the Warden, virtually put a stop to the progress of any lead, and by so doing retard the advancement of a district. Leases when taken up with the hotich fide, intention of commencing operations immediately after their being recommended by the Warden become a boon to the district, but when they are taken up for speculative purposes, and it is the intention of the applicants to let the ground lie dormant until their neighbors trace payable gold to their boundaries, or the time expires between the applying for and the granting of a lease, they then become a curse to the district, and consequently it behoves every man depending for a livelihood on the efficient working of our Gold-fields to raise his voice against the evil. To do away with this evil 1 would suggest that the same areas, instead of leases be recommended as special claims. Special claims tend more towards the advancement of a district, as they can be granted within one month from the time ©f application, and once granted operations must commence, thus doing away with all monopoly. lam, &c, Sam. B. Hafford, Miner. Half- Ounce, Junel,