Settlement in Mining Districts.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XIX, Issue 6049, 14 September 1894, Page 1

Settlement in Mining Districts.

BY TELEGRAPH.) (from our own correspondent). Wellington, September 13. The Government measure to promote land settlement in small areas in mining districts has just been circulated. It is entitled the Mining District Land Occupation Bill and provides for the Governor-in-Council making regulations for the issue of occupation leases for agricultural, horticultural, or pastoral purposes, of reserves and Crown lands situated in mining districts. The Land Board is to issue leases, subject to the approval of the Warden. Leases are to be for 21 years. The area shall in no case exceed 100 acres, and residence on the land is an indispensable condition, save in cases where a lessee owns a house on a residence area under the Mining Act, 1891, when an area of ten acres may be leased without residence conditions. The holder of a hundred acres or more in freehold or leasehold is debarred from holding land under this Act. Prospectors are to have free access over all the lands leased under this Act, and the Warden may, on payment of compensation to a lessee, grant, within such lease, any claim, race, tramway, or other mining privilege. The rents received under the Act are to be paid into a special account, to be kept by the Colonial Treasurer, and from which survey and other costs may be paid. At the end of every financial year one-half of any money to the credit of the account is to be transferred to the county council or road board of the district in which the money was collected.