MINING RESERVES IN MANIOTOTO.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 6191, 12 December 1881, Page 3

MINING RESERVES IN MANIOTOTO.

A Committee of the Maniototo County Council, appointed to consider the locality and oxtent of mining reserves rcquirod to bo made on the ro-loasing of runs in the County of Maniototo, have recommended as follows : —

Ist. That a " mining reserve," in tho ordinary acceptation of the term, of say 20,000 acres, should be proclaimed, to includo tho Naseby workings and the surrounding auriferous country. 2nd. That a similar reserve of say 12,000 acres should bo proclaimed, to include tho St. Bathans and Cambrian workings and'the intervening auriferous country.

3rd. That the subdivision of runs comprising probably auriferous country, and tho smaller workings, should be proclaimed mining resoryes, but should be re-leased for pastoral purposes until required for mining. If this cannot be dono under the present Land and Mines Act, these Acts should be amended, as the continued encroachments made under the homestead clause of tho Mines Act, and through tho privileges given to ruuholders in the various Land Acts to give consent to the salo of land, and to obtain preemptive rights, have already seriously embarrassed mining. Such subdivisions of runs should bo ro-leased, subject to the right of minors carrying on operations within them to run a certain number of head of cattle, and to the land being taken piecemeal, as required, for purposes of such settlement as can take place ordinarily on a minim* reserve. Your Committee are of opinion that if tho course they recommend were pursued settlement and mining would progress side by side, and that only in rare eases would the latter interfere with the former. At the present time the large amount of compensation that could be demanded gives positive inducement to individuals to select probably auriferous land to settle upon. Your Committee, however, although able without hesitation to make the foregoing recommendations, would press upon the Council the necessity that exists for detailed inquiry as to auriferous areas being made in the various ridings of the County before the exact boundaries of the required reserves can be laid down. If this is not done, country valuable from a mining point of view may be left out, and worthless country reserved. To do this the appointment of a committee of the Council to take evidence in the various ridings of the County is recommended. The same committpo might obtain information as to local wants with regard to reserves for other than gold-mining purposes.