GOLDMINING DISTRICTS.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2018, 23 June 1875, Page 2

GOLDMINING DISTRICTS.

.-• • " r ACT, 1873.- <-.••! frr'jv ' . A number of gentlemen, $Tcsi ra* W. Carpenter, L. J. Bagriall, W. Daviea, J. Brown,'M.PJC's., *and others, .met ..tho ■ Superintendent tliis afternoon" in the Government Buildings at 5 -o!clock, to discugs the .question of amending the Goldmining Districts Act,' 1873.^- f"" 1 The Mayor said he-bad,tbe pleasure of introducing' a number of gentlemen who would give the Superintendent any advice in their power., t ; : ' ,T *' T~/T Sir George -called upon some one;to offer a suggestion. ■ _ .. ' Mr Home said he thought quarterly - .instead of annual' payments' for licenses would bcadvisable; • ""~ *v* •-:''■•> Mr Bagnall thought the suggestion a fc good one;-- >~ *■> -" '■ ■ -7 '-■',• ,&■ Mr Logan suggested that tho area to be taken up be reduced to 7 or 8 acres at the - ■ most. •- He thought- the Act would be workable otherwise, as it gave good security to claimholders. . In this respect \he Districts Act had an advantage over the Act of 1866. • - • .--.,-.

Sir George:. How would it do to Bay not to exceed ten. .Mr Downs'said it was generally con- ,-,<.. sideredfive acres were'-sufficentj except' ,for prospectors. ' , ' ' " • „."_' v : MrEovreT said it would facilitate the proving of any new district if not more than five acres were allowed, and if. any. 1 advantage was to be gained by arhalgama* ting, the parties could amalgamate. * ' Mr Brown agreed with Mr Howe,- as to' - the amalgamation likewise. , "Mr Sims would suggest'so rather than 1 5 acres. It was the object to get as much gold out' oftheground'l'wiih-'ii. little expense as possible. It wa» impossible in those small areas of ground to - look to., any distance ahead; and; that ! large*" areas/-would be worked more, i economically than the.small. . -, . v;,""*-* .. ! Mr Eowe replied to Mr Sims withtihe argument that amalgamation,would effect, what he advocated. When!people",&lf that their interests Were identical then ; they would come together, but tht first object.was to prove the ground., ; Mr Macdonald said it was ahimrd to talk about workingf an area of 50 acres of ground of .which nothing was known, by. a system—perhaps he would give them the benefit oHiis system: -" <-'v, X % v J ( _Mr Sims said a lot of money had been uselessly expended in small areas.' In : Victoria it had been found that the onlr, effective means of developing/the*gold* field was to extend the areas^ <„-*" Sir George': Suppose' 40 claims of 60 . acres >each, would f ybti: get; 40 companies .to.-properly prospect,that- ground. * He, Iwas only asking for instruction, in order \ that" he might understand how 1 to act in 1' , their interests. (The conference-wag proceeding when - we went to press.) v; "v" •