THE NEW GOLD FIELDS BILL.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume I, Issue 15, 9 August 1873, Page 12

THE NEW GOLD FIELDS BILL.

(Prom the ' Arrow Observer.') The Executive, of the Otago Miners' Association- have forwarded the following auggestipns to the Gold Fields Committee of the House of Representatives for their, consideration, with a view to their incorporation."!, the pnposed consolidated Gold Fields Bill : — INTERPRETATION. The word w claim should also include water race, as is ruled by ooth.Distriefc Court aud Supreme Court?. , The, words race." or." race" should be defined as head rape, tai} race far sluicing and gold saving purposes, and drainage tail race,. For .each of these divisions special application forms and- certificates of registrafciqn should be provided. Apph'eatipn.: forms should contain questions as to exact locality, length, &c, of ( existing neighboring rights, on holders of which a copy bf the appjjcatioq, fqrm should be served.. Warden should bare power to add questions, in writing to those in printed forms. . . maiEß bights. These rights are beyond daub.t the most valuable of mining propertjes, and therefore require special protection. ' Miners, though they may, object, to, increased taxation, would not complain of a reasonable charge, for, water, say 5s per head.! The charge of £1 for each certificate^ an unfair charge, and will beyond doubt retard mining operations. Many rights now. in existence scarcely furnish their owners with more than one or t wo . heads, while there are numerous parties wh.o have water, sources registered which j ield them less than one head, and even thie quantity but for a limited period. On these parties a universal charge would press heavily, and for this reason it is objectionable. With regard to the two heads of water which are reserved to run dpwn a, creek if, required, we would suggest that the prior right to one head of water be vested in the Crown, and when wanted and taken away from licensed water rights holders the Government should compensate them. Tinder this head some provision should also be made for water supply for towns. The money thus invested could not fail to pay- a Inir percentage and contribute to a very great extent to the health of the inhabitants. The right of any water should be granted, for any period not exceeding 15 years, aad it should be left to the option of the applicant, to pay in advance the fees for any number of years not exceeding fifteen. A clause should also be inserted under this head, making it compulsory fpr'drivera of cattle and sheep to give the owners of the water races notice of their intention to drive cattle or sheep across their race, in such places where there e*ist no bridges. TAILINGS. This subject is one of the .greatest importance to the mining community, and should therefore bo dealt with by the Act. Under the present system, all mining operations are conducted illegally, and may be, either, interfered with, or stopped altogether. It is oue of those subjects that give rise to endless litigation. We would recommend the Government to settle this vexing question in a definite matter. Parties intending to stack tuiliugs must apply for site. If more than one acre, is required, the application must be advertised in three consecutive issues of a newspaper circulating in the district. The Warden of any distiict to have power to deal with objections. We would also recommend that all rivers in the Colony Bhould he declared main tailraceSj for the purpose of carrying off the debris from mining claims ; but restrictions should be provided regulating the size, etc., of failings, in accordance with the power of the stream j and no stones. or other obEtructions should bo allowed to be deposited in the. bed .of any liver which would obstruct the flow of any. river. PBOSPECTINCh The Warden of any gold-mining district should have power to grant prospecting claims. SPECIAL OLATMS. We wish to call the attention of tho Gold Fields Committee to the fact, that this wise provision will come into more frequent requisition aa, labor and machinery are reduced in price, and access to the various gold fields made e»ay by tracks, facilitating the transportation of tim« ber and other cumbersome mining. appliances. The prosperity of tho mining industry of New „ Zealand .dopends on the large tracts of auriferous deposits, which being surrounded with great physical difficulties, have hitherto defeated the- efforts of the unassisted miner. The development of thepe deposits requires capital, as well ns labor j but the capitalist requires security., aad this is furnished Mm by the provisions of thia clause. As miners -vo *afco this opportunity to express our astonishment that the benefis of this provision -re jidfc more generally recoguieed. We may here aUo sta'o thut w»= entirely eudoran tho proposed altHratioa made in th^ Goli'iumiug Le>sa "Relation of the new Act, but would suggest .hut orjiy £1 ;>e? i.<.r«.bo cb urged instead of £2 10b."

QTJABTZ BEEFS. Quartz reefing, which may be said to be only in its infancy; should also be provided for in the new Act. We beg to quote from the Beport of the Miners' Conference at Tuapeka, 1872, the following :— " In the caße of quartz reefs or lodes, the right should be given to the holder to follow such veins in all their dips, variations, and angles to any depth, although they may enter the land adjoining." LOCAL LEGISLATION. We again avail oursalves of the Beport of the Miners' Conference, 1072 j— • " The opinion of this Conference is that the miners are the best judges themselves of the rules and regulations by which they should be bound in the prosecution of their avocation, and they would ask the Government to appoint a Board of miners for the Province of Otago, to be elected by the miners from certain districts, which may be either defined by tue miners or by order of the Governor in Council. That the Governor appoint from among the elected body a chairman. That power be given to the said Board to make rules and regulations in conformity with the Gold Fields Act, which, on receiving the sanction and approval of the Governor in Council, may become the rules and regulations under any particular district or province of the gold fields. The mode of election, the time for which members should be elected, and the defining of the districts, may be safely left*" in the hands of the Government."' ' - We would' further recommend, that the members be paid at a fixed rate bj! the Government. We believe that by the establishment of paid Mining Boards (one for every, Province which contains gold- fields), avast amount of money : would be saved to the country, and better legislation provided for the 1 miner. PRIOBITX OF BIGHT. Priority of right is a rule which has long been recognised as a fair and just, one' on the gold: fields, and is the basis of all mining law. It is almost indispensable, and if introduced in the now Act would. simplify mining, legislation to a great extent. We beg^again to' refer to Beport of Miners' Conference, 1872. -■ . MINING Or PBIVATB PBOPEBTY. The time has arrived that the attention- of the Government should be called to this subject. Wo are aware that it is out of your prot vince to deal definitely with the matter, 6ut having put ourselves in communication with you, we could not close without bringing this subject under your notice and soliciting your co-operation, should it measure of this kind be introduced in the Assembly. On behalf of Otago Miners' Association. John A. MilXiEB, President.