✨ Gold Fields Regulations
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to be registered in a book to be kept for that purpose by the Mining Registrar, and no miner shall be deemed to be legally in possession of any claim or share in any claim until such claim or share as aforesaid has been so registered, and no transfer made of any claim or share in any claim by transferors though in legal possession shall be deemed a legal transfer unless such transfer shall have been duly registered by the Registrar of the district in which the claim sought to be transferred is situated, and when any claim or share in any claim has been transferred and the transfer duly registered, the Registrar shall certify the same by signing his name across the face of the transfer ticket and affixing the day and date. All claims to be numbered consecutively as they are registered, and the Registrar shall issue to each applicant for registration a certificate in the form set forth in schedule and shall keep a duplicate copy of the same. Provided that this clause shall not apply to claims taken up prior to the passing of these Regulations, until two months from the date of proclamation thereof.
Claims forfeited by non-working.
- No miner shall be deemed to possess a valid title to any claim unless the same be fairly worked during the entire period of occupancy, and any claim unworked beyond the space of one working day shall be deemed to be forfeited, unless sufficient reason, such as sickness or other urgent cause, shall be proved to the satisfaction of the Warden. Provided that on the proclamation of the extension of the boundaries of any Gold Field it shall be lawful to allow a period of not more than fourteen (14) days at the discretion of the Warden, for the marking out of claims, and the transfer or endorsement of Miner’s Rights during which period no claim within the new block shall be forfeited for the non-working or non-occupancy of the same.
Defining work on claim.
- Any miner employed in making necessary preparation for the working of any claim, or any work immediately in connection therewith, or in the erection of machinery for the same shall be deemed to be working on the claim.
Forfeiture by act of hired servant.
- No miner holding a claim or portion thereof, or share, or interest therein, who employs hired labour to work the same, shall be deemed to have forfeited or abandoned his right title or interest in the same through any neglect, absence, or omission on the part of any workman thereon employed by him. Provided always, that in cases where the owner resides within twenty miles of the claim in question, twenty-four hours notice, or in cases where the owner resides upwards of twenty miles, seven working days notice in writing of such neglect, absence, or omission being given to such miner, either personally or by leaving the same at his last known place of residence, such neglect, absence, or omission is continued, such miner shall then be deemed to have forfeited or abandoned his claim or share or interest therein, as the case may be.
Possession not to be taken of claim without consent of Warden.
- No miner shall take possession of any claim, race, dam, machine, or any other right or privilege whatsoever, (unless the same shall have been absolutely relinquished) without first obtaining the consent of the owner, or the authority of the Warden, in writing.
Marking out claims.
- Every claim must be distinctly marked by pegs, not less than two inches square, driven firmly into the ground, one at each corner thereof. In quartz mining claims, centre pegs shall be placed at each extremity of the claim, on the supposed course of the reef, and standing at least two feet above the surface of the ground, and all to be kept clearly visible so long as the claim is occupied, provided that when any corner cannot be so marked on account of the nature of the ground, such peg be fixed at the nearest practicable point. All boundaries on forest land to be well marked on the nearest large trees.
Notices or pegs not to be destroyed, removed, or injured.
- No person shall remove, injure, destroy, or deface any posts, pegs, logs, fence, notices, or any mining plant, of whatsoever description, without permission from the owner of the claim on which the same is situated, or deface, destroy, or remove any notice posted in accordance with the Gold Fields Act or Regulations, or interfere with any mark or boundary.
Definition of claims.
- Alluvial claims, shall mean all claims in alluvial ground.
River claims, shall mean claims in the beds of rivers.
Creek claims, shall mean claims in the beds of permanent streams, which are, or may be wholly diverted for the purpose of mining therein.
Beach claims, shall mean claims situated between high and low water mark on the sea coast.
Quartz claims, shall mean claims in quartz reefs or lodes.
Area of alluvial claims.
- Alluvial claims shall not exceed fifty (50) feet by fifty (50) feet for each holder of a Miner’s Right.
Shape of block claims in alluvial workings.
- Alluvial claims may be of any form provided that no block claim shall exceed in length twice the breadth thereof.
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Gold Fields Regulations
(continued from previous page)
🌾 Primary Industries & Resources14 April 1868
Gold Fields Regulations, Miner’s Rights, Claims, Hauraki District
Auckland Provincial Gazette 1868, No 20