Jan. 30.] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 237

sluice-heads of water, nor in the case of a storage reservoir if its storage-capacity is less than 20,000,000 cubic feet of water.

(6.) Before any assistance is granted towards the construction of any water-race or storage reservoir the rates to be charged for water therefrom shall be submitted to and approved by the Minister.

Subsidies to Local Authorities or Miners’ Associations in aid of Prospecting.

97. In the cases, to the extent, and subject to the conditions hereinafter set forth, the Minister may grant subsidies not exceeding pound for pound in respect of moneys expended by any local authority (being a County Council or, where “The Counties Act, 1886,” is not in operation, a Road Board) or any miners’ association in assisting prospecting operations; and with respect to every such subsidy the following provisions shall apply:—

(1.) The local authority or miners’ association desiring the subsidy shall make application to the Minister, setting forth in detail its proposed scheme of assistance.

(2.) The total amount payable by the Minister in respect of subsidy in any one year shall not exceed, in the case of a County Council or a miners’ association, £300, and in the case of a Road Board £200, and in no case shall any subsidy be payable unless the scheme of assistance is approved by the Minister and is in accordance with these regulations.

(3.) The scheme of assistance may comprise the purchase of boring appliances for use in prospecting operations, or the payment of money to parties of prospectors under the hereinafter-mentioned Classes I. or II.

(4.) Under Class I. a subsidy at a rate not exceeding 10s. per week per man may be paid by the Minister in respect of not more than one party of two or three men whilst prospecting in new ground: Provided that, except where the prospecting operation consist of trenching for lodes or reefs, no subsidy shall be payable unless such new ground is distant at least three miles from any place where within the preceding six months more than ten men have been prospecting or mining.

(5.) Under Class II. a subsidy at the rates and in the cases next hereinafter mentioned may be paid by the Minister in respect of not more than one party of two or three men whilst prospecting partially worked and prospected ground within reasonably easy access of road-communication.

(6.) Such rates and cases are as follow:—

(a.) For sinking in dry ground, the shaft being not less than 5 ft. by 3 ft.,—

s. d.
From surface to 15 ft. .. 0 6 per foot.
From 15 ft. to 60 ft. .. 1 6  "
Over 60 ft. .. 2 0  "

(b.) For sinking in wet ground where slabbing is necessary, the shaft being not less than 5 ft. by 3 ft.,—

Double the foregoing rate.

(c.) For prospecting for dredging purposes by sinking shaft in bed of stream—

Double the rate under (b).

(d.) For tunnelling and driving through drift or blue-reef, the tunnel or drive being not less than 5 ft. by 3 ft.,—

s. d.
Up to 300 ft. .. 0 9 per foot.
From 300 ft. to 700 ft. .. 1 9  "
From 700 ft. to 1,000 ft. .. 2 3  "
Over 1,000 ft. .. 3 0  "

(e.) For tunnelling or driving through hard rock where blasting is necessary, the tunnel or drive being not less than 5 ft. by 3 ft.,—

For the whole distance .. 3s. per foot.

98. In no case shall any party of prospectors be entitled to assistance from the local authority or association, nor shall any subsidy in respect thereof be payable by the Minister, unless the following conditions are duly complied with:—

(1.) The party must apply in writing to the local authority or association for assistance.

(2.) The application must set out the name and address of each member of the party, the class of the prospecting, and the locality in which it is to be done.

(3.) The application must be approved both by the Minister and the local authority or association.

(4.) The prospecting party shall send to the local authority or association a monthly report setting forth in detail the value and extent of the work done during the month, and the amount earned by the party.

(5.) The work shall be inspected from time to time by a person appointed in that behalf by the local authority or association, and no payment shall be made to the party by the authority or association, nor by the Minister to the authority or association, unless and until the person so appointed has examined the work and certified that it has been satisfactorily performed, and that the amount to be paid has been properly earned.

(6.) The subsidy may be discontinued by the Minister on one month’s notice to the authority or association, and in such case the assistance to the party may be discontinued by the authority or association on notice expiring simultaneously with the Minister’s notice.

(7.) Irrespective of the foregoing provision for discontinuance, the authority or association may discontinue its assistance at any time on one month’s notice.

99. (1.) Where the subsidy has been paid by the Minister in aid of the purchase of boring appliances, the appliances shall not be lent or sold by the authority or association except with the previous consent of the Minister, and in case of sale a duly proportionate part of the proceeds (having regard to the total cost and the amount of the subsidy) shall be refunded to the Minister on behalf of Her Majesty, and the sum so refunded shall be paid into the Public Account as part of the Consolidated Fund.

(2.) In every case where any subsidy has been paid by the Minister in respect of the construction of any shaft, tunnel, or adit-level, the Warden may, upon such terms and conditions as he thinks equitable, grant to any person being the lawful holder of any claim adjacent thereto the right to use the same for the purpose of working the claim.

MISCELLANEOUS.

As to Compensation.

100. Except in the cases where under the Mining Act or these regulations specific provision is otherwise made as to the mode of assessing compensation, all compensation payable thereunder shall be assessed in such manner as is agreed on by the parties concerned, or, failing agreement, then by arbitration.

101. If within seven days after being requested by the Warden so to do either of the parties referred to in subsection (5) of section 99 of the Mining Act fails to appoint an assessor as provided by that subsection, then the Warden shall appoint an assessor in his stead.

Statistics.

102. Every holder of a claim shall during the months of April and October in each year forward to the Inspector a return in the form numbered 34 in the First Schedule hereto, under the hand of the holder or manager of the claim, setting forth in respect of such claim the particulars therein mentioned for the half-year ending at the last day of the preceding month.

103. Every bank, by some responsible officer thereof, and every gold-buyer other than a bank, shall, during the months of April and October in each year, forward to the Inspector a return in the form numbered 35 in the First Schedule hereto, under the hand of such officer or buyer, setting forth the particulars therein mentioned for the half-year ending on the last day of the preceding month.

As to Statutory Protection of Mining Privileges.

104. The provisions of section 133 of the Mining Act relating to protection without application shall apply only within the Middle Island or Stewart Island, and in cases only where the land is situate at an altitude of not less than 3,000 ft. above the sea-level; and the period of protection shall in every case be the period elapsing between the 1st day of May and the last day of October in the year:

Provided that the Warden may from time to time prescribe such lower altitude (being in no case less than 2,000 ft.) and such shorter period (between the aforesaid dates) as he thinks fit, having regard to the locality of the land and the normal snow-level. Such prescription may be either generally as to any specified locality, or specifically as to any specific mining privileges, and may be made either by person, motion, or on summary application, and shall be deemed to be sufficiently notified by publication in the Gazette.

Fees, &c.

105. Subject to the specific provision of the Mining Act or these regulations relating to specific fees, the following fees shall be payable in respect of the matters mentioned, that is to say:—

Application-fee in respect of every application to the Warden filed in the office of the Registrar: 2s.

License-fee for ordinary claim: An annual fee of 5s.

License-fee for mining privilege in respect of water: An annual fee of 5s., together with an additional