The Sun.
London, England, 1858-09-11 00:00:00

MINING LAWS ON FRASER RIVER.

Annexed are the regulations about to be issued
by Governor Douglas for the guidance of miners on
Fraser and tributary rivers :
" 1. With reference to the proclamation of his
Excellency the Governor, bearing date the 28th
day of December last, and to the notice from this
officer of the 30th of the same month, his Excellency
directs it to be notified, that the licenses issued in
accordance therewith, to dig, search for, and remove
all gold found in its natural place of deposit, will,
in future, be limited in their operations to alluvial
gold, whether consisting of dust, grain, scale, or
lump gold, and will not extend to matrix gold
combined with quartz, or other rock remaining in
its original bed or situation.
, " 2. Previously, however, to the working of any
such matrix gold, notice must be given to, and a
written permission obtained from, the commissioner
of the gold district, who will require such security
and make such arrangements for the protection of
the public interests as he may deem necessary. If
the parties concerned fail to give tie required notice
or security, or to observe the conditions prescribed
by that officer, all such matrix gold and also all
alluvial gold of every kind procured without due
authority, will be seized as the property of the
Crown, in whose possession soever it may be found ;
and -the persons offending will render themselves
liable to be prosecuted for the offence.
"3. Persons desirous of working auriferous
quartz veins may make application in writing to
the commissioner of the gold district, accurately
describing, the locality. Such application shall be
immediately recorded by each officer in a book
to be kept for that purpose, which shall be open
at all reasonable times for the inspection of appli-
cants. In case no previous application shall have
been made as above directed, and should there be
no valid objection to the proposal, the commissioner
shall notify the applicant of his acceptance of the
same. The applicant shall then enter into a bond
binding himself, and two or more sufficient sureties,
to the satisfaction of the Government, jointly and
severally, in the sum of £2,000 (10,000 dols.) to pay
a royalty of 10 per cent. on all gold obtained from
any part of the lands within the limits of his claim,
to an officer to be appointed for that purpose by the
Government. That rate will be computed on the
actual produce, valued at £3 4s. (16 dols.) per oz.,
procured by separation only, and £— per ounce if
by amalgamation. He shall further be bound to
permit such officer to reside on the land in the
ncitgbourhood of the works, at such spot as may be
assigned by the commissioner, and also to give such
officer access at all reasonable times to the build-
ings or premises, and to all books and accounts
connected with the production of gold ; also, to give
all necessary facilities for the collection of the
royalty, daily or weekly, as may be found most
desirable.
" 4. All buildings, machinery, or other improve-
ments, erected or made on the land, shall be con-
sidered as additional security for the due perform-
ance of the conditions of the bond.
" 5. The above claim shall consist of half a mile
of, and in the course of, the vein, with fifty yards
reserved on each side of such vein, for building or
other purposes. The right of cutting and using
timber for building purposes, or for firewood, from
adjacent crown lands, as well as- access to neigh-
bouring water, shall also be conceded. The dura-
tion of the claim shall be three years •, which shall,
however, be extended for such further period as,
upon receipt of instructions from her Majesty's
Government, may be determined upon, having due
regard to the interests of the party concerned. At
the expiration of the term ,of their holding or on
the termination of their terms sooner, by consent
of the Government, the parties shall have liberty to
remove all buildings, machinery, or other im-
provements, created or made by them, and a rea-
-1 sonable time shall be allowed for that purpose .
provided, always, that the conditions of the bond
shall have been duly fulfilled.
" 6. A claim, such as the above, shall be forfeited
by the failure of the applicant tcs enter, within a
reasonable period, into the required bond ;by his
neglecting to pay the prescribed royalty at the time
and in the manner required by the bond ; by his
nwoittheirsli.oxyminogataht l
s of the s 2aoo '
oepeptia•snoenesofonhisthe elaiapplica-
tion for the same ; by his ceasing to employ that
number of persons on the works for the period of
one month thereafter ; by obstructing the officer in
the proper performance Of his duty, or in any way
violating the terms of his bond. Such vein shall
then be open to selection by other parties.
" 7. Persons deSirous of draining ponds, or water
holes, may make application in the above mode
stated, to the commissioner or assistant commis-
sioner of the gold district, and shall be subject in all
respects to the same regulations, with the exception
that in the place of the payment of a royalty, the
applicants shall bind themselves to employ-, in each
case, the number of persons for whom the working,
of the claim would afford employment—as may be
determined by the government on the report or the
commissioner during the period of their occupation,
and to take out a license for every person employed,
and such claim shall be voided by withdrawal of
such number of persons from the work, unless in
case of interruption by flood or other unforeseen
accident.

"8. The persons undertaking to drain any such
pond or watercourse will not, however, be corn-