Sacramento daily record-union., 1883-09-22
THE rRANsvAAL GOLD LAW.

The following is an abstract, published
by Iron, Of the law passed by the Volks-
rsad Of the Transvaal to regulate gold
mining in that country. The absence Of a
law giving encouragement to individual
enterprise has been one OF the reasons for
The neglect OF the known rich deposits Of
gold IL the Transvaal, and now that the
State has declared that its policy will be
TO welcome new settlers, many experienced
gold miners from Australia and elsewhere
will no doubt be encouraged TO take out
licenses The law begins by giving the
President power to proclaim as " gold
field any Government property on which
gold may be fonnd. If gold in payable
quantities is found on private farm, the
owner has the option Of taking out, within
ak months, concession for the exclusive
right to work it. If ne does not avail
himself of this privilege, the Government
may buy up mis- property at price to be
fixed by arbitration. A commissioner is to
BE- appointed for every gold field, over
which he will have authority TO keep order,
and to deal with all matters arising out of
the workings of the mines. He will be a.
sisted By a diggers' committee, to be
elected by the license.holders and diggers,
whose interests will thereby be fully pro-
tected. Every digger AMI license-holder
will be liable to be called on to assist in
maintaining order in case of necessity, un.
der pain of forfeiture of the license or con.
cessiOn. Tne cost of q license to dig or
prospect on Government ground is fixed at
los. per month for prospecting on private
ground, with the consent of the owner, the
same fee is payable, three-fourths of il to
90 TO the owner. 0nly one claim
can be taken out by a single ind
vidual, each claim to be $50
feet square, the limits of which must be
duly beacOned." ANY person, however,
may buy from other claim holders any
humber of claims on taking out the proper
licsnse for each. The discovery of future
gold-ields is encouraged by giving any
prospector who discovers gold in payable
quantities Eve per cent. of the revenue
winch the Government may receive from
such field. This revenue will be derived
from the sale OF Licenses, from a percentage
OF two and one.quarter per cent. On all
hnds, and from a percentage OF four per
cent. on the purchase money on the sale
Of claim. There il q curious provision
that where the SUM Of f300 OF more has
been paid for a claim or $500 or mere tor
improvements in toe erection of machinery,
and is abandoned, it shall still remain the
property Of the owner for period of six
months after abandonment. This pro-
vision is intended to allow the owner to
reap the advantage Of any discoveries
which may be made within that period of
reels oa adjoining claims which might pos
sibly prove to extend into his property.
The least satisfactory part of the law is
that which enaGts that "sny colored psr.
son VINO sells, bartsrs, delivers over, re-
ceIves, or has in his possession rough gold
shall os punished vita lsshes not exceed.
ing fifty, and be imprisoned for the term of
not exceeding twelve months" It is also
enacted that no colored person shall have
the light to hold a license or be in any way
connected with the working of the gold.
fields, except as laborers in service of the
whites, who are prohibited, under a pen
atty Of $500 or years hard labor, from
paying the colored servant in rough gold,
and from buying gold from any colored
person under a penalty Of e, 900, or a
years imprisonment