AGY-5099 | Gold Commissioner in Charge of Crown Lands for the Northern Gold District

Full description

The Commissioners of Crown Lands for the Gold Districts replaced the Chief Commissioner of Crown Lands for the Gold Districts.(1) 'An Act for regulating the Management of the Gold Fields of New South Wales and for raising a Revenue therefrom and for the preservation of order thereon' (16 Vic. No. 43) came into force from 1 February 1853. Under section 13 Commissioners of Crown Lands appointed for the Gold Districts within their respective districts had full power to determine the extent and position of each licensed person's claim or holding of land and to mark the same. Each Commissioner under section 24 could without warrant apprehend and detain any unlicensed person whom he found mining or digging for gold. Commissioners could also determine complaints of encroachment under section 26. The power of Commissioners was extended to Gold Fields on private lands with the concurrence of the owner under section 30.(2) From late 1852 appointments had been made to the Northern Gold District (Liverpool Plains).(4) The Northern District included the Liverpool Plains, Gwydir and New England.(5) Further acts relating to the management of the Gold Fields were passed in 1853, 1857, 1861 and 1866.(6) By 1866 the Commissioner in Charge of the Northern Gold District was located at Nundle, also with an Assistant Commissioner. Sub-Commissioners were located at Timbarra, Rocky River and Babeewarilla.(7) On 21 March 1872 Gold Mining Regulations were published in the New South Wales Government Gazette.(8) The position of Commissioner of Crown Lands for the Norther Gold District was abolished when responsibility for the gold fields transferred from the Secretary for Lands to the Secretary for Mines from 1 May 1874 under the Mining Act, 1874 (37 Vic. No.13).(9) Endnotes
(1) Colonial Secretary; Returns of the Colony (Blue Books), 1852 [4/285 pp.304-309] Fiche 565 and 1853 [4/286 pp.310-315] Fiche 573.
(2) Gold Fields Management Act, 1852 (16 Vic. No. 43) section 13.
2) Blue Books, 1852 [4/285 pp.304-309] Fiche 565 and 1853 [4/286 pp.310-315] Fiche 573.
(3) Blue Books, 1853 [4/287 p.370] Fiche 581.
(4) Blue Books, 1855 [4/288 p.414] Fiche 589.
(5) Blue Books, 1862 pp.57-58.
(6) Gold Fields Act, 1853 (17 Vic. No.23), Gold Fields Management Act, 1857 (20 Vic. No.29), Gold Fields Act, 1861 (25 Vic. No.4), Gold Fields Act Amendment Act, 1866 (29 Vic. No.20) and Gold Fields Act, 1866 (30 Vic. No.8).
(7) Blue Books, 1873, pp.75-76.
(8) NSW Government Gazette (No.87), 21 March 1872, pp.753, 763 and Blue Books, 1873, pp.73, 82. (9) Mining Act, 1874 (37 Vic. No.13).