VPRS 19184 Mining Registrar's Registers of Claims, Beechworth Mining Division

Full description

The Gold Fields Laws Amendment Act 1860 (24 Vic., No.115) empowered the Governor-in-Council to appoint Mining Registrars in the mining districts to carry out duties prescribed in the mining by-laws for their district. Mining Registrars were primarily concerned with claims or privileges held under miner’s rights. Responsibilities included the registration and transfer of various types of claims specified in the mining by-laws. Mining Registrars were also responsible for preparing reports and statistics showing the progress of mining within their district.

Under the mining by-laws the holder of a miner’s right was entitled to take up various claims. Each type of claim specified the nature of the mining activity which could be undertaken. The types of claims included:

*           prospecting claims (along a reef)

*           alluvial claims (for shallow sinking)

*           tunnelling claim

*           sluicing and puddling claims

*           water right or water race claim

*           site for machinery

*           site for a dam

*           site for residence (to 1936).

Registers of Claims may be specific to a particular type of claim (eg. Register of Water Races, Register of Residence Areas) or may include a mixture of claims. In circumstances where claims were taken up by partnerships, the Register of Claims will usually include a record of the agreed percentage of shares of each of the partners.

A Register of Claims will often include: number and date of claim; name of holder or owner; number of Miner’s Right and date of Miner’s Right; particulars of the claim; locality; and details of transfers or amalgamations of claims.