VPRS 4313 Miner's Right Receipt Stubs, Smythesdale Mining Division

Full description

This series consists of receipt stubs for miner's rights issued by individuals stationed at a local court house.

In 1855 the gold licensing system introduced in 1853 was replaced by a system of miners' rights administered by Local Courts which operated in designated districts, and had similar powers to a Court of Petty Sessions (18 Vic.,No.37). Miner's rights were issued by the Mining Warden responsible for the goldfield These arrangements were further refined by the 1857 Act 20 Vic.,No.32 which set up a more complex administrative and judicial structure within Mining Districts

Wardens were relieved of this duty by an order of The Treasurer dated 28 January 1863 (refer Government Gazette page 258) in favour of receivers and paymasters of the Treasury, or in areas without them, Clerks of the Court of Petty Sessions. Over the next few years a number of additional individuals were appointed and on 28 January 1867 another order of the Treasurer appointed all Mining Warden Clerks and Clerks of the Court of Petty Sessions to issue them (refer Government Gazette page 264). In many country locations both Clerks operated from the same location and could have been the same person.

Miner's Rights were documents enabling individuals to mine for gold under certain conditions upon payment of a fee. They were originally printed in books containing these stubs. Payment detail was recorded on the stub and the Right removed and given to the applicant. Information recorded in the butts included the Miner's Right Number, Mining District and location in which it was issued, date of issue and the name and address of the person to whom it was issued.

Copies of the Miner's Right issued were not kept.