The Short Title of this Act shall be “The Gold Mining Districts Act Amendment Act, 1875.”

Under section nine of “The Gold Mining Districts Act, 1873” (hereinafter referred to as “the said Act”), no land shall be exempted from occupation as therein mentioned, unless it be required for public uses: Provided that nothing herein contained shall have the effect of bringing under the operation of this Act lands other than Crown lands or lands placed under the control and management of the Government with the consent of the owners thereof.

Whenever, after the passing of this Act, a district shall be constituted a Gold Mining District under the said Act, claims comprised in class number two, as specified in section number nineteen of the said Act, shall not exceed in area five acres.

After the expiration of six calendar months from the date of the license under which the same is held, any claim may be amalgamated with other claims: Provided that the aggregate area of the claims amalgamated shall not exceed ten acres.

After the expiration of twelve calendar months from the date of the license under which the same is held any claim may he amalgamated with other claims: Provided that the aggregate area of the amalgamated claims shall not exceed thirty acres.

Provided always, that no such amalgamation shall he permitted, unless it shall be first proved to the satisfaction of the Mining Inspector that the claims in respect of which amalgamation is applied for have been worked during the whole time of their occupancy by at least one man for every thirty thousand square feet comprised in such claims.

Whenever possession shall have been taken of any ground which the Mining Inspector shall have certified, under section thirty-six of the said Act, to have been surrendered or abandoned, such ground may be amalgamated with any adjoining claim: Provided that the aggregate area does not exceed thirty acres.

Regulations providing for the amalgamation of claims may be made in like manner as is prescribed for the making of rules and regulations under section one hundred and sixty-five of the said Act, and regulations so made shall be deemed to be regulations made under the said Act.

Any person being the holder of a “prospecting license” under the one hundred and eighty-fourth section of “The Gold Mining Districts Act, 1873,” authorizing him to search for gold on Native land not being within any gold field or gold mining district, who shall discover gold on any such Native land, may make application to the Governor for a lease; and on the cession of such land to the Governor for gold mining purposes, or the sale of such lands to the Crown by the Native owners thereof it shall be lawful for the Governor to grant a lease to the applicant in like manner and subject to the like terms and conditions as prescribed by the one hundred and seventy-fourth section of the said Act in respect of Crown lands outside gold fields and gold mining districts, and every such lease shall be valid and effectual against all persons whomsoever.

All powers vested in the Governor by this Act may be exercised by the person to whom for the time being the Governor’s powers under “The Gold Mining Districts Act, 1873,” shall have been delegated.