Page:Charleston • Irwin Faris • (1941).pdf/197



S Mrs. Beeton naively tells us, the first step in preparing a hare for cooking, is to catch it; likewise the first step in goldmining is to locate the gold by prospecting. The usual method is by panning small quantities of dirt taken from likely-looking spots and placed in a shallow iron dish, held in the hands, from which the earth is washed out by a gentle circular motion, the water being several times renewed; the stones, etc., are removed, and the gold, if any, remains in the pan.

Land Tenure: The land tenure about Charleston was similar to that of other active gold districts, under which there was not any freehold, but only rights of occupation, governed by regulations; although later it was possible for leaseholders to acquire the freehold under certain conditions. These mining regulations were first framed in California and, it is believed, were copied from the mining laws of Cornwall. When gold was discovered in California, the territory had recently become part of the United States and, as there was no legislation existing regarding goldmining land, miners framed their own regulations and these were afterwards given statutory effect. When gold was discovered in New South Wales in 1851, by Hargreaves, who had been in California, there was no mining-land law in operation, so miners copied the California regulations which were ultimately enacted by parliament.

When gold was discovered in New Zealand, in 1856, the New South Wales regulations were adopted. These were