VPRS 5416 Notices of Application for Registration of Residence Areas and Business Sites, Raglan Mining Division

One of the privileges conferred by Section 5 of the Mines Act 1865 and subsequent Mines Acts was that the holder of a miner's right could reside on up to one acre on a gold-fields area. Those occupying a residence area were "deemed in law to be possessed ... of such ... parcels ... and the property therein". This meant that the resident had all the responsibilities and rights of an owner. Rights of residence could be transferred or cancelled. With the passing of the Land (Residence Areas) Act 1935 the right of occupation of residence areas was broadened to include all Crown lands, not only those in mining areas and with administration placed under the Land Act rather than the Mines Act. This series, primarily for the town of Beaufort contains the duplicate of the certification by the Mining Registrar of the application for the residence area or business site in an auriferous (i.e gold-bearing) area. Details given are the number of the certificate, the date and time of the application, the name of the applicant, the location and extent of the land and where appropriate any street frontage and its length and the number of the miner's right held by the applicant.