The Western Australian miner's right

In Western Australia no one could take up a claim on Crown land and dig for gold or any other mineral without a miner's right. The Minister or any Warden issued it, to anyone who asked, for five shillings (Mining Act, 1904, ss. 16, 17). It named its holder in full, gave the date and place of issue, was signed by the Warden or an officer authorised to issue it, and was in force for one year (s. 22); it could not be transferred (s. 25). It let the holder take possession of Crown land, mine and occupy it, live on it as an authorised holding, cut races and dams and roads, and take water (s. 26). The Act refused it to any Asiatic or African alien, and to any person of Asiatic or African race claiming to be a British subject unless the Minister had first authorised it in writing (ss. 23, 24).

Bearer prints it off No. 120213, issued at Cue on 28 September 1908, its back reminding the holder of the Land Act, 1899 on timber leases. The Royal Arms at its head are left out. For the expedition that goes into the desert with a digger's reason for being there.

Bearer makes an investigator's papers for Call of Cthulhu and any 1920s or 1930s tabletop campaign: the passport a consul would have filled in, with the visas and frontier stamps a campaign leaves in it, and the permits, certificates and tickets of the period, to print or to share.

An example

Open this example in the office

The paper

Parts reconstructed

• the Royal Arms at the head, which Bearer does not draw: their place is left empty

Still to be confirmed

• the right read is of 1908; its words and its back (the Land Act, 1899) are taken to hold between the wars under the same Act. What would settle it: a Western Australian miner's right of 1920 to 1939.

Sources

• The Institute of Australian Culture, ephemera collection (EC150), Miner's Right No. 120213, Western Australia, issued at Cue, 28 September 1908, WESTERN [Royal Arms] AUSTRALIA.; the number; MINER'S RIGHT.; the fee, five shillings;; Issued to …; under the provisions of "The Mining Act, 1904"; to be in force until the … day of …, 190…; Place of issue; Date of issue; …, Warden (or Officer authorised to issue).; [Not Transferable.]; on the back, Notice: sections 10 and 11 of the Land Act, 1899 (read directly)
• Parliament of Western Australia, The Mining Act, 1904 (Western Australia), No. 15 of 1904, Part IV, Miners' Rights, ss. 16-26: issued by the Minister and every warden (s. 16); five shillings each (s. 17); signed by the issuer, stating the date and place of issue and the holder's name in full, in force for one year from the date of issue (s. 22); none to an Asiatic or African alien, nor to a person of Asiatic or African race claiming to be a British subject, without the Minister's written authority (ss. 23, 24); not transferable (s. 25); the holder's privileges (s. 26) (read directly)

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