The Short Title of this Act is “The Gold-Mining Districts Act 1873 Amendment Act, 1885.”

This Act shall be read and construed with “The Gold-Mining Districts Act, 1873” (herein referred to as “the said Act),” and shall be deemed and taken to be part thereof.

The Governor may, by Order in Council, from time to time, declare that any of the provisions of the said Act and this Act shall apply to mining for silver and any other metals or minerals as well as to gold mining, and may also define the districts wherein any such Order in Council shall take effect. The Governor may also alter, amend, or revoke any such Order in Council in whole or in part.

Sections sixty-nine to seventy-three, both inclusive, of the said Act are hereby repealed, and the provisions hereinafter enacted shall have operation in lieu thereof.

In order to make further or additional provisions for the drainage of mines, the Governor may from time to time, by Order in Council, make, alter, and repeal regulations for all or any of the purposes following, that is to say:—

For fixing drainage areas, and altering or abolishing the same;

For the formation and constitution of Drainage Boards, the election or appointment of members thereof, and for prescribing their tenure of office, and their duties, powers, and functions;

For prescribing the manner in which drainage rates, as contributions for drainage works, shall be assessed on lands within drainage areas, and the making, levying, collecting, and recovery of such rates;

For regulating appeals against such assessments.

All lands within any district area which are actually benefited by the drainage works therein and no other lands shall be liable to be assessed for contribution to the Drainage Board thereof for drainage works.

All sums of money due or payable as contributions for drainage works to any Drainage Board under this Act and any regulations made hereunder may be sued for and recovered by action in the Warden’s Court by and in the name of the Chairman of the said Board for the time being, as a debt due to the Board.

At the hearing of any such action, the Warden’s Court shall give judgment as it shall think just under all the circumstances of the case, and may make an order for payment by the defendant of such an amount for contribution as it shall think reasonable, together with costs if it thinks fit, and may prescribe the time, mode, and conditions of payment.

All proceedings in such action shall be conducted and carried on in like manner as in ordinary actions in the Wardens’ Courts; and the provisions of any Acts in force under which such Court is constituted, and all rules and regulations applicable thereto, shall apply to such proceedings.