The Short Title of this Act is “The Gold Duties Act, 1903.”

Notwithstanding anything in “The Gold Duties Act Amendment Act, 1882,” “The Financial Arrangements Act, 1876,” “The Financial Arrangements Act 1876 Amendment Act, 1877,” or any other Acts, the Governor may from time to time, by Order published in the Gazette, distribute any part of the gold duty not exceeding one-half among such local authorities and in such proportions as he deems just, having regard to the locality in which the gold was produced, and the extent to which streets, roads, and other public conveniences were used in connection with such production.

No such Order shall be made under the preceding section except on the award of the Warden of the mining district wherein the gold was produced, who may be directed by the Minister of Mines to make an inquiry and assess the proportions (if any) in which such gold duty should be paid to each local authority, and the local authorities interested may be heard by the Warden prior to the award being made.