72 CANADIAN PACIFIC RAILWAY

The larger towns have free libraries and reading rooms, and the pro-
vincial government maintains a system of travelling libraries gratuitously
supplying rural districts with sound literature.

Well equipped hospitals supported by Government grants, private
subscriptions, and donations from local funds, are to be found in all the
cities, and larger towns, with cottage hospitals in the rural districts.
Churches, representative of every Christian denomination, are largely in
evidence, and scattered communities are supplied with travelling preachers
from the more populous centres and theological colleges. Fraternal societies
such as the Freemasons, Oddfellows, Foresters, Sons of England, Sons of
Scotland, Daughters of the Empire, etc., are in strong force and extend a
hearty welcome to new comers.

The postal regulations of the Dominion of Canada apply here as else-
where, and allow a liberal supply of post offices in the countryside and free
house delivery in the cities.

SYNOPSIS OF MINING LAWS.

The mining laws of British Columbia are very liberal in their nature,
and compare favorably with those of any other part of the world. The
terms under which both lode and placer claims are held are such that a

. prospector is greatly encouraged in his work and the titles, especially for

mineral claims and hydraulic leases, are absolutely perfect. .The fees re-
quired to be paid are as small as possible consistent with a proper adminis-
tration of the mining industry, and are much lower than those of the other
provinces of Canada, or the mineral lands under Dominion control.

A mineral claim is a rectangular piece of ground not exceeding 1,500
feet square. The claim is located by erecting three posts, as defined in the
Act. In general, location of a claim must be recorded within a period vary-
ing according to distance from a registrar’s office from the date of location.
A mineral claim, prior to being Crown granted, is held practically on a
yearly lease, an essential requirement of which is the doing of assessment
work on the claim annually of the value of $100 or, in lieu thereof, payment
of that amount to the mining recorder. Each assessment must be recorded
before the expiration of the year to which it belongs, or the claim is deemed
abandoned.’ Should the claim not meantime have been re-located by an-
other free miner, record of the assessment work may be made within 30 days
immediately following the date of expiry of the year, upon payment of a
fee of $10.00. A survey of a mineral claim may be recorded as an assessment
at its actual value to the extent of $100.00. If during any year work be
done to a greater extent than the required $100, any additional sums of
$100 each (but not less than $100) may be recorded and counted as assess-
ments for the following years. When assessment work to the value of
$500.00 has been recorded the owner of a mineral claim is, upon having the
claim surveyed, and on payment of a fee of $25,00 and giving certain notices,
entitled to a Crown grant. after obtaining which further work on the claim
is not compulsory. The Act also includes liberal provisions for obtaining
mill and tunnel sites and other facilities for the better working of claims.

There are various classes of placer claims severally defined in the
“Placer Mining Act” under. the heads of creeks, bar, dry, bench, hill and
previous stone diggings. Placer claims are 250 feet square, but a little
variation is provided for under certain conditions. They are located by
placing a legal post at each corner and marking on the initial post certain
required information. Locations must be recorded within fifteen days if
within 10 miles of a Recorder’s office, but.if farther away another day is
allowed for each additional 10 miles. Record before the close of each year