It seemed to them now that they had everything in their
own hands, and it became clearly impossible for the Government, in the
existing temper of the diggers, to exact the full amount of the license
fee. A proclamation, hastily published with a view to allay excitement,
by an unfortunate omission in the printed copies led the public to
believe that the total abolition of the license system was contemplated
by the Victorian Government. A select committee of the Legislative
Council reported unfavorably upon the system. The Government made the
best of a bad bargain, and accepted a fee of forty shillings for the
three months ending November 30, 1853; and, on the following day, the
Legislative Council passed a new Gold-fields Act, which greatly reduced
the fees for diggers' licenses, while it substantially increased those
demanded for permission to open stores at the gold-fields. It also
provided for the grant of leases of auriferous lands, at a royalty of
not less than 5 per cent., and gave legal sanction to the customs
regarding the "claims" of diggers, which had gradually grown up to
regulate the rival interests of neighboring miners.
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