DURHAM AND NORTHUMBERLAND. 217

expenses of draining or otherwise securingsuch wastes, that they should be let by con-tract to a person undertaking to perform theSame, and to leave the excavated parts in astate of security; and that any profit gainedby such contract should relapse into the fundfor the general uses of mining. .

That another portion of the above proceedsshould be substituted for the present bene-volent fund; and that, exclusive of the com-missioners appointed by government, allproprietors and viewers, on signifying theirwishes before a certain day, in any year, shouldbecome joint trustees of this fund, five ofwhom should act as a joint committee withthe commissioners and superintendent; andthat any surplus arising herefrom should sub-join and be transferred to the fund or ac-cumulating annual proceed of the monies ap-plicable to the extraordinary uses of mining.

That the permanent fund should be sufferedto accumulate for a certain number of years,after which, dividends should be made out pay-able to the proprietors and lessees, according tothe duty annually paid by them.

An establishment upon principles of thiskind could not certainly be deemed oppressivein its tendency : on the contrary, it would