THE MINING BILL.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 230, 25 September 1908, Page 6

THE MINING BILL.

CONSIDERED IN COMMITTEE. (By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, this day. 1 After midnight the House went into ; consideration of the Mining Amendment j Bill, wbich returned from the Cloldfields I Committee with many drastic alterations. The Hon. Jas. McGowan briefly explained tbe provisions of the bill. Mr Herries complained that the Minister had not risen to the occasion and given the country a comprehensive and useful measure. The bill before the House was a machinery bill, and would not assist the mining industry in any i practical way. Tbe inertia, of the deI part ment was evidenced by the fact that out of tbe mining vote of last year, to- | tailing £33,000, only J.SOOO had been I spent. j Mr Poland said he regretted a more : comprehensive measure had not been brought down tn encourage mining generally. Tbe bill contained no clauses of vast importance. The contentious clause No. R. dealing with timber-cutting rights, had been struck out, and clause | 1") (giving tbe right to miners to ap- ; point an inspector) had been struck out \in committee, since it gave inspectors jno additional powers to those which I they already possessed. Tne newly inserted clause 19, in his opinion, created an anomaly in regard to those employed .on contract and on tribute. He pro- | tested against the high rentals charged for land in cases where prospectors had to pay 5/- and 7/0 per acre for bush and rough country, taken up in search of gold and other minerals. Next sesI sion he hoped that a comprehensive hill I wouW be brought down upon this and I othe- important matters. He also 1 wishnd to refer to the Geological Purvey I Department. He believed that it could be made a useful department, but it ' present its work was valueless. As an illustration, he would quote from the | report of the Geological Department a-s follows: — "The bricciation of the granuwackes. intensified with narrow argillite layers, has in places produced a pseudo conglomeration." Who would understand thatf Continuing. Mr Poland said that he thought that the reporfs should be couc"hed in language which would be understood by the miners. Jtr W. Fraser said that in his electorate the miners looked forward with eagerness to the reports of the Geological Department; and he thought that they should be given credit for the work they were doing. As far as the bill

j was concerned, he thought they should be thankful for small meTcies. _Ir T. *">eddon urged that provision shanld be made so that practical prospecting parties would follow geological sui*ey. fhe Minister, in reply, said that prospecting had never been refused where t.h«re. appeared reasonable chances of (gaining some return. The New Zealand j mining laws, he claimed, were better j tha.ti any in tbe world. Regarding the , rjiint'O- of rents, it had to he remem-1 .bJ id that rent from mining lands went j ', a_ an increment to local bodies, and if it fere Liken away, they would soon be ; U|- in arms. j | fhe House then went into Committee., 'ti consider the bill. Mr Poland strongly protested against) illusion of the clause making distinc- j . Wlon between men employed on contract and those employed on tribute. He i Had been urged to do so by the Thames | / "diners' Union. ; The new clause was agTced to by 32 [Votes to 9. I Mr Poland then moved his amendment lin favour of check weighmen (already 'published I. and the clause passed it- 8 : second reading. | Mr Poland moved a. further amendment to the effect that the owner of | '.every mine shall contribute to a fund j . for the relief of miners who may be j injured while working in mines, and for the relief of families of miners who , may be killed or injured while so work- | ing, such contribution tri Ik> equivalent to od for every ounce of gold sold. The motion was thrown out on a point of order. The Hon. A. R. Guinness moved for the' inclusion of « new clause, providing for the fortnightly payment of all miners. The. amendment was lost, and the bill reported at 2.20 a.m., when the House rose.