COAL BILL

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25566, 6 August 1948, Page 8

COAL BILL

INTRODUCTION IN HOUSE MEASURES TRANSFERRED TO CROWN (From Our Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, August 6. The transfer to thefCrown of all privately-owned coal measures is the main feature of the Coal Bill, introduced in the House of Representatives this evening by the Minister of Mines '(Mr A. McLagan). The compensation to be paid owners of the measures is to be fixed by a Coal Valuation Commission. After the passing of the bill all alieftation of land from the Crown must be made subject to the reservation that coal existing on or below the surface will be subject to the provisions of the bill. The basis of compensation fixed by the bill is that the commission shall take royalties paid in the last seven years on the coal, determine the annual average, and multiply it by 15. The bill sets out conditions under which rights to mine coal can be granted. There is a special provision that without the consent of the Minister pillars cannot be removed in any mine. “This bill is more than ever necessary now because of the need strictly to conserve this country’s coal re» sources,” said Mr McLagan in the House this evening. The bill affected all coal still left in its natural state in New Zealand. Fair and equitable compensation would be paid to owners, and the effect of the bill was that existing titles to land under which there was coal were cancelled. Discussing the commission, Mr McLagan said the chairman would probably be either a judge or magistrate. He would have no objection to the bulk of th? members being coal owners, and he would welcome any suggestions from the Opposition about the bill. The bill would go to its second reading in the House and then would be referred to the Goldfields and Mines Committee, to which inter? ested persons could give evidence. ■ l Past Opinions on Principle IS! Mr McLagan said the necessity for doing what the bill now provided for was recognised a long time ago. . Leaders of the Liberal Party durifij the present century had expresieathemselves in favour of it, including Mr Seddon, Sir Joseph Ward, and Mr Forbes. He therefore had no doubt that the Government would have the support of “the young Liberal members opposite.” The most prominent National leader of the present century (Mr W. F. Massey) had also expressed himself in favour of what the bill would now do, and the Government, might even have the support of the • Nationalists opposite. An Opposition voice: . You are an optimist. Mr K. J. Holyoake, Deputy-Leader of the Opposition, protested at the Government’s intention of taking the' second reading before referring the bill to a committee, but the Prime Minister (Mr P. Fraser) said this procedure was usual unless the measure wefe of such a nature that a Select Committee must first examine it. That did not apply to this bill, and therefore the normal course would be followed. This would enable the House to discuss the principles of the bill, after which it could go to a committee to give interested parties an opportunity of making any submissions The bill might be debated on Tuesday. Wednesday, and Thursday of next week.