Mining Bill makes major changes

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32629, 10 June 1971, Page 2

Mining Bill makes major changes

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, June 9. A bill which makes major changes to the mining legislation was introduced in Parliament today.

Except for minor amendments, the bill is the same as that reported back to the House last year by the Mining and Labour Committee.

The Mining Bill was first introduced by the late Minister of Mines (Mr Shand) in October, 1969.

The Minister of Mines (Mr Shelton) said Mr Shand had for many years recognised that the Mining Act, 1926, was overdue for revision and consolidation. Much of the existing law was obsolete, inadequate and unsuitable for the changes in prospecting and mining. Mr Shelton said the bill, which contained about 240 clauses, made major changes in the existing law. The Labour and Mining Committee had been concerned to ensure that the mining laws contained adequate protection for the protection of unique features, flora and fauna and of the land in the national parks, scenic and other reserves, he said.

“The Government agrees with this policy, and there are various provisions in this bill which safeguard the physical environment in all its aspects,” he said.

LAY-BY PURCHASERS The Government introduced a bill to deal with problems associated with the purchasing of goods on layby

Moving the introduction of I the Lay-by Sales Bill, the 1 Attorney-General (Mr Riddiford) said it did not attempt i to regulate this form of trad- i ing comprehensively; but, some evils had been shown ( to exist and provision was | needed to protect lay-by purchasers, many of whom were j young girls. . Among the main features, of the bill, the Minister said,, were the clauses dealing with j the cancellation of lay-by ( agreements. "At present, where a 1 purchaser has paid part of the price but is unable to i complete the transaction > everything that has been paid ! may be forfeited. In practice, > most sellers do make a refund where this is reasonable.” The bill would provide that there be an adjustment between the parties, with the object of seeing that neither party was unfairly enriched. The seller would be entitled to deduct up to 15 per cent of the price for his costs. The other principal object of the bill was to give some relief to the buyer where the seller became insolvent or went into liquidation. Under the legislation the purchaser would be treated as if he owned the goods, and would therefore be entitled to them on completing payment EARLIER PAROLE Revised conditions of parole for some prison inmates are recommended in the annual report of the Prisons Parole Board, tabled in Parliament today. Offenders sentenced to preventive detention under the provisions of the Criminal Justice Act, 1954, as amended in 1967, should have their cases heard earlier than seven years after conviction, the report says. “This also applies to prisoners sentenced to imprisonment for six years or more, who now have a right of hearing only after three years and six months,” says the re-

port. “This period may well be reduced. The general tendency today is to grant releases as soon as conditions are favourable for the rehabilitation of those serving finite sentences, so it is respectfully also suggested that a right of review be given to prisoners serving less than six years.” At present such cases may be considered before the end of the statutory period only on the application of a member of the board.

“The board does not overlook the punitive element,” says the report. "But in proper cases it ought to give way to the prospect of rehabilitation when the circumstances clearly so require that such a step ought to be considered.”

“COMMON SENSE” CALL A bill defining hovercraft and providing for controlling regulations was introduced by the Minister of Marine ■ (Mr McCready). A hovercraft is defined as “a machine designed to be supported in the atmosphere, wholly or partly by air expelled from the machine to form a cushion extending beneath the machine to the surface of any ground, water, or other portion of the earth’s surface.”

The bill also provides for the Governor-General, by Or-der-in-Council, to make wideranging regulations to cover such matters as registration, approval of plans; safety and crew training. The Leader of the Opposition (Mr Kirk) said that there needed to be common sense in legislation. He asked why not call it simply a hovercraft, as the whole world knew it.

Referring to another bill, introduced earlier, which defined the word "carcase,” Mr Kirk said Parliament had more to do than satisfy the

hair-splitting tactics of bureaucrats. The earlier bill, the Hydatids Amendment Bill, was introduced by the Minister of Agriculture (M. Carter) to clarify points in the existing legislation. He said there was no definition of “carcase” in law, and a magistrate had dismissed a case because he said an animal’s body was not a carcase without the offal. EXPORT GUARANTEES The value of exports insured by the Export Guarantee Office increased by almost Slim to s64m during 1970, according to the report tabled today. The office says the value of primary produce insured increased by $6,345,000 to $47,269,000, and of manufactured goods by $4,563,000 to $16,797,000. While the office insured exports to 98 countries, 14 more than in the previous year, the major increase continued to be to Australia and the Pacific Islands. The proportionate increases in all other markets remained very similar to the 1969 level.

INSURANCE RISE Net premium income at the State Insurance Office reached a new record level in the year ended December 31. The office’s annual report, tabled today, says income increased by $3,416,979, to $19,776,563. Between 1966 and 1970 it has increased by $6.7m, or 51 per cent A severe down-turn in profitability in the motorvehicle comprehensive account with an increasing number of claims and higher repair costs resulted in a loss in the latter part of the year. “Steps are urgently necessary to arrest a deteriorating situation. A substantial deficiency was also recorded in respect of compulsory motorvehicle third-party insurance.”

The office produced a surplus for transfer to the reserve fund of $348,158, compared with $1,708,354, in 1969.