STATE ROYALTY ON SAND.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1207, 16 August 1911, Page 4

STATE ROYALTY ON SAND.

THOUSANDS AFFECTED. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) Auckland, August 15. In consequeace cf dissatisfaction with tho action of Hid Government in charging a royalty on shingle and sand troni beach'es, while giving no protection against prosecution by private land-own-era, the whole of tho craft engaged in Iho business is laid up. If some solution of the difficulty is not arrived at immediately many big works will he stopped and two or three thousand men tlirown out of employment.

MINISTERIAL STATEMENT. Tho shinglo aud sand which are used in building operations in the city of Auckland am obtained from teaches on islands in the Haunki Gulf, and in certain parts of the CorouKViidel peninsula. For many years (he trade has Lwj a lucrative one for a largo numlwr of men engaged in running tho scows by which tho material is transported. Many of the masters of thes-3 vessels are owners or part-owners of their scows, and royalties have been levied by the owners of tho beaches on shingle and sand removed from them. The Department of Marino has decided to. exert au active control of the trad*, determining that no material mav be removed without its permission, and imposing a royalty of sixpence per yard on shingle and threepence on sand taken from below high-water niark.^ A discussion on-the subject was introduced by Mr. Poolc in the nousc last evening, and in reply to his rennest for information regarding the altitude of tho Department the Minister of Marine (tho Hon. J. A. Millar) said that much damage had bcc'.\ done to tho beaches.by tho removal cf shingle, and Ihe Department had decided to allow material to be taken only from beaches where no injury would bs 'caused to I he property of private owners. Tho Departnicjt was charging a royally of (id. on shingle tnkon from bolow hkh-water mark, while several owners had, without flw slightest coinpum , - tion, charged a shilling a yard. Hβ added that a tost c,iso to decide the liability of tho Department with regard to (he damage- to benches was before tho Courts.