Kawarau Dam.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 3614, 18 November 1924, Page 3

Kawarau Dam.

THE MINING AMENDMENT ACT. PROTECTION FOR CLALMHOLDERS. Official advice has been received by Mr E. J. lies, of the Kawarau Gold Mining Company, from the Public Works Department, to the effect that the Mining- Act Amendment Act of 1921. contains the following pro- ■ visions:— ■ ‘ ’‘No dredging claim which comprises : any part of the' bed or nank of ia , river or stream, and in respect of i which a tribute agreement lias been i entered into pursuant to' section 225 of the principal Act, shall be forfeited or be deemed to be abandoned save with the consent in writing of the . Minister. “Every mining privilege in respect of any wet dredging claim shall, without application by or on behalf of the licensee,', be deemed to be protected at all times while, owing to the depth of the water in the river or stream, it is impracticable to work the claim efficiently. For the purposes of this subsection a certificate in writing under the hand of an inspector that the, efficient working of the claim has been prevented by reason of the depth of water in the river or stream shall be sufficient evidence of that fact; and in any judicial proceedings where such certificate is produced judicial notice I shall be taken of the signature of the inspector.” These clauses protect the claim holders. They will not have to man their claims when the river is high, and they need not apply for protection whenever the, river rises. The, Under-Secretary of the Mines Department further advises that the following clause has been inserted in the Reserves and Other Lauds Disposal and Public Bodies Empowering Act, 1924: “190 a. Whereas application was made, under the Mining Act, 1908, for a license for a dam at Kawarau Falls; and whereas the warden of the Otago mining district having regard to the magnitude of the operations, oonteim/plated and of the interests involved, deemed it expedient to insert in the license certain special conditions; and whereas it is doubtful whether the warden had jurisdiction to insert sucii conditions; and it is desirable to validate the license granted—be. it therefore, enacted as follows: — “(1) The license for a dam at ‘Kawarau Falls, Lake Wakatipu, granted under the Mining Act, 1908, on the 18th January, 1924, by George Cruickshank, warden, to Alfred Charles Hanlon, of Dunedin, solicitor, and registered as No. 2057 in the (Warden’h Court of the Otago mining district', is hereby declared to be valid, and binding in all respects, and to have full force, and effect according to the tenor thereof. “(2) The Minister of Public Works is hereby empowered to, exercise all the powers, authorities, and functions conferred, on him by virtue of the conditions contained in the second 1 schedule to the said license. “(3) The, hoard to be constituted pursuant to be the provisions of the second schedule to, the, said license shall be constituted by the GovernorGeneral by Order in Council in such manner and with such powers, not inconsistent with the terms of the license,, as may be set out in such order. Any Order in Council made under this section may from time to time, be amended or revoked.” Mr lies stated that lie was quite satisfied with the provisions, and the validation would seem to make things secure and free from doubt.