STATE AND MINING RIGHTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume L, Issue 15249, 12 March 1913, Page 8

STATE AND MINING RIGHTS.

SOME CRITICISMS ANSWERED. [BY TELEGRAPH.—PRESS ASSOCIATION.] Wellington, Tuesday. Alluding to the Southland coal lease case and to the assertion made in various journals that a new fee simple has apparently been created, the Hon. H. D. Bell , made the following statement to a rei porter:" England and everywhere I where English law prevails, the title in , fee simple to the soil can be, and is fre- . quently, separated £rom the title to . minerals, and when so separated there , are two inheritances. That is 'always the , case where railway companies acquire , the r fee simple of land- on which their railway . runs. The owner remains possessed of iL- __i_ _ iu~

the minerals* Moreover, the freehold of • land can be held in tiers. The freehold of a -flat can be granted above another flat. The idea that either Mr. Justice Williams or the Massey Government has invented a new and formerly unknown tenure is erroneous. Mr. Massey was aware, I think, of the law on the pointy and as a layman he perhaps failed to comprehend the difficulties which want of knowledge on the subject has apparently caused to laymen."