Monday, June 6. LOCAL BILLS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1855, 10 June 1887, Page 15

Monday, June 6. LOCAL BILLS.

On' the motion of Sir R. Stout to-day, it was resolved that local bills before the House this session may be taken up at the same stage next session. This motion cannot of course bind tke new Parliament. Its only effect will be that the promoters' of these bills will be saved the preliminary expense, which amounts to about £20. It has not yet been announced which local bills it is intended to push through, but the Oamaru Harbour Board Bill is mentioned, and as the Government have advanced £5000 to the board, an attempt to push it through will most likely be made. The Council, which likes to "take time to consider all these measures, will hardly care to be hurried, and most likely will check the attempt to dispose of them at the fag end of the session.

MEDITATING AN ATTACK.

A caucus of the Opposition was 'held this morning to consider .the matter o,f' the heavy unauthorised expenditure upoii special settlements and the unsatisfactory condition of the defence vote. After some discussion, it was decided to be inadvisable to arrive at anydecision until a statement was made by the Minister for Lands as to the" number and p^pnt of village settlements and how and in what districts he contemplated continuing operations.

AN UNEXPENDED VOTE.

A deputation waited upon the Minister for T.qnds this morning, consisting o F Messrs Pyke, Cowan, Joyce, Thomson, and Rioi ardson, in connection with last year's votes for opening up lauds close to Waikaia and Waika.ka sidings, a total of £2700. The deputation urged that the vote had been put on the Estimates in recognition of the claims of the district to consideration, and they pointed out that the settlers who had taken up land had paid high prices on the assumption that the Gore-Kelso railway would be completed, and under those circumstances they asked that the vote be expended. The Minister for Lands led the deputation to understand that he would do his best to authorise the expenditure of the major portion of the vote in the early spring.

THE MINES ACT AMENDMENT.

The Minister of Mines has obtained leave to replace the Mining Act Amendment Bill on the Oreler Paper, and it may be presumed an attempt will be made to push it through this session. The bill is one of 20 clauses, and provides that the holders of. all titles must exchange the old ones for new ones within six months. The registration of all holdings is made compulsory, excepting in the case of an ordinary claim not exceeding 100,000 square feet or sea beach claims. The wardens are to keep the registers, and registration must be renewed annually, the f,ee to be Is. Those claims

not registered are to be deemed abandoned and forfeited, but a fine may be imposed in place of forfeiture. The powers of land boards, for dealing with lands in mining districts Are transferred to the warden, who only, has the power to grant depasturing, timber, and other licenses. The warden snay. grant a license for mining for metals or mineralsother than gold, silver, or coal, , subject to Conditions that the area should not exceed 32 acres, the rent to be 2s 6d per acre annually, the royalty to be not less than one-fiftieth or, more than ©ne-twenty-fifth of the value at the pit's mouth, S?o mineral license shall entitle the holder to mine fcr gold or silver. Waterrace licenses are to be for 15 years, subject to annual registration. Leases under repealed acts may be renewed for the residue of the original terms. Miners' and business rights may be renewed after expiry on payment of Is addition to the usual fee. A number of amendments are made in the act, among which is anew definition of " underground manager/ which shall mean the manager who shall have the principal control and direction of any mine. Some of the regulations made are 'invalidated. The Coal Mines Act Amendment Pill amends several of the definitions. A penalty of £50 is provided for taking coal below high water mark without authority, and the provision of the Land Act as to illegal occupation of Crown lands shall apply. A lease shall nob be granted from a longer period than 30 years, and an extension of a lease must not exceed 99 years, including the original term.