THE MINISTER FOR MINES AND THE KAURI TIMBER COMPANY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2239, 28 January 1897, Page 22

THE MINISTER FOR MINES AND THE KAURI TIMBER COMPANY.

Auckland, January $2. At a Eocial given by leading residents of Mercury Bay, the Hon. A. J. Cadman, Minister for Mines, said he had now great trouble in dealing with mining questions in general, especially with regard to mining on the Kauri Timber Company's property, on which question there was evidently a great misunderstanding. The Kauri Company wanted a bigzev say regarding Tairua than the Oovernm'-nt would allow. In the p*st the timber industry had been of far greater importance in this district than the mining industry. In connection with the former, danis were erected and booms constructed in various creeks, and now objection was raised to the granting of water rights in these creeks for mining purposes there was friction, and ik wa* the duty of the Government to see fair play, so that the community might reap the benefit. Quite 200 persons were dependent in the timber industry, which should be p-o-tected, but it seemed as if legislation wax needed 1o deal with the working of the two inWesti. Tbe Kauri Timber Company hid leases over nearly 100,000 acres on this peninmla, and in many case's when the land was denuded of the timber their rights ceased. Oae of the causes of the trouble was that the company desired to acquire a prior right over these blocks —that is. they asked to be allowed to mark out one, two, three, and four claims prior to everybody flse. This litid been steadily declined, until lately the company had been making arrangements not to object, to the applicatii ns of certain parties, provided they aeree to the company's terms. If, however, the peraoDs refused ti come to term?, then the company objected to any surh application, so that the warden could not grant it This virtually gave the company thp same power as the warden. It had therefore been decided that the warden should not deal in any wav with the company's land unless all have equsl rights ; hence the trouble. He had no desire to put the company to any expense, hut still he must' protect the rights of the people, and was prepared to face the matter. Provision bad been made by the Government to pay reasonable compensation for any claims on lands on which timber had been worked out. There had been a givat amount of agitation lately about the resumption of land for mining purposes, and they hoard from a certain section of the press that Eugli'sh capital was beinj? driven out of the colony. Now, tbe Crown held the right to resume land for mining purposes for the last 22 years, and yet not more than 1000 acres had been bo resumed, and anybody could see for themselves that ad the present day foreign capital was not being driven away. Provision had also been made to protect the timber industry. Bofo-e resuming any land the wirden must cet a competent person to roporb. There was still a great extent of lard that could ba so woiked siißcessfully, yet no claim would be granted unless everything was properly settled. The company had no righc to mine on these leasehold blocks any more than anyone else unless granted permission by the warden, so that this should make them anxious to settle. If, however, the company did not com to terms it would be neaeftjary to introduce legislation to settle the mattsr next session.