MINING LEGISLATION.

Otago Witness, Issue 2273, 23 September 1897, Page 18

MINING LEGISLATION.

Wkllihgtow, September 17.

The Mining Bill to ba introduced into P*r« liamenfc this session by the Government is a measure to consolidate and amend the existing acts relating to that subject. It bus beea drafted, and is a comprehensive bill of 300 clauses, divided into 10 pacts, 'f he firsb pact is preliminary, being devoted to interpretation and repeal clauses. Tito constitution of districtß and appointment of officers under the bill is dealt with in pact 2. Lauds subject to the bill and lands e>x<tmpted therein are described in part 3, whil-sfc part; 4 deals with miners' righti and oaiuing privileged. IJArIl J Arl sis devotsd. to the working, regulation, and inspection of mines ; park 6 to thu regulab'on of appliance* and pvocessa* for treating ores and metalu ; part 7 definei proeoduve in regard to cUima for cvrapeusatioH ; and part 8 provides for raining partnerships. In part 9 the adminisfcratiou of ]«otic« is dealt with, and part 10 oaataius m'se&Uaneoua provisions «s to the d»v»lopmetti ot the industry, &•?. Copies of the bill are to be distributed amongst the miners' associations and all tho*e interested in tho mining iaduafcry. Ta« Minister for Mines wishafl to draw the- attention of owners of water races aud of reservoirs to the new clauses dealing with thsee maWwes, in order that they may express an opinion as to whether or nob the»« pfoviaioiw will prejudic : a!ly affect their inter«ets. Tk» attention o? loc»l bodies who own water races is alw directed to fcho clause* affvcHng then*. *,ad it will be well for surveyors to pornte the clauses in which okangea ar« mad* reg»rdiog survey*. Any mggeskions seuS in will b« considered before the Will is finally laid before PAeliatnenfc, and tha various critici*ms will also be placed before the Goldfields and Mines Committee for tb-ir cMisidf-m.-i.inn wh»t> dpalinff with th" m ■""**"

ificuiOfsr 18

Tue Mining Oonip*nie» Acs Amendment Bill to be introduced by tbe Government fchi*ae«ion pri»vide« fchafc every foreign mining compan? doing bwsinew ia this colony shall naak» adoqu&fea proriiion iv Nrw Zealand for tha transfer of i^s chares and for the execution aad ieaue in Now Zealand of be ip cerHfioatas or ottier documents of Mbt«. Ib s»»H nob bs lawful f<»r any shareholder to be entered on b«bh the coloni*! a»d foreign shareholder*' regi«fcec at fcho same tim* in respect to the same share*. There is a provision in the bill that at any sale of forfeited Bhwea in a non-liabHity conopany, if tite share ca«t»ok ba 8«ld for a sum Bi>ffleienb to ntwjh th« e*H da» upon ifc, ib may be wibadrawn hy the direeliowi and shall become the proparfcy of bh* company. Tain cl»«»e is desigued to pui a stop to th» praetifre wbicb h*» grown up on tk<» parb of tbos» wboi»e shares hay« bee» forfeited by preventing thfm from pure'tasipg *hare« bv»k *t a nominal figure wh»n they are offered at Mistion. It it ftl«o provided by th* bill that i« svtry case in which a debt in iscurrod by no»-H*biHty tba company directors shall b» personally responsible f<-r it, bub no director shiH be liable for sny d^bfc incurred without his knowledge or if he proves that he protested ag»in»t ib iv writing.