MINING LAW

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18273, 16 December 1933, Page 5

MINING LAW

PROPOSED AMENDMENTS EXTENSION OF LICENSES MINISTER’S NEW POWERS (Per Proas Association.) WELLINGTON, this day. Important changes in the existing mining law to enable development work to be carried out on modern methods is proposed in the Mining Amendment Bill which was introduced in the House of Representatives yesterday. At the present time, special prospecting licenses are limited to areas.of ICO acres, and a license is only tenable for one year. The bill proposes to increase the area to 600 acres, and to leave the- term of each license to the discretion of the Minister. Another far-reaching change is to extend the length of river-dredging licenses, from three miles to 16 miles, and to enlarge the area of the river bottom to be worked from 75 acres to 600 acres. The reason for this change is because most rivers have already been dredged once or twice, and it is held that increased areas are necessary to enable dredges costing in t he vicinity oi £20,000 to have, a reasonable chance of success. The development, of geophysical surveys has required several new provisions. These are designed to give . right of entry for the purpose of geophysical survey, ami lav down that no license shall'be given to work land which has been the subject of such survey without the consent of the Minister. There is also provision fen- the validation of agreements made between those working surveyed land and the Minister, whereby 5' per cent, of the gold won is lo be handed over to the Crown.

Another provision includes authority for the Minister to grant, permission formining to be carried on on Sundays where there is danger to the enterprise if a stoppage takes place. _ It is also proposed to give authority to the Inspector of Mines to issue a permit for an uncertificated man to be in charge of a mine for a short period when the certified manager is absent. A further proposal is to . amend the present- law to provide for the adjournment of an inquest in the case of a mine fatality until such time as the Inspector of Mines can be present. There are also a number of provisions designed .to give further control by inspectors of mine engine-drivers.