THE MINING INDUSTRY.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 900, 20 August 1910, Page 12

THE MINING INDUSTRY.

PROPOSED ALTERATIONS OF THE LAW. A GOLDMINERS' BELIEF FUND. Under, the Mining Amendment Bill, which was read a first imeou Thursday, it is provided that prospecting warrants.and licenses may, with the consent of the trustee's, bo granted in respect of any endowment or public reserve. In the case of an'application for a dredging claim, comprising portion of a stream which has been' previously held as a dredging claim and abandoned, or in the ease of an ap--piication for a dredging claim where the ground to be dredged is of shallow depth, the warden may, subject to the approval of the Minister, grant a claim of any shape, but not exceeding eight miles in length or 400 acres in area. Where gold is associated with other metals or minerals, .a special claim may be granted, and the holder shall be entitled to all metals or niinerals within the boundaries of the claim, and to mine for or remove them. A warden may order that, the land 'comprised in any claim,, whether granted before or after,the passing of the Act, shall be surveyed within three months. Section 116 of the principal Act, which provides that the warden shall .determine all questions, relating :iu liens, shall apply. to liens or dredges. Every mine shall be under the personal supervision of a mine manager. If there is default in this regard for more than three days, ■ the owner shall be liable to a fine not exceeding .£SO. Where the number of persons employed in a mine does not exceed twelve, the manager need not hold a certificate, either of the first or second class. A medical examination in respect of workers over the age of eighteen shall not be required on employment rn a mine. The penalties for breaches of this, section are: £50 for a'first .offence, and ,£IOO for a second or subsequent offence. Conditions may bo imposed to obviate the destruction of the surface of pastoral or agricultural lands the subject of the license. The right may be given in respect of any private land' to lay the head lines and side lines of a dredge over sucli land, on conditions which the warden may deem fit. Miners may at their own cost appoint a check weigh-man, who may be removed by the Court if he interrupts the working of the mine. All applications for mining privileges shall be finally heard and decided within six months from the date of application, except in special cases. In addition to the'duty pavatle under the Gold Duty Act, 1908, there shall be payable on the export of all gold, whether produced in the North or the South Island, a.dnty of 3d.'per ounce troy weight of gold of the .fineness, of 20 carats and upwards,\ and so in prbnortion on every ounce of a less degree "of fineness than 2Q carats. This duty shall be paid into the Public Trustee's account, and shall be placed to the credit o£ an account to be called the Goldminers Belief Fund, for the relief of the families of miners who are killed or injured while so working. Any- money paid out.of the Goldminers' Relief Fund in respect of the death or injury oi any miner, shall not be ducted from any compensation payable under the Workers' Compensation Act, 1908, in respect of the accident; Where in any proceeding against any. person (other than the holder of a claim which is actually being worked or a licensed gold-dealer) for stealing gold it is proved that he •.'■was at any time within six months preceding the commencement of the proceedings in possession of gold of or exceeding the weight of one and a half ounces, it shall lie on him to prove that he- came by that goldlawfully. ■..,.' .■''■■''. The following clause is repealed: "The assistance to .be given' towards prospecting at deep levels shall be confined to .three mining districts, and in no case shall more than one deep level be assisted in any. such district at one time."