THE SOUTHLAND LEASE.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1667, 6 February 1913, Page 8

THE SOUTHLAND LEASE.

ME. JIASSEY AND HIS CRITICS. '■ Opposition journals which have lately been accusing the Government of parting with a Southland lease r in-pcrpetuity section, plus certain mineral deposits, at a ■price equivalent to tho surface Tights only, have made much of the delay which occurred before the Prim© Minister furnished a reply to, the accusation. This aspoct of the matter'was. mentioned to Mr. Massey yesterday. He remarked that he was travelling in the north when the subject was first mentioned in the newspapers, and that nothing official camo to liim regarding it until ne reached Wellington, and then only at his own request.' He had seen ; the. statements in 'the newspapers,'and on returning to Wei-, lington instructed the Grown Law Office to furnish a report. Thi9 could- not be done ; until the lease and other particulars of the transaction had been obtained from Southland. These facts, Mr. Masfully • nccounted - for the time that, had been spent in dealing with the matter. : . • .. ■ ■:The, section' of the' Land Act' which, governs the Southlaild lease-in-perpetnity and similar-leases first appeared as Section'l2l of the. Act of 1892, and now appears as Section. 135 of the Land Act, 1908 ;(Cdilsol.ißated). ' It reads as.fonowsi-r' . "Where 'any < mineral,' mineral oil, • gas,metal, or valuable ston'e has been or hereafter is discovered on or adjacent to any Crown land, whether open for selection or not, or on any Crown lands heretofore reserved or ■ hereafter , to be 'reserved for coal-mining, or in caso' where the presence of such mineral, mineral oil, gas,' metal or similar stone is Rrobable, tlip Qovernor-in-Council may withr draw such ; lands from sale, and may thereafter deal with'such lands by special, regulations, but always subject as follows':— . : . "(a) The surface of the land mar b'o leased on renewable lease under Part 111 or under Part V or under Part VI of this Act. [Note.—The Act of 1892' says at this point: "May' be' leased in perpetuity," instead of "may be leased on renewable I lease."! ' . " .'' , I ,' "(b) No right to- any mineral, mineral I oil,' gas. metal,' or valuable sfono under the surface, shall pertain to the lessee. , "(c) A covenant s)hall,be inserted in every lease or license specially'excepting such minerals," oils, gases, metals, and Valuable stones, from all claims or right of the lessee or licensee, and limiting such right to the surface soil of the land comprised in his lease or license, and reserving a right/of ingress, egress, and regress to all persons lawfully, engaged in working any such minerals, oils, gases, metals, or stones." . <■