THE LICENSING OF QUARTZCRUSHING MACHINERY.

Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1272, 27 August 1872, Page 4

THE LICENSING OF QUARTZCRUSHING MACHINERY.

The following is a copy of the memorial which has been transmitted to the House j of by the Auckland Chamber of Commerce, with reference to the licensing of quartz-crushing machinery :— To the Honorable the House of Representatives in Parliament assembled. The memorial of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce humbly sheweth :— 1. That great loss is suffered by this community, and especially by the owners of mining property, through the absence of any reliable means of testing the truth of reports as to the result of quartz-crush-ing operations. 2. That the facilities with which dishonest persons can at present avail themselves of crashing and smelting appliances, end afterwards dispose of the produce in gold, acts as a direct and strong temptation to robbery and malservation of trust, and seriously retards the development of the mining interst, by discouraging the investment of capital therein. 3. That in the opinion of this Chamber a system of Government inspection ought to be adopted ; and such system might be made effectual and self-supporting. 4. That after fully considering the course which seemed to them most likely to remedy the evils referred to, your memorialists resolved ta make the following suggestions, which they now accordingly make,. a»d respectfully submit for the consideration of your Honorable House. I. That it be unlawful for any person to extract gold from quartz unless he be duly licensed so to do. License fee to be, say LlO per annum. 11. That all persons so licensed be required to keep correct accounts of all operations conducted by them, or by use of their machinery, and to fnrnish to the Government Inspector monthly returns of such operations, including particulars of (I) the quantity of stuff cru&.ied ; (2), whence derived ; (3), when and from ■wkoia received ; (4), product : and (5), j bow disposed of. That they be required to, keep duplicates of all receipts given by them, and to issue certificates (in a form to be prescribed) with all gold or amalgam delivered from their batteries. That all their accounts, as well as the premises in which they carry on business,' be open at all times to the inspection of the Government Inspector. That it be a misdemeanor to neglect any of these particulars, and felony to falsify any entry or duplicate, or wilfully to include any false particulars in any certificate or return. 111. That it be unlawful to purchase gold (other than alluvial gold) or amalgam, unless such gold or amalgam is accompanied by the prescribed certificate from the licensed battery owner, or other person, by whom the ore was reduced ; and ! in the case of any intermediate procr j6s ' \ such as retorting, having been \ lse d' j from the licensed person who applied i such process. . IV. That a Government Inspector, with suitable salary, be appointed ; his duty being to visit and inspec^ whenever he may deem expedient, all. licensed crushing plant ; to examine and compare the books and vouchers there kept, and to receive and verify the monthly returns. That he have a.cpmpetent statfi ©f detective police under bis orders, s&& have power to require the prod»etion of certificates from any person found with gold or amalgam in his possession ; and that it h% jxwrt o' to* <fo*fy to lay information!* **• toeaeh. -or neglect of the regulations. 5. Your memorialists therefore nvav that yonr Honorable House will r*ss an Act to provide for the licensing an<\ pr» jp er inspection of all batteries and otJier machinery—public or private— em ploye din the reduction of gold ore in tb.e Province of Auckland, such Act being framed 'either m accordance with the siig-gesfcion? contained in clause IV. of this memori al, or w such ether plan as to yo » may seem best calculated to protect, the inter, jsts of the owners of gold minijng propertj-. Dr Bright's Pnosr/HODYNE.— Multitudes of people are hopelf^sly suffering .from Debility, Nervous ar.d Liver Complaints, DeSression of Spirits, Delusions, Uniitnes s for lusiness or Study, Failure of Hearing ftight, and Memory, Lassitude, Want of Power, &c, whose cases admit of a permanent core by the new remedy Phosphodyne (Otome Oxygen), which at once allays all irritation and excitement, imparts new energy and life' to the enfeebled constitution, and rapidly cures every stage of thc?e hitherto inctnrable and distressing maladies. Sold by all) Chemists and Storekeepers throughout the-! Colonies, from whom pamphlets containing ! testimonials may be obtained. Caution — i Ba particular to ask for Dr Bri&ht's Phospho- f dyne as imitations are abroad. Wholesale agents for New Zealand : — Kempthorn&. Prosaer, and Co, Dunedin.— [Advt.]