SEARCH FOR RADIUM

Hokitika Guardian, 5 July 1932, Page 3

SEARCH FOR RADIUM

ACTIAHTY IN CANADA

REWARD FOR DISCOVERY

VANCOUVER, July 2. 3

? The search for radium, most vain- i able of minerals, will' continue' in ' British Columbia this year as a result of new mineral legislation passed at the last session of the Legislature.' Under the terms of this legislation asyndicate which started to exploit?' radio- active ore on Vancouver Island .and Quadra Island and then stopped its operations will resume work. ■ ! The Canadian Government still offers a reward ol £IOOO to any person dis--eovering radium, as an extra inducement to prospecting. . •<!- At the same time the Hon. AV. A. McKenzie, Minister* for Mines, ( 'explained that tho 'Governments anew" radium, policy, widely misrepresented in some quarters, as too favourable to 1 mining corporationwas designed -to. conserve for the public, the fullest possible share of any profits arising from a radium discovery arid also to make certain that radium mas used for curative purposes in as large a way (is possible. He said that the old Radium Act; under which tho Government could take 50 pen- cent, of any rnd-'wm discovery and also collect a- royalty on it,. Had definitely discofiragod- , the. ; search for radium,. and stopped the operations then under way. The chief desire of the Government.;: in the interest of general activity and also of public health, was to enCorpv age a radium r ]iscovery .The ne\v, : Arti. he said, would do so, an d / at-t-be; same time give the Government. the,;;>jriost sweeping powers, to conserve;., radium for the public rise. It had power to pass any regulations govern teg.•■radium mining and to reelare. a blanketreserve on radium-bearing lands,.; should they be discovered to conserve , them for the public.

In this wav complete rnibh'c -protection was provided and ; pro s pectin" would be stimulated hv the, removal of the provision by which the . Crown could take a, 50 ne 1 * cent., interest of all,discoveries. Tt was entitled.to onlv n. 10 per cent, interest under the. new tew. but it would oolteet the ordinary mineral tax and income taxes on radium profits.