The Kumara Times. Published Every Evening. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17, 1878.

Kumara Times, Issue 486, 17 April 1878, Page 2

The Kumara Times. Published Every Evening. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17, 1878.

In a community such as ours it will ( not be out of place to call attention to some of the provisions of "The Mines Act, 1877," as contra-ted with the late " Gold Fields Act," and its numerous i amendments, all of which are now superseded by the first-mentioned Act. The . " saviug clause " makes ample provision for the protection of all rights previ- . ously acquired y and on the other hand, for the enforcement of any "penalty, forfeiture, or other punishment, incurred in respect of any offence against any Act hereby repealed, or any regulations made thereunder." The interpretation clause provides that the word "person" shall include incorporated companies, aud that "claim" shall mean-and include a parcel or any number of parcels of Crown lands, race, clam, or reservoir, lawfully taken up and occupied under or by virtue of the provisions of this Act, or any regulations made thereunder;" but it shall not include land comprised in any lease. The definitions of the various other words of frequent recurrence in the Act follow, and having made provision for the constitution of mining districts, we come to the all-important point—miners' rights—about which we shall make a few observations. These documents can be issued for any number of years not exceeding fifteen, but they must be paid for at the rate of «£1 per annum We fail to see the advantage of this provision. On the other hand they are in force throughout the entire Colony, which is a great advantage. Then we have the I consolidated miner's right, which may be issued for three years, on the application of any manager or trustee of any company or partnership, and the 13th clause goes on to say " the value shall be granted to any person so applying on payment of a sum at the rate of £l for 'every year, for which the same is to be in force multiplied - by the number of miner's rights which the same is to represent." "We do not anticipate that the demand for these novelties will be excessive. Whilst on the subject of miner's rights we may take a passing glance at the extraordinary provisions of the 28th clause, which certainly must have been formulated either in a very hasty manner or with an utter disregard to its practical working. "Where does it bring us to ] We do not hesitate to answer—To a point repugnant so the ini terests of all honest miders. A person /.may, forsobthV by. th"e payment of an extra fee of ten shillings have his miner's right or business, liconce although three months out of rlate, "dated on the day of such expiration." The effect of this absurd provision is Bimply this, that a litigant who has evaded payment of the annual pound can laugh at his opponent, go and p*y his penalty, cure all blemishes, and proceed with his action with the simple proviso that the time must not exceed I three months. What a temptation to ; place in the way of needy miners who J want to try a new piece'of ground, :uid .whose old rights have expired ! Before j paying the legal tax a miner so placed J can actually on working for three ' months under the se;is of the law, and if suceaaful he cau rectify his omission,

if unsuccessful the pound fails to reach the Treasury chest. The sequence is patent. We shall return to this subject at an early date.