THE Mount Ida Chronicle FRIDAY, JUNE 20, 1873.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume IV, Issue 224, 20 June 1873, Page 4

THE Mount Ida Chronicle FRIDAY, JUNE 20, 1873.

One of the frame rs of the G-oldfields Bill, to be laid before the Assembly, speaking of the miner's right,, said that it would no longer constitute an element of title, but only be a source of revenue. If that be so, the imposition is entirely indefensible. The only excuse for its continuance in any shape is the privileges it confers, and the title it affords to property In reason, there is no more justice in a miner's right—without some such advantages —than, there would be in a farmer's right, a squatter's right, &c.. However, we are not quite sure that Mr Shepherd is very well aware as to the privileges that the miner's right would confer under the new Act. Clause 16 says, "Any person who shall be the " holder, and any number of persons " in conjunction who shall each be the " holder of any such miner's right " shall, subject to the provisions of " this Act and to the Regulations to " be made as hereinafter mentioned, be " entitled (except as against her Majesty) to take possession, &c.and clause 17 goes on to sny that, having taken possession, and during the con--tinuance of a miner's right, " shall be " entitled to the exclu ive occupation " for gold mining purposes." It certainly seems to us. that, the miner's right here, and very justly too, forms the sole element of title. Again, the miner's right confers, under clause 18, a riglit or title to enter up any Crown land for prospecting purposes, and also to. make roads, cut timber, peat, or mine for coal for private purposes on any such lands. Clause 21 gives a right to siuy holder of any parcel of land for mining purposes, held under miner's right, to assign or encumber his property—the sole condition, and therefore title, being the regularity of the miner's right. In, the face of, these clauses we can hardly understand how Mr Shepherd | could say that the miner's right would, in future, under the new Bill, be only a source of revenue and no element of title.: ' ' . One very- necessary alteration is aimed at under clause 27, which says: —" If the holder of either a miner's " right or business license shall ne-

" gleet, at the expiration thereof, to I " take out a new right or license, as " the ease may be, a new right or li- " cense dated of the day of such expi- " ration may, nevertheless, within three " months from auch expiration, be " granted to such holder upon produc- " tion of such expired right or license, "and upon the payment of a sum of " ten shillings in addition to the ordi- " nary price of miner's right or busi- " ness license . . . . and shall be " of the same force and efficacy as if " issued on the day of the expiration of " the former right license." At present a holder of mining property under miner's right, if such right should fail to be properly renewed, would, if a dispute arose, lose his case outside its merits simply because his title was defective ; so that, while we would not give up the advantages the miner's right confers in the matter oftitlS, it is very desirable some, mode of correcting a simple act of negligence should be within reach, without necessitating a forfeiture of property. There is one drawback, however, that will prevent this clause from being quite sufficient to meet the ease, and that is that it would open a door to political bribery. During the late elections many were .astonished at the large number of miners whose rights were irregular, some saying that over fifty men in Naseby alone had, by their carelessness, disfranchised themselves. If the ten shilling redemption,, pure and simple, were to be alio Ted, and the miner's right still remain a qualification in elections, any unscrupulous candidate could secure votes at 10s. per head—running the risk, However, of his voters slipping him up under-the ballot system, a risk not very great, as men would only be tampered with who, were, perhaps through ignorance, deemed secure. At any rate, whether the evil would be as great as we imagine or not, the loophole would be open for suspicion, and we have always found that suspicion actually breeds the evil-suspected.. There are other rights conferred under the new Bill on holders of miners' rights, such as entering upon land under agricultural lease, cutting races through freeholds, &c. Our object has not been to- give a complete digest of the Act so far as it relates to miners' rights, but rather to draw attention to what, after all, is the mainspring and only justification of the tax —its advantage as an element of title. We hope the Miners' Associations will see their way, before- the Assembly meets (July 15), to discuss this Bill'clause by clause. Aftei all, the" criticisms that we can offer, unless backed up by the miners themselves, are based more on theory than practice. "We shall be very glad to give publicity to any correspondence or opinions on the various important elements contained in the Bill.; It probably can be seen at the Athenaeum, or would, if not in hand, be certainly sent to the institute if applied for. When the Bill is taken up in Committee of the House at Wei- : lington it will be then too late to remedy defects that a little energy would enable those most interested to point out beforehand.