REPORT OF THE GOLDFIELDS COMMITTEE ON THE OTAGO CENTRAL MINERS ASSOCIATION CORRESPONDENCE.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume VII, Issue 395, 7 October 1876, Page 3

REPORT OF THE GOLDFIELDS COMMITTEE ON THE OTAGO CENTRAL MINERS ASSOCIATION CORRESPONDENCE.

Iu this correspondence three subjects are considered :—(1.) Alleged oppressive Mining Taxation ; (2) Uncertainty of Water-right Tenure on G-oldfields; (3.) Faulty Goldfields Legislation. Your Comiiiitfee are of opiuion,— aiINDTG TAXATION, 1. That the revenue collected as Gold Export Duty and ordinary mining revenue consi itutes a heavy pcreantsige upon the average eaivings of the miners in all parts of New Zealand. 2. That it should be lawful for the Governor to vary from time to time, at the request of Hie locil body, any item or items of oininary mining revenue'other than land revenuo arising- under the Goldfields Acts in in the district in which such local body has control. 3. That the miner's right should run on all proclaimed goldfields upon Crown lands and should riot be liable to be varied as above. WAT BE EIGHTS. The position of water rights on Goldfields appears to be most unsatisfactory. The holders of water licenses under the Goldfields Act are clearly entitled to the protection of the Government in the use, in their ordinary avocations, of water held under such licenses. Your Committee think it would be most desirable that a Commission should be appointed to inquire into the pasition of water rights as between the goldminers and the holders or occupiers of Laid upon the banks of rivers and streams ; and that such Commission, iu addition to dealing wilii the whole question of riparian rights in New Zealand, should be requested to suggest as to the feasibility of preserving to the Crown riparian rights iu all future sales or leases of waste lands.

GOLOTIEI/DS LEGISLATION. Tli? Committee do not. feel able to make any definite suggestion in regard to the amendment and consolidation of Goldfields Acts at present in force. They, hon-eyer, agree with 'he Otngo Miners' Association, that; any such amendment and consolidation of the mining law as a whole should emanate from the Government ; nurl that the suggestion made by the Association, that any'such legislation should be prepared by gentlemen esperiencsd in G-oldfields administration, is .deserving of most careful consideration. VIXCEST Pl r KK, Chairman.