The Southland Times. INVERCARGILL: TUESDAY, JULY 29.

Southland Times, Issue 1773, 29 July 1873, Page 2

The Southland Times. INVERCARGILL: TUESDAY, JULY 29.

Whatever may be the merit of " The Goldmining Act" now passing through the General Assembly, and just read a second time, it cannot fairly be charged with the fault of extreme brevity, it containing not less than 217 clauses. This Act is intended to repeal all the mining legislation of the past six years, excepting in so far as that each repeal shall affect anything lawfully done, or privilege acquired, appointment made, penalty incurred, or suit depending, under or by virtue of any Act so repealed. Passing over the interpretation clauses and those relative to the constitution of gold-mining districts, the Act provides for the issue of miners rights for any number of years, not exceeding fifteen, to any person applying for the same upon payment of a sum at the rate of one pound for every year for which the said right is to be in force. " Consolidated miners' rights" are also issuable under the Act, for the like period, to managers or trustees of companies. The holder of a miner's right shall be entitled to enter upon any Crown land to prospect, notwithstanding such land shall be held under a depasturing lease or license, and shall also be entitled to take or divert water from any spring, pool, or stream flowing through or adjoining Crown lands, either for mining or domestic pur poses, and to use adjoining Crown lands for the deposit of spoil or debris. There are other specified privileges, such as the occupation of land for residence, and the cutting down of timber, and the making of tramways or other roads. Halfyearly and yearly business licenses are provided for at the rate of £5 per annum, the said licenses to be transferable. Miner's rights or business licenses which have been neglected or omitted to be renewed at the time of expiration, may be renewed within three months by the payment of ten shillings in addition to the ordinary license-fee. Licenses to cut, construct, and use water-races through and upon Crown lands or private property are i ssuable for a term not exceeding fifteen years at the same cost as miner's rights, namely, one pound per annum, but requiring to be renewed annually. Fifteen acres of auriferous land may be leased by any person for any term not exceeding fifteen years from the making of the lease upon such terms as may from time to time be fixed by proclamation of the Governor. The Waste Lands Act of any province is not, except in certain specified cases, to apply to land constituted or proclaimed a goldmining district under this Act. The regulations for working appear to embrace every conceivable mode of operation, and to refer to every contingency that may arise in the pursuit of goldI mining. Section 48 provides for the ' issue of agricultural leases within goldmining districts, the area being limited to 200 acres for each lessee, and the term fixed being not exceeding seven years. Mining Boards may be constituted in any district containing not less than 500 persons, holding miners' rights, upon the petition of not less than 200 persons holding such right, and this Board shall have the power to frame byelaws applicable to the district, and generally to regulate the working of the district. Mining may in certain provided

cases be carried on upon Native lands, but no person is at liberty to prospect or mine upon lands over which the Native title has not been extinguished, unless the same shall have been included in land proclaimed a gold-mining district, nor unless the said person shall have first taken out a prospecting license under this Act. Sections 79 to 89 relate to drainage of mines, and the seventeen following sections are taken up with the originating, construction, functions, and liabilities of the Mining Drainage Boards authorised by the Act. Among the general provisions of the Act, that of section 124 is very important, providing that the vested interests which may have been acquired or are held uuder or by virtue of thia Act shall not be forfeited because the holder does not possess a miner's right. To enable such a person to sue, the Act provides that he may at the commence- < ment of his suit take out a miner's right dating as far back as the matter in action, and paying proportionately therefor, and also paying the penalty* imposed for mining upon or occupying Crown lands, without being possessed of a miner's right or business license. The remaining clauses are directed to the details of the Adtnin^ istration of Justice in the constitution and working of Wardens' Courts, and the penalties accruing under the Act. We do not imagine that the subject of mining [ legislation is likely to awaken the deep interest in this portion of the province, that it might be expected to do in an ex clusively mining district where its importance is supreme. We are however to some extent (at least) interested, and in the development which an influx of population may naturally be expected to bring about, the character of a very large area of the district may be materially changed. There is much of probability in the belief that many localities within an eaay distance will prove to be payable gold-fields. Whether this prove to be the case or not, in view of the magnitude of the interests at stake, and of the influence which gold-fields' legislation must have upon the community, we trust that before the Act shall have passed its third reading it will have received a careful consideration and an expression of opinion from every mining body throughout New Zealand.