The Aroha AND Ohinemuri News AND UPPER THAMES ADVOCATE.

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 211, 16 July 1887, Page 2

The Aroha AND Ohinemuri News AND UPPER THAMES ADVOCATE.

1 This nbove all — to thine own self be true nrl it must follow as the night the day, Thou canst not then be false to any man.' — Shakebpeauk.

TUESDAY, JULY IG, 1887

THE MINING ACT, AMENDMENT ACT.

The Mining Act, 188 C, Amendment Act, 18*7, which camo into force on Jui!" IUM), contains some very important clauses to which we would direcl (ho special attention of all interested in the mining industry. Section 9 of the Act of ISB6 (which came into force on January Ist, 1887), sets forth that, " All claims and Heeded holdings, and nil water- races, dams, and reservoirs, and all machine, business, and resi lence sites held, occupied, or enjoyed under any Act hereby repealed, shall, from and after the commencement of this Act, be and he deemed to be held, occupied and enjoyed under this Act, ami shall be *übject to the provisions theieof." It is not necessary for us to hen 1 , even bii»fly, refer to the many im portant alterations n:ado by the Mining Act of 1880, both with respect to the manner of making applications for lands for mmmg 1 purposes, rental payable for same, rules laid down for working, forfeiture, elc, as the act itself, having come into force on Ist January, its leading features no doubt are uenerally known to most of those who.n its provisions principally concern. By section 2 of the Mining Act, 1086, Amendment Act, 1887, section 9 of the Act of 188G is repealed nnd in lieu thereof it is enacted as follows : " All claims, water races, dams, reservoirs, machines-sites, and residence sites, tenements and easements, [held occupied, or enjoyed under any Act, repealed by the said Act, shall, from and after the commencement of the said Act, be and be deemed to be held, occupied or enjoyed under the said Act in so I'ur only as the Act is consistent with the. Acts and regulations made thereunder, and under which the said rights an 1 privileges were granted, mid all questions of title to the said rights and }>rivil?.ges shall be determined under the Act and regulations in force at the time when the said rights and privileges acre granted; and all fees and charges

payable in respect thereof shall not exceed those fixed either by Act or regulations iv force at the time tho said rights and privileges wore granted." In our issue of January 22nd, referring to the new mining Act we wrote as follows : " Section 95 of the Mining Act, 1886, sots forth that any person jtfie holder of a miners 1 right shall during the continuance thereof be entitled to take and maintain possession of for mining purpose*, land, etc. From this it would appear that it is only during the holding of of a miners' right in full force that any person is entitled to the mining privileges he may become possessed of by virture of such right, and consequently that being at any time without a minors' right through neglecting to renew it, or some other cause, is sufficient reason in the eyes of the law for hia being dispossessed oF his mining property, no matter what good or reasonable excuse might bo pleaded. Section 97 goes to confirm this view of the matter, and apparently no discrc tionery power is given in the Warden's Court to impose a fine in lieu of forfeiture in such oases, etc " There could be no question but those sections were most arbitrary, an 1 not calculated to work well. The Warden, in every ease relating to gold mining, is tha one t>> whom nil concerned naturally look t > mete out justice with an impartial hand. He knows the wants and requirements of tho district he represents, and is the best judge of the merits of eveiy onso brought before him ; and should not be bound down by any hard and f;t9t lilies, but have a considerable discretionary power in all cases ; and by the Amendment Act, 1887, we are pleased to peo these matters have been set right. Section 4 reads as follows : " Notwithstanding anything contained in t))e said Act. or this Act, the Warden may in any case, on sufficient cause being shown, substitute a monetary fine in lieu of forfeiture." Section li reads : •< If the holder of either a miners' right or a business license shall neglect, on tho expiration thereof, to take out a new right or license, as the cats may be, a new right or license dated of the day of such expiration, nw»y nevertheless be gi anted to such holder upon production of such expire 1 right or license within thirty days from such expiration, and within three months upon the payment of the sum of five shillings in addition trt the ordinary price of a miners' right, or business license as aforesaid, and shall lie of the same force and eftie icy, as if issued on the day of the expiration, of the former right or license. Section Id provides that " No manager shall act as a shnrebroker, and if ho shall so act, either directly or indirectly, ho shall be liable to a penalty of fifty pounds, to be recovered in a summary manner."

We learn th.it the- Inspector of Mines has been instructed to report on all Au'iicnltutal Leases in Ohinemuri for which the owners desire to obtain the freehold. Mr Wilson intends to visit the locality ot" all Agricultuial Leases at Ohinemuri during the nresont rmnth, and those desirous of obtaining freeholds, who have not yet made application should do so without delay. Mr. J. B. Wl.vto invites the electors to meet him at Waitoa on next Mondaj' evening. See advt. By .1 notification which appears In this js.uo, it will be observed that the services of Mr. C. A. Cooper have been retained bv the A roh a and Ohiuemuri Medical ClubBy adveitisement Mr. Hugh "Ross, of tlit 3 NV'iihou nursery, invites the attention of intending fiuit growers and others to his large and v, tried assortment of general nursery stock, including fruit, ornamental, and shelter trees, etc., which will be sold at nunt iCiisonuble prices. The general excellence of the fiuit and other trees supplied by Mr. lioss are now well known, and he has borne off a number of piizes when competing against many old established nurserymen in the Waikato. For the present planting season Mr. Ross has a grand lot of young trees to select from. We direct upecial attention to Messrs. Alf. Bucklnnd & Co. 1 s advertisement, announcing forthcoming sales by auction. This day, ot Cambridge, sale of a large number of horses, produce, etc. On Tuesday next, Ohaupo live stock sale will be held, for which a large number of stock have already been entered. On Thursday next there will be offered for sale at the Waitoa yards a large number of frit ani store cattle and sheep, etc. A public meeting, to take into consideration the present state of the roads and contracts, and any other matters that may be deemed advisable by those present, has been convened by Mr. B. Y. Cox, at the request of n number of ratepayers, and will be held in the school-ioom, Shaftes*bury, on next Satin day afternoon, at four o'clock. See adverti«ement. The Grand Juvenile Carnival, by Te Aioha School crhildren, will be held in the Public Hall on next Thursday evening, commencing al eight o'clock. Great preparations are being made for the entertainment, and being in aid of the School Fund, there should be a bumper house. " DiunkennesH : Its cause and cure, " is the suMje'-t on which Rev. S. Lawry is announced to preach next Sunday evening in the Te Aroha Wesleyan Church Te Aroha Town Board give notice by advertisement re By-laws. I r iho Commissioner of Crown Lands noti- j fies by advcitiHement that Section 14, Block 'll Te Aroha is for sale on deferred payment in two portions of 74 acres each. Notice of application tor a Licensed j Holding at KavangalmUe by Mr. J. 11. I Hall, for the Josephine G. M. Co. appears in this issue. In another column will be found a ropoitof a meeting of Walton ratepayers re county matters. Not being uwaro such a meeting was about to be held, no representative of this journal was present, or a fuller report of what passed would appear. At a special meeting of: Te Aroha Town Board held on Saturday last it was rusolved that the by-laws a-} re id jit a previous meeting be adopted.