MINERAL RIGHTS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 222, 7 February 1913, Page 5

MINERAL RIGHTS.

I'■ - ; | A CANTERBURY CASE. (Per' Press Association). Christchurch, Last Night. This morning when the Canterbury Land Hoard was dealing with transfers' of leases an echo of the Southland case ' regarding the right to mineral wealth on ■' land converted from perpetual lease to ' freehold tenure was heard. The transfer dealt with was lease-in-perpetuity 2ol>, / comprising 1973 acres, section 3(5,101, ! > blocks 11., IV., V.. VI., Opihi Survey ' District, F. 11. King and F. S. Shrimptoa - to J. D. McFarlane. Formerly the Board granted a certain party or parties the right to mine coal on the property, but?' it was stated that the mining venture Jiad not proved a financial success, and that the leases had lapsed. The Board;' decided to grant the transfer. The mat- * ter was discussed by a reporter with some of the members of the Board when it adjourned. They were inclined to the opinion that should a lessee convert his holding to freehold, the mining rights would not necessarily become his prop- - erty. However, they were by no means certain on the point. The value of the coal, it was stated', was doubtful. It ' was not of good quality, and those who had worked it had devoted part of their time to making bricks from clay, found near the deposit. It would appear that the ease is on par with the Southland ' ; j one, and that the opinion of Crown law officers when available will cover it. '>