1951-HKRS30-8-41_Part03 — Page 33

P

(1) Nama.

FORM 2.

Authorized Buyer's Licence.

[reg. 6.1

The Emergency (Control of Minerals) Regulations, 1951. Licence is hereby granted to (a)...................

(8) Addrana.

(o) Mineral.

to purchase (0)

of (b)

day of

day of

from the.....

until the

Business under this licence shall be transacted by the authorized buyer at the following addresses only-

Terms and conditions--

The practices above mentioned have continued despite the granting of mining leases and the nature of the terrain makes it difficult to catch offendera red handed. Moreover the practice has been so widespread that it may well be that law and order will still be flouted notwithstanding the enactment of the regulations already mentioned. In order to enable effective action to be taken regulation 12 further providea that if the Governor is of opinion that despite the ordinary sanctions of the law large number of persons are trespassing an any land for the purposes of illegal mixing, and that by reason of the methods used, or the vicinity of a catchment area or the dangers to public health and sanitation it is expedient in the public interest so to. he may by order declare that the further provisions of that regulation shall apply to such area, namely that from the seventh day after the publication of such order it shall be an olence punishable with a fine of $250 or 6 weeks for a first offence and $600 or 3 months for every subsequent offence to be on any lund to which the order applies without lawful authority and that for the purpose of enforcing such provision any member of His Majesty's Forces acting in conjunction with the police shall have all the powers of a police officer. Sub-regulation (2) provides that any order made under regulation 12 shall remain in force for a period of & months.

Dated this

day of

. 195

Licence Fee $500 per annum.

COUNCIL CHAMBER,

27th November,

1957.

Superintendent of Mines,

I Lov

Deputy Clerk of Councils.

Explanatory Note.

Owing to the great demand for strategic materials due to the present international situation profits to be made from the mining of wolfram and the ores of tin and lead has greatly increased and in several areas in the New Territories where there are deposits of these ores very many persons, without the authority of a lilcance or lease for the purpose, have been engaged in illegally mining these oras. In consequence not only has Government been deprived of substantial sume of money dus as royalties but the congregation of large numbers of miners and their families on and around these areas without supervision or proper sanita- tion has resulted in a very grave threat to public order and the health of the Colony. Public health is further imperilled by reason of the fact that a part of the waterworks catchment is within the area in which the filicit mining is taking place.

The purpose of these regulations in to prevent illegal mining by making it an offence for unauthorized persons to move, buy, sell or have in their possession wolfram or the ores of lead or tin and to provide that heavy penalties (up to a maximum of $10,000 or 1 year) may be imposed on offenders.